March 14 issue of Flight School business

Flight School Business

VOL. 13-ISSUE 6-March 14, 2023

TRAINING TRENDS

Flight School Spotlight: Paragon Flight Training

Paragon Flight Training in Fort Myers, Florida, is growing—acquiring a bigger office space and many new aircraft. The company's long-term business plan helps to keep that growth steady and on track, and its three owners manage the volume of work by keeping in separate and strict lanes. This method lets them focus on what each does well, which has been a huge part of the flight school's success. READ MORE ›

NEWS

Four killed in Florida midair

A flight instructor and student pilot in a Piper Cherokee were killed in a midair collision March 7 in Winter Haven, Florida, along with two occupants of a Piper J-3 Cub on floats that originated from Jack Brown's Seaplane Base. The student and instructor were members of the Polk State College aviation program in Lakeland and had flown to Winter Haven to do pattern work. READ MORE ›

AOPA asks for improved FAA oversight of testing process

AOPA and flight industry leaders are asking the FAA to take on an improved oversight role pertaining to knowledge testing accessibility. This request comes after PSI—that’s the testing contractor responsible for administering FAA knowledge tests—introduced a new pricing structure that reduced reimbursement rates to third-party providers. Flight training organizations are concerned about how this change might affect testing center availability and access to FAA knowledge tests. READ MORE ›

California flight school gives away 100 introductory flights

Sling Pilot Academy in Torrance, California, and partner SkyWest Airlines offered 100 introductory flights to high school and college students on March 11. The STEM awareness event included a flight lesson, a simulator session, a logbook for each participant, and a career presentation by SkyWest Airlines. Sling also said it is giving out several hundred thousands of dollars in pilot scholarships over the next 12 months, including a scholarship for at least one student who attended the event.

Garmin GFC 500 autopilot approved for more makes, models

Garmin announced FAA supplemental type certificate approval for its GFC 500 autopilot for certain Rockwell Commander and (Textron Aviation) Cessna models, including its first STC approval for Cessna 175 models. The GFC 500 has a listed retail price starting at $8,395, and was recently FAA-approved for installation in an extensive and still-growing roster of general aviation, light piston aircraft. READ MORE ›

POLL

Fleet size

How many aircraft are in your flight school’s fleet? Tell us in this week's poll.

Results

In the February 28, 2023, issue, we wanted to how many payment options your flight school accepts. Here are the results:

MARKETING

No snapping allowed

That brand-new flight instructor you just hired—the one straight out of college—is starting next week. This may be their first real job, and the time to set expectations is now. READ MORE >

QUICK TIP

Flight schools have long relied on word-of-mouth advertising for their services within the pilot community. But are you reaching today's tech-savvy customers this way? "Google reviews are one of the easiest, but often neglected, ways to generate more prospects for sales," according to Talkroute.com. If you rely on local customers, you need plenty of Google reviews to outrank your competition in the local search results. Learn how to get Google reviews here.

SAFETY

AOPA Air Safety Institute releases early analysis video of Pilatus PC-12 breakup

The NSTB has not yet released a preliminary report about a Pilatus PC-12/45 that crashed after an in-flight breakup over Stagecoach, Nevada, on February 25. The AOPA Air Safety Institute has released an early analysis of the accident describing the conditions surrounding the flight and assessing some of the factors that the NTSB will likely investigate to determine a probable cause. View the video here.

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Flight School Business Editor: Jill W. Tallman	Production Specialist: Sylvia Horne	Advertising and Sales Specialist: Donna Stoner AOPA Advertising website
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