Migration fosters ideas, enthusiasm

Now in its sixth year, Migration remains at its core a customer meeting. It’s free to attend, meals are provided, and there are plenty of simulators around for attendees to try—and time in the schedule to buy.

But saying the three-day event is a customer meeting is akin to saying that Redbird is only a simulator company. Customer appreciation days don’t usually include CEOs from aircraft manufacturers. Cirrus Aircraft CEO Dale Klapmeier spoke of the need for more advanced training; Piper Aircraft CEO Simon Caldecott spoke about Piper’s reentry to the training market; and Aero Electric Aircraft Corp. head George Bye appropriately played host to a rousing aircraft design competition.

The event always features one speaker from outside the training industry. Usually the focus is on marketing or instruction from unrelated businesses, with the idea that attendees can apply those concepts to their schools. This year PASSUR President and CEO James Barry spoke about the importance of big data. “Those things that you can measure, you can enhance,” he said. PASSUR’s impact on the airline industry is well established, but Barry says he sees an opportunity for big data to come to general aviation as well. And for flight schools, measuring basic trends such as completion rates can go a long way to improving the quality of the product.

A Migration wouldn’t be complete without some news out of the host. President Jerry Gregoire announced he will be stepping down Jan. 1 and handing the role to Charlie Gregoire. Todd Willinger will stay on as CEO and Jerry will take on the role of co-chairman alongside former AOPA President Craig Fuller.

Gregoire also announced that 2017’s event will be at the EAA Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.