FSNews-Masthd
SEPTEMBER 17, 2014
PROFESSIONAL PILOT TRAINING
 
A Burble in the Pilot Training Pipeline - 
Helping to Solve the Career Pilot Shortage
 
Many people inside the aviation industry are aware that there are some pilot shortages now in play at the regional airlines (and other commercial flight jobs). The new ATP pilot requirements (1,500 hour rule) that went into effect August 1, 2014 is without a doubt exacerbating these shortages.
 
The Flight School Association of North America (FSANA) believes that the 1,500 hour rule is not the solution to creating a safer environment for the Part 121 Air Carriers. But it is unfortunately something that is here to stay (for now at least) and something with which our entire industry must deal.
 
We know that if the new rules were in place in February 2009, the Colgan Airlines Flight 3407 that was the basis for many of the rule changes would still have continued. Colgan Captain Marvin Renslow had 3,379 flight hours. First Officer Rebecca Shaw had 2,200 flight hours. Both exceeded the new hours requirements now in effect. We also know from industry studies that somewhere between 500-700 hours of flight time is a reasonable range where first officers can safely and efficiently begin their careers in the right sear of a regional airline aircraft. (See: The 2012 Pilot Sources Study (Phase III): Response to the Pilot Certification and Qualification Requirements for Air Carrier Operations - http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jate/vol2/iss2/2/).

Placing the flight time hours discussion aside, the real problem now is a capacity one. Our industry is currently at a stand-still in the production of Airline Transport Pilots (ATP). After August 1, 2014, anyone who had not already taken their ATP Multi-Engine FAA Airman Knowledge Test is no longer able to do so without first completing an FAA approved ATP Certification Training Program (CTP). The providers of these can be found on the FAA page at http://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/atp/. Saving you the time of looking for yourself, there's only one so far and they have not run any classes yet. More are in the approval process, but even with a few more, the pipeline of certifying new ATP qualified pilots who can fill the right seats of airlines is severely constricted if not shut off completely at this point.

This burble in the training pipeline is going to force training providers to work with those who hire pilots to develop the training pipeline for the future. The industry has learned from accidents that experience in the cockpit is only part of the mix. FSANA is starting to explore what programming can be introduced at the early stages of primary flight training to help improve pilot management. Some of this work scope focuses on the human element and culture. Crew rest requirements and other environmental factors are also a part of this mix. Pilots know that when they are sick and when they should not be operating within the cockpit environment. At the core, this is simple stuff. Unfortunately, this is not also the case. Getting the decision making processes in place to complement the regulatory requirements is part of a cultural development that the training environment can foster and foment.

Instilling and developing an improved and evolved culture from the start of primary flight training may be the start of a new pathway which will help improve the aviation incident and accident rates in America. It is also going to be a part of redeveloping the pilot supply pipeline that will fill the gap in the ATP pilot training process that has just begun. The sooner our industry can work together to meet these needs, the more structured our approach to the solution can be and the lesser the effects of the burble in the pilot supply will be on our industry. 
CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT
 
Providing the Path to Customers Needs - Customer Development 101

An important part of providing any services for a business is to recognize and understand the customers goals. This is no different for flight schools. It is important for flight training providers to offer flight training program tracks based on what their customers are seeking. Most customers seeking flight training fall under one or more of three primary categories. Those that are seeking to learn to fly for:
  • Personal Use
  • Business Use
  • Career Pilot
Knowing customers' goals when seeking flight training should begin with the first contact a business has with that customer. As a part of the initial conversation on the phone or when a prospective customer comes through the door of a flight school, the flight school needs to capture the key data and record it so that the customer can be placed into the proper program. By doing this, the business can focus its efforts on providing services to the customer that will meet not only their goals, but also their expectations. There is a saying, "To Know Your Customer is to Grow Your Customer".

This initial qualification of the customer is many times missed by flight training providers who have the first customer contact being handled by line staff, the maintenance person, or a flight instructor to name only a few possibilities. None of whom have been trained on what they should ask or how they should proceed with a customer on the phone or when a customer walks in the door. Take the time to get all your staff to understand the first few questions to ask, and then where they should direct the customer for more information or to follow up.

It is critical to always capture the prospects name and contact information for further follow-up after the initial first meeting. Capturing a phone number, street address and/or email address requires a zero defect delivery with this topic.

The best practice after an initial qualification of the customer is completed is to have a dedicated staff member who will then work with that customer to best establish a training relationship. This could be a dedicated training coordinator or a lead flight instructor who will fill the role and help direct the customer to the best training resources your company provides for their needs.

When flight training providers skip this customer development 101 basic discussion, they miss an opportunity to learn about the needs of their customers. If a business does not understand the needs of their customers, it is less likely they will successfully meet the customers' expectations and provide the service they really are seeking.
FLIGHT TRAINING CONFERENCE
 
2015 FSANA Annual Conference Registration
for Exhibitors and Sponsors Now Open
 
FSANA's annual flight school conference is heading to San Diego, CA in January 27-30 2015. Exhibitors and sponsors can now view and/or download the 2015 exhibitor/sponsor brochure.
 
The conference will be in California for the first time. The conference program will be provide seminars and content that meets the ever changing needs of the flight training world. 
 
The conference attendee information and brochure will be available on October 24, 2014. 

INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT

 

FSANA to Form Airline/Career Pilot Advisory Panel

 

Even at the earliest forms of inception, FSANA as an association recognized the need to help develop a stronger relationship and pathway for flight schools interested in developing career pilot training programs.

Now that FSANA is entering the next phase of the association's business model, the association is working to establish an advisory panel focused on career pilot training. The panel will help develop sustainable models which flight training providers can use as resources to increase the number of qualified pilots for career employment. The focus of this will be for pilots seeking employment in the cockpit as First Officers for the Part 121 scheduled air carriers as well corporate aircraft operators.

FSANA is a member based participatory association which means that members may elect to become involved with many of the associations programs. FSANA members will be able to participate in this work as FSANA advances the agenda. Bob Rockmaker, President and CEO of FSANA sees this advisory panel as a next step in assisting flight schools who will play a role in helping to develop professional career pilots for the future needs of the industry. 

INDUSTRY NEWS 

  

Take Flight Tomorrow Raises
Concerns of Pilot Shortage

 

Take Flight Tomorrow (http://takeflighttomorrow.org), released a statement this week indicating that a "Pilot shortage threatens hundreds of US flights." In this release, the organization focused on concerns relating to the  changes in pilot training requirements that have taken place over the recent years.
 

The changes fundamentally affect the pilot training environment, how providers prepare candidates for aviation careers, and how these flight training providers interact with employers of pilots in both private and airline environments.
 

In a statement in the release, Regional Airline Association (RAA) president, Roger Cohen, commented: "The pilot pipeline has been severed, millions of this nation's airline passengers and shippers have been disconnected from the global economy, and it's expected to only get worse this winter and into 2015."
 

FSANA encourages members to review the release (http://www.afm.aero/news/item/1853-pilot-shortage-threatens-hundreds-of-us-flights) and think about how their own businesses interact with this community or are affected by the changes.
 

Take Flight Tomorrow is an organization who's mission statement is "... to help America's next generation of pilots take flight by supporting a structured approach to training quality and experience to meet the complexity of modern airline operations." 

MARKETING TIPS

 

Use eNewsletters for Customer Contact

eNewsletters can be a great method to stay in contact with customers and to keep students and renters up-to-date on training information or services available. A few flight training providers use them actively, many don't use them at all. But sending a newsletter out to your customers isn't something you should just throw together at the last minute.

Newsletters should convey pertinent information, share exciting experiences that are happening at your business, and should be professionally crafted.

Use an online newsletter service to deliver your communications to avoid troubles with spam filters and to manage your contact lists effectively. There are a variety of these that are available with the most common ones being ConstantContact and Mailchimp.

List management is a key factor in your newsletter delivery process. Make sure you have a good list that your a constantly updating of customers, potential customers, and past customers. This is important to not only make sure you are reaching your customers, but also to ensure you aren't spamming folks that no longer want to receive your communications.

For more about how to craft a good newsletter, check out this article: How to Use Email Newsletters Effectively as a Marketing Tool on TechBlobKe.
TRAINING PROGRAMS

 

Florida Tech Launches Online Bachelor of Arts in Aviation Management Program

Registration is now open for Florida Institute
of Technology's new Bachelor of Arts in Aviation
Management, a fully online program designed to
provide an overall perspective on aviation safety,
law, planning and operations.


The program, which begins Oct. 27, also includes a hands-on simulation course that tasks students with creating an airline business plan and running a simulated aviation business.

"The College of Aeronautics is excited to offer its bachelor's degree in aviation management online, providing access to the best aviation minds regardless of where students live," said Korhan Oyman, dean of the College of Aeronautics. "This is an excellent opportunity for those interested in non-flight aviation careers to benefit from our exceptional faculty and curriculum."

This aviation management degree opens the door to many career possibilities, including airline manager, director of aviation, general manager of airport operations, general aviation manager, TSA manager, airport manager, freight and cargo manager and airport security manager.

This online degree program, unique in the aviation industry, is the latest innovation from a university that for decades has been training aviation professionals with outstanding instructors and cutting-edge technology - the embodiment of the school's "High Tech with a Human Touch" credo.

Such excellence is noticed. Florida Tech is one of just six universities designated a core partner in the Federal Aviation Administration's Center of Excellence Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability, or PEGASAS. The 10-year partnership will focus on research projects focused on enhancing the future of general aviation through safety, accessibility and sustainability.

To learn more, visit Florida Tech Aviation Management or call 855-300-1469.
MARKETING TIPS

Direct Mail Remains Impactful

Copyright Direct Marketing News; reprinted with permission


From social and email to mobile and display, digital has changed the game for marketers-especially for those who include direct mail in their marketing mix. However, even with the ongoing rise of digital, marketers continue to rely on direct mail to cut through the noise; after all, direct mail is a physical medium that provides one-to-one communication with potential and current customers.


According mail services provider Compu-Mail, 70% of Americans believe postal mail is more personal than digital, but months of postal regulation battles in Washington, persistent postage price hikes, and often lower costs of digital marketing, continue to challenge marketers who rely on direct mail.


Challenges, however, don't mean failure.


"Direct mail as a marketing media continues to deliver strong results for marketers. In fact, in many categories of business, it is the primary lead generation tool," says Wes Sparling, vice president of marketing strategy at IWCO Direct. "Contrary to what many people may think, direct mail is experiencing minor growth with a projected 2014 domestic gross spend of $44.5 billion according to Winterberry Group." Postal Service financial results for the nine months ending June 30 show that the volume standard mail-the preferred class of bulk mailers-increased by 3%.


There are, however, undeniable trials for direct mail marketers attempting to reach the largest generation in U.S. history-millennials, who are the nation's first age group of digital natives. Much of what marketers have known to be effective in the past is now simply being called to question. But experts say direct mail still has a place among this generation of young adults.

 
"Direct mail has a long, proven history as a successful advertising medium. Just because there is a new advertising options available, it doesn't mean it will work better," says Craig Simpson, mail consultant and author of The Direct Mail Solution: A Business Owner's Guide to Building a Lead-Generating, Sales-Driving, Money-Making Direct-Mail Campaign.


IWCO Direct's Wes Sparling insists digital is not a direct mailer's foe, but gives traditional marketers access to one of the industry's most powerful tools: data. "[When] using segmentation, data, analytics, and appropriate format and messaging, direct mail is unquestionably one of the best media available for customer acquisition," Sparling says. He notes that "by looking at the whole mix of marketing media and assessing each of them for their relative strengths and weaknesses ... a marketer develops an optimal acquisition strategy."


Sparling says that while a person's age should be considered, the assumption that direct mail campaigns work better on older audiences isn't always true.  "A smart marketer is able to identify which tactics best reach his or her target audience and then through testing and measurement will allocate their scarce marketing dollars toward a mix of tactics that best benefits [the campaign's] objectives."


Some experts say it's not that direct mail is out of date but simply too pricey for many marketing budgets. "Direct mail continues to be an effective channel for direct marketers, but rising postal costs are a concern for direct mailers," says Clif McDougall, CEO at marketing services company Com-Pak Services. "Demand for commingling has really grown, especially since the recent increases.  Clients are seeing the benefits of cost avoidance and improved speed to market using commingling."


Author Craig Simpson says marketers need to take a closer look at direct mail as it continues to be strong performer in customer acquisition. "I see results from direct mail campaigns every week, and I can tell you it is alive and well," Simpson says. "Direct Mail continues to provide consistent response for generating new customers and getting existing customers to buy more often. There is less competition in the mailbox, so you have a better chance of getting noticed by your prospects and customers."


 

To read the article as it originally appeared, click here.

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TRAINING NEWS LINKS








and

 

CTI Professional Flight Training Joins a Select Group of Flight Schools


Inviting the Best
Aircraft Operators
in the Business to
Join Our Network.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2015 FSANA
January 27-30
San Diego, CA

Flight Training
Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
More information to be announced.
U.S. HOUSE AND SENATE

Find Your U.S. Congressman  

 

Find Your U.S. Senator 

 

U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee 

 

U.S. Senate Aviation Subcommittee 

 

US Senate Education Committee 

 

US House Committee on Education and the Workforce 

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FSANA Supporting Partners

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The above organizations are annual supporters of the FSANA mission and work of the association and its members.

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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