November 15 2016 issue of Flight School Business

VOL. 6-ISSUE 23-11/15/2016

Don’t cook the books

Keeping correct maintenance records for your fleet’s aircraft can be tedious and time-consuming, but failure to do that can have unpleasant consequences for your customers and you. Don’t think it can come to that? FAA Designated Examiner Jason Blair shares an example of a flight school whose shoddy practices had severe consequences. READ MORE ›

NEWS

FAA revises system for issuing student pilot certificates

An update of the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application system should reduce the processing time involved to acquire a student pilot certificate from two weeks to less than a week. The update makes a temporary, printable certificate available after a short interval for security vetting. The temporary ticket will be valid for 120 days, during which time the student pilot certificate should arrive. READ MORE ›

Redbird Migration fosters ideas, creates enthusiasm

Part customer meeting, part big-idea conference, part team-building retreat, this year’s Redbird Migration Flight Training Conference was an event unique to aviation. The sixth annual Migration in San Marcos, Texas, featured everything from a model airplane building contest to hosting AOPA’s Flight Training Excellence Awards. READ MORE ›

Alsim releases new advanced simulator

Alsim Flight Training Solutions has introduced its newest flight simulation training device. The AL250 was designed to meet the needs of aviation colleges, universities, and flight schools. It can be configured as a single-engine or multiengine piston aircraft. The cockpit instrumentation display is configurable with a single click to either round dials or glass panel. The design features a semicircular screen, three projectors, and image distortion software that offers a 250-degree high-definition panoramic view from the cockpit. For more information, see the website.

Arkansas taps Air Safety Institute for recurrent CFI training

The Arkansas State Department of Aeronautics chose the AOPA Air Safety Institute to provide the state’s certificated flight instructors with recurrent training in Jacksonville on Feb. 11 and 12, 2017. The two-day, in-person flight instructor refresher course will be available to about 125 CFIs. READ MORE ›

Kansas State University expands training fleet

The Kansas State University aviation program has added four Beechcraft Bonanza G36 aircraft to its training fleet. Delivery of the final aircraft took place in mid-October, bringing the fleet’s total to 34. The Bonanzas will be used primarily by students training for the commercial and certificated flight instructor certificates. The airplanes are equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast systems.

POLL

Local airport support

Sometimes airport administrators are highly supportive of the businesses on the field—and sometimes the relationship is more contentious. What’s the story at your airport? Tell us in this week’s survey.

Results

In the Nov. 1 issue, we asked whether your flight school operates under Part 61 or Part 141. Here are the results:

MARKETING

Here come the holidays

Christmas decorations started popping up just after Halloween, so you know what that means: It’s time to promote your "gift of flight" campaign. And why stop at an introductory flight lesson? Ed Helmick has several suggestions for gift packages that range from an intro flight to a first solo. READ MORE ›

QUICK TIP

Getting customer feedback is an excellent way to keep improving your business. But how about feedback for yourself? "Getting feedback is simple, but criticism is sparse when you’re at the very top of the totem pole," said Elle Kaplan of LexION Capital. Don’t be afraid to ask your staff what your strengths are and what you could improve. "Taking constructive feedback in stride is one of the most powerful ways you can grow as a leader," said Kaplan in a Small Business Trends article, "9 Ways CEOs can Best Hone their Leadership Skills."

SAFETY

Due diligence

Would you hire a CFI without checking his or her credentials? That’s exactly what a South Carolina flight school did—and the outcome wasn’t good. David Jack Kenny explains how the flight school’s failure to conduct even a minimal background check on a CFI applicant led to a wrongful death lawsuit. READ MORE ›

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Flight School Business Editor:
Jill W. Tallman

Production Specialist:
Sylvia Horne

Advertising Production Coordinator:
Donna Stoner

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