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New Flying School - Input Requested

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Wayne

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
504
Location
Chicago, IL
Hey folks!
I'm over the moon in reporting that a very good friend of mine and I have acquired some of the assets of the previous flight school at Clow International Airport (1C5) in Bolingbrook, IL, USA and have started up a new school called JW Aviation, or JWA. The website, which will be updated to include more detail over time, is flyjwa.com. We currently own a steam gauge 172, and have 2 x 152, a G1000 172, and a 182 on lease back.

Many of you know how I feel about making aviation accessible to people and my rather dim opinion of how the flight schools I have interacted with are run. My buddy and I REALLY want to turn the traditional model on it's head, and would appreciate any ideas you might have, and when it comes to opinions you folks have an unlimited supply :gig::roll:

I am maintaining my software sales job as my source of income, and neither of us is taking any salary out of the company as we invest and build. For my partner this is an incredibly fulfilling retirement occupation and for me it's a long range plan B - just because these businesses don't spin off huge amounts of profits so I can't hop out of a career I'm at a peak in.

Here are some thoughts/ideas we already have:

1) Many of our customers are people who "have always wanted to fly" and we need our culture to embrace and celebrate that. Let's make that journey fun.
2) We are including a free 6 month Corporate EAA membership and free membership to our EAA 461 Chapter with our training. EAA 461 is a vibrant chapter with strong social ties and programs. The idea is to make sure that our clients are able to experience the "aviation lifestyle". I have been walking them through the coolest hangars with projects and aircraft ranging from the 1940's Fairchild, Navion, Howard, my Zenith build etc. This has been going really well and I had a couple of students attend the EAA meeting this month as well!
3) All scheduling and online payment is done in FlightSchedulePro, which empowers students and instructors to manage their own schedules. People used to have to call to schedule a plane in the past - if they picked up the phone. The software also manages maintenance intervals, and the required documents.
4) We have purchased, outright, a brand new Redbird LD FAA approved simulator, which emulates the Steam Gauge 172 and the G1000 172. We will be the only sim within easy reach of the SW Chicago area and the sim will not only be used to offset hours for Instrument etc. but will be used pre and post flight to help reinforce regular VFR training to help students learn outside as well as inside the cockpit.
5) Our rates are highly competitive for the area.

So folks - do feel free to share your experiences/ideas with flight schools and learning to fly. I'm looking forward to hearing them because, as a community, you will be helping to build and define what a new learning to fly experience will be all about.

Thanks!

Wayne
 
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