Lecture


Making General Aviation Sexy: How to Grow Your Market

"Ravi offers great insight to the marketing of General Aviation. The observations of a newcomer who has been successful in another profession are very well presented and well thought out. His fresh ideas help those of us who are sometimes too close to the product (General Aviation) to see the big picture."
- Skip Hartman, Dominion Air Services, Inc.,
Light Sport Flight Training and Sales
(attended lecture at Sun 'n' Fun in Lakeland Fl, April 2008)

SUMMARY:

The Problem: There is a pilot shortage in the US and around the world, and also a CFI (certified flight instructor) shortage due to aggressive recruiting from the regional airlines. General Aviation may still be the well that feeds the industry, but it has aged with its pilots rather than growing with the younger generation. GA has lost the "cool" factor and the average person's airline experience combined with an onslaught of bad publicity has dampened the dream of becoming a pilot. Moreover, CFIs chasing hours rather than cultivating talented pilots, combined with an overall increase in operating expenses, has challenged flight schools in recruiting and maintaining students.

The Solution: It begins by proactively inspiring young potential pilots to dream, and then nurturing those dreams by offering appropriate and inspiring access to fulfillment. Beyond that, one must inspire loyalty from CFIs and students.

"Ravi understands why people walk through our flight schools' front doors,
and why they don't" - Jason Conner, Check Airman, Piedmont Airlines

PRESENTATION:

In this highly motivational interactive seminar, Ravi
inspires the industry to take back what has been lost. CFI's will take greater pride in their work recognizing their influence, responsibilities, and opportunities. Flight schools learn how to better market their services using existing infrastructure, as well as pricing instruction to attract students while instilling a sense of value in the education. Everyone discovers how to partner and promote the message that aviation is "cool" and an unparalleled education for life. And, so much more. Invest in the budding pilot's passion and nurture his/her evolving desires, and the "customer" will continuously return to fulfill the dream.

FORMAT: 1 hour lecture with Q&A and optional PowerPoint.

"My friends and I were really moved by your presentation. You put everything that we have been thinking into words and helped us to really understand the reasons for our current plight. We talked for a couple hours about our personal experiences (the good and the bad) and what we want to see change and how we can enact change ourselves on the "grass roots" level. It was a very productive conversation! I really believe your presentation will hit strong notes with anyone in the aviation field. You should be very proud of this work. Thank you so much for putting on such an outstanding seminar at such an amazing event! We were all very inspired and very much look forward to talking with you in the future."
- Aaron Walker (student of aviation at University of Central Missouri)

It was great to hear your talk at the EAA!! I'm the glider pilot that spoke up in the audience. I'm starting to put together a book on gliding in this region. I'm thinking of how to organize it, but want to try to incorporate some of your talk into the theme of the book. I thought your presentation was very good--you gave me far more than I expected.
- Chris Prince (professor at University of Minnesota, glider pilot)

Aviation needs more people like you. Your presentation was very good. The content is important, but your level of enthusiasm/interest/involvement is what makes any presentation worthwhile. Business aviation started with owner/operators flying their own Cessna 180/182/185s (all called “Businessliners”) and Beechcraft Staggerwings, Bonanzas and Barons (and some Piper and Mooney airplanes, too). Those people weren’t wealthy and neither are most of today’s pilots. With today’s salaries of executives and the time it takes to travel via the airlines, owning an airplane makes business sense and saves time in the process. Are you planning on using your license to fly you to performances? It was great to meet you.
- Ron Blum (manager at Hawker Beechcraft Cooperation)

Please email or call for information.
RaviatorUSA@aol.com - (888) HEY-RAVI