Your Gateway to the Wild and Wonderful West Virginia Skies!
Airheads is a non-profit club based at Eastern WV Regional Airport. We share two airplanes and fly together as much as we fly alone.
Flying is more fun, and more affordable, together
Airheads Flying Club is a non-profit social club built around one idea: aviation should be accessible to anyone who wants it, not just people who can afford to own a plane outright. We're based in Martinsburg, at Eastern WV Regional Airport (KMRB), in the Eastern Panhandle.
Our members range from newly certificated private pilots to airline captains flying for fun on the weekend. What we have in common is that we'd rather share the cost of two airplanes with a community than carry the cost of one airplane alone.
Membership means more than a key to the hangar. We get together for cookouts, plane washes, FAA WINGS seminars, and guest speakers throughout the year, and every member gets a chance to help run the club: board positions rotate annually, so it stays in the hands of the people flying it.
We're growing the fleet on purpose. Adding the Cardinal alongside the Dakota means members already have two very different airplanes to choose from, and as the club grows we intend to keep expanding, giving pilots access to a versatile mix of aircraft suited to whatever mission they're flying: a quick pattern flight, a cross-country trip, or something in between.
Two airplanes, shared by the club
We operate two aircraft out of our hangar at KMRB, available to members for training, day trips, and cross-country flying.
Piper Dakota
Our flagship. A comfortable four-seat cross-country machine with plenty of useful load and a panel built for real trips, not just pattern work.
Cessna 177 Cardinal
The newest addition to the fleet. A lighter, more affordable option with a strut-free wing and great visibility, added to expand what members can fly and when.
What it costs to fly with us
Flying clubs are one of the most cost-effective ways to fly because members share fixed costs like insurance, hangar rent, and annual inspections. Here's how our fees break down.
One-time, non-refundable buy-in to join the club and share ownership of the fleet.
Covers fixed costs — hangar, insurance, and annual inspections — whether or not the plane flies that month.
Paid per hour flown. Covers fuel and the maintenance reserve for engines, props, tires, and brakes.
Learning to fly, or coming back to it
Airheads isn't a flight school, and membership requires a private pilot certificate. Many of our members are working on instrument, commercial, and other ratings, and independent CFIs based at KMRB are available for instruction in club aircraft. If you're working toward your private certificate elsewhere, reach out — we're happy to talk about what joining looks like once you're licensed.
We fly together, and we hang out together
We don't run a fixed events calendar. Instead, we post BBQs, plane washes, fly-ins, and get-togethers to our Facebook page as they come up. Here's a taste of what that's looked like.
Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to see what's coming up next.
Own a plane? Let it earn its keep
If you own an aircraft and don't fly it every day, our leaseback program lets you make it available to Airheads members while you offset your ownership costs.
You keep priority access to your own airplane, and as a club member you get to enjoy the full benefits of Airheads too — including flying every other airplane in the fleet. The club handles scheduling and coordinates maintenance with members who fly it. Reach out and we'll walk through the details with you.
Ask about leasebackCommon questions
Do I need to already be a pilot?
Yes. Membership requires a private pilot certificate. If you're still training, we're happy to talk about what joining looks like once you're licensed.
Is Airheads a flight school?
No. We're a non-profit club, not a school, and membership requires a private pilot certificate. For further ratings and proficiency, independent CFIs based at KMRB fly with our members in club aircraft.
What's included in the monthly fee?
The monthly fee covers the club's fixed costs — hangar rent, insurance, and annual inspections — regardless of how much you fly that month.
Is the membership fee refundable?
No, the membership fee is a one-time, non-refundable buy-in to join the club.
Can I bring a guest flying?
Yes. You can fly friends and family under Part 91.
How do I get started?
Contact us below. We'll set up a time for you to come meet the club and see the airplanes in person.
Come see the airplanes
The best way to know if Airheads is right for you is to come meet us at the hangar. Send us a note and we'll set up a time.
We'll get back to you soon. If you don't hear from us in a few days, email us directly at airheadsflyingclub@gmail.com.
Piper Dakota
Our flagship. A comfortable four-seat cross-country machine with plenty of useful load and a panel built for real trips, not just pattern work. N2890E gets the bulk of our long cross-country flying.
The 200 hp Lycoming O-540 gives the Dakota a solid useful load and a healthy climb rate for a fixed-gear single, and members consistently point to it as the plane they reach for when the trip is more than a hundred miles.
Members keep the airplane in good shape themselves — plane washes and light hangar work are a regular part of club life, not something outsourced.
Cessna 177 Cardinal
The newest addition to the fleet, added to expand what members can fly and when. The Cardinal's strut-free wing and low cowling give it excellent visibility, especially useful for sightseeing and photography around the Shenandoah Valley.
At 180 hp, it's a lighter, more affordable option than the Dakota, well suited to day trips, pattern work, and members flying more often on a tighter budget.
We're still building out photos and history for this airplane as it settles into the fleet — check back, or come see it in person at the hangar.