Aircraft Scheduling Software for Flying Clubs, Partnerships and Rental
Pilot-Next is aircraft scheduling software that does not stop at the calendar. Pilots book the aircraft, log Hobbs or Tacho time after the flight, and the flight is priced, invoiced and booked to their account — for one shared aircraft or a whole club fleet. The SOLO plan is free forever for one aircraft and one pilot.
No credit card. Upgrade only when co-owners or members join.
Is there free aircraft scheduling software?
Yes. Of the 13 aircraft scheduling platforms we checked on their own websites on 14 September 2026, four have a level you can use without paying: Pilot-Next SOLO (1 aircraft, 1 pilot, free forever), the OpenFlyers Solo plan (1 resource, 5 users, for individuals), Book Our Plane (a free web-based scheduler) and the Pilot Partner free fleet level, where every member needs their own paid eLogbook.
Six others advertise a free trial, from one week at FlyClub to 60 days at FlightCircle and Holdshort.
| Platform | Free plan | Free trial | Entry price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot-Next | Yes — SOLO, free forever: 1 aircraft, 1 pilot | Not needed: the free plan does not expire | €9/month billed annually (1 aircraft, 5 pilots) | pilot-next.com |
| Book Our Plane | Yes — describes itself as a free web-based scheduling application | Not stated | No paid tier stated | bookourplane.com |
| OpenFlyers | Yes — Solo: 1 resource, 5 users, limited to individuals | Not stated | €120 per resource/year + €120 (non-profits only) | openflyers.com |
| Pilot Partner | Free fleet level, but every member needs their own paid eLogbook ($29.95/year) | Not stated for the fleet software | $14.95/month for one aircraft | pilotpartner.net |
| FlyClub | Not stated | One week, no credit card required | $8.99/month (1 aircraft) | flyclub.app |
| Holdshort | Not stated | 60 days | $10/month (1 resource) | holdshort.com |
| FlightCircle | Not stated | 60 days | $10/month per aircraft or sim | flightcircle.com |
| Coflyt | Not stated | 30 days | $24/month or $170/year (1 aircraft, 1 seat) | coflyt.com |
| AircraftClubs | Not stated | 30 days | $12 per aircraft per month | aircraftclubs.com |
| Schedule Master | Not stated | 30 days | A range: “typically $8 to $12 per resource per month” | schedulemaster.com |
| PilotSchedule | Not stated | Not stated | $20/month, or $16/month billed annually (2 resources) | pilotschedule.com |
| Flight Schedule Pro | Not stated | Not stated (demo on request) | Not published — quote on request | flightschedulepro.com |
| Flyout | Not stated | Not stated | Not published in the page — one subscription per aircraft | flyout.app |
Read on each vendor's own website on 14 September 2026. “Not stated” means the site does not say — not that the plan or trial does not exist. FlightCircle shows its price as an image on its homepage. Full prices and features for twelve of these platforms are in the flying club management software comparison.
What does aircraft scheduling software need to do?
At minimum it has to stop two pilots booking the same aircraft for the same time. For a flying club, an aircraft partnership or a small rental operation it also has to capture the Hobbs or Tacho time after the flight, turn those hours into a charge, and keep maintenance visible before an inspection grounds the aircraft.
This is how Pilot-Next covers each of those:
| No double bookings | A confirmed booking cannot overlap another confirmed booking on the same aircraft. The check runs inside the same database transaction that saves the booking. |
|---|---|
| Approval when you want it | A club can require an administrator to approve member bookings. Bookings then wait as pending until an administrator confirms them. |
| Calendar invites | Pilots who switch on calendar integration get a standard calendar invite when a booking is confirmed, an update when it moves and a cancellation when it is cancelled. |
| Hobbs or Tacho | Each aircraft has a default billing method, Hobbs or Tacho. The pilot logs the meter readings after the flight, against the booking. |
| Billing from the booking | Rates can be charged per hour or per booking. The flown hours are priced, invoiced and booked to the pilot’s account balance. |
| Maintenance in view | Maintenance plans forecast when the next 100-hour, annual or recurring inspection falls due, in hours and in days. |
| AI assistants | A remote MCP server lets Claude or another MCP-aware assistant find a free slot, book the aircraft or close out the flight with your own permissions. |
The assistant integration has its own page: all 17 MCP tools and how to connect them. Which meter to bill on is a question in itself — Hobbs vs Tacho: what counts.
How much does Pilot-Next cost?
Pilot-Next has four plans per company. SOLO is free forever for 1 aircraft and 1 pilot. BASIC is €9 a month billed annually for 1 aircraft and 5 pilots, PRO is €18 a month for 2 aircraft and 10 pilots, and ULTRA is €45 a month for unlimited aircraft and pilots.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| SOLO | Free forever | 1 aircraft, 1 pilot |
| BASIC | €9/month, billed annually | 1 aircraft, 5 pilots, maintenance tracking |
| PRO | €18/month, billed annually | 2 aircraft, 10 pilots |
| ULTRA | €45/month, billed annually | Unlimited aircraft and pilots |
More questions
Can I use Pilot-Next to rent out my aircraft?
Yes. Pilot-Next handles aircraft rental to other pilots: you set a rate per hour or per booking, the renter books the aircraft, logs Hobbs or Tacho time after the flight, and Pilot-Next prices the flight, creates the invoice and updates the renter’s account balance.
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. The SOLO plan is created with an email address and asks for no payment details. You only enter payment details when you upgrade to a paid plan.
Running a club rather than a single aircraft? See how 12 flying club management platforms compare on price and features, or start with the Pilot-Next platform overview.