Last Saturday’s OpenSkies Open House introduced a lot of Frankfort-area families to the club for the first time — and since then, one question has landed in our inbox more than any other: “Okay, so what do you actually get for $150 a year?”
Fair question. Here’s the full breakdown, plus a first look at what’s new on the schedule this year.
The Basics
- Annual membership: $150 per student, per year
- Who it’s for: Middle and high school students in Frankfort and the surrounding communities
- Where: Capital City Airport, 90 Airport Road, Frankfort, KY 40601
- When: Monthly Saturday meetings — the next three are September 19, October 17, and November 21
- Don’t need a full membership yet? Single lunch tickets are available for families who want to sit in on one meeting before committing.
What Membership Actually Includes
Membership isn’t just a name on a roster — every student who joins gets real, hands-on access to the things that turn “interested in planes” into “seriously considering an aviation career.” That includes:
- About 8 hours of logged ground school instruction per year — real flight-training credit, not just a certificate of attendance
- Access to Discovery Events and DreamFlight’s Flight Training Scholarship application
- A lunch ticket at every monthly meeting
- Presentations from working aviation industry professionals — pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers, and more
- Interactive STEM activities built around real aviation problems
- Field trips and access to special DreamFlight events throughout the year
- Student leadership and volunteer opportunities within the club
Underneath all of it, OpenSkies is built around three things: building community, developing character, and preparing students for real career readiness — not just a fun Saturday morning, but a foundation for whatever comes after graduation.
This Year's LineUp
Here’s what’s new for this OpenSkies season. Past meetings have introduced students to the basics of flight and ground school — this year, we’re going further, giving members exposure to the kinds of specialized flying that most people never see until they’re deep into a professional aviation career. Over the course of this year’s meetings, students will get an inside look at:
- Tailwheel flying — the “old-school” skill set that sharpens stick-and-rudder fundamentals
- Multi-engine operations — what changes when there’s more than one engine to manage
- Instrument flying — how pilots fly safely when they can’t see outside the cockpit
- Glass cockpit avionics — the modern, digital flight decks replacing traditional gauges
- Mountain and backcountry flying — the unique demands of operating in and out of remote, unimproved strips
- Seaplane operations — taking off and landing on water instead of a runway
- Complex aircraft operations — retractable gear, constant-speed propellers, and the added systems knowledge that comes with them
We’ll be sharing exact dates and guest speakers for each topic as the year unfolds — for now, consider this your first look at just how far OpenSkies is expanding this season. If your student is a member, there’s a lot to look forward to!
Join Before the Next Meeting!
Membership is open year-round, and the sooner your student joins, the sooner they start racking up ground school hours and building relationships with the mentors who show up every month. Sign up ahead of the September 19 meeting to make sure your student doesn’t miss a thing!
Questions about membership, dues, or what to expect at your first meeting? Call us at 270.849.5765 or contact us here. We’ll see you at Capital City Airport next month!