FSANA NEWS
One Month until the 2016 Flight School Operators Conference
There is still time to register for the 7th Annual International Flight School Conference which begins February 9 in Orlando. The conference speakers will be delivering timely and informative information for flight school owners, managers and chief flight instructors. If you haven't made your travel plans yet, do it now before it is too late!
For more information about the specifics of the conference, you can browse the event program, click here (PDF). A printable registration form is included.
 
Lake Buena Vista's B Resort & Spa, an official Disney hotel, serves as the host for this year's event. FSANA encourages everyone to reserve their room now to take advantage of our conference rates. Conference discounted rates at the hotel are limited, and if you don't get your reservation now, they may sell out! For more information about the property, click here. To make reservations online, click here or call them directly at 800-248-7890.
NEW for 2016 ... on Tuesday, February 10, conference programming kicks in with a new members-only session at 1:00 pm followed by a new general session for all attendees starting at 2:30.
NEW for 2016 ... a special
Guest Program for those who want to have their spouse, partner or friend join them during the conference. Highlights of the Guest Program are included in the conference information download.
Sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor spaces are still available. If your business seeks flight training operators as customers, this is the perfect market to reach out. For more information about becoming a sponsor or exhibitor, click here.
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TRAINING NEWS
Vulnerabilities in Student Visa Program May Affect Students Pursuing Flight Training in the United States
A recent story on Fox News discussed the concern that there may be vulnerabilities in the U.S. student visa program that allow potentially dangerous individuals to use student visa approvals to enter or remain in the United States. One of the major concerns highlighted in the piece was that:
"Recent attention has been focused on refugee programs and illegal border crossings, but the Achilles heel in America's immigration system may be the program that invites 1.2 million foreigners into the U.S. each year, according to Claude Arnold, retired special agent in charge for Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Los Angeles bureau of Homeland Security Investigations. Once here on student visas, immigrants are barely monitored and tens of thousands don't show up for classes and fall off the government radar."
The concern is further enhanced by the limited level of tracking for individuals who entered on a student visa and may have overstayed their visa limits or have had a visa revoked but remain in the United States. It is within reason to believe that added tracking and monitoring requirements could be proposed for the sponsors of the visas to reduce these conditions in the future.
This a discussion FSANA believes flight training providers should be aware of and monitor due to the high number of student training visas that are issued to individuals pursuing flight training. Any changes to this program could potentially affect the business matrix of training providers that focus on or have a high percentage of their business devoted to providing training to foreign nationals here in the United States.
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FSANA PROGRAMS
FSANA Career Pilot Committee
On January 14th, FSANA coordinated a meeting in Orlando, Florida, with multiple representatives from the airline industry and FSANA flight school members. The FSANA Career Pilot Committee set up the meeting as the kickoff of the creation of a new pathway program for customers of FSANA member flight schools.
Attendees discussed current hiring trends and pilot needs for the airlines and shared many views about the future of the career pilot. Of specific concern was how, in the future, career pilots will be developed.
FSANA is working to develop relationships and a new program that will be available to FSANA members that will help coordinate pilot supply to commercial operators. We have been making good progress in the first stages of this process and will be announcing more information in the near future. If you are interested in joining the Career Pilot Committee, please contact the FSANA office.
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TRAINING NEWS
 Thomas Edison Changes Name
Thomas Edison State College became Thomas Edison State University on December 21, 2015.
Being known as a university more accurately describes the type of institution Thomas Edison is today, especially in the minds of prospective students, potential donors and the general public. It also reflects the success the school has had expanding graduate programs and its plans to develop new programs in the coming years.
Thomas Edison has evolved into a large, comprehensive institution with diverse academic offerings that serve a wide range of students and organizations - in New Jersey, throughout the country and around the world. Some of the programs that Thomas Edison State University offers include a focus on aviation training.
In a recent press release, President George A. Pruitt noted,
"I am pleased to inform you that the State of New Jersey has granted our petition for university status. At its December 2015 meeting, the Board of Trustees officially changed our name to Thomas Edison State University. The change in status, which became official on Dec. 21, is a fitting acknowledgement of our growth, stature and expanded graduate programs. This is an important moment in the evolution of your school.
While we have developed into a comprehensive university, we remain committed to our historic mission to provide flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults."
Thomas Edison State University offers academic programs including Aviation Flight Technology, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Aviation Management, and Aviation Support. Bachelors and Associate degrees in these focal areas offer direct training for the aviation focused student.
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FSANA PROGRAMS
FSANA UAS Drone Committee
FSANA's Drone UAS committee will be meeting on February 9, 2016 in advance of the kick off of the 7th annual flight school operators conference. The committee will be discussing a multitude of topics which encompass the UAS line of sight segment.
Topics will include how flight schools are already playing a role in the UAS industry along with how schools can create added value for the public. The meeting is open to all FSANA members. One of the many benefits of being a FSANA member is being able to participate with the FSANA committees.
Please contact the FSANA office at 610-791-4359 if you would like to become a FSANA member or visit www.fsana.com.
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TRAINING NEWS
FAA B4UFly App Good Tool for Drone Operators
The FAA released a new B4UFly app that can help drone operators determine if there are airspace limitations on where they intend to fly their equipment.
As the drone operational environment continues to develop, one key factor has been to determine if they are able to be operated at the location where an operator is physically located. The new app uses geo-location to determine and display graphically and textually if any airspace is present that would prohibit or limit operation of the equipment.
FSANA encourages members to share information about this app with any drone operators to help avoid any potential airspace incursions or traffic concerns between manned and unmanned aircraft.
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TRAINING NEWS
FAA Updates Guidance on Flight Reviews
Pass the link along to your instructors and have them review the newly updated document to ensure that they are providing the best possible services to your customers seeking flight reviews.
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TRAINING NEWS
Updated FAA 8900.1 Order Guidance on DPE Inspection and SEED Inspections
The FAA has recently updated the guidance that it uses when conducting oversight of DPEs.
You may think this is something that will just affect DPEs, but it may affect flight training providers and their customers.
The FAA conducts field inspections, the SEED inspection program, that are beyond the standard oversight that local FSDOs have traditionally conducted. The adjustments to the Inspect a Designated Pilot Examiner section focus on when additional oversight is required for a high-activity examiner or for other key triggers such as an examiner who has conducted more than two practical test events (or more than 1 initial flight instructor practical test) in a single day, high pass rates, testing a student trained by the examiner, an error return rate of greater than 10%, an examiner who is subject of a valid public complaint or has been involved in an accident, incident, or violation.
The biggest change is that an inspector is now required to "observe a DPE conducting a complete practical test of an applicant. This includes observation of the complete ground portion and the complete flight portion of the test." The addition of the word "complete" seems to indicate that this must result in a passed practical test, because if an applicant was issued a notice of disapproval prior to completion of all required PTS (or soon ACS) maneuvers for the test, a "complete" test would not have been conducted that they have overseen.
Historically, some application of "oversight" was allowed to be completed by overseeing an oral portion of a test, if at least once a year a full test was overseen. Additionally, historically, if the overseen practical test continued to the flight portion, any portion of the flight portion that was conducted was sufficient if the test resulted in a notice of disapproval. It is likely that this will not be the case under the current FAA Order language. Practically, this means that if an overseen practical test is issued a notice of disapproval on the oral portion of the test prior to flight or at any point on the flight portion prior to completion of all required maneuvers, the overseen test will not be able to be counted for the inspector conducting the overseen activity and another attempt will need to be made with the same or another applicant.
The implication for flight training providers is that FSDO staff will need to see a "complete" practical test for an examiner to have satisfied their oversight requirements under the recent 8900.1 Order changes. This may lead to some additional oversight activities as the FSDO staff and DPEs attempt to accomplish the required oversight activities. Any disapproval or discontinuance of the practical test may not meet the new requirements for DPE oversight.
While many times pilots are nervous when the FAA shows up at their airport, and it certainly can add some more stress to an already stressful checkride day when the FAA joins the DPE for the practical test, this is a normal part of the training and testing process. It just may become more frequent that pilot applicants see an FAA staff member from their local offices join the DPE for practical tests in the near future.
If you want to know more about the specific changes, they can be viewed at the following links:
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MARKETING TIPS
"Brand" Marketing versus "Direct Response" Marketing
by Paula Williams
 "So, what's wrong with building your brand? You have to get your name out there, you know. Not every interaction should be a sales pitch." A very smart advertising salesperson wrote in response to yesterday's podcast on advertising.
"True, but every ADVERTISING dollar you spend should have a CALL TO ACTION associated with it!" I replied. "And a great offer doesn't have to be a sales pitch. It can be a free buyer's guide, or a tutorial or tip sheet that your customers would love. By providing an invitation for the customer to respond, a direct response ad is an interaction rather than a one-way broadcast."
I know why advertising salespeople are opposed to this. It makes every ad they sell look like a failure if it didn't directly lead to sales.
And most people hold their advertising to unrealistic standards - it's true that many ads don't have a direct, profitable short-term return on investment. That doesn't necessarily mean that they're failures.
One person found out about us when they saw an ad for our Marketing Master Class three months ago, and later bought a Marketing Flight Plan. This one transaction more than paid for the cost of the ad, which, until a week before I would have classified as a "poor performer." Sometimes we need to lengthen the timespan and/or expand our "success criteria" for an ad.
So, just because things are difficult to measure doesn't mean that it's not worth the effort to collect and analyze as much data as you possibly can.
But, I digress.
Brand Advertising is what they teach in most university programs. And it's wrong.
Brand advertising is what Don Draper does on Mad Men.
And it can be great for certain consumer products. But it's completely unsuited to the aviation industry.
Most people, when they took a marketing class in college, learned about "brand advertising." They learn about saturating a market with your logo, colors, fonts, and symbols. They grew up in a world with Coke and Pepsi logos plastered on every available surface and shining from every sign and window. They know how powerful a visual brand is, and they think that the highest and best purpose of advertising is to promote the brand.
And that's fine, if you're Coke or Pepsi.
But, in the aviation industry, we have a few minor differences:
- Everyone is a prospect for Coke and Pepsi. Very few people are prospects for a G IV completion, or a B737 type rating.
- Coke and Pepsi have a very low cost product with very high margins. They can devote 67% of their revenue toward advertising. Most of the rest of us have thinner margins and can't invest that much in advertising.
- Coke and Pepsi are practically interchangeable and require very little education to buy. Most of our products are very specialized and require a lot of education to make a purchase decision.
So, why is direct advertising preferable to brand advertising for aviation companies?
- Because people are busy and distracted and will forget about our product or service if we don't ask them to respond to an ad immediately.
- Because requiring a response gives us an opportunity to track the effectiveness of each ad. (Imperfectly, but imperfect data is better than no data!)
- Because we can't afford to blanket the world with advertising, and need to make each ad accountable for as much revenue as we can.
But what about brand building? Isn't that important?
Of course - but conveniently, the best way to build your brand in the aviation industry is to sell more products.
Your customers become your very best brand advocates and sales team!
Which is why we recommend plastering your brand (and that shiny logo you've been dying to use) to your heart's content on Phase III marketing activities, including new customer welcome packages, referral and renewal campaigns, and so on.
So, done correctly, a direct response advertisement with a compelling offer (or "call to action," as marketing nerds call it) can be a better tool for building your brand than those glossy, artsy ads that leave you wondering what exactly it is that they sell.
About ABCI
ABCI helps aviation companies, including flight schools, sell more of their products and services. For more information, visit our website at
www.AviationBusinessConsultants.com
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TRAINING NEWS
 Flight Training Center Expands to Lynchburg Regional Airport (KLYH)
Lynchburg, VA - Cessna Citation CE-500 and CE-525 Initial Type Ratings, as well as Recurrent Training, and CE-500 Single Pilot Exemption certification are now available at Lynchburg Regional Airport (KLYH) via a joint venture between Florida Flight Center and Bon Air Brokerage. The addition of this Training Center allows pilots to receive their training locally in their private aircraft or in a well-equipped aircraft available at location. The Virginia-based operations will be headed by Mr. Kyle Falwell, a long-time aviator and owner of Bon Air Brokerage.
The Florida Flight Center training facility at Lynchburg Regional Airport (KLYH) specializes in CE-500 and CE-525 Type Ratings and is one of few Training Centers that offer the CE-500 Single Pilot Exemption (SPE). The SPE allows for single pilot operation for all of the CE-500 series aircraft models. In addition to Jet Training, Initial and Recurrent training for Turbo Prop and Pressurized Piston Aircraft will also be offered. Other services will include, jet management, pilot services and aircraft sales and appraisals. Florida Flight Center is a well-established and recognized training facility with global exposure. Training is conducted in actual aircraft, accommodating client's demanding schedules.
About Florida Flight Center
Florida Flight Center was established by Mr. Luis Savigne in 1996 at the Sarasota Bradenton Airport. Shortly thereafter, Florida Flight Center became a Cessna Pilot Center, introducing flight lessons on the new Cessna 172 Skyhawk. Today Florida Flight Center is a well-known and established aircraft training facility, specializing in Citation Jets, Turbo Prop and Pressurized Piston Aircraft Training Director of Training Mr. Savigne, and assistant Mr. Erik S. Aibel will supervise all flight training operations conducted at Lynchburg Regional Airport. Together they hold over 20 years of experience, and more than 20,000 hours of flight experience. Both holds ATP, CFI, MEI Flight Instructor Certificates, and are Type Rated in the Citation 500/525 series aircraft. More information about Florida Flight Center's services and the expansion into Lynchburg Regional Airport can be found at
www.floridaflightcenter.com.
About Bon Air Brokerage
Bon Air Brokerage is a multi-faceted aviation company with vast experience in managing all aspects of business and personal aircraft ownership. Bon Air Brokerage began operations in 2006 under the direction of Kyle Falwell, as a third generation aviator. Mr. Falwell started his passion for flying at age nine, receiving his pilot's license at seventeen and purchasing his first aircraft, a Piper PA-28 Warrior, at age nineteen. Since then, Mr. Falwell has obtained his Commercial, ATP, Multi-engine licenses and instrument ratings. He is also type rated in several aircraft with over 5,000 flying hours. Mr. Falwell is also co-owner of Central Virginia Aerial Solutions, an aerial photography and videography company. He has sat on the board and was Vice President of the Virginia Business Association, the Virginia Airport Operator Commission, and the Virginia Historical Society. More information about Bon Air Brokerage can be found at
www.bonairbrokerage.com.
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TRAINING NEWS
Troo Brings Premium Aircraft Flight Tracking and 3D Post-flight Debrief Tools to FSANA
Troo Corporation, a leading provider of aircraft, helicopter, and ground vehicle tracking solutions is pleased to announce the AirLNX flight tracker being launched at the Flight School Association of North America conference in Orlando, Lake Buena Vista Feb 9-12, 2016. During the show Troo will be speaking on and demonstrating the latest tracking technology in satellite and cellular based flight tracking with Cloud based graphical map.
Combining the new AirLNX tracker with the TrooTrax map portal for flight schools and students, Troo delivers a much needed differentiator for the flight school operator that can both generate new revenue and attract new students.
With the ever increasing pressures on revenue and margins in the flight school business, this innovative package can attract new students, differentiate offerings, and increase profits. The TrooTrax flight following solution for flight schools allows each student to uniquely login to the system using an RFID tag, automatically tracks and records the flight in real-time, allows the flight instructor to mark positions of interest, and then the student flight portal provides a high-density data 3D replay of the actual path flown by the student. The student will be able to share the flight replay with family, friends and other pilots. The instructor can also replay and review the flight with the student for immediate feedback and corrective advice. The flight school itself will benefit from knowing exactly where each aircraft is at any point in time.
The AirLNX by Troo is a rugged and portable GPS monitoring and tracking device for rotor and fixed wing aircraft. Operating on the Iridium satellite constellation or optionally via 4G cellular networks, or both, the AirLNX system ensures that your data is routed cost effectively and securely whether in the air or on the ground. Built-in 'least-cost' routing algorithms teamed with a powerful logic engine enables inexpensive delivery of high density data for flight replay and Flight Data Monitoring (FDM). On-board data prioritization sends positions and alerts in real-time over satellite, then sends out detailed mission data post-flight over 4G once the aircraft lands.
About Troo Corporation
Troo Corporation is a privately held M2M Connected Location Intelligence Solutions company established in 2004. Troo has global channels that include major global OEMs serving asset tracking and M2M monitoring markets with end-to-end solutions that include satellite and cellular airtime optimised for 2-way telemetry. With customers in 50 countries in applications such as aviation tracking, emergency response dispatch, forest fire-fighting, trucking & trailer fleet management, stolen vehicle recovery, UBI (usage based insurance) and spatial GIS analytics. Troo is one of the first providers of a cloud-based platform for affordable M2M telemetry as well as GIS Location Intelligence and data analytics delivered to desktops and mobile devices.
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Be Recognized as a FSANA Supporting Partner
FSANA is a dynamic trade association that represents the interests of flight training providers. Our members are motivated and successful business operators that provide flight training in the United States and foreign countries. Your company, or a company you know, is encouraged to support FSANA in its achievements by becoming a "Partner."
FSANA's core platforms 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.
For their part, FSANA Partners receive year-round brand exposure in both print and electronic platforms in multiple channels and a host of other benefits.
To learn more, please contact
Debbie Sparks
, director of Business Development, at
dsparks@fsana.com
or
561-767-6826.
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Flight School Seeking Investment Capital
An
established
and successful Part 61 and 141 flight school is seeking $1M-3M investment capital for new enterprise start-up. Qualified parties please call 863-327-6880.
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Flight School for Sale in Ohio
Interested in expanding your flight school or taking on a new location? How about buying a flight school for the first time? A flight training operation in Ohio may be the opportunity for which you are looking.
The operation is a successful flight training business with two owned aircraft and multiple leaseback aircraft, a large client base, a FBO business and maintenance services.
The operation has simulators and operates both FAR Part 61 and 141 training curricula, is SEVP approved, has VA approval, and operates a PSI testing center.
Interested parties should Contact John Bonfiglio CPA at 440-461-6227.
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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
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Join Our Network.
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