IMHO Aeroclub membership should be compulsory when you get any air license.
(In my mind they represent me and try to keep caa in check regarding global flying issues that affect pilots regardless of chosen mount or license type. This is obviously covers a huge number of different types of flying, but things like mandatory transponders, restricting airspace, limiting access to TMA, maintenance over regulation etc which affect across the board are handled here) So far they have averted mandatory transponders (R15K+) and kept airspaces free (lower limit of VFR flying) to name just 2. Licensing is a bit of grey area since part 61 and part 62 overlap all the sub bodies, but I assume they would need to get input from the sub bodies and then object accordingly.
Your chosen license/mount then becomes the fee to look after your specific type of flying (MPL,GPL, PPL, etc) directly (ie. Rotax 2 stokes MISASA, experimental EAA, Air race SAPFA etc) They look after issues specific to your chosen type of flying and not flying as a whole. The rotax maint issues is case in point.
Insurance was optional at one stage? Personal choice...
Bottom line for me.
Although I fly mainly for business I do it because I enjoy it. i do not have the time to engage CAA at every turn or have time to read all the paperwork which may affect me as Pilot (Have you read and do you understand part 62, part 24 or part 94/96? I don't?, but as long as I can fly it not really a big issue). I thus happily pay all the fees (Aeroclub, MISASA, EAA, FIA, SAMMA) to try to help keep the bodies going to alert me to the potential dangers of over regulation or beurocracy (sp?). I do not see the role of the above organisation as what can they do for me (fly inns, magazine, T shirts, etc). I see it rather in the light if they were not there and did not alert me to the fact that there was something brewing (regardless of outcome thereof) I would be up shit creek without a paddle in any case. I expect them to alert me to problems and then drum up support for opposition and present a unified front, rather than me farting against thunder. How many of you tried to oppose the rotax 300hr issue with any success. Without a unified body looking after our affairs we are going to be regulated out of the sky..
my 2c.. running for cover as support for any of the bodies semms to attract
