I just ran across an article titled “Aviation’s airwaves” by Alexa James in the Times Herald-Record. The story is about retired U.S. Navy Capt. Frederick “Fritz” J. Kass, Jr., an airport director in Montgomery, New York. Along with running a successful airport, Kass set up a transmitter that broadcasts pilot communications on an FM frequency of 88.1. He maintains the low-power transmitter as a tool to educate and entertain the airport’s neighbors. “I wanted to demystify the airport, and help the local people enjoy an asset they ultimately own,” he said.
What a fantastic story! As AOPA and others in the aviation industry focus on reaching out to new pilot prospects to strengthen our sport, Kass has already started. Small efforts such as this will lead to big results. Can you imagine if every general aviation airport in the country did this? I bet the one or two observers that I see parked at my local airport on a nice Saturday morning would start to multiply…
Nice work Captain Kass! We need more ideas like this.
[tags]General Aviation, AOPA[/tags]
April 24th, 2006
I just listened to Jim Campbell’s interview of Flightstar and H-Power President Tom Peghiny on aero-news.net. Lots of great topics were discussed and it is abundantly clear that we all owe Tom a huge thanks for helping make the new light sport aircraft industry a reality. At the same time, I’m concerned that Tom’s vision for the future of the LSA market is too narrow to ensure long-term success. As Jim Campbell observed in the interview, “The initial signs of life [in the LSA industry] are us preaching to the choir. What do we do to grow the choir?”
Tom clearly stated a reliance on national organizations such as the EAA and their Sport Pilot Tour for promotion of the LSA industry. He stated, “The manufacturers can’t do it on their own - yet. Right now the whole industry is the equivalent of a big Toyota dealership.” I agree that the EAA and the Sport Pilot Tour are absolutely critical to the success of the industry. However, this view misses the bigger opportunity presented by the Sport Pilot rule. The EAA, with the exception of Young Eagles, is reaching out to current pilots and aviation enthusiasts - not to new individuals that might be interested in joining the sport.
A quick exercise: let’s think of the potential market for light sport aircraft as a scale from 1 to 5.
1. An individual that has always dreamed about flying but has never been in a small plane.
2. An aviation history buff, model airplane flyer, or flight sim pilot that always believed a private pilot license was financially out of reach.
3. Someone that took a few flight lessons but never finished due to cost, access or complexity.
4. A licensed pilot that is no longer current, unable to get a medical, or at risk of losing a medical. Or perhaps a proficient but unlicensed ultralight pilot.
5. A current and active private pilot that either owns or rents.
EAA, Airventure, and the Sport Pilot Tour are hitting the 4s and 5s and doing an excellent job of it. This is where all the early successes of 2005 are grounded. This is where the majority, if not all, of Flight Design CT’s first 113 sales occurred. But is it enough for long-term success? Maybe. Does it completely miss the larger opportunity? Absolutely.
This is where it gets interesting.
The above point-of-view has resulted in more than my fair share of eye rolls from industry leaders. The main response that I get from industry insiders is that they can’t keep up with demand. They are selling as many airplanes as they can deliver. They say ‘Why invest in marketing efforts (geared towards the 1s, 2s and 3s) when I already have all the customers I can handle?’
At the same time, the manufacturers are saying that establishing related services such as flight training, examiners, repairmen and service centers is critical for the success of the industry. In the interview, Tom stated that there are “pitifully few” flight schools capable of servicing the sport pilot market.
Let’s think about this for a minute. This is a true chicken/egg scenario. The industry is self-regulating demand through extremely limited marketing efforts while at the same time frustrated by the lack of services to support it’s customers. Anyone else see a conflict here?
What should we do?
For Sport Pilot, once the market is clearly established the services will follow and grow along with it. Here’s the kicker, airplanes do not need to be in the hands of the owner for the market to be established. Enough demand to generate highly publicized backorders will kick-start the service industry and launch sport pilot into a healthy and stable future. We need to create more demand and we need to do it now.
Does anybody remember back a few years ago, say about 1999, when Cirrus had literally hundreds of airplanes on backorder? Can anyone give me the peak number of backorders? — I want to say it was at least 500 or 600 airplanes. Demand drove more demand. Customers were more than willing to wait years to get their hands on coolest plane available.
How do we create demand? I’m talking real demand. Beyond those individuals with endangered medicals. We need to reach out to the 1s, 2s, and 3s. That is how we’ll establish a strong and vibrant industry.
One last thought…
My opinion, as an industry outsider, is that the LSA manufacturers suffer from a collective bout of low self esteem. Having grown out of the grassroots ultralight movement this is understandable. A clear example of this is Sport Aircraft Works marketing their Parrot aircraft as “Good Enough to be a Real Airplane.” Guess what? It is a real airplane!
So of the 30+ planes available today who is going to step up and market theirs as the best thing since the Wright Flyer? Who has the airplane that is so cool that it will pull new people into the sport? Which LSA is so exciting that it makes motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats, and a timeshare in Mexico look like the equivalent of watching paint dry? If it’s you, give me a call. I want to work with you.
[tags]aviation marketing, eaa, flight design, light sport aircraft, slsa, sport pilot[/tags]
April 18th, 2006
According to an Associated Press article published in the Casper, Wyoming Star Tribune, it appears as though the FAA is allowing Idaho to issue permits for aerial shooting of predators to protect livestock if their airplane qualifies as an LSA. According to the article:
“These are the newest, hottest things for ranchers,” said Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the FAA in Renton, Wash. “This is something people out West really wanted, to be able to use these aircraft out in the middle of nowhere to do the things they need to do.”
OK then. Maybe there is a new market here. However, the article goes on to state some scary statistics and a few wild inaccuracies about Sport Pilot. For example, the article quotes lobbyist Stanley Boyd who is just plain wrong when he states:
“Now, ranchers can take eight hours of instruction, pay a small certification fee and then just take a felt pen to write your ‘N’ number on the side of your craft and bingo, you’re legal.”
Anyone that reads this blog knows I’m a huge proponent of bringing new blood into the sport of aviation. However, this is NOT what I had in mind…
Read the full article.
[tags]light sport aircraft, SLSA, Sport Pilot[/tags]
April 16th, 2006
Senior Correspondent Kevin R.C. O’Brien from Aero-News.net found another marketing guru with a focus on light sport aircraft while at Sun ‘n Fun this year. Bob Perkins is his name and Cardinal Marketing is his company.
O’Brien recognizes the importance of consultants like Bob Perkins by observing, “Right now, the LSA makers and importers who grab mind and market share are likely to survive, and the ones that don’t will fall by the wayside. It’s a pity this has to be. There are a lot of great products, not so many great business plans.”
He went on to say, “I’m no Bob Perkins, but I think the best path to success and growth is to figure out how to reach outside the hermetically sealed world of 600,000 aging pilots and draw in fresh blood from other outdoor recreational activities.”
I agree…
[tags]Aviation Marketing[/tags]
April 14th, 2006
Oregon Aero recently launched a fantastic new website. The general aviation industry should take note — this site raises the bar!
[tags]aviation marketing, aviation website, general aviation[/tags]
April 13th, 2006
