FSANA CONFERENCE NEWS

Day One of the 2018 Flight School Operators Conference Information Kicks Off
With briefings from federal agency representatives from the FAA, the TSA, the Veterans Administration, and more, the 2018 FSANA Flight School Operators Conference gave attendees a variety of information that is certain to help improve their industry activities as flight training providers.

Hardie DeGuzman joined the conference as a speaker over lunch, briefing attendees on changes to the FAA flight standards structure and how that structure will affect, and improve operations over time for flight training operations throughout the United States.

In the middle of the day, sessions discussion successful academy style training provider business practices and methodology to evaluate and potentially manage CFI staffing shortages offered a sharing of best, and new business practices for flight training providers to be more competitive and successful in their business models.

Highlighted below, attendees got the first look at results from the recent practical test pricing survey that FSANA completed in January.

Wrapping up the afternoon, workshops put operators into discussions with each other and shared business strategies from around the country that may help each other.

Day one completed, the annual conference has again begun a sharing of skills and data between attendees that doesn't happen anywhere else in the industry. 

TRAINING NEWS
 
FSANA Reports on Practical Test Pricing Around USA

In January 2018, the Flight School Association of North America, FSANA, conducted a survey of pricing for FAA practical tests on a national basis. Responses were gathered from FAA Designated Pilot Examiners who conduct the tests, CFIs who recommend students for tests, and applicants themselves who have taken tests.

The results of this survey give an indication of national and some regional pricing trends on practical tests.

The first question broadly addressed the most common of practical tests, including tests in airplanes for private pilot, instrument pilot, and commercial pilot certificates and ratings. The following graphic depicts the results that were generated.


A test that typically experiences higher prices, the survey specifically addressed the question of pricing for initial CFI practical tests. The results did show that the most common pricing for these tests is higher than more common practical tests.


In general, the survey did not indicate any major national variation in pricing for specialty tests such as those in Rotorcraft, Seaplanes, Gliders, or Warbirds to name a few areas addressed in questions within the survey.

What was apparent from further analysis of the survey however, was that there is a variation in pricing of practical tests in different regions, with a few states standing out as higher pricing than the national averages.



Higher test prices seem to be occurring in places where there is higher training activity, and correlating to a previous survey that FSANA conducted, also in areas where longer wait times are being experienced for scheduling of practical test activities. It should be noted that areas where higher test prices were reported are also locations where cost of living in general is higher. A direct analysis of the ratio of test price to the cost of living was not completed as a part of this survey.

The survey was intended to help the industry better understand the prices associated with testing around the country. With this data, the industry is more able to accurately understand this cost in the flight training process and where it may vary from national averages.

The results included here are just the beginning and the most general that were a part of the survey results. If you would like to learn more, dive into further detail, and see some of the additional data reported, visit http://www.fsana.com/full-summary-fsana-dpe-pricing-survey-findings-january-2018 to see the results of the full survey reported on the FSANA website.

TRAINING NEWS
 
Two Well Paid Professional Instructor Positions - Highlighting a New Trend?

Flight instructor pay has been a topic of many discussions in the training industry, and related to this, also is the question of pay for senior flight training staffing positions.

FSANA is beginning to hear of some changes in the trends for senior training positions, commonly at larger training providers, where even senior positions are finding it hard to recruit staff to manage and operate large training providers.

In just the last week, FSANA has seen two very attractive positions for full time flight training professionals cross our desks in the University environment. Jobs that come with full time benefits and much higher pay scales than were historically experienced, we are curious if this will become a part of a trend of more of these positions seeking to pay more competitive compensation packages.

Here are the two that we saw that readers may be interested in, or want to share with qualified potential candidates:

Director of Flight Operations Sought at Kansas State Polytechnic
A full-time position that reports directly to the CE and Dean of the Campus, this position is responsible for the succesful operation of the flight school. A salary range between $80,947 - $145,704 highlights competitive salary ranges that will be adjusted based on applicant qualifications and experience.
Click here for a pdf of the job posting or by visiting

Full Time Faculty Flight Instructor at WMU
Western Michigan University is seeking a full time faculty flight instructor based in Battle Creek, MI. This position is salaried, has full time benefits and retirement, and a competitive pay level for qualified candidates. Visit https://www.wmujobs.org/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=190273 for information about the position or to apply.
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TRAINING NEWS
 
Piper Receives Largest Trainer Order in Company History
 
This past week, Piper Aircraft reported that it has received the largest trainer aircraft order in its company history from Fanmei Aviation Technologies. This release was quickly followed by an additional release two days later that highlighted that Piper experienced a 23% increase in growth in 2017 and that a 27% increase in overall billings. This growth was highlighted as being directly related to moderate growth of international sales and a 70% increase in deliveries of multiengine trainer aircraft.

A long player in the aviation training market, this order follows an order a little over a year ago nearly as strong from the University of North Dakota who will be switching its fleet of aircraft to Piper models from a more recently Cessna fleet of aircraft.

To learn more about this order, visit Piper's press release by clicking here.

While this order not only indicates some market trends for training aircraft purchase with Piper, it also may well indicate a market trend for flight training.

FSANA notes that a significant number of training providers in the United States serve customers who sent training applicants from foreign countries to the United States for training instead of having this training conducted in their home country. With a large purchase such as this by a Chinese company, it may be an indication of an effort to onshore some of those training capacities by other countries back to their native locations. This will be an interesting trend to monitor over the upcoming years.

TRAINING NEWS
 
2018 National General Aviation Award Honorees Names

Every year for more than 50 years, the General Aviation Awards program and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have recognized aviation professionals for their contributions to general aviation in the fields of flight instruction, aviation maintenance/avionics, and safety.

Recipients of the 2018 National General Aviation Awards are:
  • Daniel Peter Christman of Las Vegas, Nevada
    2018 Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year
  • C. William Pancake, Jr. of Keyser, West Virginia
    2018 Aviation Technician of the Year
  • Catherine Elizabeth Cavagnaro of Sewanee, Tennessee
    2018 FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year
The FAA will present individual awards to each National Honoree in July during EAA AirVenture 2018 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and their names will be added to the large perpetual plaque located in the lobby of the EAA AirVenture Museum. Also included in the prize packages for each National Honoree is an all-expenses-paid trip to Oshkosh to attend the awards presentation and other special GA Awards activities.

For More Information g o to http://www.GeneralAviationAwards.org.
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FSANA ENGAGEMENT
 
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 , vice president, at dsparks@fsana.com or 561-767-6826. 


Director of Flight Operations Sought at Kansas State Polytechnic
A full-time position that reports directly to the CE and Dean of the Campus, this position is responsible for the succesful operation of the flight school. A salary range between $80,947 - $145,704 highlights competitive salary ranges that will be adjusted based on applicant qualifications and experience. Click here for a pdf of the job posting or by visiting

Full Time Faculty Flight Instructor at WMU
Western Michigan University is seeking a full time faculty flight instructor based in Battle Creek, MI. This position is salaried, has full time benefits and retirement, and a competitive pay level for qualified candidates. Visit https://www.wmujobs.org/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=190273 for information about the position or to apply.

Flight Instructor Sought 
Wanted CFI for 141 flight school, added ratings a plus, but not required.  When not instructing, right seat on Navajo available for qualified applicant. Respond to Moyer Aviation, Inc. Pocono Mts., Pa. 800-321-5890 vern@moyeraviation.com.

Charter Captain Wanted
Wanted Captain for 135 charter operation in Northeast. Flying Navajos & Seneca Minimum 1500 TT, 200 MEL. Respond to  Moyer Aviation, Inc. Pocono Mts., Pa. 800-321-5890  vern@moyeraviation.com
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