Posted on 16/03/201803/09/2019 by ay6dpm — Leave a comment

General Aviation is dying and here are ten radical suggestions for saving it!

General Aviation is dying and
here are 10 radical ideas for saving it!

General Aviation is dying a slow death. This is not just confined to Australia, this is a worldwide phenomenon. The reasons are many and varied. Some of the main reasons GA is dying in Australia are (but are not limited to) the following:

A lack of interest from young individuals in wanting to learn to fly
Overly complex loan structures for trainee pilots
A training syllabus that was created over 50 years ago
Rising costs in regulation, maintenance and aircraft manufacturing
Slowness to adopt and incorporate modern technology
A lack of entrepreneurial spirit to drive General Aviation into a new and vibrant future
A lack of a clear vision on how the future should look
Over-regulation and a slowness to adapt, in our governing body, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
A lack of a commercial imperative within CASA

I do not presume to have all the answers, I am writing this post not to pick fault with the current system but in the hope of sparking a debate on how we can imagine a better future for General Aviation. What is lacking is a vision of the future which can replace rules and regulations which were designed over sixty years ago.

We are starting to see some exciting technology on the very near horizon and if General Aviation does not adapt to these changes then General Aviation will die. There is not just one entity to blame for this: CASA, Flight Schools, Charter Operators, aircraft manufacturers and our current legal structures are all to blame. For example, the electric on-demand Air Taxi industry is predicted to be the next high-growth industry. There are currently over 200 new company startups working to develop on-demand Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) electric aircraft. If General Aviation does not act fast, it will be left in the dust.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has just released a report confirming that General Aviation has declined by 18 percent over the last five years. Recreational Aviation has increased by 0.2 percent in the same time period. This is hardly surprising given the cost and bureaucratic differences between RAA and CASA, and the differences between aircraft age, type and technology. Ease of access and training is another benefit that Recreational Aviation offers over General Aviation training. For example, a person can walk into a Flight School, sign a RAA temporary membership form and be learning to fly 15 minutes later.

CASA is finally trying to address a lot of these issues, however without a clear vision of what the future will look like, CASA will only be plugging the water leak in the sinking ship, when it should be creating a new and better ship. The world is changing so fast, that if Government agencies cannot change, innovate and adapt quickly, they will self-destruct and destroy the very industries that they are governing and supposedly protecting.

I am an eternal optimist and I believe that with enough public debate and enough passionate individuals, we can turn things around for General Aviation.

Here are my ten ideas to help stimulate a debate about what’s possible for the future of General Aviation.

1.CASA should simplify its business model and adopt a commercial imperative

You don’t have to be genius to realise that the structure of CASA is overly complex and is stuck in a post-World War II government bureaucratic mindset. This isn’t really anyone’s fault; it is more a limitation of this type of public service government structure.

NASA used to be a classic example of this mindset. NASA has finally seen the light and have finally contracted (outsourced) to private companies like SpaceX to supply most of their rocket requirements. They realised that private industry is where innovation thrives, not in government agencies.

I’m not suggesting that CASA should privatise – though it’s worth considering – but it might not be such a bad idea to outsource many of its functions to companies which understand, and have a vision for, the future of General Aviation

The issue with government agencies is that they often sit above the sinking ship below them. They don’t realise that the sinking ship (private industry) is actually their supply ship, and if it goes down, they go down with it too. When you work for an agency which receives income from taxpayers – regardless of the state of General Aviation – it’s hard to have a ‘this needs to be changed now mentality.

All you have to do is log onto the CASA website to see how complex this agency is. This complexity is a byproduct of it being a government agency. I remember ringing CASA once to ask them the minimum hours required for a Commercial Helicopter Pilot to convert to being a Commercial Fixed Wing pilot. The wording in Part 61 was confusing, so I rang the licensing division. In the space of three weeks I had to call them three times, and I spoke to three different staff members and received three different answers. The licensing staff themselves admitted the wording was confusing.

Exams are another issue that needs to be addressed. At present a student can only sit the exams in an approved exam centre, and it can cost between $100 to $250 to sit an exam (depending on where you are doing it). I believe a simpler model would be to allow all flight schools to have access to the online exams and all responsibility should fall on the CFI to make sure the exams are completed honestly. Regular flight school audits would ensure everyone is doing the exams honestly and fairly.

The other issue is that, unlike the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the states, CASA does not have a commercial imperative to grow and promote General Aviation; its main purpose is to regulate it (to maintain safety). While there is no doubt that we require regulation to minimise risk in aviation, I do not see the point in having an organisation regulate an industry without also promoting the future of that industry, because without that industry the regulator would not exist.

In a recent interview, Former Chairman of CASA, Bruce Byron, backed key changes to the Civil Aviation Act being pushed by businessman Dick Smith, who has complained about a rise in needless red tape. The article says, ‘Mr Smith, a former CASA chairman, last month secured approval from Barnaby Joyce and Anthony Albanese for a rewrite of the Act, but the prospect of a bipartisan deal died with Mr Joyce’s resignation from cabinet on February 23. Mr Joyce, then the Coalition transport minister, had agreed with Mr Albanese, his Labor counterpart, about removing a key part of the act that requires CASA to ‘regard safety as the most important consideration’ in regulating the industry. Under the changes, CASA would instead be required to prioritise the ‘highest level of safety in air navigation’ with the need for ‘an efficient and sustainable Australian aviation industry’. We can only hope that this push for the rewrite of the Act, continues, despite changes in personnel within CASA and parliament.

Government agencies are notoriously slow to change and adapt, an example of this is the proposed controlled Airspace endorsement for Recreational Pilots. This proposal has been sitting with CASA now for at least seven years. The irony is that Glider pilots can do a controlled airspace endorsement, and gliders have been legally flying into controlled airspace for years. I understand that the new endorsement needs to be implemented correctly, but seven years is ridiculous. I’m convinced that private industry could have implemented a project to safely roll this out within six months.

My suggestion for CASA would be to outsource the task of creating Survey and Innovation teams. The Survey teams could survey the stakeholders of the General Aviation industry, to collect positive and negative critical feedback on what needs to change within the industry, then the Innovation teams can oversee the implementation of any required changes.

2. Recreational Aircraft should be allowed to be ‘VH’ registered and used for both General Aviation and Recreational pilot training

With some light sport aircraft, if the plane is ‘VH’ registered, it can be used for GA training and even night training. However this same aircraft cannot be used for Recreational training unless it is ‘24’ registered (that is, registered through Recreational Aviation Australia).

At some schools that do both GA and RAA training, they have two of the same aircraft, one registered 24 (with RAA) for recreational pilot training and one registered VH (GA) for general aviation training. They are the exact same aircraft but registered with two different organisations!

My argument is that if a flight school wanted to best utilise an aircraft for both PPL, night and RAA training, the ability to use it should not be determined by how it is registered. This just adds complexity once again when it is not required.

I own a flight school which currently does both RAA and GA training in conjunction with another school, and currently leases aircraft owned by others. It would be fantastic if I could VH register our Sling aircraft and use it for PPL, controlled and night training for GA students (with a GA instructor) and then also use it for Recreational Pilot training through RAA. This would allow the light sport aircraft to be fully utilised and improve the aircraft owner’s return on their investment. It would also make it easy for students to transition from RAA to a PPL or even CPL licence.

3. CPL training should be allowed to be conducted in Light Sport Aircraft or General Aviation Aircraft without a design feature difference

Currently in Australia, a commercial fixed-wing student completing a non-integrated flying course can fly the majority of their training hours in a Recreational aircraft. However, to obtain their Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL), they need to sit and pass all their CPL theory exams, as well as pass a Class One medical and sit a flight test in a certified aircraft which can do at least 120 kts and has at least one design feature (e.g retractable undercarriage or constant speed propellor). This usually means you have to sit the flight test in an ageing Cessna 182 or 172 RG.

The issue here is that there is now a plethora of new light sport or EaSA CS-VLA aircraft which are modern and sexy and cost the same as an ageing Cessna, and about half the cost of a new certified single engine aircraft. The Blackshape Prime is a classic example of the new breed of light sport aircraft. This aircraft can cruise at 150kts, has a retractable undercarriage, constant speed, glass cockpit, a BRS chute and costs around $250,000 new (a new Cessna 182 is around $700,000). The operating costs are about one third of the costs of a Cessna 172 RG. And did I also mention that it is sexy?

I know some instructors have argued that you should do your CPL training in a similar aircraft to what you will be flying for your first job, however this argument is becoming redundant as most jobs for new pilots are now going to be either direct entry airline or Instructing jobs.

The Blackshape Prime would be an ideal aircraft for night and CPL training but under the current regulations it cannot be used for the CPL flight tests even it is VH registered, as it is not a ‘fully certified’ aircraft. There are plenty of new Light Sport or ESA VL aircraft under $200,000 which could be used for CPL training. This would make it affordable for flight schools to replace their ageing fleets and at the same time attract new students with these new and exciting aircraft.

4. Airlines should do away with the Twin Engine Instrument rating requirement (single only)

Back in the dark ages when I was a Charter Pilot in the Northern Territory, young pilots would fight each other to get multi-engine instrument time as the airlines required at least 500 hours of multi-engine instrument time before they would even look at employing you. The major airlines have now reduced this requirement, however I propose that they get of this requirement altogether. The reason is simple: handling a multi-engine jet or turbine aircraft is fundamentally different than handling a piston twin. The first difference is of course that if a turbine twin aircraft or jet has an engine failure there is a very good chance you will keep flying.

The other reason is that the airline will do an aircraft Type Endorsement on the jet aircraft you will be flying anyway, and you will be spending a considerable amount of time as a co-pilot before they let you loose as a Captain. During this time you will have to demonstrate your proficiency in handling engine out procedures in the simulator. Most of the twin-engine Charter Pilots I knew never had an engine failure, so more time on a twin – other than going faster – had no bearing on their ability to fly a twin-engine jet in the future.

I believe a more common sense approach would be to only require a single-engine instrument rating (as well as your CPL) as a requirement for airline entry. This would make it easier for Flight Schools as they wouldn’t have to own and house an ageing twin-engine aircraft just to satisfy this requirement.

A Flight School could potentially use an aircraft like a Cirrus SR20 for PPL, CPL and instrument training, and this better utilisation would increase return on investment for the school. Plus statistically, twin-engine training in light piston twins is a higher risk scenario than single-engine operations, due to increased complexity and controllability issues during asymmetric operations for twin-engine aircraft.

The other key benefit would be the reduced cost of flight training and of obtaining your CPL/instrument rating, which would be a huge benefit for everyone, including the airlines.

5. CASA needs to implement the FAA new Part 23 and make it seamless for new business startups to design new aircraft

The FAA has recently implemented a new Part 23 for the certification of light aircraft. Basically the new Part makes it easier and less costly for new aircraft manufacturers to design and manufacture new aircraft. Prior to this, designing and certifying a brand new light aircraft was prohibitively expensive. For instance, the cost to design and certify a new piston 4-seater aircraft in the USA was around $20 million. With the new Part 23 rules this cost drops to around $2-4m. This makes it a lot more attractive for investors to invest in new startups designing and building new types of aircraft . It also means the manufacturer does not have to recoup the huge costs of certification from the initial investment. This hopefully will lead to more modern cost-effective aircraft.

I would recommend CASA implements a Part 23 Team to foster new light aircraft design and production in Australia by following the new Part 23 rules which have been introduced in the USA. We have so many talented aerospace professions in Australia, and this new rule could be a huge boost for the Australian manufacturing sector (and economy), particularly if you consider our dollar exchange rate compared to other countries.

Designing and manufacturing aircraft and exporting them to the USA, China and Europe makes a lot of sense and it would invigorate our own General Aviation industry (and the economy) while at the same time allowing home grown products to be purchased by local flight schools, charter companies and private individuals.

6. The government needs to implement tax incentives for flight schools and aircraft manufacturers

Why not also make it easier for flight schools and charter companies to get started and keep doing business? Tax incentives for investors, as well as a grace period or reduced tax for new startups could be a good way to stimulate business growth in these areas. The other obvious solution would be to do away with the huge processing fees (and timeframes) required in obtaining an AOC for either a flight school or charter operation.

CASA could implement generic templates which could be used for all new startups, while a simple processing fee would be all that is required for your new venture to be approved – providing it follows the guidelines.

7. Change the flight training syllabus for greater use of flight simulation and alternative technologies

Our current flight training syllabus originated during World War II. While much of the syllabus makes sense and has served the General Aviation industry well for many years, I believe we need to take a close look at what is working and what is not working in relation to new technologies. A good example of a change that makes sense was the introduction of the MPL course which offers integrated training for would-be airline pilots and offers multi-crew training all the way through their course (with a high focus on jet simulator training and a reduction in flying real small aircraft).

An idea that was first proposed was that airline students could complete all of their training, from ab initio to being job-ready, on a simulator and never had to conduct any training in a real light aircraft. The reasoning is that flight simulators are so advanced the student does not know the difference, plus the student will be sitting in the right-hand seat under supervision for at least five years once they are flying real aircraft. Most industry professionals did not accept this innovative idea, but they do accept that simulators play a very important role in flight training.

While I believe in and see the benefits of training in real aircraft, I also feel that with the advancement in computer technology (including virtual technology) we could allow flight schools the ability to lower the hourly requirements if they could introduce low-cost realistic flight simulation to supplement training in planes. An example might be to reduce a 200-hour non-integrated CPL course down to 150 hours, providing 50 hours are conducted in an advanced low-cost simulator.

Everyone knows the benefits of simulator training for use in practicing emergency procedures that are too risky to practice in real aircraft, so why are they reluctant to adopt this technology in the smaller flight schools? Lowering the hourly requirements and relaxing the simulator requirements would encourage more Flight Schools to invest in this technology. Plus it would attract more young students. At my own Flight School I’ve created an Online Flight School, which consists of standard and 360-degree videos of pre-flight and in-flight lessons which can be watched by any student at any time and on any device. These videos supplememt the in-air lessons and make the whole learning experience more interesting than an Instructor standing at a whiteboard.

8. The Government needs to introduce a new streamlined VET process for all flying schools

The current diploma HECS or VET Fee program for flight schools, while working successfully in some respects, could be dramatically improved. The scale of the VET Fee program has recently been reduced, due to many schools abusing the program. The other issue is that many VET providers have to wait up to three months to be paid by the government once an invoice has been submitted. Flight Schools are weather-dependent and cash-flow dependent businesses with high overheads (see my recent blog on this subject). Many schools which spent months jumping through hurdles and adapting their syllabus in order to be eligible to receive VET fees, have now had to close down altogether due to not being able to manage cash-flow during the three-month period between invoicing for and finally receiving the large VET fee payments!

I believe the government needs to make VET fee available for all flight schools, including Recreational Flight Schools (up to stage 02), and ensure all invoice payments are made within 14 days of submission to the VET fee government department.

If anyone asked me, my suggestion would be to introduce a three-step program for VET fee help for schools. The VET Fee would be consist of three stages:

First Stage – PPL and CPL Theory course. This fee help would be around $6,000 and allow students to enrol in a full-time theory course to CPL level. If the student does not pass their theory tests then they cannot progress to the next VET fee stage. This ensures that only seriously committed students get access to the next stage of funding, and the worse case scenario for the student is that they are $6,000 in debt.

Second Stage – RAA or PPL licence. This VET fee amount would be up to $20,000 and allow the student to conduct their RAA, RPL or PPL licence – or an integration of both. The student would not be allowed to progress to the next stage unless they pass this stage of their training. They can choose whichever school they prefer.

Third stage – Command time and CPL/Instrument training up to $50,000 at any approved CPL school. This staged progression would reduce the risk of students getting VET fee funding for the entire course only to realise towards the end of the course that they are not CPL material, and now they have a huge debt with nothing to show for it. This could be a great way to encourage young students to consider an airline career.

9. Airlines should hire new CPL pilots directly from flight schools

Airlines have forecast a serious pilot shortage in the future and are already putting in place programs for cadetships, quotas for more females and are even setting up regional training bases.

I think it is crazy that airlines can run their own cadet program and allow their cadet students to go directly into the right-hand seat of an airliner with minimum experience, whereas for those who have paid for their own training, they require them to build 500 to 2,000 hours of flying experience before the airlines will consider hiring them.

Here is a radical idea to fix the future pilot shortage: reduce the minimum hours required for entry into airlines to 200 hours with only an instrument rating and CPL licence for everyone. The airlines could do extra simulator training to bring these low-hour pilots up to speed on that particular aircraft type. The ATPL theory subjects could be studied part-time and completed before the new hire is promoted to Captaincy. The reality is that a new airline hire is going to spend three to eight years in the right-hand seat under supervision of the Captain. That’s around 2,000 to 4,000 hours of flying experience before they are ready for a command position.

If young students knew that they could go directly from a flying school into an airline job, I can guarantee there would be no longer be a future shortage of pilots, as the career path would be a lot more attractive than spending years out in regional Australian towns trying to build hours on an ageing light aircraft, or being paid a minimum wage as an instructor.

10. Encourage mature individuals to learn to fly and become career instructors

The other major issue affecting General Aviation is the poaching of qualified instructors by the airlines – to the point where there is a serious lack of qualified experienced instructors. This is only going to get worse with the current pilot shortage. One of the current problems is that the younger instructors will work for a low hourly rate just to build their hours before heading off to the airlines (see my point above!). While this may benefit the Flight Schools in the short term, in the long term, the entire industry suffers.

I believe that one way of avoiding this is to try to attract the middle-aged individual who has left it too late to join an airline but would make an excellent career instructor. I know plenty of individuals who are in their late 40s who would happily give up their soul-destroying office or construction job to be a full-time or part-time flight instructor if there was a clearer pathway and the income was adequate.

Private industry needs to work together to improve the pay conditions and advertise the lifestyle benefits of changing careers to become an instructor. My experience is that a properly run flight school in a good location can comfortably pay its full-time instructors anywhere between $50,000 – $65,000 per year. I’m sure there are plenty of mature potential instructors who would love to fly planes every day for $60,000 per year.

Time for change

In fairness, CASA has a challenging job and they have been trying to innovate many of their processes for a while. The recent changes to the medical requirements for PPL holders is a good example and a step in the right direction.

Within 10 years we will have low-cost electric aircraft and electric vertical take off and landing aircraft readily available (see my blog on this subject). If General Aviation does not adapt with the times it will be replaced by something new and foreign to many of us. Self-flying air taxis are a real possibility, but who will manage the infrastructure and safety aspects of these new industries when we cannot get the current framework right?

We require inspiration and entrepreneurial leaders in private industry and in government to initiate change today, not tomorrow. If you have a vision for a better future for General Aviation don’t sit on the fence and hope things will improve, make a noise, join a board, or at the very least, comment on this blog.

The future of General Aviation is in your hands!

Damien

CEO, GoFly Group

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 08/03/201820/04/2022 by ay6dpm

The insanity of noise complaints from people who choose to live near airports

As the owner of a busy flying school, I often get complaints passed on from the local council, or sometimes directly from residents, in relation to the sound of aircraft flying near or over their house.

On most occasions it is not the planes from my flight school which are causing the noise, however, when a resident searches online for ‘flight school Caloundra’, GoFly Aviation often comes up as the number one entry on the list, so they mistakenly assume that there is a good chance that it is one of my aircraft making the noise. It’s important for our school’s reputation that we deal with nearby neighbours in a courteous manner, regardless of whose aircraft it is making the noise.

GoFly Aviation has well maintained aircraft with low-noise engines and very strict rules on avoiding flying over noise-sensitive areas, but even so, some nearby residents will still find a way to be unhappy while living beside a busy airfield.

Why do they complain?

I find noise complaints a very strange phenomena as they appear to be solely targeted at smaller general aviation airports. I am going to list a few reasons why I find it strange:

Most airports were built long before residential housing came along. For instance Caloundra aerodrome was first used as a landing field in 1931 and has been used as a professional general aviation airport since 1971. There were no houses in the area then.
If a person then buys or builds a house adjacent to the airport, does it not stand to reason that there will be aircraft noise?
All busy urban areas grow in size, so if people are all ok with town and suburbs growing, why do they then complain when airports get busier or expand?

I do believe there are some occasions where noise complaints make sense; for example if a new international flying school opens up without public consultation and all of a sudden an airport has five times the number of aircraft movements per day (and an increase in noise). The other reason might be an aircraft completing emergency procedures or flying outside the nominated times for noise abatement procedures. The flight training times that GoFly offers, are between 7.30am and 4pm, when the majority of people are not only awake but most are heading out to work and school.

If you buy or build a house beside an international airport or a busy highway do you think the local government is going to listen to you if you start complaining about noise? The answer is obvious, of course they will not, and I believe the reason why is very simple. Highways, expressways and international or major airports are what we deem ‘essential services’ which most people use on a semi-regular basis. So it doesn’t make sense for them to complain about the existence of an essential service. I believe that smaller general aviation airports are seen to be places which most people will not visit or make use of often, and are also perceived as the domain of rich individuals who fly for fun. While this may have an element of truth, general aviation airports provide so much more than a base for millionaires to enjoy their hobby. Most of my clientele are middle class workers and struggling students with their hearts set on joining an airline one day. If not learning at a small airport – without the confusing radio calls and without commercial aircraft taking precedence over them – then where are our future pilots going to learn to fly, so that they can then fly these complainants away on their future holidays?

Let’s try to see it from their point of view

I believe some real estate agents do not disclose truthfully the proximity of the airport and possible noise issues when individuals are buying or building a home near the airport. A lot of individuals will also inspect a home before or after work, when aircraft noise is at a minimum.

If someone rings me with an honest request to take a different route to minimise noise, and it makes practical sense and does not jeopardise safety, than I am more than willing to change our flight paths accordingly.

Recently I had a local retired couple call me to tell me that they have at least 20 aircraft each day turn over their house at a height of about 700 feet. When I looked at Google maps, I discovered that their house was situated directly under the designated crosswind turn, where aircraft were doing circuits on a particular runway.

Although everyone based at Caloundra airport was sticking to the ‘Fly Neighbourly’ policy and not turning crosswind until 700 feet, the couple were still getting up to 10 aircraft per day doing circuits (at approx 8 circuits per lesson!). This equated to 80 aircraft per a day turning over their house at the 700 feet level. I could understand their frustration. All it took to solve this problem was to get together with other Caloundra airfield operators and agree to turn into the crosswind section of the circuit once we reached the water at Pumicestone Passage. For pilots it simply meant another twenty seconds of climbing in the upwind section of the circuit to keep the residents below, happy.

Sometimes though, you cannot make everyone happy. I once had a very aggressive (and gym-buffed) nearby resident come down to the airfield wanting to pick a fight with one of my instructors. This resident had just purchased a house at the end of the runway and could not understand why we had to keep flying over his house!

My instructor was very calm and explained that in certain wind conditions we have to land and take off on that particular runway, and, as his house is situated directly off the end of the runway, there is no way to avoid flying over his house as aircraft cannot turn below 500 feet. He didn’t like the fact that the aircraft noise was affecting his afternoon nap. Ironically, he told us he worked as a jet ski instructor (now those things are really noisy!!!). He eventually backed off and went home.

I believe we need to use common sense when it comes to airport noise complaints. We require general aviation airports for the healthy future of our aviation sector, both for training as well as maintenance and private operations.

I believe that one way forward would be for all houses within the noise radius of airports to require a disclosure for new purchasers, to ensure that the prospective new owner understands that there will be airport noise and that the airport may grow in size in the future. Also, the disclosure document would state that the resident cannot complain about the noise unless a particular operator or aircraft has broken a law or gone against the ‘Fly Neighbourly’ policy.

Light aircraft will be more quiet in the future

The good news is that the future for light aircraft is going to be electric and it’s going to be a lot quieter. So hopefully technology will allow both sides to get what they want: afternoon circuits and a nanna nap at the same time!

Alternatively, another idea that could work, is that all houses in the surrounding area should only be available for sale to aviation enthusiasts only!

Happy and safe flying (as quietly as possible)!

Damien

CEO GoFly Group

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 26/02/201803/09/2019 by ay6dpm

The honest truth about owning and operating a flight school as a business

The honest truth about owning
and operating a flight school as a business

I am the proud owner of a busy flying school. I am not a millionaire, however I do enjoy an adequate income and for the majority of the week I undertake work that I truly love as well as working with some amazing individuals.

I am grateful to own a flying school however the reality is owning and operating a business is tough on a person mentally.

I am confident that the reason the majority of businesses that fail within the first five years is because the owner or owners have had enough of the mental stress and uncertainty which is associated with owning and operating a business.

While owning and operating a business is hard work, owning a flight school can be brutal due to the extra complexities and uncertainties involved.

I have made so many mistakes while owning a business, that I have lost count of them. Fortunately I have learnt from some of these mistakes. I also recognise that sometimes I have no idea what I am doing, so I seek the advice of mentors and books to help me learn critical skills for growing the business.

I have owned GoFly Aviation for almost eight years and during these eight years I have had some not so great times and some wonderful times. I call the ‘not so wonderful’ times ‘inconvenient events’, and truly, if you want to stay sane while operating and growing a business, it is best to call these stressful times ‘inconvenient events’ rather than disasters. The good times I call ‘convenient events’. We learn from both types of events’ but I believe we really learn more about ourselves from the inconvenient ones.

Here is a brief summary of both convenient and inconvenient events that I have experienced while operating a flight school over the last eight years:

I was offered the chance to purchase a flight school through vendor finance at a very attractive price (convenient event)
Soon after buying the school we experienced the longest prolonged wet weather in 100 years – during which two of my competitors closed down – and I lost $25,000 in my cash reserves (an inconvenient event mixed with a convenient event)
After the rain cleared, the students from my closed down competitor’s flight schools, came across to GoFly and increased our revenue by 30% almost overnight (convenient event)
One of my students offered to improve my business in return for free flying lessons and he increased the business by 20% in two months (convenient event)
A friend convinced me to lease the first Sling aircraft to delivered into Australia (convenient event)
One of my students bent the nosewheel and damaged the engine on one of my aircraft (inconvenient event)
I started two more flight schools at other locations and revenue increases another thirty percent (convenient event)
My reliable CFI/Manager supervising two of those locations had to quit without notice for personal reasons and I was forced to close one of the new flight school locations down and oversee the other two myself (inconvenient event)
I created a Learn to Fly DVD and the income from that eventually replaced the income from my closed flight schools (convenient event)
Over the course of a few months, one of my students becomes a good friend to me and mentors and improves my website and business systems and eventually steps into the role of Operations Manager (convenient event)
The mother of my four children tells me she has fallen in love with someone else and wants to separate, putting my peace of mind, and therefore my business, at risk, as well as taking up all my time (inconvenient event)
My new friend who is also my Operations Manager offers to manage the flight school while I sort out my marriage separation (convenient event)
I decided to combine my two local flights schools into one larger flight school at the most popular location, to save costs and increase efficiency (inconvenient and convenient event)
Approached for employment by an Instructor recently arrived from NZ, whom I employed and who has proven to be so reliable that I have been able to stop working weekends and I have great plans for his future (convenient event)
Met my new life partner who just happens to also have experience in editing, marketing, website creation, real estate, customer service, accounting and risk management, and who also likes cooking and already has adult children (convenient event)
Met and then partnered with a student who wanted to learn to fly and also owned a video production company. Together we came up with the idea to film an online reality TV show which has the potential to further promote GoFly Aviation (convenient event)
Later, with this Video Director and my then Operations Manager, we created the world’s first online Learn to Fly lessons in 360-degree video, which can potentially bring in income any time of the day and regardless of weather (convenient event)
The wet season came early in 2017, bringing with it the wettest November in eight years and causing three weeks of cancelled flights (inconvenient event)
Began planning a business partnership with another of my students who happens to be a mortgage broker (convenient event)

I hope it is evident by now that operating a business – and life itself – is full of surprises. Some of these surprises are good and some not so good. While I make a decent income I am hardly rich. If you are looking to start a business in order to just make money, you are deluding yourself and you are going to be vastly disappointed.

Some of the unique challenges owning a flight school include but are not limited to:

Weather

This one is the biggest challenge. Imagine running a restaurant and every week for one or two days, and once a month for four days straight, the electricity gets cut off to your restaurant and you cannot trade on those days. Worse still, you where fully booked on those days and had expected all that income. That is sort of what it feels like to operate a flight school.

The weather is never constant; wind and rain can stop you trading for weeks at a time. This means your cash flow is not constant, so you need to be very disciplined at putting aside a lot of the money that you make while the weather is good, to pay for the fixed costs which are there regardless of weather. If you don’t, you will go out of business very fast.

The first two years of owning a flight school were hell for me. I had come from a corporate management job and was used to a regular income. It was hard to look at the calendar and know that all aircraft were fully booked for the week ahead but I was going to be unable to fly due to rain. On a good week I can make $3,000 profit. If it rains during a fully booked week I can loose $3,000 from my reserve PLUS not make the $3,000 profit, so I end up about $6,000 down.

It might appear that on busy weeks you are striking it rich, however after you average your profit and losses out over time, the profit margins are actually quite thin.

Maintenance

Aircraft cost money to maintain and I am meticulous about how our aircraft are maintained. At times routine maintenance may end up taking longer than expected, and occasionally non-routine maintenance is required, which means the aircraft is then unavailable. For each day that one of my aircraft is offline due maintenance, I lose the potential to earn $1800 in revenue. You can imagine how it feels to have have a busy week of flying booked, but an engine part is delayed and your aircraft is offline for three days more than it should have been (ouch).

Staff

Hiring good, competent staff who are passionate about flying is critical if you want to stay in this business. The other reality is that unless your flight school trains full time commercial pilots the business cannot warrant paying full-time flight instructors . If a plane is unavailable, if the weather is bad or a student cancels, the instructors don’t get paid. A man with four children would soon go broke if he had to pay instructors who are not actually flying, on top of the fixed rental costs during weeks of bad weather. I am now in the position to be able to give most of the flying hours to my three main staff members – especially at weekends – rather than do it myself. I now mainly instruct navigation lessons and do the testing. I also have a number of casual employees whom I can call on if we get really busy or my regular Instructors are sick or on leave.

The ‘nice to have’ business

The flying school model is a ‘nice to have’ business. What do I mean by that? A supermarket is a HAVE TO HAVE business; unless you grow your own, everyone HAS to buy food. Not everyone HAS to learn to fly a plane. It is a business that is dependent on people’s discretionary income, which means that if a student gets a big tax or dentist bill and they need to spend less that week, guess what gets cancelled first? That’s right, their flying lesson. So cancellations from students, without much notice, are quite common and quite frustrating, especially when staff have travelled all the way to the airport expecting to teach that day.

Competitive environment

Owning a flying school, and particularly a recreational flying school, can be a lifestyle business for some owners. What this means is that this type of business attracts individuals who start the business for lifestyle reasons only, and not as their main source of income. A good example is the retired engineer who is also an instructor, and who decides to start his own school flight school because he is bored with retirement. There’s nothing wrong with this in theory except that this retired engineer might have less overheads and he is happy to undercut his competitors’ hourly rate because he doesn’t really need to make a profit or grow his business. This is bad news for any nearby business which is actually trying to pay staff a decent wage and turn a profit in order to grow the business.

How to deal with business stress and worry

I would be lying if I said I never worry; I am human and I am not the Dalai Lama. When I first started the school, there were times – due to unforeseen circumstances – that I was unable to sleep because I was worrying about whether I would be able to afford rent the following week or whether my electricity might be cut off because I hadn’t paid the bill yet. Thankfully, as time goes by, my stress and worry have reduced considerably (and my cash reserves have grown thank goodness). I do let worry creep in occasionally but I am aware of it now and have learned how to deal with it so it doesn’t affect my sleep or my enjoyment of owning a business.

Below I have outlined some strategies I use to reduce worry and stress:

Learn from others: I read a lot of books, in fact, I read almost one new book each week. The books I read are business, motivational, spiritual and autobiographies. I would not be able to continue doing the work I love, or coping with the frustrations of owning a business, had I not been an avid reader, and learning from others’ success and failures. Reading puts you into the mind of individuals who have done what you are trying to do and have learnt valuable lessons. There are also many books on dealing with stress. Also while you are focusing on reading, you’re not worrying!

Meditation: I meditate regularly to quiet my mind and I find that this also allows creative insight to flow freely.

Mentors: I have many trusted mentors whom I can call when the going gets tough, and who will offer me objective advice and encouragement.

Quality relationships: This helps me put things into perspective.It is our close relationships that really matter the most in life, and these relationships are my number one priority and also partly the ‘reason why’ I operate my own business. Spending time with my partner, kids and extended family reminds me that worry is just a waste of my time.

Time in nature: I walk regularly in nature, in particular on the beach. The ocean has an incredible ability to relieve any stress.

Despite all the challenges I still love being an Instructor and I love owning a flying school. Maybe I’m masochist but I really would not change a thing that I have experienced over the last eight years.

There have been some challenging moments where I thought I might lose the business, but the love of what I was doing kept me going through those times. When you go through struggles, you learn so much about yourself and other people. I believe we grow the most mentally, emotionally and spiritually when we challenge ourselves and overcome adversity.

My reason ‘why’ is powerful: I love flying, I love teaching, I love owning the business and I love coming up with visions for how I want the Flight School to develop and then implementing those ideas. When I was a teenager learning to fly, I had some awful experiences with both lousy flight schools and lousy instructors and this frustration is one of my drivers to make sure that learning to fly is a positive life-changing experience for all of GoFly’s customers.

A flying school business is such a positive business to be involved it. All the customers that come to GoFly to learn to fly are ‘can do’ people who want to be here and they believe in themselves and their capabilities. I have made some great friendships with many of our customers and flight instructors over the last eight years and this also continues to drive and inspire me.

Owning a business involves a never-ending pursuit of improvement. So if your reason ‘why’ is meaningful enough to you, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a coffee shop, an online business or a flying school, you will find a way to make your business thrive.

Damien

CEO, GoFly Group

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 24/10/201707/11/2019 by ay6dpm

Why navigating an aircraft is not that hard – even without GPS

Why navigating an aircraft is not that hard (even without a GPS)

I love instructing and I really love supervising a student’s navigation training.

Many students start their training with the expectation that navigation training, and navigating successfully, is going to be really hard work.

I think part of the reason is that when you start learning to navigate, you are bombarded with all this new information such as flight planning, weather, magnetic track, wind, time and distance. It is a lot of information to take in, so we assume it’s hard! It isn’t hard, it’s just a lot of information. Once you understand and master this information, all of it makes sense and it can all be practically applied to your training.

Navigating is only hard if you DON’T follow the process and the process is very simple:

Are you feeling fit enough to fly (no stress, no recent illness, plenty of sleep)?
Get the weather report (if it looks good continue; if not, stay at home and read a good book)
Do your flight plan for your intended route
Pre-flight and fuel the plane
Take note of the time you departed and add to tit he time you calculated for your arrival at your next waypoint. (Do inflight navigation checks as per your checklist.)
Use the three main navigation tools to determine whether you are on track or off track and where exactly that you are.

The three tools are:

BIG PICTURE – does the scenery around you on a large scale look where it should be in relation to your map, for instance on the east coast of Australia if you departed a coastal airport and headed north, the ocean should be on the right after you depart (sounds simple doesn’t it?!)
SMALL PICTURE – look for small details on the map that confirm your position fix is actually the town, the road or whatever you have planned to be flying over (eg a road and river intersecting a power line through the town)
TIME – This one is critical. Nothing works without time. For instance if you travelled for forty nautical miles and you think the town you’re flying over is Town B but you’re not meant to be at Town B for another twenty minutes then either your tail wind has increased by over 100 knots (unlikely), or it’s actually some other town on your map (more likely). Time is the glue that holds everything together when you are navigating.

Yes, there are other things you need to do while flying, such as fuel logs and re-estimating your ground speed and radio calls but these can all be done methodically one step at a time.

When a new student asks me how long will my navigation training take to complete, I always tell them that firstly it’s competency-based and that it is really hard to answer accurately, and secondly, it really depends on how much time they are willing to put into practicing the process at home before they fly. If they can perfect the process at home before they even get into the aircraft, then they are going to save themselves a lot of time and money in the air.

Obviously I have simplified the entire process a little bit, but my point is that navigating isn’t really hard; it’s just something new and exciting to learn, and if you follow the correct process, and put the time and effort into practicing it at home, that process can become quite easy.

When asked by students what’s the most difficult part of learning how to navigate, I often jokingly say that the hardest thing is trying to fold a map within the confines of a small aircraft – and there is some truth to this!

Happy and safe flying.

Damien Wills

CEO, GoFly Group

August 2018

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 23/10/201707/11/2019 by ay6dpm

Is it better to learn to fly at a controlled or non-controlled aerodrome?

Is it better to learn to fly at a controlled or non-controlled airport?

As the owner of a busy flight school I often get asked by prospective students whether it is better to learn at a controlled or non-controlled aerodrome.

By ‘controlled’, we mean Class D towered aerodromes like Archerfield or Maroochydore, while ‘non-controlled’ refers to aerodromes situated in class G non-controlled aerodromes such as Caloundra or Redcliffe and these aerodromes are known as CTAF aerodromes (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency).

I learnt to fly at a controlled Aerodrome (Camden) a long long time ago and have flown commercial flights into many controlled aerodromes over the last 26 years.

The major difference is that at a controlled aerodrome you have to get clearance before you can start your engine and taxi to the runway. Everything you do in relation to flying in and around the aerodrome has to be approved by the air traffic controller. In many ways this can make flying easier, however when we add in regular public transport and big jets into the equation it can become problematic for trainee students.

At a non-controlled aerodrome you simply transmit your intentions and keep separation with other aircraft by using see and avoid technique, using the radio and following basic rules that govern who gives way to whom.

I have outlined below, the three reasons why I am slightly in favour learning to fly at a non-controlled aerodrome.

1.COMPLEXITY

The biggest issue I have with learning to fly in a controlled environment is it adds more complexity and workload for the student pilot and instructor.

If you are flying at an airport with airline operations, it also increases the wait time on the ground and possibly in the air.

When you are first learning to fly you have a lot to remember, so having to deal with the complexities of operating in a controlled aerodrome will just add to the student’s (and Instructor’s) stress levels.

For recreational pilots who have no interest in becoming an airline pilot, this added complexity can rob the pilot of the joys of flying.

If your ultimate aim is to become an airline pilot, I can see the benefits of beginning your learning in a controlled environment, however, there are enough challenges and anxiety in the early days of your training, without adding in this complexity – which can be built up to once the student has mastered the basic skills of flying.

2.EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

It is also lot easier to practice emergency procedures at a non-controlled aerodrome than a controlled aerodrome, as you have more freedom. At Caloundra airport, training aircraft from flying schools located at controlled aerodromes actually fly to our non-ccontrolled aerodrome to teach students their emergency procedures while completing circuits.

I am not suggesting flying at a non-controlled aerodrome is easy and it does have its own challenges however for the novice pilot I believe it allows more room to grow and develop.

3.WAIT TIMES (WHICH INCREASE THE COST OF FLIGHT TRAINING)

When I first started GoFly Aviation on the Sunshine Coast I had the choice of setting up at Sunshine Coast or Caloundra Aerodrome. The choice was an easy one. While I completed my commercial and Instrument rating at Sunshine Coast Aerodrome I remember spending considerable time taxiing on the ground waiting for Qantas or Virgin jets to land or take off. One time I was kept holding in a twin-engine trainer for 20 minutes (at a cost of about $200) while multiple jets were cleared for take off. Imagine completing your first solo flight then being asked to extend your downwind so a Boeing 737 can land first.

It would be very unusual that you will have to wait any longer than five minutes to take off at a non-controlled aerodrome.

I want our students to get value for money while learning to fly, and waiting on the ground, or in the air for clearance, can add substantially to the cost of flight training.

Ultimately it is the quality of the training that counts and not whether you learn at a controlled or non controlled aerodrome. So in the end it may just come down to personal preference.

Happy and safe flying.

Damien Wills

CEO, GoFly Group

September 2018

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 21/09/201703/09/2019 by ay6dpm

Five reasons why the future of recreational and general aviation is going to be awesome

As the owner of a flying school I am often frustrated with the media and how they represent general or recreational aviation in Australia. The coverage is either news of an aircraft crash or how some flight school has either closed down or is struggling to survive with dwindling student numbers.

Rarely do the media portray good news stories of individuals or organisations which are making a positive difference in the flight training industry.

The last positive large-scale media release for general aviation that I can remember was the story of Lachlan Smart from the Sunshine Coast being the youngest pilot to fly around the world in a single engine Cirrus aircraft (incidentally he did one of his first trial flights with GoFly).

The latest news hitting our media outlets refers to the collapse of many general aviation schools and the demise of VET fee help for aspiring pilots.

I have always been an eternal optimist and I honestly believe that the future of general and recreational aviation has never been brighter. We are currently in the midst of a transition from what I call industrial low-tech thinking and low-tech machinery to high-tech thinking and technology.

Part of the decline in flight training is due to old bureaucratic rules and regulations that do not make sense in today’s high-tech culture and partly due to many industry professionals and business owners not willing to change with the times (e.g. trying to attract new young trainee pilots by using a 40 year old Cessna for flight training).

Below I have outlined five reasons why the future of flight training and General and Recreational Aviation has never been brighter.

Flight simulation, augmented and virtual reality will be the next huge growth industry

Flight simulation, augmented and virtual reality will be reduce the cost for pilots of learning to fly and of remaining current. It will allow flight schools to introduce advanced simulation training at a greatly reduced capital acquisition cost. Augmented reality will allow both flight simulation and hardware to co-exist simultaneously. Online training will be available in standard interactive and a 360 immersive environment, to allow students to study and train anywhere, anytime. We have just created and offered the world’s first 360VR flight lesson at www.gofly360.com.au With augmented reality you could have an instructor teacher online and explaining the lift to drag ratio at home in your loungeroom while you can still see everyone else in the room. I would also suggest looking at www.magicleap.com to see how this technology is going to impact on training.

The new ‘Part 23’ certification process for General Aviation Aircraft

I am amazed at how few industry professionals know about these sweeping changes that have just taken effect in the USA. The new rule replaces the old certification rules that were exceedingly expensive and cumbersome. Basically, under the old rule, to certify a newly designed and introduced four seat General Aviation Aircraft would cost anywhere from $10-15m million. The cost will now be $1-2 million. Similar to how Sport Aviation has reinvigorated the flight training and leisure flying industry, I believe this new change to the certification will as well. Under the ‘Part 23’, electric aircraft are also covered and this will allow innovative entrepreneurs to design, test and certify new revolutionary aircraft which will inspire individuals to learn to fly. It will also bring the cost of each aircraft down, making purchasing an aircraft for personal use more affordable.

The rise of the electric aircraft

When I suggest to students and friends that within 10 years a large proportion of recreational aircraft will be electric, I often get laughed at. The main area of contention in the debate is battery weight and power. While I agree that current battery technology works fine for cars, the weight and charge issue is still an issue for light aircraft. They just are not (yet) as efficient as piston engines in relation to weight versus power. Car manufacturers are currently spending billions of dollars on battery research (thanks Elon) and development, to improve energy density for a longer drive times. This technology will flow through to aviation. Pipistrel aircraft already have an electric aircraft trainer called the Alpha. It has a battery life of just over an hour which is fine for flight training. They are also developing a four- seat electric aircraft called the Panthera (www.panthera-aircraft.com ) Electric aircraft will reduce the cost of flight training as fuel is cheaper and maintenance costs will reduce, making flying safer as electric engines are far more reliable than piston engines.

A new age of personal and recreational flying, the Electric VTOL

Of all the new technology that will assist with reinvigorating the light aircraft industry none offers as much hope as the VTOL electric aircraft. One of the issues with using aircraft for personal transport is that you currently have to physically land the aircraft on a narrow runway in sometimes challenging or windy conditions. Basically you have to fly a lot to remain current and safe, and although landing an aircraft on a runway in challenging conditions is extremely rewarding many individuals just find the thought of doing this beyond their capability. Added to this is the fact that you cannot land a fixed wing plane where you want, you will always require an airport.

I believe that the advances in VTOL technology and fly by wire system will make piloting an electric VTOL aircraft easy for anyone. The onboard computers will adjust to the wind and allow you to land with pinpoint accuracy almost wherever you want. Uber is also in discussion with companies who are developing this technology for on demand air travel. Imagine being able to take off vertically from your rural home and commute to work 100kms away within 20 minutes of flight time and land beside your workplace at a VTOL landing station. Don’t believe this is coming? I suggest you take a look at Boeing’s recent announcement about $2m in prizes for the invention of the world’s first personal aircraft and the technology being used at www.lilium.com

and the

Airlines are growing and pilot-less airliners are still a long, long, long way away

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts airline passenger numbers will double over the next twenty years. Latest research also suggests less than 20 percent of us would be comfortable flying in an airliner without a pilot (fully autonomous). Long story short, the demand for airline pilots is going to be here for a long time. What is currently lacking is innovative government regulation. Currently most governments still insist on offering a commercial pilot’s syllabus that was devised just after World World II. I believe governments will eventually be forced to change their current regulations to cope with the impending pilot shortage. I believe that the future of Commercial pilot training could look something like this.

Initial pilot’s licence conducted in a small cost-effective electric training aircraft
All theory to be conducted online using AI (artificial intelligence) and augmented reality
Theory to be practical and focused on what is required to become a safe competent airline pilot (instead of trying to prove the pilot is smart enough to pass an exam made up of information that is irrelevant)
The majority of flight training to be conducted in advanced low-cost flight simulation to simulate airline flying
More time spent under supervision as First Officer before progressing to Captain level

What is required is more innovative and entrepreneurial thinkers and doers to make this future a reality. The good news is that much of what I have discussed is already happening. I am very excited about the future and cannot wait to be able to offer flight training in an all electric VTOL aircraft at GoFly Aviation in the not too distant future.

What you believe is self-fulfilling: if you believe the future looks bright for aviation then that is what you will create and expect. As the brilliant science fiction author William Gibson once stated, ‘The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed yet’.

Damien Wills, CFI

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 25/08/201707/11/2019 by ay6dpm

Great places to visit now that you can fly a plane

There is something magical about flying an aircraft into an new destination then stopping for lunch or an overnight stay.

As the owner of a busy flying school I often get asked by pilots who have obtained their cross country endorsement, about places to fly to for the day or for an overnight stay.

Knowing that most of my customers will be taking their partner, I usually suggest a place within a two hundred nautical mile range, so that the maximum flight time each way is around two hours. I don’t know about you, but I find that two hours is about the maximum time my bladder can last before a rest stop is required.

Below I have included just three of the many day or overnight trips which can be done from the Sunshine Coast area if you’re travelling in an aircraft that cruises around 100kts.

ORCHID BEACH, FRASER ISLAND

This runway is situated on the northern tip of Fraser Island. The beach is spectacular and the grass runway is conveniently situated in between the pub and the beach!

There are also plenty of well-priced units and houses within walking distance of the runway to rent for an overnight stay. The runway is a little rough but can handle a recreational aircraft with not too many issues. I took the 4 seater Cessna when I went. The aerodrome is privately owned and you need to ring Orchid Beach Trading Post store for more information on 07 4127 9220. They are very friendly and encourage pilots to land there, as the strip does not get a lot of use.

It is an exciting runway to land on as you have two large sand dunes either end of the runway. You have to complete a slightly angled final approach on both runways to give better clearance of these sand dunes. The runway itself is quite easy to land on providing the winds are below 15 kts.

It is around a 3 hour round trip from Caloundra in our Sling aircraft. For more information go to www.orchidbeachrentals.com and https://airportguide.com/airport/runway/YORC

CHERRABAH HOMESTEAD RESORT

Cherrabah Homestead Resort is a low-key country retreat situated outside of country Warwick, situated high on a mountain on 5086 acres and 3000 feet above sea level with views overlooking Elbow Valley and the Great Dividing Range. It has its own sealed runway which they allow guests to land on. The resort has tennis courts, horse riding, quad bikes and oher activities for guests.

From Caloundra allow 2 to 2.5 hours in the Sling aircraft. While I have not been to this resort myself, plenty of my customers have flown in and spent the night in rural QLD. For more info, go to www.cherrabah.com.au and for runway info go to https://airportguide.com/airport/info/YCHB.

EVANS HEAD

Evans head on the beautiful north coast of NSW is a great place to visit for a day or overnight stay. The public runway is situated about 2km from town (a long walk or very cheap uber trip) and the beach.

The town has plenty of accommodation options and restaurants. It is only a two and a half hour flight from the Sunshine Coast in a Sling or Texan aircraft. The aerodrome also has its own museum. For more information go to www.evansheadairpark.com.au and https://airportguide.com/airport/info/EVH

These are just some of the wonderful destinations you can easily visit in a day. There are many more towns and airports within this range all over southern QLD and northern NSW. I would recommend using Google maps and your ERSA book to discover other great destinations.

One of our Sling aircraft is available for day and overnight hire. Further information from our website or by calling 0426 282 226.

(Please be advised this is only general advice only and it is the responsibility of the pilot in command to research all runway information in relation to suggested destinations.)

Damien Wills

CEO, GoFly Group

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 17/07/201728/03/2020 by ay6dpm

How and why we created the world’s first 360 degree online flight lessons

Why we created GoFly Online
and how it can help your flight training

In 2014 I decided to make the first Australian ‘Recreational Learn to Fly’ DVD series. The reason I created the DVDs was because I discovered students were not remembering everything they learned during their flight lessons and they wanted a way to both remember what they had learnt on that particular lesson as well as a way of preparing for the next lesson.

I advertised the DVDs in print magazines and posted them out when people ordered them. The DVDs sold very well and received excellent feedback from both students and instructors across Australia. About two years ago I considered upgrading the DVDs to an online version and also thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could also offer the inflight lessons in 360-degree video so it can be viewed on a VR headset?’.

The main issue at the time was internet speed and there were not many VR headsets available and they were very expensive. Added to this, the 360-degree cameras were also very expensive and editing the footage was labor intensive if I did it myself or very expensive if I got a production company to do it. As the flight school was very busy, I decided to put the upgrade project on hold.

I am a firm believer that if you are on the right track then the right people and circumstances will show up in your life to help make your dreams a reality.

In 2016, Stephen, the owner of a production company (Light Studios) rang me wanting to make an online reality tv show at GoFly, about his own journey from nervous flyer to potential pilot. We started making the show, called Taking Flight. We filmed Stephen’s flights and, coincidentally, his production company also created 360-degree videos.

Over the next 6 months, Jeremy (GoFly’s then General Manager), Stephen and I put our creative hats on and filmed the world’s first 360-degree learn to fly videos to be available on the Vimeo on Demand platform.

Creating the 360-video was not an easy process. Firstly we had to purchase an expensive VR camera that used two 4k cameras and two spherical lenses. We mounted the camera on a special tripod on the student’s seat so the camera was situated exactly where the student’s head would normally be.

Over the next six months I then filmed every Pilot Certificate lesson in detail pretending the camera was a real student. We had many retakes and the biggest bugbear was that the camera kept overheating in the hot Qld sun and so we had to shoot in 20 minute sessions, wait for the camera to cool down then shoot again! The other issue at the time was that the sound had to be recorded on a separate camera then synched to the 360 footage during the editing process.

When shooting footage there is generally six times as much footage as ends up in an episode, so the raw footage used an incredible amount of data storage to get it through the editing stage. After three months of editing, Stephen finished all the lessons in March 2017.

We filmed all the RAA pre-flight training lessons in standard-view and offered the inflight lessons in standard view as well as the innovative 360-degree footage.

We used the 360-videos as training aids at our GoFly Aviation school and the feedback was fantastic. The 360-video can be viewed through any mobile device in 360 format with a $25-$75 VR headset (prices have come down in the last few years). The benefit of watching the learn to fly lessons in the 360 format is that you are completely immersed in the cockpit and you can see exactly what the student pilot sees in 360-degree HD video.

Fast-forward to 2018 and by then we had shot all RPC ab initio lessons and now had over 22 episodes of Taking Flight on the Vimeo platform. Our students were using it at the flight school and were also able to use it at home online or offline. But it was hard for other customers to find on Vimeo or via our own website and it just wasn’t selling as a stand alone product. I truly believed that these videos would reduce training time for students, enable them to save money and make them a better and safer pilot. We needed to create a website just for the videos.

I approached one of our existing students, Thomas Gregg, who ran a web design/SEO company in Brisbane. He agreed to come on board and design the GoFly Online site, complete with categories for RPC, Cross Country, Resources, Interviews with Pilots, the free GoFly Fix videos and blogs. We put a plan in place for further videos and sought out a Commercial pilot to produce some GA videos. My reading led me to believe that having an online side to the business would help us survive any downturns in the economy. I also discovered a new suffix for websites, so we changed from ‘.com.au’ to ‘.online’. We divided the content up into Free videos as well as, Basic and Premium content by subscription ($99 or $199). By now we had over 100 videos and 25 blogs.

At the GoFly Aviation flight schools on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, all new students receive a free subscription (basic for the casual students and Premium for those flying more than 4 hours per week and continuing on to do nav training). The new website looks great and we can project it onto the wall or screen it on the work computers for those who haven’t watched the relevant lesson at home or need to watch it again. Some students say they listen to the audio as a refresher, as they drive to the school. Despite my partner’s best efforts at promoting it, it still wasn’t selling to anyone outside our own school.

To eliminate price as a barrier to purchasing, we provided a monthly option ($9.90 or $19.90) and we included a 7-day money back guarantee. We attended aviation expos and demonstrated the product and gave out business cards containing the URL. We made more content. We released free content linked back to the URL. We placed ads in a couple of aviation magazines. Finally, some sales started trickling in from around Australia and gave us the motivation to keep at it and the confidence to buy some new equipment for filming..

In late 2019 our flight school leased a Cirrus and we partnered with a GA pilot to produce some Cirrus and GA content. We have also filmed interviews with a number of commercial pilots. We have plans to include a quiz at the end of each video so students can test their understanding of the lesson and, eventually, their instructor will also be able to access these results to see if the student understands.

We won’t give away any of our exciting future plans, but there are plenty. Our vision is for GoFly Online to create the largest collection of quality inspirational, educational and entertainment aviation videos on the planet. Our aim is to inspire individuals to fly and, once started on their journey, make the process as enjoyable as possible and help to create safer pilots!.

We have made the first flight lesson in each category on the site free. Enjoy!

Damien Wills

CEO, GoFly Group

Click on this link to read further aviation blogs by Damien.

Posted on 12/03/201708/11/2019 by ay6dpm

The challenges of running a flight school while being followed around by a film crew

Being a Chief Pilot can be both rewarding and challenging. If we add to that the complexities of operating a small business it can feel like at times you are juggling ten bowling balls while riding a unicycle on a tightrope. Maybe I have exaggerated a tad, but I think you get the picture, it can be very challenging.

Of course I would never give it up because I love what I do. Last June my operations Manager Jeremy suggested we create a reality tv show on what it was like to Learn to fly and operate a flight school. I thought it was a brilliant idea but we were so busy I just could not see how we could have the time to create such a series and make it look professional enough to make it worth our while.(an that others would want to watch)

Maybe it was synchronicity or serendipity, but just one week later I received a call from Stephen Limkin, the owner the production company Light Studios, to see if I was interested in making a reality tv show on flight training. Ten years ago I would have fallen off my chair, but after operating a business for the last seven years these coincidences have been happening on a regular basis.

I said “yes” of course and filming commenced two months later.

Being a Chief Pilot and business owner you have to deal with so many variables, weather, student motivation and maintenance in what is a highly competitive industry. Now the business had to deal with a film crew following them around all the time. Each of our aircraft was transformed into a flying movie studio.

Stephen as creative director is a perfectionist and we had to have four cameras with two microphone recording devices in each aircraft while flying. Did I also mention everything was shot with 4K cameras, that’s about four times better quality than normal high definition?

I thought our customers might be annoyed with camera crews following them around all day but the majority of customers loved it and were excited to be part of something special and unique.

Interestingly, I also got to see how each of the other GoFly Instructors interacted with real students in the air. When I do check flights with my Instructors, it is their CFI flying with them pretending to be a student, so of course they act differently with the CFI and owner. It was refreshing and exciting to see the unrehearsed instructing for the first time, and fortunately, I was very happy with what I witnessed.

What I love about the ‘Taking Flight’ series is that it reveals so much about what it is like to learn to fly; to be a flight instructor;and to operate a complex business such as a flying school. It also shows the human element, the fears and hopes and what it is like to stretch yourself mentally and emotionally.

The extra work involved creating this series has been well worth the effort and one of the biggest benefits of saying yes to assisting Light Studios with its creation, is getting to know Stephen the owner, Jared, the director of Photography – and fostering these new friendships.

The first episode will be released on YouTube on Wednesday 15 March, with each subsequent episode released fortnightly. You can see the trailer here. There is also a website for Taking Flight where you can subscribe in order to be notified of each new episode; and a Facebook page.

My hope is that the Taking Flight series will inspire others to learn to fly; or to start their own business; or to simply say YES to trying something different and exciting in their own lives.

Damien Wills, CFI

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Posted on 22/01/201703/09/2019 by ay6dpm — Leave a comment

You can’t buy yourself a Pilot Licence (how flight training really works)

You can’t buy yourself a Pilot Licence
(how flight training really works)

As the Chief Pilot and owner of a busy flying school, one of my main roles is making sure our customer’s expectations are met. This comes down to clear communication on how the student’s flight training course will progress even before they complete their first lesson.

It also means giving honest feedback along the student’s flight training journey.

The good news is that 99% of students get it, and what I mean by that is they clearly understand what the flight school expectations and their own expectations are and what is required for them to pass their flight test to achieve their Pilot Certificates. (I am also not suggesting that all flight schools get it right all of the time – including myself – for instance, some students get along better with certain instructors than others and learn better with a certain personality type. This happens in all service-based businesses.) By all means if you have a legitimate complaint with your service or training then speak up, we want to hear from you. The 1% of students I am referring to are those who make flight training more difficult than it has to be for themselves and for the flight school.

Below I have outlined some of the typical behaviours of the one percent of students who don’t understand how flight training works (even though we have explained it to them numerous times) and who are always the first to complain when things do not go their way.

I just have to show up

That’s right, they think that just showing up and going for their flight lesson will get them across the line. They have forgotten that flight training is a 50/50 partnership with their flight instructors and they still have to put at least 50% of the effort in to get themselves across the line. This includes study and or practicing their flying procedures when they are not flying.

Money will get me across the line

They believe that because they are paying for lessons that they are owed a Pilot Certificate or licence. I explain to every customer when they start, that flying is competency-based. This means that you have to meet certain competent levels to pass certain milestones in your flight training. If you don’t meet these competency requirements we simply cannot send you solo or pass you during a flight test.

I will obtain my Pilot Certificate in the minimum legal time allowed

This one is related to money and many new customers see the minimum legal hours and think that everyone gets their licence within that time. It does not help that a lot of flight schools quote the minimums and do not explain to the customer that only a small percentage of their customers obtain their Pilot Certificate in the minimum time.

I clearly explain to every customer that the minimum is a starting point and that the Pilot Certificate is competency-based. If you are not at the standard required, we will not be handing you a Pilot Certificate after 20 hours.

I don’t take criticism too well

Flight training is two steps forward and one step back. Eventually you will get there but there are days when you will not perform very well. As an instructor, it is our job to identify weaknesses and communicate that to the student so they can improve. Some students do not like to receive any critical feedback and they see it as an attack on their ego.

My friend went solo after ten hours so why haven’t I gone solo yet?

This one is a common one. They compare and compete with a friend or family member who has done some flight training and think if they have not achieved the same result that the school is to blame for their shortcomings or they begin to question their own talent for flying. The truth is that no two students are the same. I have had students go solo in record time and others take twice as long; everyone learns at their own individual pace.

The blame game

Many students cannot own the fact that their performance, or attitude, or nerves are affecting their ability to pass or reach a certain level. These performance issues can be affected by a host of human factors issues such as age, health and stress or just different learning styles.They can also be affected by the varying and complex personality types that humans possess. Many of these students will blame their instructor or the weather or any other external factor without accepting that the issue is actually themselves. The roadblock is something they need to work on within themselves.

I once failed a young student after he completed his flight test and his Dad was very angry at me for failing his son. He insisted, “But you said he was ready for a flight test”. I calmly explained that yes, he was ready for the flight test but today he was not ready to pass that test. The poor student did his best but did not perform on the day due to nerves. His dad clearly did not get it; his attitude was that you advised that my son was ready and I paid you, so you should pass him.

Flight Training is about self development

Your Flight Instructor is a skilled guide and motivator who creates a safe structure for you in which to learn how to fly and achieve your dream. However it is up to you to humbly take the constructive criticism, incorporate the feedback, do the study, improve and grow.

Your Flight Instructor cannot get YOU across the line, they can show you the way but only YOU can get yourself there.

Fortunately most students get it, they understand that flying is both challenging and rewarding. They understand it is competency-based and not time-based. They understand that money will not buy them a licence.

Your hard-earned money will allow you to hire a plane and an instructor but it’s actually YOU who determines how the flight training will progress and if you will eventually realise your dream of flight.

Damien Wills

CEO, GoFly Group

Click on this link to read further blogs by Damien.

Caloundra, Sunshine Coast

Flights 7 days per week
7.30am - 3.30pm

Phone: 07 5341 8125
9am-3pm Mon-Sun

Category: Latest News

General Aviation is dying and here are ten radical suggestions for saving it!

General Aviation is dying and
here are 10 radical ideas for saving it!

The insanity of noise complaints from people who choose to live near airports

The insanity of noise complaints from people who choose to live near airports

The honest truth about owning and operating a flight school as a business

The honest truth about owning
and operating a flight school as a business

Why navigating an aircraft is not that hard – even without GPS

Why navigating an aircraft is not that hard (even without a GPS)

Is it better to learn to fly at a controlled or non-controlled aerodrome?

Is it better to learn to fly at a controlled or non-controlled airport?

Five reasons why the future of recreational and general aviation is going to be awesome

Five reasons why the future of recreational and general aviation is going to be awesome

Great places to visit now that you can fly a plane

Great places to visit now that you can fly a plane

How and why we created the world’s first 360 degree online flight lessons

Why we created GoFly Online
and how it can help your flight training

The challenges of running a flight school while being followed around by a film crew

The challenges of running a flight school while being followed around by a film crew

You can’t buy yourself a Pilot Licence (how flight training really works)

You can’t buy yourself a Pilot Licence
(how flight training really works)

General Aviation is dying and here are 10 radical ideas for saving it!

The insanity of noise complaints from people who choose to live near airports

The honest truth about owning and operating a flight school as a business

Why navigating an aircraft is not that hard (even without a GPS)

Is it better to learn to fly at a controlled or non-controlled airport?

Five reasons why the future of recreational and general aviation is going to be awesome

Great places to visit now that you can fly a plane

Why we created GoFly Online and how it can help your flight training

The challenges of running a flight school while being followed around by a film crew

You can’t buy yourself a Pilot Licence (how flight training really works)

General Aviation is dying and
here are 10 radical ideas for saving it!

The honest truth about owning
and operating a flight school as a business

Why we created GoFly Online
and how it can help your flight training

You can’t buy yourself a Pilot Licence
(how flight training really works)