October 3 2017 issue of Flight School Business

VOL. 7-ISSUE 20-10/3/2017

TRAINING TRENDS

Flight School Spotlight: Nashville Flight Academy

Innovation is important, but it’s also important to remember business principles that have survived the test of time. Chris Erlanson, the owner of Nashville Flight Training, explains how a few simple shifts in focus can lead to better bottom-line results. READ MORE ›

NEWS

Congress passes FAA funding extension

The House and the Senate passed a six-month FAA funding extension that does not contain language to remove air traffic control from the FAA. Supporters of so-called ATC privatization plan to push for a House vote in October. READ MORE ›

Redbird offers free guide to inbound marketing

As prospective customers increasingly turn to the internet for information on flight training, your job is to be their answer. Redbird Simulation Solutions offers a free downloadable guide to inbound marketing, covering topics such as how to use search engine optimization and content to attract more customers to your website. See the Redbird website.

GA relief aiding Puerto Rico after Maria

General aviation pilots, business owners, and celebrities pitched in to assist relief efforts for Hurricane Maria-stricken residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after federal efforts initially fell flat. San Juan International and seven other Puerto Rican airports are open, or open with restrictions, for mostly daylight operations. READ MORE ›

AOPA releases guide for cross-border flying

Cross-border flights are one of the most exciting opportunities for private pilots. Planning and executing the flights can intimidate low-timers. AOPA’s new flying guide, Cross Borders, can help your flight instructors simplify the process. READ MORE ›

Embry-Riddle sees increase in enrollment

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus welcomed the largest incoming freshman class in 15 years to its flight training program. “This is the biggest surge we’ve seen in a long time,” said Ken Byrnes, chairman of ERAU’s Daytona Beach campus flight department. He attributed the increase in part to a national demand for more commercial airline pilots, a bump in commercial pilots’ starting salary, and a quicker return on investment in an ERAU degree.

Flight schools line up for Sun Flyer

Flight schools are among the customers that have put down deposits for the forthcoming Sun Flyer four-place IFR-certified electric aircraft. Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the first flight school to hold a deposit for the Sun Flyer 4, Aero Electric Aircraft Corporation announced Sept. 29. Spartan already holds 25 deposits for the Sun Flyer 2, a two-place electric aircraft announced in 2015, and the school is designing a complete Sun Flyer training syllabus. Academy of Aviation, with locations in Farmingdale, Long Island, and White Plains, New York, took the final delivery position for the Sun Flyer 4, which was announced in July at EAA AirVenture.

POLL

Electric aircraft

Some flight schools are lining up to acquire battery-powered, solar-electric aircraft when certification is approved. Such aircraft could fly for three or four hours for an estimated $19 per hour. Would you consider adding an electric aircraft to your flight school fleet? Tell us in this week’s poll.

Results

In the Sept. 26, 2017, issue, we asked whether your flight school was in business on Sept. 11, 2001. Here are the results:

<em>Flight School Business</em>

MARKETING

Look before you leap online

Facebook advertising can be highly effective, but only if you know what you’re doing. William Woodbury shares five ideas to kickstart your Facebook marketing plan. READ MORE ›

QUICK TIP

How often do you revisit your flight school’s budget? Small business experts recommend that you revise your monthly and annual budgets regularly to get a clearer, updated picture of your business finances. This will help you better control financial decisions, because you’ll know exactly what you can afford to spend, versus how much you are projecting to earn. See more budgeting tips in Business News Daily.

SAFETY

They should have known

Incompetently executed go-arounds wreck more than three airplanes per month. Is it time to look at how your CFIs are teaching this essential skill? David Jack Kenny explains. 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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