November 23 issue of Flight School Business

Flight School Business

VOL. 11-ISSUE 24-November 23, 2021

TRAINING TRENDS

Dear flight school

Our article, "Dear Part 61 flight school owner," prompted a reaction from a marketing communications manager at a North Carolina flight school, who said the article cast Part 61 flight schools in a negative light. She contended that operating under Part 61 or Part 141 has no bearing on the quality of airplane maintenance conducted by the flight school. "What determines the quality of maintenance is the integrity of the owner and the mechanic performing the maintenance." she said. READ MORE ›

NEWS

House votes to cap veterans' flight training benefits

Despite a plea from AOPA and other industry groups, the House passed H.R.5603, the proposed Protections for Student Veterans Act, on November 16—a bill that caps flight training benefits for veterans. Without sufficient funding, veterans seeking to use their GI benefits to enter the aviation industry will incur significant personal debt or abandon their pursuit altogether, AOPA said. READ MORE ›

Final rule eases single engine ATP path

The FAA has published a final rule that will allow pilots who train concurrently for a Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet type rating and an airline transport pilot certificate to satisfy the practical test requirements for both in a single checkride. The new rule takes effect December 9. READ MORE ›

Customer service emergency? Here's how to recover

The next episode of the Flight School Connector webinar will address practical tips on recovering from a customer service disaster. Breakdowns in customer interactions are unavoidable, but they don’t have to be catastrophic. Join the AOPA You Can Fly team’s Chris Moser and Elizabeth Tennyson as they discuss theories, actual scenarios, and some useable tips for how to recover and ideally turn problems that might arise into net positives for your business. The webinar takes place Wednesday, December 1, from 12 to 1 p.m. Eastern time. Use this link to get an email reminder.

Hiring increase

Pilot hiring numbers are surpassing pre-pandemic levels during a robust job-seeking market in the fourth quarter of 2021, aviation career specialists said. Available positions far outpaced qualified personnel. Hiring at major air carriers jumped from fewer than 100 pilots hired in January to more than 600 each month during August and September. READ MORE ›

FAA seeks second class medical for balloon pilots

A proposed FAA rule would require balloonists operating for hire be held to the same standards as other commercial pilots by obtaining a second class medical, and would expand BasicMed requirements to include those not acting as pilot in command. The proposed change follows a 2016 crash in Lockhart, Texas, that killed 16 including the pilot. Authorities found the pilot was impaired after taking prescription medication and flew the balloon into a power line. READ MORE ›

Acme Aero acquires North Carolina airport

The once quiet Little Mountain airport is no longer a sleepy airfield thanks to general aviation aftermarket suspension and fabrication company Acme Aero. The company purchased the airfield, which it renamed the Acme Aerodrome, in October and hosted a fly-in grand opening event on November 13. Acme Aero founder Matt McSwain plans to establish a tailwheel flight school, among other improvements. READ MORE ›

POLL

Small Business Saturday

Does your flight school participate in Small Business Saturday? Tell us in this week's poll.

Results

In the November 9, 2021, poll, we wanted to know how many locations your flight school has. Here are the results:

MARKETING

Calendar communications

From National Aviation Day to International Women's Day to the consumer powerhouses of Thanksgiving and Christmas, special calendar days and holidays are low-hanging fruit for business communications. Content specialist Brett Bonnville shows you how you can craft these kinds of communications for your flight school without falling into the trap of full-throttle self-promotion. READ MORE >

QUICK TIP

Small Business Saturday is Saturday, November 27. Do you have some goals in mind? (Think along the lines of, "I want to generate more leads," or "I want people to become more aware of my business.") Some marketing plans? (We give you a quick and easy to follow example in this issue's "Marketing" column.) Stock up on inventory and be ready.

SAFETY

AOPA Air Safety Institute releases new accident case study

The AOPA Air Safety Institute has released a new episode of its popular Accident Case Study video series. Accident Case Study: Into Thin Air recreates the events that led a Beechcraft Bonanza G36 to crash shortly after departing Aspen, Colorado, on its way to the pilots' East Coast home base. Density altitude was a factor. View the video.

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Flight School Business Editor:
Jill W. Tallman

Production Specialist:
Sylvia Horne

Advertising and Sales Specialist:
Donna Stoner

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