Plane Conversations

After a six month hiatus from flying, I am finally back in the left seat!  And the one thing that has become apparent to me since starting up again is how the end result of some things we choose to do is worth enduring discomfort or hard work.  And this pertains to everything we choose to do in life.  If you don’t enjoy it, then why do it?  Well, of course sometimes there are things we have no choice in, but with flying, this is something I choose to do.  It can be uncomfortable at times  – like the first time Kirk pushed my head into my lap, put the plane in an unusual attitude and said “your airplane.”  He then gave me controls while I was wearing a hood which didn’t allow me to see outside of the cockpit; so, I had to use only the instruments to regain control, returning to normal and level flight.  It can also be hard – like when I have to spend my weekends studying for a ground school test, while everyone else is out having a good time in the gorgeous Tennessee spring weather.  But if you love something, all the other “stuff” becomes worth it. 

During the time I was not flying, I studied only a little (because I hate to), but then ramped up my efforts as the time I knew I would be back up flying again drew closer.  On Monday of this week, I took my first flight in the Katana DA20.  Now you might remember I was flying a Cessna 152 last year, but due to maintenance issues, I had to change to the DA20.  The switch was what took me so long to get back to flying; but, now I’ve done it and and I’ve jumped back in. 

I was nervous about flying again after so long, and especially because I had never flown this type of aircraft before.  But let me tell you, I love this airplane!  All the line service staff at CFM told me I would, but I still had a soft spot for the Cessna 152.  Well, now that I have flown this airplane a few times, I think it is just wonderful.  The canopy allows for a better visual, and it is a very easy airplane to fly.  Steering with brakes is the one thing which has me a little rattled.  Because the nose wheel of the DA20 is not linked to the rudder pedals, turns while taxiing must be made with differential braking.  I was a little swirly on the runway the first time I had to takeoff, but thankfully, Kirk was there to keep me on the runway.  I know in a few lessons I’ll have that down.

I’m somewhat starting all over again lesson-wise, but I’m okay with that because I’m excited to be flying again!  And all the study and discomfort that I know I will sometimes experience in this learning process will pay off with the fact in all the fun I have flying.  I guess the one thing I’m saying here is that sometimes we have to do things we don’t like, but look at what you get at the end.  What do they say?  No pain, no gain?    

I’m going to be blogging about my experiences on a regular basis again.  So follow me along the path to becoming a pilot, because I am definitely going to be sharing some interesting stories, on life in the left seat, and life in general.

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The Battle of a Thousand David’s against the one Goliath.

The title could be both looking back in retrospect, looking at the situaiton in the present tense, and looking at the future.  How did we beat back the powerful lobbyists when General Aviation took on the Airline Transport Association that represents the mainline airlines?  Did we really beat them or is it an ongoing battle with a brief respite?

The battle I speak of was over proposals to put in place European style aviation user fees that would eventually cripple general aviation as they have in other parts of the world.  The old style of slugging it out on “the hill” in D.C. would have left General Aviation (GA) in the dust licking it wounds.  ATA had the money and the mainstream media (via advertising dollars) on its side.  GA, with several less powerful organizations fighting the battle itself and the big media perception problem, appeared to be outgunned.  

What these organizations did have was numbers.  1.3 million aircraft owners, pilots, and aviation workers who make their living flying, maintaining and fueling general aviation aircraft every day, as well as small and medium sized businesses who use small aircraft to grow their businesses.  Big media portrayed our industry as one that serves what they called the “fat cats” who ride around in big corporate jets wallowing in corporate excess while asking for government bailouts.

For a while, we let them get away with it. Then the voices started speaking up.   

The fight looked pretty dismal two years ago when we were up on the hill going around to different congressional offices asking for support.  We had some friendly receptions but we also had some chilling ones.  You could tell who had been visited by the ATA lobby and their PACS.  It was not a partisan issue we experienced.  In fact, the most chilling reception we had from the Tennessee congressional delegation came from an East Tennessee Republican congressman who we wrongly assumed to be a supporter of small business (GA).

Most of us thought it to be a losing battle but, still, none of us would go down without a fight.  I can’t speak for the organizations that represent us, but at the time I think they probably saw the battle as an uphill fight.   The organizations that supported our interests seemed to be behind the power curve and lacked the money to work the hill the old fashioned way.  What we did not understand at that time was the power of the grass roots organizations like AOPA (www.gaservesamerica.com) that mobilized their 500,000 plus membership to inundate congress with calls and letters.  Alliance for Aviation Across America formed in 2007 to take on the cause and now has over 4,400 members, including all of the major associations that represent GA.  www.aviationacrossamerica.org  The formation of this alliance was probably the most brilliant strategy of this game.  Politicians can’t ignore the sheer numbers and the broad cross section of this alliance.  They realized they were taking on mainstream America – famers, small business, factory workers, pilots, maintenance technicians….. Not good politics in the middle of a recession!

We also did not understand the power of social media and the technology surrounding it.

All of this tells us that the power should no longer be allowed to rest in the hands of the paid for lobbyists and politicians in DC.  The power rests in the consumer, the individual voice willing to comment on the articles and blogs, the activists who send emails, write letters and make visits to the hill in DC.  Alliances whether informal or formal take on a new power that money can’t silence.  Whether you agree with the Tea Party movement or not, you have to agree that it represents a shift in power that comes from the bottom up and it is only the beginning.  More ground swell movements will follow and emulate.   

 The politicians are scared of this new shift in power. It is not business as usual.  As a good friend says, “it is business as unusual”.

 For the first time in the history of our great country, since its founding 225 years ago, the term “We the People” may have new meaning and significance.

 So looking forward, how do we keep winning the battle?

 First we have to be right.  And if we are right, then we have to win the hearts and minds of the consumers (the people), because the real power moving forward rests in the pocketbooks of the consumers who have gained a voice in the market place.

Do not expect them to relinquish that voice. In fact, expect it to grow louder and stronger as social technology allows the voice to be heard loud and clear.

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I can’t remember what it was like the first time I flew, but I was fortunate enough to get a taste of that incredible feeling when I watched three very special girls take their first flight ever. 

Alexis (8), Sidney (9) and Skylar (10) come from a East Tennessee, an area hard hit by the recession.  But from the beaming smiles on their faces, you wouldn’t know it.  The three little girls from Huntingdon were excited to be spending their first vacation with their Great Uncle Mike, and he wanted the girls to experience many firsts; firsts which may kids their ages from more affluent areas of the country have experienced by now.  Mike took the girls to the mall for the first time, made a pizza from scratch, and went boating, all of which they had never done.  But he had the brilliant idea that a first flight in an airplane would help him clinch the title of The Greatest Great-Uncle Ever!  If the girls’ expressions were anything to go by, he was on to something.

I met the girls at the FBO, and they were quiet and shy at first, but I’m sure that was because of the nerves. I took them out onto the ramp and showed them some of our larger turbo-prop Jetstreams.  Their eyes grew wide with each cool new thing I showed them; the large propellers, the plush interior of the airplane, and the cockpit with a million knobs and buttons.  I could hear the trepidation in their voices as they asked me questions, and then see the excitement in their faces and as we inched closer to the little Diamond DA40, which would be their plane for the next hour.

After some photos of Great Uncle Mike and the girls beside the airplane, Paul Lamb (the Owner of Wings of Eagles), and Chris  Carnett (the flight instructor who was taking the girls on the flight) met with the girls and made sure that they were buckled in nicely, and had their headsets on correctly. 

Then, Chris closed the canopy, fired up the engine, and then off they went!    

Excitement and nerves are an uncomfortable feeling for some.  But others just love it.  I guess that’s why there are adrenalin junkies out there, and then those who wish to only do the things they are comfortable with.  I was really proud of Alexis, Sidney and Skylar.  They stepped out of their comfort zone.  They tried something new.  They got to fly! 

If there is one thing I hope they took away from this experience, it is a sense of accomplishment and fearlessness.  I hope they continue to find the inspiration to keep exploring new things throughout their life.  

Kudos to Great Uncle Mike!

The letters below were written by the girls after the flight:

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A special thanks to our Governor Phil Bredesen here in Tennessee for proclaiming April as “General Aviation Appreciation Month” for the State of Tennessee.

During his two terms in office, Governor Bredesen has been a steadfast supporter of General Aviation in our state.  A long time aviator and licensed pilot himself, he understands and appreciates  the value general aviation business brings to our state and national, even global, economies.

Having grown up in Tennessee, I appreciate the state’s airport system that has developed over the past 30 years. Our state has 82 commercial and general aviation airports that are well maintained and provide critical access to communities both large and small across the state. I believe that you can access a public airport within 30 minutes of any location in the state. This airport system has played a critical role in Tennessee’s economic development and its effective recruitment of industry.  

Tennesse collects a 4.5% sales tax aviation fuels.  Those monies go into a fund that is used to develop the airports’ infrastructure. That money, combined with funds from the Federal Excise Tax on fuel, as well as funds from local cities, counties and airport authorities, provides a funding mechanism that is largely supported by the users of General and Commercial aviation without being a burden on the tax payers who do not travel by air.

The Alliance for Aviation Across America states that there are 46 flight companies, 56 repair stations and four flight schools in Tennessee. I am proud that we are part of that group of businesses that employ over 50,000 people in our state.

Again, thanks to Governor Bredesen for your support of our industry here in Tennessee.

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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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There has been a lot of press lately about the airlines continuing to add fees for everything they can think of.

I don’t know what these guys are thinking when they do this.  

An article on CNN’s site quoting airline consultant Robert Mann, says the following about their thinking:

 Airline consultant Robert Mann of R.W. Mann & Co. expects the carry-on and possible toilet fee to remain firmly in the realm of the aggressive discount carriers, who capitalize on “an infinite demand for very low fares.”

“A lot of people will put up with a lot of inconvenience and crazy fees in order to think they got a low fare,” Mann said.

Can they not just figure out how to charge a price and make money to cover it? Are they trying to modify our traveling behavior through a pricing scheme?  

There is now proposed legislation requiring the airlines to disclose their add on fees to the customer in a way that you would really know what you are paying prior to travel.

So should we require McDonalds to tell you how much they are charging for the special sauce when you buy the Big Mac? Or can we be content that we either think the Big Mac is worth it at the price, or we don’t buy it.

Every time the airlines irritate the consumer with their pricing schemes or bad schedules or whatever the irritant of the day is, the government tries to legislate some way to make them behave.

Most of the airlines you fly on have their flight attendants thank you for choosing them.  It goes something like this: “Thanks for flying with us today; we know you have a choice and we are glad you chose us”.

Our friend Dan Robles who posts frequently on Plane Conversations writes the following about the airlines pricing schemes in a recent post on his site:

Steven Frishling (www.flyingwithfish.com) predicts that there will be a schism in the industry, some airlines will take on the race to the bottom with ancillary fees and others will realize that every angry customer is an opportunity to migrate to a superior travel experience.

Charging is obnoxious – every hit hurts. In fact, Expedia makes the majority of their fees off everything except airlines, why can’t airlines?

Steven suggests that the opposite of bundling – integrating hotels, taxis, sponsors, etc even using frequent flyer miles – is a the best way to improve the experience of flying.  Airlines should provide targeted portals, build sponsored content, attract sponsor revenue, supply hotlinks, etc. All of these are clever ways to derive revenue without alienating passengers.

All this “cost-saving” of ancillary pricing can quickly become a huge liability as competitors come along with comparable prices and superior service. Social media is proving to be an excellent tool for reaching out to passengers and understanding the needs. This allows them to package features smartly, unbundle fees in a way that adds value to the experience, not by squandering trust and respect at every opportunity.

Ultimately, the market will take care of this anti-social behavior of the airlines.  Maybe some airlines will succeed by attracting that “infinite demand for very low fares,” but I have to believe that most of us do not want the confusion, inconvenience and trickery of it all.  

We do have a choice as to who we fly with. We even have a choice to not fly at all. What about the choice to fly in a private aircraft?  Can we offer these consumers a better choice at a price they can live with?

If the airlines aren’t going to do what Steve Frishling suggests, then why don’t we?

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Of the many fun reasons to pilot new Embraer Executive Jets, one of the best is St. Martin.  Located in the Lesser Antilles island chain, the French/Dutch Island of St. Martin (or St. Maarten) is a convenient stop when ferrying aircraft out of South America.  The clear, blue Caribbean Sea is the perfect backdrop for this European tropical oasis. 

Located on the more raucous, Dutch side of the island; Princess Juliana International Airport is famous for its runway which begins just a few steps from the Caribbean.   Tourists like to hold onto the airport fence when jumbo jets depart, letting go at full throttle up for a brief flight of their own backwards into the surf.  And the Dutch brew Heineken…here it is half the price of your neighborhood package store.  On the opposite, French side of the island, are restaurants and hideaways well known for French cuisine and quiet honeymoons.   But here on the Dutch side, casinos and lively night life are the norm.

After a long day including three technical stops; the ground crew of Arrindell Aviation Services, www.arrindellaviation.net  is a welcome sight.  Henke is there to meet us with a very short ride in a gleaming white van over to the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort.

At the Sonesta, we all enjoy a quick clean-up prior to falling into a chair at Cheri’s Café just across the road.  Cheri’s is “island chintzy” but is just what we’re looking for with smooth tropical drinks in a very casual island setting.  The local band preys upon the tourists who take a willing part in the evenings shenanigans.

If you are lucky enough to arrive before sunset, I recommend you watch the water, airplanes and the sunset from the Sunset Beach Bar.  Just a short walk from the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, the Sunset Beach Bar offers just the right elixir to rub off a full day of flying.  www.sunsetbeachbar.com

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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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The following are excerpts from a March 9 Chicago Tribune article by Jon Hilkevitch.  

Passengers on U.S. airlines will pay relatively small increases in airfares over the next 20 years, but they should expect more flights crowding the nation’s busiest airports, including O’Hare International, the Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday.

Travelers hoping to stretch out across an empty seat next to them will likely be out of luck. And, sorry, the small regional jets that are so unpopular among a significant segment of passengers are here to stay, although the commuter airlines will begin retiring their 50-seat jets in favor of somewhat larger aircraft.

The FAA now says it will take until 2023 to hit the 1 billion mark, indicating modest annual growth from the 704 million passengers carried in 2009 by U.S. airlines, on both domestic and international flights. Total passengers will rise to 1.21 billion by 2030, the agency said.

Coming off 2009, when U.S. airlines lost $8.1 billion, the total number of commercial flights is forecast to decrease 2.7 percent this year, the FAA said.  Flight volumes will then grow at an average annual rate of 1.5 percent by 2030, the FAA said.

Jetliners, which are nearly full on most flights today as the carriers try to prop up airfares, will stay that way, leveling out at 82 percent of all seats occupied on flights over the next 20 years, the FAA said.

While most passengers will continue to fly on the big, mainline airlines, that segment of the industry will grow the slowest over the forecast period, officials said. The biggest percentage gains will occur on international flights, followed by regional commuter airlines that operate smaller aircraft. Those regional airlines bucked the negative industry trend by turning a profit in 2009, FAA officials noted.

Twenty-nine large hub airports, including O’Hare and Midway, are projected to handle the bulk of the increased flights, growing at an average of 3 percent a year in landings and takeoffs through 2030, the FAA said.  It means that to prevent aviation gridlock, the FAA must complete its ambitious transformation of the nation’s air-traffic system, dubbed NextGen, to a satellite-based system that replaces the current ground-based radar.

So what does all of this mean for Private/ Business Aviation?

The airlines are going to crowd more people on aircraft by constraining supply in an effort to raise prices; they are going to use more regional airliners; they are going to focus more on the 29 major airports in the U.S., and focus more on international flights.  This looks like mass transit to me.

None of these trends provide better solutions for business travelers in small and mid size markets.

What it does spell is more delays, crowded flights, less tolerance on bad weather days at crowded hubs (I am feeling that right now sitting at ATL on a busy travel day and bad weather).

In all of this I see opportunity like never before for the general aviation and business aviation sectors to step up to fill the voids and ease the pain.  There are 5500 airports and the airlines are going to focus growth on the top 29? They only fly to around 500 airports in total so that leaves a lot of room for private aviation to provide point-to-point solutions between the rest of the nation’s airports.  

Air travel is supposed to be about time efficiency and if the FAA is correct in their forecast, the time to travel by air mass-transit is going to slow down even more, which widens the gap in time gained by flying private and helps close the gap in costs when you value your time.

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