I own a N-registered Cessna 182, which I bought in 2015, since when no-one has flown it but me. For variety of reasons I’m now looking at grouping it out, ideally on a non-equity basis. I’ve been trying to find a template for a membership agreement / contract that could I could get other pilots to sign. I thought I’d easily be able to lay my hands on such a document, perhaps on the LAA or AOPA website, but so far, I haven’t come across anything. Does anyone have a document they could share with me, or any suggestions where to look?
Hi Harry, sent you a template I got when joining an M20J group on the N-reg, not sure about the legal value but hopefully it helps !
Unfortunately, I only did the paper work as someone land it gear up before even getting my conversion training on it :(
I found this template from the LAA, but it mentions JAR and the PFA so it’s old. Try searching ‘flying group rules’ or websites of local groups/syndicates? Local copy: Flying_Group_Rules_pdf
These types of agreements are usually trying to avoid things that have happened in the past, so some syndicates have rules that seem odd out of context. You won’t find out what you don’t like until someone does it 
Both parties choosing to use it creates an implied contract, which may/will create liabilities for both pilots and yourself. If you know a friendly lawyer it might be a good idea to have it checked unofficially for anything ‘obvious’.
What are you trying to achieve? E.g. nice people, flying when you’d be at work anyway
What are you trying to avoid? E.g. low hour pilots, hour builders, people taking the plane for the whole of August
Don’t forget admin things, e.g. online booking system, plane and hangar keys, processing payments, fuel receipts, check rides
That PDF looks ok to me. These things don’t change over decades. And you don’t ever want to reach a court…
A search on a term like
why syndicates
digs out plenty of tips – example
In the end it is often said that the people are the most important factor, so choose them carefully. We have loads of previous threads on this topic but if I was going to make just 1 suggestion, it would be: avoid people who are going this route because buying a 1/1000th share in a 1945 C172 is absolutely the only way they can get airborne. Syndicates do tend to attract people who are financially really marginal and this leads to all kinds of problems, in their behaviour in the group, the way they treat the plane, etc.
I’ve been in one syndicate for 29 years. No problems. I was in another syndicate for a year. No problems.
I was a founder member of a four person syndicate in May 2018. We’re trying to fix a date and time for a final break-up meeting. It’s 2 v 2. It will almost certainly be an acrimonious meeting. The email and phone messages I’ve received have often been abusive. Fortunately two of us have stuck together.
If possible, I’ll buy the opposing 2 out. One has never flown the plane, the other for only 30 minutes.
PS we started with the LAA document. It’s irrelevant if people want to stop the aircraft flying.
