Flight Training and Pilot Supply a Priority for Big Industry Players
by Jason Blair
A global pilot shortage continues to grow, airlines airlines in the United States (with regional airlines being hit hardest) continue to feel the pilot shortage. On a global basis, Asia and the Middle East continue to see the largest growth in annual passenger enplanements. Deliveries of the worlds largest commercial service passenger aircraft (Airbus A-380) are evidence of this growth on pair routes outside the United States with additional 737NG delivery commitments equally strong. This need is being described as a shortage of pilots.
At least that is what lots of experts within the aviation industry think. And I for one am not going to argue.
The reasons for the shortage are debatable, but the reality is that no matter the reason, we are going to
need more pilots and big players in the industry are starting to take notice, and get involved.
 This past week at AirVenture, Boeing announced it is getting involved
in the pilot development pipeline when it announced a "comprehensive global training solution that provides all the training a pilot needs, from basic theory through qualification as a commercial jet first officer, the "right seat" on the flight deck." (More information at http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20295&item=129164.)
Traditionally, big players such as manufacturers and airlines have not played a part in the pilot supply pipeline, but this is no longer an option for them. They are not seeing enough qualified candidates seeking employment to fill the seats of the airplanes that keep airlines flying (and buying airplanes from manufacturers).
In addition to Boeing, the Regional Aviation Association (RAA) launched a
website, Take Flight Tomorrow- http://actnow.takeflighttomorrow.org/, as a collaborative effort within the airline industry to become involved with the training pipeline. While this effort is focused on large scale academy style or university training environments as the pipeline, the reality is that those are not going to be enough. This effort is seeking members and interested parties to "Write your lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and urge them to ask the FAA to provide credit for high quality, structured training programs." FSANA and the RAA are beginning to work together to help increase the qualified pilot pool going forward. Bob Rockmaker, President & CEO of FSANA, said he, "is looking forward to having the association engage in this long term effort."
RAA and large manufacturers are beginning to see the need to work with the flight training pipeline if we are going to keep the supply of pilots for airline service stable and strong enough to meet the demands of customer consumption of their products. On recent telcons and at meetings of industry training entities, we have seen increased participation from representatives of companies such as Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Airbus in addition to the previously mentioned RAA and Boeing. This represents a concerted effort by these and other large players in the aviation community to start communicating and working with the training providers in the United States.
The time has come to work together as training providers and consumers of pilots as a job pool. The model is changing and we are going to see structural changes in how we provide a pipeline of qualified pilots to airlines, manufacturers, and operators that provide commercial pilotage services. They need the flight training community, but it also means that the flight training community needs to step up our game, provide professional services, and learn what the product [what types of training and qualifications in pilots we train] needs are for these consumers. Our products as a flight training community are not aircraft or tickets for passengers, they are the qualified pilots we produce. It is time we look at the needs of our consumers for the products we provide and work together to help create a qualified work pool available for the next generation of aviation.
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FSANA AirVenture 2014 Wrap-up
Just because FSANA did not have a booth at AirVenture 2014 does not mean that we were not there or active. FSANA Chairman, Greg Hayes and CEO, Bob Rockmaker, visited the event on behalf of FSANA this year.
During the event, Greg had the opportunity to speak to other flight school operators and flight training providers at the AOPA Flight School Business luncheon. He had the opportunity to briefly provide an overview of FSANA's recent activities, including the AeroCamp program and other programs on which FSANA is currently working. Greg related how many young people were becoming engaged in aviation and aerospace since FSANA launched AeroCamp in 2010 with FSANA member schools providing the infrastructure. North Coast (Greg's flight school) currently has a CFI who first came to the school as an AeroCamper which was exciting to say the least. Greg illustrated to the attendees how flight schools that operate AeroCamps make above average profits and reminded people that profit (something that too many flight schools don't get to make) is not a bad word.  FSANA was pleased to learn about the ongoing movement to rebuild the GA fleet. FSANA staff talked with Tom Bliss, President of the Triple R Aircraft Company, which announced an initiative which will help develop and promote aircraft service and overhaul centers who elect to partner with the Triple R firm to sell their refurbished aircraft to the GA market. One of the main goals of this effort is to provide affordable, capable aircraft for flight training providers. More information at www.tripleraffordableaircraft.com.  This program comes along as Red Hawk aircraft completed by the simulator manufacturer, Redbird, begin to roll out their fully
refurbished Cessna 172 aircraft at a selling price around $250,000.
These changes along with new options for diesel [Jet A] engine options are all posed to have a potential positive effect on how flight training providers provide services.
FSANA will continue to follow up with the meetings we had at this year's AirVenture and provide information to members throughout the year and until next year's AirVenture brings another round of new innovations and discussions relevant to the flight training community.
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FLIGHT TRAINING SKILLS
Psychology and the Art of Flight Training:
"When We All Win, We All Win"
by Penny Levin, Ph.D.
As both a psychologist and a CFI, I can assure you that as my two worlds intersect more and more often, I have learned that there is much we can and should learn from one another. According to the latest Nall Report, pilot error continues to account for approximately 70% of all aircraft accidents. One study has even shown that the accident rate among private pilots has risen 20% since 2000. This has occurred despite more reliable aircraft and an increase in the use of in-flight advanced technologies and avionics.
The FAA now mandates CRM and Fatigue training for many commercial operations, and the Private Practical Test Standards (PTS) includes Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM), Risk management, Checklist Usage and Single Pilot Resource management as special emphasis areas. Despite these changes, CFI's are rarely taught how to explicitly address these issues, and FAA Designated Pilot Examiners often are not clear on a systematic way to evaluate them.
In addition to overall safety concerns, flight schools must deal with the issue of student retention. According to a June 2011 study by the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) and an October 2010 study by AOPA, about 60% of those who obtain student pilot certificates fail to complete their training. We do not know how many students quit even before their student certificates are earned, but the AOPA study places the overall dropout rate at 70% - 80%. If our instructors were more proficient in understanding how to maintain student motivation and recognized the issues that result in so many failing to complete their private pilot certificates, our industry might be more successful at maintaining its student base. In another field, athletes have learned the importance of "mental skills training," and the Sport Psychologist has become an important member of most college, Olympic and professional teams. Have you ever heard of an "aviation psychologist?" Sports trainers have recognized that the difference between winning and losing among exceptional performers is largely "between their ears." I believe that the same is true in aviation-- the difference between safe and unsafe flight is largely "between the pilot's ears." In sports, the inclusion of mental skills training does not replace drilling and fitness, but often is the difference between mediocre and championship performances. If we look at areas such as CRM and ADM, it really is all "psychological skills training" in disguise. While elite athletes embrace the importance of this training to achieve peak performance, pilots often do not. My take on this? If it is good enough for Lebron, it is good enough for us.
As flight schools, we are asking our instructors to teach a complex skill set involving both precise hand-eye coordination and impeccable decision making, with limited training or supervision in the best ways to accomplish that task. The syllabus outlines flight related tasks, but not a thought process that results in always landing with enough fuel in the tanks to have diverted to another airport in case of an emergency. The FAA gives us a set of formulas (e.g. the DECIDE model) and we pass this along to students assuming that the deed is done. If that were actually the case, though, the percentage of accidents related to pilot error would not remain pegged at more than 70% year after year.
According to an AOPA (2010) study, even lapsed students report a favorable view of flying. Student pilots were found to value both being treated well by flight schools and becoming part of an "achievement-oriented aviation community," Both professionalism and issues related to the quality of instruction were found to be ongoing concerns. In particular, they noted that schools need to both train and support instructors, and use standardized syllabi. The student-instructor match, an area we often don't worry much about, was also found to impact student satisfaction with the flight training experience. Unlike costs and scheduling delays, these issues are clearly under our control.
Most students learn to fly for "recreational" reasons, and students often come to the school through personal referrals. Maintaining contact with our referral base on an ongoing basis is a good way to help former and present students remain part of the larger aviation community. Including school wide participation in events such as fly-ins, hosting safety seminars, and offering recurrent training are ways that this might be accomplished. If our schools are vibrant hubs of activity, we will help pilots keep flying long after training is completed, and they will remain customers of our schools and FBOs.
When providing instruction, a standardized syllabus that is followed consistently will both ensure uniform instruction and allow students to develop good habits that will stay with them through a lifetime of flying. Understanding the psychology behind why students learn, what makes them want to learn, and what makes them learn most effectively will help instructors train pilots who will be safer throughout their entire flight careers
It should go without saying, but many times we forget, that students value positive feedback and knowing that their instructor cares about them and their progress. The student-instructor relationship is a powerful tool that is typically ignored in training CFIs. We count on our instructors to "just do it," but don't necessarily follow up to make sure they understand exactly what "it" is. The addition of training in communication skills will help instructors offer more appropriate positive feedback, and improve both safety and student retention; benefits any business should recognize. While learning to "fly the plane" is the central task in flight training, incorporating psychological skills training for instructors to leverage will help us provide a more positive learning experience, help more students to earn their tickets, and reduce the incidence of pilot error.
Since I am a psychologist, it will be easy for you to assume I am biased and that all this psychology mumbo jumbo is something that is unrelated to aviation training. But I would challenge you to take more time to see what the sports community has, that understanding the psychology behind training can enhance performance. Enhancing performance in aviation will make us safer and keep a few more pilots training. And isn't even just one more safe pilot or one more person that finishes learning to fly a win for us all?
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Discover Aviation Camp and Stacy Howard
Give Lift to Future Female Pilots
Stacy Howard - NBAA.org, and Guidance Aviation
In 1999, the first Discover Aviation Camp hosted 17 campers. The only thing missing during that first camp was experiencing an actual flight. By 2003 the camp had arranged the proper insurance and safe guards to allow Girl Scouts to fly and since that year, over
150 Girl Scouts have experienced a flight lesson.
"The Ninety-Nines are very pleased with the growing success of Discover Aviation Camp and the Girls Can Fly program," said NBAA Representative and camp coordinator Stacy Howard. "Our aim is to provide a high quality,
hands-on introduction to aviation and the flying experience. In this way we build a future for our industry and inspiration for the Girl Scouts who come here."
Sponsors who have made donations to the Girl Scout
 Council in support of Aviation Camp include Flights For Life, volunteer pilots transport precious blood supplies between rural communities and the Phoenix area; U S Airways
(now American Airlines); Deer Valley Pilots Association; Phoenix Sky Harbor Coalition; Wolf Aviation Fund; and
the Arizona Sundance Chapter of The Ninety-Nines.
In recent years, Discover Aviation established a relationship Aviation established a relationship with Guidance Aviation,
a world-class helicopter flight training facility at the Prescott  Airport (KPRC). On June 18, 2014, Girl Scouts received VIP access to Guidance Aviation's training facilities as well as its associated campus of Yavapai Community College. Campers enjoyed experiencing what it is like to sit in and touch the controls of Robinson R22's, R44's, and R66 helicopters; take a part in helicopter ground school; and experience hands-on training in the NEXTGEN helicopter flight simulators by X-Copter at Guidance Aviation of Prescott, Arizona.
"We couldn't do this without the help of Prescott Municipal Airport, the aviation businesses in Prescott, and, of course,
the Girl Scouts Council, which subsidizes most of the costs of
the camp and provides scholarships for some of the campers,"
said Stacy Howard. [Source: NBAA, Arizona Camp Engages Young Girls in Considering
Aviation Careers June 14, 2013 For more information on the camps, contact Stacy Howard at showard@nbaa.org
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FLIGHT SCHOOL AIRCRAFT OPTIONS
Superior Air Parts Introduces the Superior Skyhawk SV Powered by the Vantage Engine (Diesel)
The new FAA STC  will enable current
Cessna 172 aircraft owner/operators to
replace their run-out engines with a
brand-new 180-horsepower Vantage Engine.
"We believe that whether it's a private owner or a
flight school, Skyhawk owner/operators today are
looking for a true value alternative to the standard
engine overhaul."
Scott Hayes, V.P. Sales and Marketing for Superior Air Parts Inc., announced on July 28 that the company has entered into an agreement with Tulsa-based Christiansen Aviation to obtain an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that will allow Superior's FAA-certified 180-horsepower Vantage Engine to be used on Cessna 172 aircraft. Hayes said. "By enabling Skyhawk owners to install a brand new engine for the same price as a rebuilt, the Superior Skyhawk SV powered by the Vantage Engine STC will give them that option and more." Hayes also stressed that another differentiator between the Vantage Engine and a rebuilt engine is the fact that the Vantage Engine is manufactured with 100% factory new parts. That not only eliminates any ongoing reliability questions, it also helps control the cost. "When you get into rebuilding an engine there are always unknowns that inevitably drive the final price up," he said. "That won't happen with our Vantage Engine STC. The price we quote for the engine is the price the customer pays." Of course, Keith Chatten, Superior's executive VP and General Manager, expects there to be skepticism in the industry. "The first question everyone will ask is how can we offer a brand new, FAA certified 180-horsepower engine for nearly the same price as an overhauled engine?" Chatten said. "The answer is simply, it costs us less to build our brand new engines than it costs a shop to rebuild the engine with 'factory' parts." "For the past three and a half years we have put every part of our operation under the microscope and scrutinized every process from product design through vendor audits to quality assurance, production and delivery," he said. "Today, Superior's production process is as lean an operation as you will find. If it doesn't add true value, it's not staying in the process stream." Hayes said that the first Vantage Engine for the Skyhawk STC has been assembled at Superior's Coppell, TX engine build facility and is awaiting final inspection by the FAA. "Once that's all done we'll take it to Christiansen Aviation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for installation on one of their 172s. Bill Christiansen operates a large fleet of Skyhawks and he has been instrumental in helping us with the FAA STC process," he said. "Bill is one of the owners who is very excited to have a better solution to rebuilding his engines." "Right now we're looking to deliver a brand new Vantage Engine for less than $25,000 and that includes the use of the STC and a 24-month or to TBO (whichever comes first) warranty," Hayes stated. "In addition to Bill Christiansen, we have had discussions with a few other Skyhawk fleet operators and their response has been very encouraging." About the Superior Vantage Engine The new-generation Vantage Engine has been designed, manufactured and certified to meet the demands of today's Skyhawk owners. Many of Superior's Vantage Engine parts and components offer improvements in design, materials and manufacturing when compared to those found on legacy piston engines, including: - Balanced Oil Crankcase for better overall lubrication of the camshaft and crankshaft
- Proprietary Electro Slag Remelt (ESR) Crankshaft - stronger base metal means a stronger crankshaft
- High-Flow Sump delivers more air to all four cylinders
- Millennium Cylinders, delivering advanced cylinder design and performance
- Computer Optimized Camshafts enable smoother engine operation and lower valve-
- Thrust Surface Pressure Lubrication means all thrust surfaces receive consistent oil flow for reduced friction and wear
- Precision Machined Connecting Rods enable more consistent weight and balance of critical components
- Tri-Metal Bearings are 40% stronger than conventional aluminum bearings
- Component Balancing and Matching means Vantage Engines typically run smootheR
- And more.
No matter how it is measured, the Superior Vantage Engine represents a new-generation of four-cylinder engine capabilities and technologies. And it gives Skyhawk owners a truly better value alternative to installing a rebuilt engine on their aircraft. About Superior Air Parts, Inc. Superior Air Parts, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Superior Aviation Beijing, is a leading manufacturer of FAA approved aftermarket replacement parts for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engines. In addition, the company manufactures the FAA certified Vantage Engine and the XP-Series Engine family for experimental and sport aircraft builders. For more information, visit: www.superiorairparts.com. Contact:
Dale Smith, Media Relations Representative
904-400-1000 or dsmith@superiorairparts.com
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15 Digital Facts Every Marketer Should Know
by Natasha D. Smith, Senior Editor
Many FSANA members utilize digital media in their promotional efforts, but we always want to know what methods are most effective. Natasha D. Smith, from Direct Marketing News, pulled together a few key points that might be of interest. "Blogs are 63% more likely to influence purchase decisions than magazines. (Optimind Technology)" If your flight school doesn't have a blog, it is time to start one. Keeping an active blog about flight training, airport activities, or aviation news keeps your website fresh and shows potential customers that you are vibrant and striving. Post something weekly if not more frequently to keep the web search engines finding you and to keep customers knowing that you are active. "Emails with no subject line were opened 8% more than those with a subject line. The reason: An email without a subject line shows more email preview text. (Signals)" Many flight training providers send emails to their customers to promote activities, services, or new products. While you may not want to do this all the time, the curiosity factor for customers of an email with no subject line seems to be more compelling for customers to open than one that has a descriptive subject line. "Forty-seven percent of Americans say Facebook is the number one influencer of their purchases. (Social Media Today)" If you don't use social media to promote your training operations, you should. Building a page for the business is an important part of modern marketing. Not only is it a page that web searches can find, but it is something your current customer can share with family and friends. Word of mouth is a strong motivator in getting new customers and this can be accomplished digitally. "Americans spend 4X more time on mobile devices compared to newspapers and magazines. (Percolate)" If you think customers are primarily going to find you on a computer at home using a traditional web search, you are probably wrong. An overwhelming majority of web traffic is now being conducted on mobile devices. Utilize mediums that allow potential customers to find you on mobile devices. "Using videos on landing pages can increase conversions by 86%. (Optimind Technology)" When you are putting together a digital presence, use videos. Videos keep customers on pages longer (the time it takes to watch a video) and the longer they stay on a page about your company, the more likely it is that they will take the time to engage. "Seventy-seven percent of buyers are more likely to buy from a company if its Don't just rely on your flight instructors to be your social media presence. Customers like to feel connected with "the boss." Get engaged to help keep your customers coming back for more! "The average buyer consults 11 consumer reviews on their path to purchase. (Optimind)" Make sure you know what people are saying about you and your business. Take the time to review posts on social media, Google search your own business in the news, and check customer feedback sites like Yelp. Control your message. Respond appropriately to customers with concerns. At a minimum, know what is being said. Click Here to see the entire Direct Marketing Article
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New ATP Regulations Effective
August 1, 2014, was the effective date for all new ATP pilot training requirements. Be sure if you are providing training or your customers are seeking training for ATP pilot ratings that you are current on all the new requirements.
Additionally, if your operation offers FAA knowledge testing, make sure your have current databases, current supplemental materials, and that you are aware of all of the requirements for administration of knowledge test. Some of these have changes (especially for the ATP multi-engine practical test).
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We want feedback from the readers of this newsletter! Tell us what is important to you
as a school owner, manager or chief flight instructor. We will share comments received
in an upcoming edition of Flight Schools News eMonthly. Send your thoughts to info@fsana.com
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Inviting the Best
Aircraft Operators
in the Business to
Join Our Network.
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2015 FSANA
January 27-30
San Diego, CA
2014 Flight Training
Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
More information to be announced.
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Click on images to download sample Aero program brochures
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FSANA Supporting Partners
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V I S I O N A R Y P A R T N E R S
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L E A D E R P A R T N E R S
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The above organizations are annual supporters of the FSANA mission and work of the association and its members.
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Established in 2009, the Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) is the first and only association of its kind dedicated solely to the flight training industry. FSANA represents flight schools, firms that provide products and services to the flight training or aviation industry, and other supporting partners.
FSANA MISSION: The Mission of the Flight School Association is to work in alliance with the aviation and aerospace industry; to serve and foster the flight training industry; to provide programs and services that will enhance the ability of flight schools to serve their customers and communities; and to promote best business practices which will help flight schools and their industry thrive and increase the pilot population.
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