Paramus Flying Club

Serving New York & New Jersey area pilots for over 60 years

Paramus Flying Club

NYC metro's premiere non-profit flying club

Our mission is to provide member pilots with well-maintained, well-equipped aircraft near to NYC at cost. Our club of 60 members own a fleet of 4 glass-cockpit, IFR-capable aircraft for recreational flying and personal training.

Aviation at cost
We are a non-profit club, so our members pay only the cost of operating the aircraft with minimum overhead.
A community of pilots
Being a private pilot can be lonely. We're a community of pilots who love aviation and want to share it with others.
Safety-focused culture
Safety is our top-priority, and we take maintenance and training seriously. All members undergo initial and recurring checkouts to keep us safe, and our costs and insurance low.
Conveniently located
Our fleet is at Caldwell Airport (KCDW) in Fairfield, NJ. It's a 45 minute drive from Manhattan, and easily accessible by public transit.

Our Fleet

All aircraft are glass-panel, IFR certified, and meticulously maintained.

N8050J

2005 Cessna 182T Skylane G1000

Our 182T is a great, all-around cross-country machine. It's equipped with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit, autopilot, and XM weather. Our members recently flew 50J to California and back.

N6189Q

2008 Cessna 172S Skyhawk G1000

Most pilots are familiar with the Cessna 172, and this is a great example of the type. With a Garmin G1000 and the GFC-700, this is perfect for everything from training to cross-countries.

N949KC

2008 Diamond DA40 Diamond Star G1000

With its center-stick cockpit, low-wing configuration, and bubble canopy, it provides a different feel than most other single-engine aircraft. However, it handles easily and club members have transitioned to it in just a few hours.

N21200

2005 Cessna 182T Skylane

PFC acquired N21200 in late 2023. This is the newest addition to our fleet similarly equipped as 50J with a G1000 glass cockpit.

We are a community of aviators

We're not just about sharing aircraft, but also a passion for aviation

  1. Let's go flying!

    We host regular events, such as Breakfast Flights (our version of the $100 burger) and Wash-n-Wax events. But we also encourage members to jump in a plane on a whim and go flying together.

  2. Social events

    Not everything happens in the air: we host regular happy hours, outings, tower tours, and other events. It's a great chance to meet other members and trade stories.

  3. Monthly meetings

    We meet monthly to discuss club operations, review each aircraft's status, and make decisions about the future of club.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the aircraft based?
Our fleet is located at Caldwell Essex County Airport (KCDW). We have tie-downs on the Alpha ramp.
What are the minimum experience requirements to join?
You must have a private pilot certificate, a current medical, and one of the following:
  • 150 hours total time, 75 hours PIC time
  • an instrument rating
  • 12 hours of flight time in the last 90 days
In addition, we require five hours in the NY high density area (or other similarly congested airspace). We are currently not accepting student pilots who haven't yet received their private pilot certificate.
What does it cost?

Deposit: $6,000; $4,000 returned on exit

Monthly dues: $275

Hourly rates are wet and based on tach time:

TailTypeRate
N6189QC172SP G1000$165
N8050JC182T G1000$195
N21200C182T G1000$195
N949KCDA40 G1000$180

Rates are effective September 2024.

Broadly, our monthly dues reflect our fixed costs (insurance, tie downs, subscriptions, etc.)
Tach rates reflect variable cost of flying the airplane (fuel, oil, engine reserve, etc.)

Because our rates (both monthly dues and tach rates) reflect our cost, we evaluate them once a year (in the summer,) or when major changes require us to do so.

How are aircraft reserved? Can I book multi-day reservations?

We use Schedulemaster to coordinate reservations online. Each member is given 4 reservation points. Any reservation up to 4 hours requires 1 point, while reservations greater than 4 hours and up to 12 days requires 2 points. A same day reservation requires no points. Once a reservation is completed or cancelled, the points are returned to the member. There is no limit to how far in advance you can make a reservation.

What if I want to leave the club?

We maintain an exit list (which is currently empty.) As a member you may place yourself on the exit list. Once a prospective candidate is interviewed, admitted by the Board of Trustees, and onboarded to the club, and you have settled your affairs with the club, your refundable portion of the initial deposit is returned.

It is important to note that a member's exit is dependent on a prospective member joining. The ability for a member to exit the club (and receive their equity refund) at the exact time that the member wishes is thus not guaranteed.

How is the club operated?

Our club is entirely run by the members. Each year, the membership nominates and elects members to the club board. There are also numerous positions that are filled from the membership to arrange fly-outs, update the GPS units, maintain the website, etc.

We expect all members to contribute their time and energy to the operation of the club.

Our club is operated by our Bylaws and Operating Rules & Operating Procedures. We encourage all applications read these documents before applying.

How is aircraft maintenance handled?

All aircraft maintenance is performed by a few trusted maintenance shops by FAA-certificated mechanics. Each aircraft has a two-person crew who are responsible for scheduling maintenance and handling communication between the club and maintenance facilities. Together, the airplane crews and the club Maintenance Chief are responsible for ensuring that regular inspections and unplanned maintenance are addressed promptly and with minimum impact to the membership without compromising safety. Any member that notices an issue may enter it into an online “squawk list” on Schedule Master to alert all members. Any of our members can tell you that the club has never skimped on maintenance.

Can I work with the club to regain currency or towards more ratings?

Yes. We have club-approved CFIs who are available for checkouts, flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, and training toward additional ratings.

Can I rent PFC's aircraft without joining?

Our aircraft are strictly for the use of our members. We do not rent our aircraft to non-members.

Join Paramus Flying Club

Our membership is limited to about 60 members, and we encourage interested pilots to inquire about availability, as slots do open from time to time. Candidates are selected based on fit for our club's mission and culture.

To get started:

We encourage all interested to attend our general meetings and social events, which normally take place on the first Tuesday of each month on Zoom.