Frequently Asked Questions

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We try to constantly update our website to address common questions and appreciate you taking a look here first. 

If it isn't here, we want to help get you an answer! The chat here goes to a shared email where we quickly respond to inquiries. 

For members, there is a "Member Service" phone number listed on schedule master. 

No, members transferring over will not need a new checkout. 

Please submit your exisiting Catalina and/L35 checkouts through the document submission page, after you join and we'll get that updated.

$80 to join and then $40/month plus your rentals fees. 

Practically speaking NO but there are 3 scenarios you should be aware of.  These are to ensure operations are fair and equitable to all, not so we can nickle and dime anyone. We want you to fly our planes - not be bummed out paying fees! The first two are uncommon (haven't ever occured), the 3rd happens all the time and, to date, has just resulted in polite requests to the member:

1. If you damage an aicraft you will be responsible for either the repair cost or the $2500 deductible, whichever is less. If something breaks while you have the plane, most of the time it is normal wear and tear or maintenance that you won't be charged for. 
2. If you take an aicraft more than 150nm from its base of operations and are unable to return it, for any reason, the owner can choose to share up to 50% of the travel and/or off base repair/recovery surcharges with you. 
3. There are some basic and reasonable policies that we do maintain a fee structure for.  Special circumstances aside, we'll remind you of these at least once before assessing a fee. The goal is that we all value each others time and don't have to remind folks to by enforcing these feese:

• $50 - failure to pay for flight operations within 24 hours
• $50 - returning a BFF aircraft to the wrong tie down
• $50 - entering incorrect tach time (this impacts aircraft availability and safety)
• $50 - returning dirty funnels, spilling oil in aicraft or box - cleaning oil off everything takes a lot of work!
• $30 - failure to return aircraft within 1 hour of scheduled time OR 15 minutes after the start of a scheduled reservation
• $30 - failure to fill out aicraft log sheet
• $30 - failure to upload a receipt for fuel/oil

We can help you with that and have instructors who will be excited to teach you to fly. First make sure you evaluate if you are eligible for a FAA aviation medical. Common disqualification include - history of ADD or medications like SSRIs, high blood pressure, diabetes, color blind, history of DUI.  Make sure to research further if any of these apply to you. 

We would prefer if you fly with our existing instructor members but will support adding well qualified instructor members. See Below. 

 In order to provide flight instruction in BFF aircraft, check new members into BFF, perform official BFF flight reviews, hold out for hire to BFF MEMBERS, or perform any other action or function deemed by BFF to be reserved for authorized CFI, the member must meet the following requirements:

1. Already be checked out to fly BFF aircraft and current.
2. Complete a instructor flight  review by the chief flight instructor.
3. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of all BFF policies and procedures. Instructors are expected to have read and be familiar with BFF Operational and Financial Rules. 
4. Demonstrate the  ability to teach and communicate BFF policies and procedures to their students and members they check into BFF.

Instructors are not employees of BFF. They bill independently and set their own rates. 

We would be happy to discuss this with you. More planes available is better for everyone. The most important factor to consider is how/who will maintan your aircraft. This is the most expensive and challenging element to facilitate, far more so than acquiring an aicraft. 

Yes, we are excited to help you do the trip you have been dreaming about. The daily minimum is 1hr and you are permitted to schedule no greater than 5 days at a time. If you want to schedule longer, coordinate with the owner. 

Notes:

• Schedule start for when you leave the home base and end is when you return. Just make one entry in the logbook and on schedule master. 
• DO NOT schedule multiple day blocks to get around the 5 day limit. 
• If you are under the 1 hour/day limit, this will be reconciled at the end of the month. 

Airports that require a checkout:

• KAVX Catalina
• L35 Big Bear
• L18 Fallbrook Municipal

Beyond that, it is easier to say where you can't fly:

• Don't fly out of the country.
• Please contact member services prior to transitting more than 2 states away, this is usually allowed but additional considerations should be taken. 
• Don't use a runway with less than 2,500ft available for takeoff or landing. 
• Don't land on unpaved surfaces.

It is easy and mostly online. Click here to be redirected to the page to join

You will do all of this through schedule master. On the schedule master site, click the time you want to schedule or the green "new" button. You can do this through the app or website. 

Three common reasons why you are unable to schedule. In almost every case the solution will be to add an instructor to the reservation. This is done by hitting the blue "show instructor line" at the top of the "make new schedule window". 

Common Issues Blocking scheduling:

1. You have not been checked out in  that aicraft type - schedule a checkout with an instructor. 
2. Issue - You have not had a flight review in the last 12 calendar months. Solution - schedule a  review with an instructor. I
3. Issue - your medical is expired. Solution - get a new medical. In the meantime if you need to reserve a flight for after you get the medical, ask your instructor if you can add them to the reservation, until you have your medical updated. 

1. Go to the instructor page on bear flag flyer website.
2.  Select an instructor you would like to work with.
3. Contact them via the call/text button to coordinate availability and timing. 
4. Make your schedule on schedule master with them listed. 

Note - to add an instructor on schedule master, select the blue "show instructor line" button in the "make new schedule window"

Go to the new aircraft checkout process page. Please carefully read and follow this process. Remember, taking time to prepare here is the first step in you showing us that we should consider allowing you to have access to our aicraft. Take your time and do not rush. 

At this time, no. While pilots joke about cherokees having the glide performance of a brick, offices actually have the glide performance of a brick, why would we waste money on that?. Seriously, one of our priorities is providing the most affordable rates and we do that by keeping overhead costs as low as possible and focusing on the airplanes. 

Two ways

1. Primary and preferred - you will need a badge at KSNA and have a car that you can drive on to the airport. If you already have a badge, great; If not, we can issue you a badge at KSNA but expect the following:

• >10hr of flights logged per year.
• no gaps in flights logged >6months.
• If you get a badge and do not meet this criteria you will be asked to return it.  

1. Secondary - Please contact us and we can coordinate escort services. If you don't have a car or fly often this option is for you. 

To obtain a badge email support@bearflagflyers.com with the following: Full name, date of birth, phone number.  The county charges a  nominal fee of around $50 for issuing badges. 

IMPORTANT:

• You will be asked to turn your badge in if you become inactive for >6 months.
• If you leave the club you will need to turn your badge to the club, prior to your membership being terminated. 
• Failure to return your badge or losing it will result in a $300 fine as imposed by the airport.
• The airport conducts random audits where you may be required to come in and show that you still have your badge.  

In addition to FAA currency, you need to complete the equivelant of a BFR every calendar year. If you get a new rating or have a BFR from another club or your work submit that. 

1. Submit your annual check flight and updates to your medical on the document submission page

All BFF Flight Reviews should cover:

1. Information in this FAQ
2. Vehicle parking and airport access procedures
3. Scheduling and reservation procedures
4. Payment and post flight systems
5. Squawk and Discrepancy reporting
6. Aircraft parking and operating procedures
7. Airport and FAA regulations
8. Any other factors deemed to be necessary by the CFI or CHIEF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR

There are 5 potential reasons and solutions below. You can determin which is your issue usually by the pop-up on schedule master or going to your "my account" page. For the medical and flight review, if the expiration date is in the future, the system will prevent from scheduling flights after that expiration date:

• No credit card on file - add a credit card. If you use your bank account just add a secondary credit card.
• Outstanding Balance - schedule master will prevent scheduling if a balance hasn’t been paid within 24hours of the flight. 
• Need a Checkout - go to the aicraft checkout page
• Expired flight review - Due every 12mo. Schedule with an instructor, complete your flight review,  make sure it is signed "BFF 61.56 Review" and submit it here
• Expired Medical - get a medical and submit it here

Note - If you want to create a schedule past the expiration date, of your flight reviw or medical, coordinate with an instructor to add them on to the flight. You should remove them once the medical or flight review has been submitted.

Of course, familiarizing pilots with operations around here is a lot of fun. We get to fly in some of the busiest, scenic, and most well run airspace in the world. It can be intimidating at first but once you learn some basics and understand the routine it is not difficult. 

There is a spare headset in the box next to the plane. Unfortuantely, these sometimes go missing. 

There are 2 life jackets in N7972C. We recommend that you cross over to Catalina high enough that you don't need to worry about being able to glide to shore. 

We include $1M liability and hull insurance for all of our aircraft included in the cost. The deductible is $2500. 

• There is oil in the box next to the aicraft. 
• Avoid filling to greater than 75% of the sump capacity. 
• DO NOT add less than a full quart at a time (see below)
• DO NOT put used oil bottles or oily funnels back in the box. It will make a mess and get oil on everything. 

Fueling is managed by ACI Jet via a text, see below. Airplanes are not fueled automatically. You can text them on your way to the airport or after you get there. You don't need to fuel the plane after you are done but if there is less than 10 gallons per side it would be courteous to ask for it to be fueled to something between 10 and 15gal per side. 

To place a fuel order, text ACI at 949-344-2450 with the following information:

• N number of the aicraft
• Tie down (listed at bottom of the aircraft page on this site)
• Quantiy of fuel desired
• Bill to card on file
• Advise if you are standing by or not

Three Easy Steps:

• Buy the fuel with your personal card. 
• When you complete your postflight enter the amount of fuel your purchased and it will subtract from the cost of the plane. 
• Upload the receipt using the selection for receipts on the member document submission page.

Please try to purchase fuel at a competitive rate to allow us to maintain the most affordable hourly cost foir everyone. 

If you forgot to add the receipt when you completed the postflight you can add it to a later reservation. 

We accept all major credit cards +ACH  (bank) transactions. Credit cards have a small fee, ACH is free. See below

• BFF pays 3.15% + $0.55 for credit card transaction. To offset this, we add 1.6% to your bill if you pay with a credit card. 

• BFF pays 1.05% +$0.25 for ACH (direct bank account) transactions and we don't charge anything for this. 

Instructors bill seperately and may take payment through there preferred method. 

Easiest option - if you are flying again soon just submit it during the post-flight of that flight. 

Altrenatively, send an email to support@bearflagflyers.com attach the receipt, date of the flight and any other notes. We can process it on your behalf. 

We should catch this when we review the receipt submission but if you want to be extra sure, send an email to support@bearflagflyers.com

Contact us through the chat links on this site or by contacting our Director of Customer Relations (Contact info in schedule master). If you have a badge you must return this prior to you membership being canceled. Loss of your badge will result in a penalty.  You will not be charged or will be reversed any charges from the latter of:

• Notice of resignation.
• For badged members, the airport badge being turned in.