Pilot Shortage Means Big Business for Flight Academies

Profound change is coming to the flight-training industry, prompted by new legislation in the U.S. and by the rapid growth of airline and business aviation in countries where aviation is finally gaining a stronger foothold. The changes are underscored by what many predict will be a shortage of pilots, thanks to fewer new pilot entrants, large numbers of retirements and lack of general aviation infrastructure in emerging countries such as India and China.

Click to read more ...

Flight Schools: Time to Think Outside the Box

It wasn’t that many years ago that the majority of FBOs were defined as “full-service companies” offering flight school training, new and used aircraft sales, charter, maintenance, hangars, and terminal facilities.

The business model was to market to potential pilots, both professional and recreational, train them, sell them an airplane, hope they would trade up, maintain the airplane, hangar it and, of course, sell them fuel and various services. As the pilot grew in experience and need, the FBO could make a good living by selling the next biggest aircraft.

It was a cradle-to-the-grave concept, and it seemed to work just fine.

Click to read more ...

California Legislature Passes Temporary Relief for Flight Training

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is pleased to announce that the California Legislature passed SB 856, a bill that, among its other provisions, will provide a delay in compliance for flight training with regulations issued by the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) pursuant to AB 48, Chapter 310, Statues of 2009.

Click to read more ...