TBSS Membership
Note: Tampa Bay Soaring Society has decided to temporarily limit new membership applications to existing licensed pilots: power and/or glider ratings only. Please check back frequently to see if this restriction is lifted
What does it cost to join and fly at TBSS?
One-time Initiation Fee: All new members are charged a one-time initiation fee. The fees are as follows:
- Full Member – $800
- Family Member – $400 (additional members in same household of an existing Full Membership)
Semiannual Dues: All members will pay semiannual dues on Jan 1 and July 1 each year. New members will pay a prorated share for the months remaining when they join.
- Full Member – $250
- Family Member – $125
If for any reason the Full Membership person in the Family is no longer a member then the Family Membership member needs to begin make the full Semi-Annual Fee payments of $250.
SSA Annual membership: is required for all TBSS categories of Membership. TBSS will collect 12 months of SSA dues upon joining TBSS and you will be added to the TBSS SSA Chapter . Each January, members will be billed for the subsequent year of SSA membership. SSA Dues are as follows:
- Full Member – $80
- Family Member – $50
- Youth Member – $45
Members who have SSA membership through other clubs will need to show proof of SSA membership elsewhere. TBSS members with expired SSA membership can not fly with our gliders, since flying without SSA membership invalidates our insurance policy.
Other Charges
Glider Rental Fees: There is no “rental charge” for using club gliders. All members have access to any club glider (that the member is approved to fly) for a period of up to one hour (additional time may be allowed if no-one is waiting for the particular glider) .
Tow Charges: Aerotow rates are $1.00 per 100′ ft. plus a $20.00 surcharge. – Example (A flight to 3000′ ft. MSL at a dollar per hundred feet is $30.00 plus the $20.00 surcharge for a total of $50.00)
Tow fees shall be paid to the Treasurer, Line Chief or placed in the drop box on the day of your flight. Unpaid Tow charges will add Late Payment Fees.
Glider Tie-Down: Glider Tie-Down Fees: $35 / month, for any assembled glider on the field.
Off Field Retrieval:
$100.00 per hour for a recovery via aero tow. Time starts when the tow plane takes off from Zephyrhills and stops when tow plane returns to Zephyrhills. Retrieval fees shall be paid to the Treasurer, Line Chief or placed in the brown box on the day of your flight. Unpaid Retrieve charges will add Late Payment Fees.
Instruction Fee:
$20 per hour (one-half hour increments: Paid directly to the instructor.
Land-out Fees
Pilots who land out at TBSS and require an aero tow can be towed out for a courtesy fee of $75 to 3000 feet. Pilots must be members of SSA.
The courtesy fee includes a one day membership in TBSS.
Late Payment Fees
Per the TBSS Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), late fees will automatically be applied to any invoices not paid by the due date:
– Semiannual Dues – one time $50 late payment penalty
– All other invoices – $10 monthly late penalty.