South Shore Flying Club helps pilots get off the ground

Scott C. Smith
Updated ·3 min read

MARSHFIELD – Flying clubs are a thing. There are nearly 1,100 of them in the U.S., according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Massachusetts has 19 clubs, including one flying out of Marshfield Municipal Airport: the South Shore Flying Club.

The club owns two single-prop planes – a 1999 Piper Archer III low-wing and a 1976 Cessna 172 Skyhawk, a high-wing plane. The planes are parked in hangars at Marshfield Municipal Airport, which is operated by Shoreline Aviation Inc.

“Some members would love to buy a plane, but expenses like raising a family and putting kids through college put it lower on the priority list," club board of directors member Karl Swenson said. "Being a member of a flying club provides greater flexibility and lower costs than plane rental or purchase.”

Katama Airpark in Edgartown, on Martha’s Vineyard, is a popular destination for South Shore Flying Club members.
Katama Airpark in Edgartown, on Martha’s Vineyard, is a popular destination for South Shore Flying Club members.

The club has 23 members.

“The intended membership is about 24; that’s 12 fliers per plane,” Swenson said. The club accepts standby, or social, members, who can become regular members when an opening arises.

What does it cost to be in the club?

The initial membership costs $2,000. Monthly dues are $150 and cover fixed costs such as hangar fees, tie-downs and insurance, Director/Treasurer Steve Rusconi said.

Members are also assessed an hourly charge for flight time, which pays for fuel, oil, engine replacement reserves and maintenance. Flight time costs fluctuate, depending on fuel prices. The planes burn about 10 gallons of fuel an hour. Often, members fly together and share the cost.

Club members have taken the planes to Wisconsin, Florida and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. Martha's Vineyard and Bar Harbor, Maine, are popular destinations.

“We use an electronic scheduling system, so someone can check availability for a morning or a day, or even days for a trip,” Rusconi said. “For trips over three days, the board votes whether to approve. Requests are rarely turned down.”

The Marshfield-based South Shore Flying Club’s low-wing Piper Archer III and high-wing Cessna 172 Skyhawk fly in formation.
The Marshfield-based South Shore Flying Club’s low-wing Piper Archer III and high-wing Cessna 172 Skyhawk fly in formation.

The Cessna 172 and the Piper Archer fly similarly, Swenson said. The Piper lands more easily in a crosswind, he said. Cruising speed is about 110 knots (about 126 mph). A tail wind can push it significantly higher. Both planes can safely glide if there were an engine failure.

The planes’ engines are replaced every 2,000 flying hours. The planes fly with what Swenson calls “very reliable” Lycoming engines – a standard for smaller general aviation planes. A new engine costs about $40,000.

The South Shore Flying Club’s Piper Archer leads its mate, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, in a flying formation.
The South Shore Flying Club’s Piper Archer leads its mate, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, in a flying formation.

More than just flying

The club also features a popular social side, such as its annual meeting. Members conduct their meeting and then mingle with guests, share stories and enjoy a buffet dinner.

Rusconi, a retired lawyer, developed a love of flying early. He said his uncle, who was a Delta Airlines captain, gave him money for flying lessons, and his parents would drive him to Mansfield to take them. He has been a member of the South Shore Flying Club since 1990 and even considered becoming a commercial pilot.

Swenson, also retired, was a power plant engineer and manager and started to fly in 2000, once his kids were out of high school.

South Shore Flying Club directors Steve Rusconi, left, and Karl Swenson are avid pilots.
South Shore Flying Club directors Steve Rusconi, left, and Karl Swenson are avid pilots.

“I started flying 23 years ago out of Norwood,” he said. “My wife loves to fly, loves going places. This area has many coastal and nearby island attractions that we can easily fly to in less than an hour.”

Rusconi says his wife also loves flying.

“My wife likes to go to places like Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard,” he said.

Check out the videos

Swenson is an avid photographer and videographer. He provided most of the photos for this article. He also created a YouTube page for his flight videos: www.youtube.com/@Archer4CA. You can see club members flying in formation down the Hudson River and around New York City, among his many videos.

The South Shore Flying Club’s Piper Archer soars into the sunset.
The South Shore Flying Club’s Piper Archer soars into the sunset.

In addition to flying together, members also take friends on flights.

“It’s a fun way to introduce them to flying,” Rusconi said.

“It’s a great freedom,” Swenson said.

Contact the South Shore Flying Club at www.southshoreflyingclub.com. Former Gannett managing editor Scott C. Smith is a freelance copywriter. He can be reached at scott@scottcsmithauthor.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore Flying Club offers pilots alternative to owning a plane