Plane Conversations

When I was in the Army, I spent most of one summer in the rainy northwest, specifically Fort Lewis, Washington.  For a boy from Mississippi, this was the farthest from home I had ever been.  It was a bit of an adventure and the memory of my time there is punctuated with visions of rain (loads of it), long marches, Blackhawk helicopters, insane numbers of push-ups, and a sergeant who seemed to have it in for me.  While many of the faces and details have faded from memory, I can’t forget the “Cattle Cars”.

These were troop transporters that made a plain yellow school bus seem like a limousine.  Their only function was to get you from A to B without being hurt.  You usually rode standing up and packed in so tightly that, if you had equipment on, there was hardly room to shift your weight.  They’d pack us in with a shoehorn and then move us to our training site. We’d pile out at our destination simply relieved to have fresh air.  The label “Cattle Car” was well deserved!

Airline travel today is a lot like riding in those cattle cars.  You’re relieved to: a) be at your destination, because b) it means you can get off the plane and out of the system.

In his book The E-Myth Enterprise , business guru Michael Gerber talks about a number of characteristics that give a business that “extra” that brings real and lasting success.  One principle in particular that stood out to me was  “Service in an incomplete word.”  His point is that service has to be part of a larger view of success.  It must be grounded in a company that is healthy, innovative, stable, and profitable.  In short, that frees a business to turn the focus to the customer.  Could this be one reason service is so lacking with airline travel?

Service?  Airlines?  Those words don’t even seem like they belong in the same sentence.  We’ve come a long way since the photo at left was snapped on an airliner in the 1950’s.  At every turn, customer service continues to be reduced.  Meals went to sandwiches, which went to peanuts, which went to you-pay-for-it, which finally went to “No, you can’t have the entire can of coke”.   Baggage went from one checked to one carry on, to well, “you pay for it”.  Exit rows went from “We need people to sit here in the event of an emergency”  to, yep, “You pay for it.” 

Customer service?  Right. 

A 2009 article from Time Magazine reported that trying to find someone to talk with in customer service has become virtually a losing game.  Delta, United, and American don’t even have a customer service number.  When the Time magazine author asked to lodge a complaint about poor customer service  he was told in no uncertain terms that there wasn’t a customer support number, but that he could send an email.  When he tried to send the email he received a message that said, “We are sorry but this service is unavailable at this time. Please try again later.”  The article concludes, “The major carriers have, quietly, made it steadily more difficult to air your complaints to a live human being…”  

Or consider the damning success of a video created by musician Dave Carroll of the band Sons Of Maxwell.  He and other passengers witnessed United baggage handlers throwing his guitar on the tarmac as it was being loaded.  The Taylor Guitar was broken (not just any guitar, but a Taylor…a shame) and after a year of getting absolutely no resolution whatsoever, he told United Airlines he’d write a song about it.  He did and it became a youtube phenomenon getting more than 8.5 million views on the first of a three-song trilogy on the event.   Dave Carroll also was interviewed on CNN, CBS and other national outlets. (Still think social media isn’t changing the landscape?)  It’s worth a watch: 

Back to Michael Gerber and the E-Myth Enterprise.  It’s not all about simply emphasizing customer service, it’s about creating a company that is healthy and a corporate climate that understands people.  Gerber observes, “There can be no such thing as customer service in a company where the employees are disenchanted, where the owners aren’t making a decent profit and where the suppliers aren’t getting paid on time.”

People are disenchanted, frustrated and even angry at what they are forced to endure when they fly in the airline system. 

Great!  This disenchantment, frustration and anger creates opportunity.  There is an opportunity out there for someone, some company to find a way to make air travel work– from the consumer’s as well as the business’s perspective.   The most obvious candidate for this will be vast charter network of companies that are still small enough to care, still nimble enough to be proactive, and instilled with a deep desire to to something great.

How about airline customer service?  I’d even settle for customer awareness!  Otherwise I’m just one more head in the cattle car.

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Recently I was having a conversation with a Charter Operator’s team about possible ways to increase their visibility and market share.  I mentioned the use of customer testimonials as part of their advertising.  They responded, “But our customers won’t do it.  They feel like people will judge them negatively because they used a private charter.”

I haven’t been able to get that thought out of my head.

There is a stigma about general aviation- that somehow these planes are the wasteful toys of the “rich”.  To admit to flying one or utilizing one for business seems to be tantamount to admitting you have stock in Exxon, own a Hummer, or that you were involved in clear cutting a rainforest.  There’s a stigma.  And ironically it doesn’t matter if you’re flying a Cessna 172, a Cirrus, Baron, or a Phenom.  People will look sort of sideways at you and wonder if somehow you’re the clandestine “millionaire next door”

There are several things that we need to understand about “Plane Guilt” if we hope to overcome it:

The relative nature of the argument. When someone uses what is perceived as “rich toys” either for pleasure or as a part of their business, there is a judgment that happens in many people’s mind.   “Mr. Jones is so extravagant and wasteful to be using that business plane. ” And many clients/owners/operators are very aware of this stigma. The argument that aviation is simply an extravagant and wasteful tool for the wealthy is completely relative.  It’s relative based on one’s perception of affluence and wealth.  What is extravagant to one may not be to another.  In many ways Americans have blinders on and miss the fact we are, in general, an affluent people.  Consider the fact that Americans and Europeans  spend enough on ice cream and pet foods to provide  water, health, nutrition, and education for the entire planet.  Also, consider that 80% of the people on the planet live on less than $10 a day.1  Of course Americans are a generous people too.  Even in the economic hard times we are facing at home, over $200 million was raised in short order for the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti. 2   But realize that this relief was only possible because we, as a people, are successful.  And never mind the crucial role, dare we mention it, that private aviation continues to play in that recovery effort.  Nonetheless, we need to understand the argument that somehow Aviation is more wasteful than something else is really to give in to a selective form of logic that ignores the larger picture.

In fact, most of the pilots I know are far from wealthy (including yours truly).   Most would fall into the middle-class.  They work hard, have families, and developed their flying hobby. Even professional pilots aren’t soaking up the dollars.  The  average salary for a new corporate pilot is $32,500.   Flight Instructors average about $25 per hour before taxes (at 30%).3  Of course these can increase with seniority, but very few are making anywhere near the six-figure income many people wrongly assume. Somehow people have gotten it into their heads that pilots and those involved in GA are wealthy (which equals ‘suspect’).   Those who work in the industry know better.  Flying has a wonderful cross-section of people.  Yes, there are celebrities and wealthy people, but by far most GA patrons and operators are not.

There are plenty of other expensive hobbies that consume thousands of dollars in discretionary income each year.  Is golf looked on with equal disdain?  What about bass-boat owners?  Or Harley-Davidson riders?  There was a time when it was a bit pretentious to have a cell phone (remember when they came in those gigantic brief-case-sized bags?)  Not that long ago to have more than one car or a flat-screen television was a sign of excess.  But times, and stigmas can change.

The Expense of Charter? Charter flying can be expensive.  But it can also be surprisingly affordable.  As I was working on this article I looked at what the cost difference was between airline and charter flights for a trip from Evansville, Indiana to Atlanta.  The average price for the airline ticket was $800.  The charter price was around $780 in a modest Cessna 310.  For a bit more speed, a King Air was $944.  Jet service in a  BeechJet was $1300.  This illustrates the idea that charter can be had for less than most people realize.  Perhaps that would be worth the cost to avoid the hassle and extra fees of today’s airline travel.

But it’s the perception, right?

Overcoming the Stigma by Stories How can we overcome the stigma of Charter/Corporate flying?  We tend to argue from the statistical side, particularly the cost and relative affordability of flying.  But there’s one critical feature missing: emotion.  People often pay for a good or service because of emotion and perceived value.  One of the most effective means of doing this is through the use of stories.

Aviation needs a Jared.

When Jared Fogle was a junior in college he weighed a whopping 425 pounds.  His father, a doctor, warned him of his weight and the dangers it posed to his health.  After his roommate noticed signs of edema (fluid retention that can lead to diabetes) Jared decided to get serious about losing weight.  He discovered Subway’s new line of low-fat sandwiches and developed his own diet based on eating one veggie sub for lunch and a turkey sub for dinner.  The rest is history and marketing genius by storytelling.  Most of us have seen Jared’s commercials and know that dropped to 180lbs.  The story caught on, despite the initial resistance of Subway’s marketing firm.

In their book Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath make the point that this serendipitous campaign contains all the things necessary to be successful and “sticky”.  It is simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional and given by a story.  They note, “Inspiration drives action, as does stimulation.” Later they note the surprise in the story, “[Jared's story] violates our schema of fast food…the guy who wore 60-inch pants is giving us diet advice!” (Heath and Heath, p222)

Can we find a story like Jared’s?  We need a story that violates the schema, the stigma, currently popular about flying.  Aviation has tended to depend on celebrities to make its case.  That has its advantages.  But perhaps a far more effective and change-inducing idea is to find the “ordinary person” who is utilizing and benefiting from charter aviation and has the courage to tell their story.

Because, we have a story worth telling.  Can we find our Jared?

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Part 3 of Chris Findley’s “Can General Aviation “Tip” Again?”

 From Browsing to Engaging

I was browsing through my web site analytics the other day.  This is a program that records hits on the site, what pages are most popular, what files are downloaded, and how long the average visitor spends on the site.  One of the things that I examine is how to increase hits on the site and interest in the services I provide.   Any business wants to do these things; that’s ostensibly why they have a web page in the first place.   As a flight instructor and aviation enthusiast, it made me consider the industry itself.  What is it about aviation that is eminently interesting to many people, yet so few take advantage of what it offers?   Why do some browse, but never engage?

General Aviation is facing a crucial time of decision.  Airline travelers are increasingly frustrated with higher fees, more hassle and less service with no other viable options.  The corporate sector has seen major hits in the last two years with many companies reducing or eliminating their flight departments.  And in the world of flight training, flight schools and instructors struggle to attract new business and retain them.  Are there signs of hope?  You bet.  There are some great initiatives on the horizon.  The question is how can the various sectors of the Aviation Industry position themselves in a way to facilitate a “Tip” in their direction?

The Tipping Point

In his best-selling book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell observes three things that seem to contribute to the “tipping” of an idea, product, or epidemic.  The first is the Law of the Few.   Most trends are brought about by a relatively small number of very influential and well-connected people.  That does not necessarily mean “powerful” or “high profile” people, just influential. His second major premise is that the message has to be memorable or “sticky”.  We have to consider the content and presentation of the message we hope to spread.  Some of the largest trends have occurred because of relatively small adjustments to the message.   

His final premise is that the context of the people receiving that message matters.  He says, “Epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur.”¹ What can we discern about the situation of the people who hope to reach with the Aviation message?  This point will inform and govern the type of message sent (stickiness) and the types of people that connect with the recipients (Law of the Few).

“Dangerous and Expensive”  The Psychological/Statistical Context

One way to examine the context is to look at public perception.  Common complaints we hear about Aviation in general and flight training in particular is that it is dangerous and expensive. These form part of the context in which the message is heard.  The ongoing debate of GA safety really depends on how you examine your statistics.  Gregg Easterbrook once quipped, “Torture numbers, and they’ll confess to anything.”

If we look at raw numbers we find that 37,261 people died in automobile accidents in 2008.  In that same year, 486 people died in general aviation aircraft accidents.² Of course this comparison does not account for probability based on the number of cars versus the number of aircraft operations. Some comparisons are made on the basis of passenger-miles.  One analysis of this data concluded that small general aviation planes are about 10-20 times as deadly as a car.³ The problem is that the passenger-mile number is more useful for examining revenue than safety.   The Aircraft Owners and Pilot’s Association notes that the risk drops to 1/10 of the accident rate of automobiles if one looks at accidents per vehicle-mile which is probably a more accurate comparison since it relates to the aircraft itself.  But it is nonetheless sobering to point out that 115 people die every day in automobile accidents, which means that every 4.2 days automobile deaths equal the yearly number of deaths in GA planes.⁴

But I wonder if the numbers on this point really matter.

We need to understand the context for flying is psychological not statistical.   We are not going to argue anyone into flying.  If someone is convinced that general aviation aircraft are unsafe, that is an emotional decision.  Presenting the best, most positive statistic will not make them want to get in your plane.  We are not going to win that argument with numbers.  Our context needs to focus instead on those who are predisposed to flying.  For them, you could give them the worst statistic and it would not matter.   They are going to fly.  So Context Lesson #1 is, “There are people who will fly and those who won’t.  Learn your audience and focus your message.”

What about expense?  Many people claim that flying is simply too expensive.  It is true that flying is not a “cheap” hobby.   But that point is valid only if you’re comparing one “cheap” hobby to another.  It simply is not helpful or accurate to measure the cost of flying against running, tennis, or fishing.  If we’re going to talk about the expense of aviation then we have to measure it against similarly-priced hobbies.   For instance you can train for your pilot’s license for less than you can purchase a new boat or motorcycle.

Motorcycle riding, like flying, is an “expensive” hobby which is considered by many people to involve a higher degree of risk than other activities.   In 2008, the average price of a new motorcycle was over $12,000.⁵ Despite the downward turn in the economy, over 350,000 street-ready motorcycles were sold in 2009.  Similar trends exist in other recreational areas such as Jet Skis and Bass Boats, and even golf.   An avid golfer spends close to $5,000 per year on his hobby.⁶

Context Lesson #2 is, “People are spending money on expensive items, even in a down economy.” We can and should look at ways to bring the cost of our services down to make them more accessible to more people.  I think the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category is exciting partially for this reason.  However, if we continue to focus our attention on the fact that it is difficult for a family making $35,000/year to fly, then we will miss other opportunities right in front of us.  We do not need to be apologetic for the cost of our services, but realize we have a quality product that simply happens to come at a certain price.  We need to realize we are competing not with running, tennis, and fishing, but with motorcycles, jet-skis, bass boats, and golf pro-shops.   Consumers are spending on high-involvement products and services, even in a down economy.

Community more than Customers

The last major point in Gladwell’s “Power of Context” chapter illustrates the influence of groups in tipping an idea.  He says, “Small close-knit groups have the power to magnify the epidemic potential of a message or idea.”⁷ He cites the tipping of the bestselling book The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood to the emergence of small sharing groups that connected to the book’s message.   He also cites the growth of religious groups, particularly the Methodist movement under John Wesley, which was entirely small-group driven.  From the industrial and business side he closely examines Gore Associates (maker of the Gore-Tex fabric) that keeps titles to a minimum, has replaced “bosses” with “mentors”, and keeps the size of their plants to 150 employees.  They discovered that cohesiveness and community spur productivity and satisfaction.

But how might this context point impact flight training and corporate aviation?  Because people are not satisfied when they are simply doing something, but when they are a part of something.  If we want to “tip” aviation, we should foster the idea, the reality, of the aviation community.  Help them participate in  the aviation community that we see organizing fly-in breakfast events, giving rides to kids to encourage an awareness of flight, volunteering to fly food and supplies into Haiti, and examining innovative ways to grow their business and serve their customers.

It is this community that we need to be actively trying to develop and invite more pilots to experience.  One of the great ways that this can be done now is through the use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)  Social Media is revolutionizing the way we communicate and network.  We can create communities and connect people on a frequent basis and these are great tools for organizing.  Creating forums for new or aspiring pilots, quality blogs for sharing information, and even utilizing webinar based technology (as I am working toward at www.myflightcoach.com) in training.  There is a lot we can do to connect people using technology.

Context Lesson #3 is “Build the Aviation Community.” This is more than simply networking.  I believe the tipping of aviation can be facilitated by learning from Gladwell’s diverse examples of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, the Methodist movement, and Gore-Tex.  You look for ways to add value to people.   You search out ways to add meaning to their lives.  You look to develop a community instead of simply a customer.  Therefore, you and I are able to create and influence the context for their experience in aviation.

Conclusion

Aviation is not likely to “tip” in the same manner it has before.  A new revival in aviation will most likely look a lot different than the it did in its glory days (whether you’re talking about the ‘30’s, 50’s or even the 80’s).  I believe this transformation can only work by being authentic and responsive to the present times.  May we all work to make it happen by learning from the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Context and tirelessly striving toward a new “Tipping Point” in General Aviation.

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Part 2 of Chris Findley’s “Can General Aviation “Tip” Again?”

While waiting for my kids at their bus stop, a light-plane flew over.  From where I sat in our van, it looked like a Cessna 172.  I found myself wishing it was me zooming overhead.  I looked around at the other parents waiting in the parking lot and I wondered what their impressions and thoughts were of the Cessna –assuming they even paid attention to it.

Malcolm Gladwell’s bestseller, The Tipping Point, begins with the observation that most trends and epidemics are not caused by a large number of people.  Rather, they are often the result of a few influential and motivated people.  Some of these people are able to have a large influence because of their connections to others or by their ability to influence those around them.  But contrary to conventional wisdom, most trends start with a few.  He aptly calls this the “Law of the Few”.

Gladwell’s second major point in The Tipping Point is “The Stickiness Factor”.   He says, “The specific quality that a message needs to be successful is the quality of ‘stickiness’.  Is the message memorable?  Is it so memorable, in fact, that it can create change, that it can spur someone to action?”¹

Where’s the Beef?

I believe one of the most difficult things to overcome in General Aviation (GA) is the lack of self-reflection on what GA’s message actually is.  I’m not speaking of a particular business’s message.  They will determine that based on their own services and market.  Rather, I’m asking what is the message that we, as an industry, wish to promote?   When someone, waiting for their kids hears a small plane fly over, what do we want them to think?

Other industries have asked these questions.  Remember the “Beef: It’s what’s for dinner!” campaign?  It was launched in 1992 by the Cattleman’s Beef Board.  They recognized a problem–the negative image and growing public concern over the consumption of red meat.  They developed a plan and a message and as an industry, sought to change public perception.  Was it successful?  The “It’s what’s for dinner campaign” is one of the most recognizable taglines in history and is recognized by 88% of Americans.²

Therefore, I believe one of the first things we must do if we want to positively move public opinion to a more favorable position on GA, we have to think critically about what we want people to take away from their contact with General Aviation.

Considering the Message

The AOPA’s “General Aviation Serves America” campaign is a great campaign aimed at raising awareness of the ways General Aviation is an integral part of American communities.  The campaign, which makes use of the Law of the Few by involving well-known actors Harrison Ford and Morgan Freeman and others, is primarily aimed at raising awareness of how regulatory changes and legislation will negatively affect GA.

While this message is needed, I think there are a couple of ways to improve it.  First, I think it is a “circle the wagons” message that is more effective with the flying public than the non-flying public.  The people most likely to have this message “stick” with them are pilots and those in the aviation community who are already concerned about increased regulation and user fees.

Secondly, it seems limited in scope.  These ads don’t seem to make anyone want to do anything.  These ads don’t invite one to participate in General Aviation.  I think that message is crucial to the re-awakening many of us long for.

I am a proud AOPA member and I think they do a phenomenal job of advocating for General Aviation.  My task here is not to be nit-picky or critical, but to think of how to craft a GA message that is truly for the masses, that is both broad and “sticky” without being defensive.  I believe this can come in two distinct ways: telling a practical story and engaging in invitation more than information.

Tell a Practical and Real Story

Within the last couple of months we’ve seen the best and the worst in GA.  The tragic suicide flight of Joe Stack into the IRS office building in Austin, TX certainly brought general aviation to the forefront of the public.  Public concern began to swell again about the light-plane fleet and public safety.  The negative comments directed at lightplanes are as silly as criticizing Ryder panel-vans since that is what Timothy McVeigh used to blow up the Federal Building in Oklahoma City.  But nonetheless, the image of GA is further marred.

But also in the last couple of months we have seen GA rise to the forefront of the relief efforts in Haiti.  Did you know a full 40% of the relief flights into Haiti are General Aviation aircraft?  Have you heard of the generosity of businesses that have given permission for their mulit-million-dollar aircraft to be used for relief operations?  Have you heard some of the stories of pilots landing on unimproved dirt roads in an effort to get supplies and help to a nation in need?

That’s the story we need to be telling.  Why?  Because, people respond to messages that show specific practical benefits that engage them on an emotional level.  We’re not just telling them that GA is important and serves a purpose, we’re dramatically showing them exactly how.  So the first message I think we can deliver is that, as an industry General Aviation, truly does serve America (and the world) and here’s an amazing, specific way.  What if we created a campaign, a message, around this?  Or perhaps the GA Serves America Campaign could pick this up?

How about a tagline of: “General Aviation: Changing the world one flight at a time.”

Invitation

We need Aviation Evangelists. What if we took a Harrison Ford spot and crafted a messag such as this:

“Hi, I’m Harrison Ford.  I’ve had the privilege of playing a number of roles over my 40 year career in the movies.  Acting is a passion for me and I love it.  But I have another passion that I’d like to share with you –my passion for aviation.  For the last 20 years, I’ve been a licensed pilot.  Like many people, I’d always had the dream of flying, but it wasn’t until I started lessons that I discovered the freedom and joy of flight for myself.  You can know that too.  There are over a 250,000 pilots, just like you, who come from all walks of life.  They are businessmen and women, construction workers, doctors and teachers. There is no one pilot “type”—just someone who is realizing their dream of flight.   Flying is not out of your reach, it’s as close as your local airport.  Call one of your local flight schools, listed below, and see for yourself.  It’s one adventure you don’t want to miss.”

How about a tagline of: General Aviation: Live the Adventure!

As the ad mentions, it could be run by groups like the AOPA or NAFI nationally or regionally, and sponsored by local flight schools who could have their contact information added to it.

Other celebrity pilots and potential spokesmen might be: Clint Eastwood, Dennis Quaid, Kurt Russell, Alan Jackson, Sydney Pollack, Arnold Palmer, Tim McGraw, and former President George Bush, Sr.

Stickiness Revisited

Developing a sticky message necessitates our development of a message worthy of remembering.  For those of us already passionate about aviation, it’s easy, it’s stuck.  We know the joy, thrill, and adventure of flying.   But there are many others for whom this is not the case.

You and I can do this now.  We can be a part of getting this message out.  We can tell the practical stories.  We can be Aviation evangelists and find others to join us (maybe even a few well-known names).

As we do this, perhaps a new message about GA will permeate our society.  Perhaps in the near future, when a small plane flies over people will think about how awesome those small planes are and how they really do serve a unique role.

And perhaps they’ll say to themselves, “I bet I can do that…where’s that Flight School’s webpage?”

http://thehangar.wordpress.com

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