September 03 issue of Flight School Business

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VOL. 9-ISSUE 18-September 3, 2019

TRAINING TRENDS

Flight School Spotlight: FL Aviation Center

Faith Drewry is co-owner of FL Aviation Center at Tallahassee International Airport (TLH). Drewry and her team are experiencing positive results with their social media marketing and have learned a few important lessons along the way. READ MORE ›

NEWS

American Flyers celebrates eightieth year

Addison, Texas-based American Flyers was established in 1939 to train military pilots for World War II. The company, which counts rock bands, college athletic teams, and scores of professional pilots among its many clients, is celebrating its eightieth year in operation. READ MORE ›

AOPA workshop wants to help you ramp up customer service

Flight school owners, managers, and instructors are invited to attend AOPA's flight training customer experience workshop, designed to help you turn customers into advocates by showing you how to deliver exceptional customer service. Topics include humanizing customer service; principles of performance excellence; and customer satisfaction and loyalty. The workshop will be held Sept. 30 through Oct. 1 at the You Can Fly Academy at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland. Registration by Sept. 16 is $299 per person, and $350 per person after that date. Register online.

OpenAirplane, Boeing want to know your flying pain points

OpenAirplane and The Boeing Company are partnering to learn more about the experiences of flight schools, flight instructors, and students. There is a survey for flight schools, another survey for flight instructors, and a third survey for pilots in training. Each survey should take five minutes, and responses will be anonymous, OpenAirplane said. The companies hope feedback will inform insights "that will help inform big problems like the pilot shortage," according to OpenAirplane.

Air taxi disruptor buys Bye's electric airplanes

Bye Aerospace will sell two dozen all-electric airplanes to a Los Angeles-based air taxi operator that is building an urban mobility rival to eVTOL. Quantum Air will receive 22 four-place eFlyer 4 models and two two-place eFlyer 2 aircraft. The company wants to make air taxi service in the Los Angeles area more affordable, and more efficient. READ MORE ›

More pilots going online for weather briefings

The number of pilots who call Flight Service for initial weather briefings continued trending lower in 2019, with online alternatives and apps picking up the slack, according to the 2019 AOPA Weather Survey. However, pilots still say they value the service and consider it an important safety resource. READ MORE ›

POLL

Flight school size

How many employees does your flight school have? Tell us in this week's poll.

Results

In the Aug. 20, 2019, poll we wanted to know how long your flight school has been in business. Here are the results.

MARKETING

Build a better relationship with your customers

Provide good customer service and your customers will stay loyal—bringing their dollars for advanced ratings, rental of your aircraft, and aircraft sales. Let’s look at some easy-to-implement ways to build those customer relationships and make them want to come back. READ MORE >

QUICK TIP

How well do you understand the workings of your own flight school? If you are a CFI, take on one student in addition to running your business. Your flight instructors will be motivated when they see you on the ramp, preflighting an airplane, doing all the things that they do.

SAFETY

Safety tip: Hot starts

Do your clients struggle to start airplanes with hot engines? A new AOPA Air Safety Institute video illuminates hot-start procedures with a peek under the cowling. The more your clients know about how the system works, the more successful they'll be with hot starts—and you won't be on the hook for a new starter. See the video online.

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Flight School Business Editor:
Jill W. Tallman

Production Specialist:
Sylvia Horne

Advertising Production Coordinator:
Donna Stoner

AOPA Advertising website