TRAINING NEWS
FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) Program
Under Watch (By FSANA and Others)
Over the past several years, there have been various process issues and concerns raised with relation to the operational procedures of the Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) program. This program was originally created in 1939 as an effort to designate qualified individuals to conduct the work of the FAAon behalf of the Administrator. In effect, it allows more FAA work to be completed with less direct FAA staff. For the most part, the program runs well, but in some instances, problems and concerns do arise. Recently, more of these concerns have been being expressed.
Starting in 2012 and continuing through the present time, FSANA and its members have been receiving feedback about variations in how the airman certification examiner program has been operating across the United States. In 1989, there were approximately 1,600 DPE's in the system. They conducted 105,113 flight tests which represented 95% of all flight tests administered in 1989. For the same year, FAA inspectors conducted 5,428 flight tests. Right now it appears that there are less than 900 DPE's and in 2014 only 42,440 practical tests were given. This represents a significant reduction in test volume from the 1989 levels and a comparable drop in DPEs numbers. In addition to this, compared with administering approximately 5% of practical tests in 1989, in 2014 actual FAA staff conducted only approximately 1.3% of practical tests. Leaving the overwhelming bulk of practical tests having been completed by DPE's across the country.
Click Image to Make Larger for Viewing
Source:
FAA Airman Certification Statistics can be fount at -
https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/
The FAA is tasked with oversight of these examiners; the theory being one FAA staff member can oversee multiple examiners who are tasked with "doing the work of the FAA". While this generally works, there have been some glaring instances of misconduct by examiners or misapplication of Practical Test Standards. The FAA does catch many of these through their oversight process, but some do go unnoticed. When these go unnoticed or get caught, it is many times the applicants and the training providers that suffer.
FSANA has been receiving information about some examiners around the country and some anomalies in how the DPE's are conducting their activities in various locales around the country. Along with this, it seems there is inconsistency in how the FAA FSDO offices manage and what permissions they grant the DPE's in their particular area. The result is an unstable DPE system that does not have full consistency in application throughout the country.
Some of the complaints FSANA has heard over the past 36 months include:
- Lack of examiner availability for practical tests (either based on schedule;
- Local FSDO limitations on how many practical tests the examiners administer;
- Proximity of examiners to their training operation;
- Examiners charging inconsistent prices;
- Examiners charging different prices to different training providers;
- Examiners taking additional payments to get someone on the flight test calendar first;
- Flight Schools having their students fly out of their local FSDO district in order to have a practical test completed in a cost-effective and timely fashion.
One test candidate reported that their region had a very high failure rate for a particular test and that the candidate did not want to have to pay twice for the test which was going to run between $1,000 - $1,100. The assumption by the test candidate was that they would not pass on the first test no matter how prepared they were and that they would be required to take a second test.
FAA staff from local FSDO's, regional offices, and from the national level offices in Oklahoma City does conduct oversight of examiners. This oversight is focused on the examiners activities in relation to FAA Orders and Practical Test Standards. In 1991, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) set forth a grouping of recommendations to the FAA to improve the oversight the FAA conducts on its Designated Pilot Examiners. (Click here to see the NTSB recommendation letter)
While the FAA regularly monitors how examiners conduct their tests, how many tests they administer, and where they do so, they do not get into the "economic discussions" of pricing for examiner activities. This has been left to the examiners to monitor on their own, allowing the market economy to drive the pricing structure. But the market structure is somewhat flawed when arbitrary limitations are placed on examiners by local FSDO offices or there are not sufficient examiner resources to meet the needs of the particular training area.
FSANA is interested hearing more from members and others about local examiner policies, availability, and pricing. It is important to the flight training system that a fair and equitable process for airman certification exists while still recognizing that DPE's are highly experienced individuals who are providing a valuable service that does require fair compensation for their services.
While it is not the only factor, pricing is an area of concern. When considered relative to the entire training process, or even hourly rental rates for an aircraft, in most places the pricing of a practical test is reasonable. But some outliers do exist and if different pricing structures are being charged to different customers, it implies preferential treatment. The cost of airmen testing varies greatly across the United States and in some regions, it is now a major budget item that adds to the cost of learning to fly.
FSANA has learned that Congressman Frank Lobiondo from New Jersey, chairman of the U.S. House Aviation Sub-committee has sent a letter to the United States Department of Transportation Inspector General regarding the DPE program. The letter addresses concerns that have been brought to the Congressman's attention. FSANA is interested in working with both the FAA and legislative branch so that the airman practical test administration and certification process is maintained and delivered in a consistent, fair and equitable manner across the United States.
As this process moves forward, FSANA will provide updates to its members and the aviation community. In the interim, we want to hear from you regarding the concerns that you have about how practical tests are conducted in your area. Please email us at info@fsana.com or call 610-791-4359 with your experiences.
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 FSANA NEWS
2016 FSANA Annual Flight
School Operators Conference
The 2016 conference will be held at the "B Resort & Spa" in Lake Buena Vista, Florida February 9-12, 2016.  Room reservations will open August 10, 2015. FSANA encourages everyone who plans to attend to reserve your room now by calling the B Resort on or after August 10, 2015 at 800-248-7890. Conference registration for attendees is scheduled to open in October.
For more information on the B Resort Resort, Click Here.
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MARKETING TIPS
Five Marketing Tasks You Can
Accomplish Using Social Media Tools
by Paula Williams
Many people have preconceived notions about social media - and nobody is neutral. Some folks think it's going to save the world, some folks think it's going to ruin it. In reality, though, we like to think of social media as just another set of tools - like a set of socket wrenches, that are sometimes useful, but can't be used on everything.
So, people ask us:
"What kind of tasks could I accomplish using social media tools?"
Here are a few of our favorites:
1. Research your Top Ten most wanted customers.
You should have at least ten "future customers" that you are pursuing at all times- and you can ethically "stalk" them by observing what they publish in social media. Follow their accounts, read what they write, and comment when appropriate.
This is also a great resource to learn about a prospect before a meeting or sales call. (There is no excuse, in this day and age, for a "cold" call - you have plenty of research tools at your fingertips and can customize your reason for calling!)
Best tools for this task: LinkedIn, Facebook Company Pages
2. Plan your Trade Show Appearance.
It's expensive to travel to trade shows, but it's also a "target rich environment," to quote Top Gun. There is no excuse for wasting a spare moment. Use the show's official hashtag (#OSH15, #NBAA15) to discover competitors, customers and prospects that will be attending, and to connect and arrange times to meet for coffee or dinner or just to drop by their booth.
Best tools for this task: Twitter, Instagram
3. Find out more about your customers.
Enter a list of email addresses and you can get detailed reports on the demographics of the people that "like" your page on Facebook, or that visit your website,
or serveral
other variables.Best tool for this task: Google Ads Manager (Note - you can use a free account and don't have to purchase any ads.)
Best tool for this: Facebook Ads Manager, Twitter Ads Dashboard
4. Advertise an Event to specific groups.
Want to advertise an event to licensed CFIs in a certain group of zip codes in Texas? No problem!
Best tool for this task: Facebook Events + Ads manager
Note: We also recommend that you acquire a targeted list from AirPac or JetNet and send postcards about your event if time & budget allows. And additional media compounds the effectiveness of your advertising.
5. Educate prospects and customers.
ABCI and many of our clients sell products and services that aren't as simple as a socket wrench. We need to let people know what it is, why they want it, what the alternatives are, and how to use it properly. At the same time, we simply can't get our casual prospects to spend hours poring over a manual. So, a "tip of the week" or "Did you know . . ." series of information snacks can be very helpful to increase sales, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce returns and chargebacks.
Best tool for this task: Any social media that your customers and/or prospects use!
Any powerful tool has risks associated with it. It's important to know how to use them properly and take safety precautions. In the case of social media, it's necessary to take many of these precautions (i.e. monitoring the reputation of your company, your product(s) and your brand) whether or not you personally are an active social media user. Whatever you and your employees do, you cannot control the actions of your customers and competitors on social media - so it pays to watch what they do.
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SIMULATORS IN TRAINING
Maximizing ROI on an ATD
By Tracy Cook www.flypfc.com
When an operator makes a significant investment in an Aviation Training Device, their first concern is insuring a timely return on their investment.
The most important step to maximum utilization is to properly educate those that would use the device in training, both instructors and pilots. Those that have been shown the proper start-up, normal operating and shut-down procedures are more likely to utilize the device to its full potential. ATDs tend to be sophisticated devices and as such have a steeper learning curve than most other ground-based training materials and systems used in flight training. Understanding the myriad ways that one of these systems can be employed is important. Not only can the hours flown in an ATD be applied to certificates (private pilot, instrument pilot, commercial pilot and ATP), but an ATD can be put to use in other ways such as maintaining instrument experience, conducting a (partial) instrument proficiency check, maintaining proficiency, preparing for an aviation interview, transition training, and augmenting a ground school program. Many operators have found creative ways to maximize their investment by using an ATD in a pinch-hitter course (for non-flying spouses and companions), by engaging their local flying club's members regarding maintaining their instrument currency, or by introducing aviation to prospective students in an ATD before they step into an airplane for a demo flight.
CFIs also play a critical role in maximizing the potential of an ATD by realizing that a well prepared student does not necessarily present a conflict of interest to a CFI that may be building time.
The creative marketing and application of an ATD can insure a significant return of investment on an ATD.
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MARKETING TIPS
An SMB Beginner's
Guide
to Email Marketing
by Elyse Dupre, Associate Editor
reprinted with permission
7 steps to help small business owners get their email newsletter off of the ground.
Email is a difficult channel to master for any marketer. But for small business owners who are also fulfilling the roles of everything from customer service agent to chief financial officer, it can seem downright impossible. And often, knowing where to begin is the biggest hurdle.
To help small business owners new to the channel get their start, Steven Aldrich, SVP of Business Applications for GoDaddy-an Internet domain registrar that's announcing the latest addition to its email and online marketing suite tomorrow-revealed a seven-step solution for launching a successful email marketing program.
1. Understand why you want to send email in the first place.
Small business owners are already short on time. So, it's important for them to clearly understand why they want to email their clients and what their objectives are before adding another item to their to-do list. For instance, Aldrich explains, a food truck owner may want to send out his weekly schedule so customers know where the truck will be and when, while a financial consultant may want to send educational material to retain clients' attention and business.
"The business type almost dictates the objective of that small business owner," he notes.
But if small business owners still can't pinpoint their email marketing motivations, then they should try asking their customers to learn what they'd like to hear about, Aldrich advises. "If you can't answer that question for yourself as a small business owner," he says, "it's going to be very hard to have a successful email marketing campaign."
2. Identify the benefits that you're not already getting that you can reap by sending emails
According to Aldrich, email marketing has three main perks for small business owners:
* It's cheap: Sending a newsletter to an accumulated client base can be a low expense, he says, noting that the minimal costs are usually far less than SEM or paid media.
* It's personal: Email marketing allows small business owners to stay in contact with their customers from the moment they first meet to the moment that they convert into repeat buyers. And because customers who sign up for a small business's email newsletter expect to hear from the business, there's a higher chance that those emails will generate a sizeable open rate, he adds.
* It's a chance to be seen as an expert: The owner can use the newsletter as an opportunity to talk to customers about the business, notify them of upcoming events, tell them about the projects that he's working on, and educate them about the industry.
3. Carve out time to dedicate to your email marketing program
"The biggest mistake, honestly, is not taking the time, just once a month,... [to] keep the relationships going," Aldrich says.
Small business owners are forced to wear many hats-from marketer to handyman-and balancing each role's responsibilities can difficult. That's why Aldrich recommends dedicating one hour a month to compiling and sending out an email newsletter. He even advises writing it on the calendar to make it seem more pressing.
"If I had to emphasize one thing, it's to be consistent," he says. "Send that newsletter every month and you'll get feedback."
4. Grow your list organically
Instead of buying a list to email to, Aldrich advises small business owners to grow their list organically. How? By asking people for their contact information on its website, at the store, at conferences, and at social gatherings and requesting permission to send them the business's newsletter. This creates an authentic connection between the prospect and business owner that can't be replicated with a bought list.
"Bought lists, in general for a small business owner, are not going to be very successful because you don't have that personal relationship with the person to whose inbox you're trying to deliver your lovingly crafted content," he says.
5. Keep it simple
Don't try to send email receipts, welcome series, and offers all at once. Small business owners should start small, such as with an email newsletter, to maintain a connection with customers and prospects. Once they're comfortable with that, then they can experiment with sending additional messages.
In terms of content, Aldrich advises small business owners to write down five things that they're passionate about and to take inspiration from their everyday roles. For instance, a salon owner can send photos of haircuts his stylists have done, he says, or a restaurant owner can talk about the new dishes that he's working on for the fall menu. Then, don't over-think it. Just a few simple sentences and images will do the trick.
"Take things that you're doing every day already and share that in a friendly consumer way," Aldrich says.
6. Write authentic subject lines
No one likes click bait. So when sending emails, small business owners should be short, genuine, and to the point in terms of what the content in the email is about.
7. Measure and learn from your success
Practice makes progress, and Aldrich suggests tracking that progress by measuring open rates and unsubscribe rates (which can help business owners determine the quality of their list and relevancy of the emails), as well as click-through rates. Although tracking click-through rates may require additional tools, he says, keeping tabs on this metric can help small business owners determine which specific pieces of content are resonating the most or driving subscribers to their websites.
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FSANA Money-Back Guarantee
FSANA continues to create value for its members. Programs like
AeroCamp, AeroSolo, AeroParty and the new AeroChapters
program are creating new revenue centers and customers to FSANA
members schools. Many of these first time
guests continue on to earn their private pilot certificate.
FSANA
offers flight school operators a money-back guarantee on their membership dues investment if the school operates at least one FSANA
Aero program and does not generate enough profit to cover the cost of membership. Members are required to demonstrate that they have followed the FSANA
program guidelines contained in the members-only toolkit associated with each program.
To learn more about FSANA's many programs and benefits, contact Debbie Sparks at 561-767-6826 or
dsparks@fsana.com.
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Becoming a FSANA "Partner"
FSANA is a growing trade association that represents the interests of flight training providers, supply chain firms and others interested in improving
"The Business of Flight Training".
If your company or a company you know would be interested in joining the team of support that FSANA is building for its efforts, it is time to become a "Partner."
Core platforms of FSANA include:
- Helping flight training businesses operate successfully and profitably
- Increasing the pilot population
- Working with other aviation and aerospace industry associations and companies to promote quality flight training pipeline development
- Providing programs and services that will assist FSANA members to better serve their customers and local communities
- Promoting best practices in the flight training community
- Reducing the general aviation incident and accident rates
- Engaging both youth and adults to explore aviation and aerospace.
Becoming a FSANA "Partner" offers year round brand exposure for your organization in both print and electronic platforms in multiple channels.
To learn how to become a FSANA "Partner" contact
Debbie Sparks, Director of Business Development at
dsparks@fsana.com or 561-767-6826.
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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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2016 FSANA International Flight School Operators Conference
Orlando Florida
Februay 9-12
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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