Nok Flying Club Rules
Club Philosophy
NOK Aviation is devoted to providing safe, well-maintained aircraft for members and personal use at a minimum cost to members.
To achieve this goal, all members must cooperate to maximize the use of Club aircraft while minimizing inconvenience to each other. Examples of such cooperation include flying the airplane when you have scheduled it and promptly canceling unneeded reservations, returning the airplane on time, and being willing to reschedule a short flight if someone else needs your airplane to make a long trip.
Members typically join the Club to enjoy its low flight time rates, which are made possible in part by the fact that the Club operates as a non-profit organization utilizing the work of its own members. Member participation is vital to the Club’s operation; the Club does not run itself. By helping out in the Club’s various operating divisions, members not only keep the Club running, but also gain valuable business and management experience, technical knowledge, and the opportunity to meet and work with others in a cooperative, mutually beneficial enterprise.
The following rules are intended as guides for Club operations. These rules should be considered to be a supplement to the Civil Aviation Thailand (CAAT) Regulations, not a replacement of these regulations. All operations of Club aircraft must be made in accordance with all applicable CAAT Regulations and Club rules. Violation of any of these regulations may void insurance coverage carried on Club aircraft and could make the pilot/member entirely liable for any damage and/or injury caused by the operation of the aircraft. These Aircraft Operating Rules constitute part of Club Policy, violations of which will result in fines, membership review, or expulsion from the Club as set forth elsewhere in Club Policy.
Administration
Club organization, promotion, and administration shall be controlled by the Director. Help may be employed by the director as necessary.
Membership
(Membership Application can be found here.)
Applicants for membership must complete and sign an application. This must be submitted along with the appropriate application fee and 2 passport style photographs. Membership (other than temporary membership) is valid for one year and a membership card will be issued. Upon acceptance for membership, and payment of the required dues, the applicant becomes a member in good standing.
Members may withdraw from the Club at any time by notifying the Director in writing.
Members, who have withdrawn in good standing, may rejoin on a space available basis by paying the appropriate membership fee, subject to the Director’s approval.
The Director may limit the acceptance of new members at any time.
Members may have their membership terminated for reasonable cause by the Director at any time.
Fees for flight time and flight instruction are payable after each flight. All members must maintain an active credit card on file and agree that it can be charged for any after-hours flights or unpaid balances. Otherwise, pilots must maintain an account balance of 10,000 baht.
All bills are payable upon receipt. Overdue amounts are subject to 10% interest charge (on an annual basis). Accounts more than 30 days overdue may result in suspension of flying privileges until the account is paid in full.
SECTION I – Restrictions of Use
NO cross-country flights beyond a twenty-five (25) nautical mile limit shall be allowed any member without the approval or accompaniment by a Club instructor.
NO person except an active member of the Club or qualified persons making necessary flight tests shall be permitted by any Club member to fly Club aircraft. Members of any corporation owned by the Club may fly Club equipment. All flights are to be made within the limits of the CAAT certificate held by the person piloting the Club aircraft.
It shall be the responsibility of any member taking a Club aircraft overnight to have it tied down at the member’s expense.
NO member shall use the Club aircraft for hire nor shall he/she rent or lend Club aircraft to any other person.
All pilots receiving dual instruction in Club aircraft must use only qualified and currently rated flight instructors approved by the Director and who hold active membership in the Club. Club member instructors may not use Club aircraft to instruct nor charter for hire any person not a Club member, except as approved by the Director.
Club instructors and students will conform to the rates and schedule routine adopted by the Club and will comply with any existing agreements between the Club and other bodies such as the Club’s respective flight office at any fixed base operator, or any other group or club.
NO member shall use a Club aircraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as specified in the CAAT Regulations. Determination of guilt is normally accomplished by the Director, whose decision shall be final. Any member found guilty of violation of this section shall be expelled from the membership of the Club.
It is the member’s responsibility to se that his/her medical and pilot certificates are at all times current and carried on their person for each flight.
NO person may fly Club aircraft without a current and valid medical and pilot’s certificate, nor may they do so unless they possess a current and valid Annual checkride sign off by a Club instructor.
Each member shall be required to pass at least one check flight every twelve (12) months with a Club instructor, and insure that the Membership Chairman receives all updated information for the Club’s membership database.
Each member who has not flown during the preceding ninety (90) days shall have a check flight with a Club instructor to establish currency.
It is the sole responsibility of the member to ensure that their pilot’s licence, medical and club membership are valid.
Should a member fly without being in possession of a valid pilot license and/or medical or without valid club membership then at the discretion of the Club:-
a. the membership of the pilot will be suspended for a period to be decided
by the club or
b. the membership of the member will be terminated.
A member will be held fully liable for all the financial consequences to the Club resulting from the member flying without being in possession of a valid license and/or medical or without valid club membership.
SECTION II – Logging Time
Flying time for each flight shall be logged using (if available) the Hobbs meter.
Each member shall record the start and stop times and indicate the elapsed time in Hobbs hours on the aircraft time log. Time logs must be legibly signed with a member’s name instructors initials if applicable, and completely filled out including the date of the flight.
Should the Hobbs meter be inoperative, the flight time will be computed using 1.2 time the Tach time.
Failure to properly record flight times, especially if the intent to defraud is found, may/shall result in expulsion from the Club membership.
All members shall perform a preflight inspection prior to each flight in a Club aircraft. Any defects found with the aircraft’s airworthiness shall be reported to the Director immediately and no flight shall be made if such defect may endanger the safe operation of the aircraft.
Members shall have knowledge of the cruising speed of the engine, and this speed shall not be exceeded.
Aircraft left without a pilot must be tied down, the wheels chocked, radio(s) turned off, master switch turned off and controls and doors locked. Members in violation of this section are subject to fine by the Director as recommended by the Chief Flight Instructor (CFI).
Each member joining the Club shall be instructed and flight checked thoroughly in each type of aircraft and its equipment BEFORE he/she may take solo custody of the aircraft. At the discretion of the Chief Flight Instructor, a member may satisfy the flight check requirement of this section by producing logbook entries or other such evidence.
Each member must be thoroughly checked for all types of flight activity for which he/she holds ratings or licenses, as the Chief Flight Instructor at his/her discretion may require.
A 100-Hour inspection shall be performed each 100 hours on each aircraft owned or leased by the Club.
NO member shall be permitted to attach any object to an aircraft nor in any manner make adjustments or repairs unless approved by the Director.
Emergency repairs may be made by a licensed mechanic at other than the aircraft’s homebase. Any repairs must be authorized by the Director and the member having such done will be reimbursed.
SECTION III – Prohibited types of Flying
ALL flying in any Club aircraft is to be done in strict accordance with existing Thai Department of Civil Aviation (CAAT) Regulations, State, Local and Club rules. Members are responsible to be familiar with the foregoing.
ALL Club aircraft are restricted against any aerobatic maneuver prohibited by the operational limits of the aircraft, and in no instance shall any member perform same in any aircraft so restricted.
Members shall make landings only in landing fields approved by the Club unless an emergency occurs. This normally means an airport or recognized airfields. The cost of any repairs or replacements not covered by insurance which are the result of damage incurred by landing or taking off at an area other than an approved airfield shall be paid for in full by the member who had custody of the aircraft.
There shall be no formation flying of Club aircraft with each other or any other aircraft unless approved by the Director.
SECTION IV – Enforcement
The foregoing rules shall be policed by the entire Club membership.
All complaints and any suggestions shall be filed with the Director.
Any violation of CAAT Aviation regulations or existing Club rules shall be cause for immediate grounding, and any member so grounded shall remain so until further action is taken by the Director.
All flying accidents or incidents have to be reported immediately to the CFI or the Director. On no account must members make statements to the press or any other third party.
Members causing damage are responsible for all costs up to and including 20000 Baht irrespective of insurance coverage except for any incident / accident resulting from pilot negligence or misjudgment, in which case member is responsible for all costs up to and including 40000 Baht irrespective of insurance coverage.
SECTION V – Changes and Amendments
Changes in or amendments to these rules shall be effected only by the Director at a regular or special meeting called for that purpose
Any changes or amendments to these rules shall be adequately communicated to each active member of the Club.
Membership Application can be found here.
