236,147 private pilots

"Gatt" wrote in message
...

"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...

The AOPA should start a program to
contact those that don't an find out why they didn't finish.

That's an excellent idea. You should send it to AOPA.

Ok I will.

I'm interested too. Question: How does one determine that a given
student didn't finish or simply hasn't finished yet? Maybe by checking
expired medical certificates, but that might get them tangled up in a
privacy of medical records debate.

Nevertheless, it would be very useful information for GA.

I'd think the FBOs/flight schools would be willing to cooperate here. If a
flight school calls someone that has stopped training, the person's response
might be "I just had some financial issues. I'll restart real soon. Don't
call me, I'll call you." If a third party (like the AOPA) calls them, they
might be more forthcoming. Everyone would benefit. IT IS A GREAT IDEA.

Gatt wrote:
"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...

The AOPA should start a program to
contact those that don't an find out why they didn't finish.

That's an excellent idea. You should send it to AOPA.

Ok I will.

I'm interested too. Question: How does one determine that a given
student didn't finish or simply hasn't finished yet? Maybe by
checking expired medical certificates, but that might get them
tangled up in a privacy of medical records debate.

Nevertheless, it would be very useful information for GA.


-c

I sent a note to the PR folks at AOPA and made the suggestion. I haven't
hear back.

As far as how to track it, do a merge/purge of year A's student list and the
new pilots list and do your outreach to those that aren't on both. Sure
you'd get some "not finished" but even those that are taking a long time to
get the rating are at risk for not getting it at all.

Nevertheless, it would be very useful information for GA.

I'd think the FBOs/flight schools would be willing to cooperate here.

If only that were the case. In my experience, most FBOs only offer
flight training because their contract with their governing body (in
our case, an Airport Commission) requires it of them.

Over a beer, FBO owners will tell you that flight training is (at
best) a "break-even" affair, and they aren't going to spend an extra
dime on what they see as a business revenue drain. And, in the
forever-employee-short world of small FBOs, I fear that no one is
going to spend time tracking former students -- even if it's in their
long-term best interests to do so.

The real question is "How do we make flight training profitable for
FBOs, and affordable for students?"
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...
Gatt wrote:

Nevertheless, it would be very useful information for GA.

I sent a note to the PR folks at AOPA and made the suggestion. I haven't
hear back.

Way to be proactive! Looking forward to hearing whether they reply. If
they don't, maybe we'll have to send reenforcements.

Have a great weekend.
-c

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...

The real question is "How do we make flight training profitable for
FBOs, and affordable for students?"

The most successful seem to have things like gift (small, but still retail
revenue), a classroom and a comfortable lounge area.

The effect to the person coming through the door is that the place is
organized and competent. The merchandise yanks at the wallet -and- even
draws in non-pilots. For example, for years my grandfather purchased
rechargeable aviation flashlights from the FBO without ever taking a lesson.
On a couple of occasions, inspiration struck and he sprung for a scenic
flight. When you walked into that building it made you want to fly. Having
a student and instructor standing around demonstrated that it was possible.

I think students consider pencils, flight logs, sunglasses and P-38 hats as
outside of their flight training money, so you get some of that too. Having
a student and instructor standing around demonstrated that it was possible,
and also made us feel like we didn't have to be a pro to be there.

It seems pretty basic, but the two examples I have involve my pre- and
post-flight lessons with my first instructor being in a crowded portable
office, and the simulator was up on a bare-plywood platform in the corner of
a bare-plywood-walled hangar. In Baton Rouge, my girlfriend quit flying
because the owner/CFI was an uneducated jackass who--for example--frequently
argued with his wife about their domestic in and out of the trailer they
lived in next to the hangar.

The FBO I've been using for the last several years has all of the things I
mentioned, bought some of the other operations' fleets and recently acquired
the BP fuel operation. I haven't even considered another FBO since.

-c

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
Nevertheless, it would be very useful information for GA.

I'd think the FBOs/flight schools would be willing to cooperate here.

If only that were the case. In my experience, most FBOs only offer
flight training because their contract with their governing body (in
our case, an Airport Commission) requires it of them.

Over a beer, FBO owners will tell you that flight training is (at
best) a "break-even" affair, and they aren't going to spend an extra
dime on what they see as a business revenue drain. And, in the
forever-employee-short world of small FBOs, I fear that no one is
going to spend time tracking former students -- even if it's in their
long-term best interests to do so.

The real question is "How do we make flight training profitable for
FBOs, and affordable for students?"


Another excellent point. And it explains a lot of the "attitude" that some
FBOs/flight schools have. The best way to chase away students is to have
disinterested instructors.

What was the name of that Congressional Act in the 1930s that trained a
bunch of pilots and funded the creation of a bunch of airports, supposedly
for civilain use, but really to prepare for WWII?