AirplaneNoise Library

Making a Business of Your Passion

"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins."

Benjamin Franklin

By Michael Masterson

One of the most common recommendations that you will hear from business-opportunity "experts" is to "find something you love" and make a business out of it. In fact, I used to make that recommendation myself, arguing that turning your passion into a career is a good way to make a good living.

This is the kind of advice that feels right and inspires loyalty. But when I thought about the successes in my own business career, I didn’t see that pattern.

When I decided to get rich back in the early 1980s, I didn’t stop to ask myself "What do I love?" I set to work the very next day transforming myself from a sometimes-good, sometimes-disgruntled editorial director into a 24/7 marketing maven, and I boosted a marginally profitable, million-dollar business to a $135 million cash machine. I didn’t love the products we produced, but I loved the process.

I retired from that business - but didn’t stay retired for long. With my second career, I was determined to stay a little closer to my childhood dreams by selling publications instead of products, ideas instead of things. Because I partnered with someone who shared that mindset, I have been lucky. I’ve made as much money this time around, and without the emotional conflicts over selling products I was less than enthusiastic about.

But even as a publisher, I haven’t really "followed my dreams." My true passion - in terms of publishing - would be fiction and poetry. I can say without any doubt that had I followed that road, I would be running a much smaller, much less profitable business. And it might not have given me any more pleasure than I get now.

As a recommendation, "turn your passion into a career" no longer rings true to me. As I said earlier, it’s the kind of advice you want to believe… but it doesn’t take reality into consideration.

Proceeding with a pragmatic purposefulness, it seems to me, is the best course of action.

By "pragmatic purposefulness," I mean an ounce of passion and a pound of practicality. I mean facing the facts and making a realistic assessment of the business idea you love so much. Will it really work in the marketplace? Will it really live up to your dreams?

The usefulness of this approach was made clear to both me and the businesspeople who attended my Business-Building Retreat last month. Of the 30 people in attendance whose business plans were scrutinized, at least six realized that the financial expectations they had attached to their dream projects were totally unrealistic.

"You have to adjust your wealth expectations or change your business," they were advised. It would be silly for them to push ahead, following their passion, when it was easy to see, by putting pen to paper, that the businesses they had imagined could not work.

That’s basically the same advice I have for LG, an ETR reader who recently wrote to me. LG has been advised by a well-known guru (who shall remain nameless) to "find something I love and make a business out of it." He says he has found a business for sale that matches one of his favorite hobbies: golf.

"It is a patent for a machine that uses sonar to clean golf clubs. Attached to the machine is an LCD screen that displays ads. The money to be made is not in the actual cleaning of the clubs but the selling of the ad space. It is an absolute novel idea, and the owner claims that he has patented it all over the world. My only problem is the cost for the patent in my country. He is selling it for what would be about five million in U.S. dollars. I’ve done a couple of sums, and I can see this business paying off itself after 3-4 yrs. My only problem is finding an investor that would possibly want to fund this. I know that the investor would make a very good ROI, but I somehow need to find that person."

LG "really wants" to get this patent, and is hoping I can tell him how to go about looking for the five million bucks in start-up capital that he needs.

This is precisely the danger you face when you follow your passions into business. You make these kinds of mind-bogglingly foolish mistakes. Invest your time and someone else’s money into a machine that spits out advertising as it cleans golf clubs? Are you nuts?

If I had to list the top 10 stupid business ideas I’ve ever heard, this would make it onto that list. It is stupid not just because the idea itself is so idiotic, but because the person behind the idea - the person supposedly holding the patents - thinks he will find investors to buy into it.

Maybe that guy isn’t so dumb. He has found, in LG, somebody who is seriously considering it.

I don’t have space here to list all the reasons why this is a completely crazy business idea. But let me use LG as an example for any other ETR reader who may have bought into the "follow-your-passion" fancy.

Listen, I know that it IS possible to turn your passion (a hobby or lifelong dream) into a way to earn a good living - but ONLY if there’s a good business idea to support it.

How do you find out if your passion makes business sense? Start by asking friends and colleagues what they think of it. Tell them to be brutally frank. Then look around and see if there’s anything like your idea out there in the marketplace. If there isn’t, chances are it’s not going to work.

Unfortunately, because there are so many stories about entrepreneurs who succeeded against all odds, the idea of pursuing a screwball idea is often lauded. But following your passion when it makes no sense… makes no sense. And if you have a family to support, it’s irresponsible.

The first and most important rule of entrepreneurship is this: Never invest in anything unless you understand it extremely well - unless you have the kind of knowledge about the business and the industry that you can only get by working in it, on the inside, for several years.

Staples founder Thomas Stemberg said it this way: "I think following your passion is a really dumb idea. I follow a great market that provides an opportunity to satisfy customers and to make money."

LG has a passion for golf, but what does he know about selling advertising? Does he have any idea of the kind of advertisers that might be interested in this kind of program? Does he have any idea what kind of numbers such advertisers would need before investing their money? Does he know anything about the size and volatility of his target market?

I don’t need to ask him to know that he doesn’t know these things. The way he talks about this business makes it clear to me that he is a total tyro.

The good news is that LG will not find the start-up capital he needs unless he hooks up with a Nigerian direct-mail scamster and steals it from some rich old lady in Pittsburgh. The bad news is that LG may continue to believe the foolish mantra his guru has been chanting and continue to follow his passion… instead of learning something about business before he jumps into it.

LG and others like him would be well advised to hold their passions in check until they’ve asked all the right questions and thoroughly researched their market.

If there are other people out there making good money doing more or less what you want to do (but your idea is better), by all means, go out and try it. But if no one is doing it - and people you trust give you that distant stare when you tell them about it - be smart and put your energies into a business that has been proven to make money.

Affordable new airplane Ownership: 7 Strategies

Affordable New Cessna Ownership: 7 Strategies

Can you depreciate your new Cessna and qualify for huge tax savings?
Can you lease your airplane and earn money every time it flies?
Are you working on your Private or Instrument rating and plan complete soon?

When you become a new Cessna owner, we’ll pay for your flying lessons! If you’re working on your Private or Instrument rating, finish it up within 18 months of your purchase and your lessons are on us! We know that a good pilot is one who’s always learning.

4. Have you worked with the New Cessna Consultants at Suburban Aviation to design a plan to trade in and move up as your aviation skills and needs change?

Doesn’t it just make sense to learn in a Skyhawk, and move up to a Skylane or Stationair when your needs require seats, speed and elbow room? Wouldn’t it be great if someone would take your airplane back and trade it for a bigger, faster airplane as your needs change? Suppose you could even agree to a buy back rate so you could calculate exactly how much your flying will cost?

That would be SMART, LOW-RISK buying.

Owning the right airplane at the right time can save you thousands of dollars!

Learn how you can advance to the right airplane to meet your changing flying lifestyle without losing money on your investment.

5. Have you discovered the easiest and most convenient way to finance your new Cessna?

You just need to make one phone call to Cessna Finance for the best rates in the aviation industry and a simple online application form. Your approval will arrive in just 24 hours and Cessna Finance will work directly with Cessna Aircraft in a seamless transaction. It’s as easy as buying a car! Learn more:

http://www.airplanenoise.com/FAQ/faq.php?s=2

      6. Have you considered an aircraft lease rather than a purchase?

Do you lease your car? Prefer to pay for just what you’ll use rather than the entire vehicle? You can lease a new Cessna too and for many, this financing option makes plenty of sense. Cessna Finance Company understands that your needs may be unique and they’re ready to design a creative solution for you.

     7. Do you like to be seen in your new Cessna?

What if you could earn money just for being seen in your new Cessna? Well, you can! Suburban Aviation’s affiliate program pays you when other aviators are introduced to Suburban Aviation and join the new owners club because they saw how much fun you were having! What could be easier! Learn more by contacting Pat at (517) 552 3495

BONUS: Putting it together!

O.K. So I lied. Here’s an 8^th strategy. . . The best yet! You can actually combine several of the strategies above to really reduce the cost of flying. Take a look:

Purchase a new Cessna Skyhawk as a business asset in an LLC
Use the competitive financing from Cessna Finance Corporation
Lease your plane to your favorite flight school .( Learn about Leasebacks)
Depreciate the Skyhawk for huge tax savings. (Skyhawk Tax Savings)
Complete your Private rating and get a check from Cessna.
Move up to a Skylane and start taking your family with you!
Receive top trade in dollars for your Skyhawk from Suburban Aviation and have them help you with the 1031 “Like Kind Exchange” to transfer your depreciation to your new asset.
Complete your Instrument rating and once again. . . get a check from Cessna!
Enjoy significant savings on your aircraft insurance with an Instrument rating.
Join Suburban Aviation’s Affiliate program to earn money when other become owners after spotting you and your family enjoying the lifestyle.

You’ve just saved thousands of dollars and own the most popular airplane ever built! Contact me today to design a purchase plan to meet your needs and take advantage of savings opportunities!

Suburban Aviation, Inc
3800 W. Grand River Ave.

Howell, MI 48855

(517) 552 3495

The Case for New

Though used airplanes deliver great value, and low depreciation, a brand new airplane is

unbeatable.

Four of the last five airplanes that I bought were new. The one that wasn’t new had but 500 hours on it. That was years ago, the last being in 1979. Still, I know the real thrill that comes from getting a brand-new airplane and being the only person, other than the test pilot, who has flown it. Today, the new high-performance single-engine airplane (over 200 horsepower, according to the FAA) buyer is a lot different. Most new airplanes are now bought by relatively new pilots.

Old pilots will just tell you that they buy used because you can get a comparable airplane for a lot less money. True, but there is more to the argument than that and saving money is not always the same as a lower purchase price.

YOU HAVEN'T LIVED HERE UNTIL ...: You've been to the Air Zoo

Where is it? The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum -- also known as the Air Zoo -- is just outside downtown Kalamazoo.

Air Zoo? Are there animals? It opened in 1979 and is known as one of the country's premier museums dedicated to aviation.

It comes replete with a Montgolfier balloon ride and a Flying Circus biplane ride.

There also are vintage aircraft, flight simulators, various amusement rides, a 4D theater (a 3D film with special effects like rocking chairs and plumes of smoke) and Smithsonian exhibitions. Sorry, no animals.

What else does it have? The Air Zoo also features the world's largest indoor mural -- a 25,000-square-foot tribute to the history of flight, titled "Century of Flight."

The Air Zoo also has educational programming for traditional and home-schooled students, as well as camps and other special events.

The new Michigan Space Science Center will be the latest addition to the Air Zoo.

The 17,000-square-foot Space Science Center will feature interactive exhibits and a 5,000-square-foot International Space Station exhibit. It's to open in June.

Admission? $19.50; $17.50 for seniors (ages 60 and over); $15.50 for children ages 5-15, and free for children 4 and under.

The Air Zoo, at 6151 Portage Road in Kalamazoo, is open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

By Naomi R. Patton

Can the Average American Afford a new Cessna?

On an “Average” American Day. . .

On an "average day" in 2003, persons in the U.S. age 15 and over slept about 8.6 hours, spent 5.1 hours doing leisure and sports activities, worked for 3.7 hours, and spent 1.8 hours doing household activities. During the remaining 4.8 hours, Americans ate, drank, went to school and shopped. So, say the results of the first American Time Use Survey (ATUS) conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Leisure Activities:

On an average day in 2003, nearly everyone (96 percent) age 15 and over reported some sort of leisure or sports activity, such as watching TV, socializing, or exercising. Including the small proportion of the population that reported no leisure activities, men spent more time doing leisure activities (5.4 hours) than women (4.8 hours).

Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time, accounting for about half of leisure time on average for both men and women.

Socializing, such as visiting with friends or attending or hosting social events, was the next most common leisure activity, accounting for about three-quarters of an hour per day for both sexes.

Commuting:

At a nationwide average drive-time of about 24.3 minutes, Americans now spend more than 100 hours a year commuting to work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Yes, that's more than the average two weeks of vacation time (80 hours) taken by many workers during a year.

Average American Spending:

So do Americans spend their money in proportion to their daily activities? The following pie chart shows how typical Americans spend their money. Overall, the biggest areas of expenditure are on food, housing and household expenses, and transportation.

The biggest single area is food, drink and tobacco. This accounts for almost a quarter of spending. If meals outside the house and tobacco were eliminated, the spending in this area would be reduced to just 9% rather than 23%.

Additionally, leisure time accounts for 35% of our waking hours yet only represents 7% of our spending. perhaps this is because so much of our free time is spent watching the television! Eating, drinking and shopping consumes 31% of our day and 31% of our budget (food, drink, tobacco, clothes and jewelry.

The Consumer Dollar: Where it Goes

Medical care 9

Transport 13

Household expenses 15

Housing 15

Food, Drink & Tobacco 23

Religion, charity 1

Foreign Travel 1

Personal care 1

Education 2

Personal Business 5

Recreation 7

Clothes, Jewelry 8

100

Is it possible for the average American to fit and airplane and flight lessons into his budget of time and money? It’s all about choices! Consider the following reallocation of expenses:

The Aviator's Dollar:

Where it Goes

Medical care 9

Transport 13

Household

expenses 10

Housing 15

Food, Drink &

Tobacco 15

Religion, charity 5

Foreign Travel 0

Personal care 1

Education 2

Personal Business 5

Recreation 20

Clothes, Jewelry 5

100
Affording Flight:

Shaving a few dollars off of your clothing budget and cutting down on dinners out can make the difference between memorable leisure time and wasted free time in front of the television. You can even afford to give a bit more to the church!

Flying doesn’t have to be out of reach. Deciding what you really want to do in your lifetime and making a plan to succeed is not only possible, but realistic. Learn more about learning to fly for free, the aviation lifestyle and affordable new Cessna ownership at:

http://www.airplanenoise.com

Hard Facts about Engine Break-in

Most people seem to operate on the philosophy that they can best get their money’s worth from any mechanical device by treating it with great care. This is probably true, but in many cases it is necessary to interpret what great care really means. This is particularly applicable when considering the break-in of a modern, reciprocating aircraft engine.

Aircraft owners frequently ask about the proper procedures for run-in of a new or rebuilt engine so they can carefully complete the required steps. Many of these recommended break-in procedures also apply to engines which have been overhauled or had a cylinder replaced.

The first careful consideration for engine run-in is the oil to be used. The latest revision of Textron Lycoming Service Instruction 1014 should be consulted for this information. The basic rule which applies to most normally aspirated Lycoming piston engines is simple; use straight mineral oil of the proper viscosity for the first fifty hours or until oil consumption stabilizes. Then switch to ashless dispersant (AD) oil.

The exceptions to the basic rule above are the O-320-H and the O/LO-360-E series. These engines may be operated using either straight mineral oil or ashless dispersant oil, however, if the engine is delivered with ashless dispersant oil installed, it must remain on ashless dispersant oil. The Textron Lycoming oil additive P/N LW-16702 must be added to the O-320-H and O/LO-360-E engines at airframe installation, and every 50 hours thereafter or at every oil change. An FAA-approved lubricating oil that contains, in the proper amount, an oil additive equivalent to LW-16702 will meet the requirements for the additive as stated in Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1014M.

All Lycoming turbocharged engines must be broken in with ashless dispersant oil only. When taking delivery of a new aircraft, there is another point which must be emphasized. Some aircraft manufacturers add approved preservative lubricating oil to protect new engines from rust and corrosion at the time the aircraft leaves the factory. This preservative oil must be removed by the end of the first 25 hours of operation. Each new or rebuilt engine is given a production test run at the factory before the engine is delivered to an aircraft manufacturer or other customer. After installation in the aircraft, the engine is run again during the test flights. These test runs will insure that the engine is operating normally and will provide an opportunity to locate small oil leaks or other minor discrepancies. In addition, these test runs do the initial seating of the piston rings.

The rest of the break-in is the responsibility of the pilot who flies the aircraft during the next 50 hours. A new, rebuilt, or overhauled engine should receive the same start, warm-up, and preflight checks as any other engine. There are some aircraft owners and pilots who would prefer to use low power settings for cruise during the break-in period. This is not recommended. A good break-in requires that the piston rings expand sufficiently to seat with the cylinder walls during the engine break-in period. This seating of the ring with the cylinder wall will only occur when pressures inside the cylinder are great enough to cause cylinder wall will only occur when pressures inside the cylinder are great enough to cause expansion of the piston rings. Pressures in the cylinder only become great enough for a good break-in when power settings above 65% are used.

Full power for takeoff and climb during the break-in period is not harmful; it is beneficial, although engine temperatures should be monitored closely to insure that overheating does not occur. Cruise power settings above 65%, and preferably in the 70% to 75% of rated power range should be used to achieve a good engine break-in.

It should be remembered that if the new or rebuilt engine is normally aspirated (nonturbocharged), it will be necessary to cruise at the lower altitudes to obtain the required cruise power levels. Density altitudes in excess of 8000 feet (5000 feet is recommended) will not allow the engine to develop sufficient cruise power for a good break-in.

For those who still think that running the engine hard during break-in falls into the category of cruel and unusual punishment, there is one more argument for high power settings during engine break-in. The use of low power settings does not expand the piston rings enough, and a film of oil is left on the cylinder walls. The high temperatures in the combustion chamber will oxidize this oil film so that it creates a condition commonly known as glazing of the cylinder walls. When this happens, the ring break-in process stops, and excessive oil consumption frequently occurs. The bad news is that extensive glazing can only be corrected by removing the cylinders and rehoning the walls. This is expensive, and it is an expense that can be avoided by proper break in procedures.

To summarize, there are just a few items to remember about engine break-in:

(1) If a preservative oil has been added by the aircraft manufacturer, drain it not later than the first 25
hours of operation;

(2) Follow the engine manufacturers recommendation regarding the oil to be used for break-in and the period between changes;

(3) Run the engine at high cruise power levels for best piston ring/cylinder wall mating;

(4) Continue break in operation for 50 hours or until oil consumption stabilizes. These simple procedures should eliminate the possibility of cylinder wall glazing and should prepare the engine for a long and satisfactory service life.

A Growing number of Businessmen fly Rented Planes to Nationwide Appointments

Posted on Sat, Mar. 13, 2004

Growing Number of Businessmen Fly Rented Planes to Nationwide

Appointments

By Clifford Anthony, The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio Knight

Ridder/Tribune Business News

Mar. 13 - Tired of flight delays and long lines for security clearance at airports, Brad Fox decided to renew his pilot's license, rent a small plane and fly for business trips. By piloting himself, Fox said he has the flexibility to make appointments with his clients at mutually agreeable times and not based on commercial flight schedules.

"If I run late, I don't have to worry about missing the plane," said Fox, president of Fox International, a Bedford Heights-based firm serving fire, police and other law enforcement departments. The Willoughby Hills resident said he rents planes for business trips at least twice a week.

Another advantage is the ability to fly to small cities that are not served by commercial airlines. During a recent flight to Chicago, Fox said he stopped at about 10 cities enroute to meet with customers. Such a feat wouldn't be possible on a commercial flight, and a road trip is more time-consuming and expensive, he said.

"It's (flying) also economical," he said. "If I attend a trade show, I can take more people with me." Since he started to rent planes in 2002, Fox said his business took off by 30 percent.

Fox, who has a work force of 80, said he's following the example of Wal-Mart's founder Sam Walton who opped in a small aircraft from one community to another to build his retail store empire. Plane rentals, like car rentals, are becoming popular among entrepreneurs, said Ken Gee, president of AirSports Aviation based at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland.

The number of hours flown privately for business has soared by 19 percent since 1997, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Gee said mid-size and small company owners find it less expensive to rent planes than flying in commercial airlines or by driving. But big companies own or charter aircraft to transport their executives.

The plane rental concept rose in the past two years because of delays due to beefed up security at airports. In addition, many airlines have grounded flights to small cities they consider not profitable. Though some airlines offer connecting flights to certain areas, those trips are cumbersome.

Flying a rented aircraft is beneficial because of the savings in travel time, tolls, gasoline, restaurant, hotel and other travel bills, Gee said. For example, it takes about six hours by road to reach Grand Rapids, Mich., from Cleveland. Whereas, the flying time is about 30 minutes because the flight path is straight and there are no orange barrels in the sky.

The average air travel is 20 percent shorter than by car, even before considering the speed. Renting a plane is inexpensive, said Gee who has a fleet of 13 single-engine planes and one twin-engine plane. The AirSports has offices in Cuyahoga County Airport in Richmond Heights and at Akron-Canton Regional Airport.

The average rent for an aircraft is about $80 -- $180 per flying hour. No fee is charged for the idle time and fuel. Members of the AirSports receive discounts. To rent a plane, a person should have FAA's pilot's license.

The AirSports offers flying lessons, and a minimum of 40 flying hours have to be logged before applying for a license. The minimum age for a learners license is 16. Gee estimated the total cost of flying lessons including manuals and simulated training could be about $8,000-$10,000.

But many companies acknowledge the benefit of training a staff and renting a plane. Not just about saving time The money is well-spent, says Allen Warner, president of Perma-Tech in Bedford Heights. He also owns Stone to Foam and Flight Brite, both companies based in Bedford Heights. The Chagrin Falls resident said he used to rent planes for more than two years until he purchased a six-seat Cessna last year.

Like Fox, Warner flies his Cessna along with his staff to meet with clients, attend trade shows and return the same day. Warner said he often brings customers to his Bedford Heights plant for product demonstrations and training. Flying them in indicates the company's emphasis on customer service, according to Warner. It's economical because the company doesn't have to foot the bill for regular air travel for customers, their hotel accommodation and other related costs.

"There are a lot of small airports in the country, and you can get to your destination much quicker," he said. "If you are traveling by a commercial airline, you have to reach the airport two hours before the flight, and after landing it may take another two hours to reach the customer. "Besides, the airlines fly when they want, and not when you want."

The stepped-up security in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 only added to his travel woes, he said. "It's an invasion of privacy when they go through your personal belongings," Warner said. "You can't even carry your nail clipper."There are no such hassles in renting a plane, said Warner, who flies on commercial airlines for long distance travels.

Recently Warner went to Orlando on a regular flight and rented a single-engine plane to fly to various destinations within that state to meet his customers. Plane rentals have saved "thousands of dollars," he said, noting his business has grown 20 percent within the past two years.

The security in small airports is as strict as in national airports, but the process is quicker. It's "malarkey" that security in small airports is lax, according to Warner. Most small airports provide ground transportation for passengers, he said.

"Some (small) airports even have conference rooms," he said, pointing out the one at Burke. This feature permits people to attend meetings without leaving the airport, said Warner, who flies at least 100 days a year for business and for about 50 days a year for pleasure.

The demand for rental aircraft is on the rise, said Drew Steketee, president and chief executive officer of Be a Pilot, a Washington, D.C. The non profit group was established in 1997 to promote flying. There are about 2,000 to 3,000 flight training schools in the nation.

Flying is not as risky as made out to be, he said, noting general aviation is 10 times safer than other modes of transportation. On average, about 300 air crashes are reported, which can be considered minuscule compared to the 30 million flying hours per year.

There are about 4,500 public small airports in addition to about 1,000 private airfields that are available for public use in the nation. But there are only about 800 airports with scheduled airline service. "You can get into and out of your destination much faster," Steketee said. "Plus, you are on your own schedule." Flying is catching on, he said, noting the number of student pilots rose by 7 percent, a 10-year high, in 2003 compared with 2002, shows FAA figures.

"Flying is a lot of fun," Steketee said.

For more details, contact AirSports at (216) 241-2127 or visit www.

clevelandairpsorts.com or www.beapilot.com.

-----

To see more of The News-Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to

http://www.news-herald.com

Ridder/Tribune Business News. WMT,

Business Aircraft Utilization Strategies

Excerpted from Business Aircraft Utilization Strategies

In Des Moines, they make the machines that make hot dogs. Townsend Engineering makes industrial strength food processors. David Hamblin (right, second from left), a pleasant gentleman with an English accent, is Townsend's director of engineering and the chief designer of many of the company's machines.

Today, Hamblin and a team of engineers are headed out from Des Moines to Mississippi to check on a newly installed model. A checkup, Hamblin reports, can be an all day affair or just a few hours. Today's customer visit took half the day.

"We visit customers quite often. We need to see our machinery at work in their plant. That can take two or three days if we're working on the machine, adjusting and so on. Often it's just two or three hours, spending time with the machinery, making adjustments or minor changes to it, service as well as observations, or adding improvements. We'll also visit our suppliers to watch the other end of the chain," he says.

"Our customers usually are appre-ciative that we've come. We'll see the plant manager and spend time with the maintenance manager. They want to talk. They very often will come back to me with their ideas. Some of the things are not always practical but some of them are," he adds.

The company's aircraft has made many of these trips doable, particularly to remote sites, Hamblin says. "We are able to take more people than we might ordinarily have been able to. For instance, we had a trainee with us, who had just joined the company in the prior week. We were able to get him in front of the customer to see how our machines performed. It was a great opportunity for him. He got a lot of benefit from it, and it was a great education for him. He was pretty impressed with the installation."

The CEO of another company also flying customer trips has coined the term "VOC Tours" (which stands for Voice of the Customer) for the practice of customer visits. Like Townsend, he routinely sends a team to meet customers, including a field service technician manager, the VP/general manager, the manufactur-ing manager, the customer service manager, several manufacturing lead people, electrical lead people and assembly lead people.

"They review with the customer all the technical aspects of how the installation goes, how the equipment performed when it was delivered, what field service problems they are experiencing, what's the history of what's going on with the machine," the CEO says. At the customer's end, the president, the general manager, the director of production and the director of operations typically all are present.

"They spend the whole day together, just kind of going over what happened, what's going on now, and what they would like to see in the future. We're doing more and more and more of that," he adds. "Each time we're going out, our usual people are there, but we're bringing more and more of the engineering department and manufac-turing people on these trips so that we can expose them to comments like, 'Well, here's what happens when you do something like this in manufacturing, and here's how it impacts the customer, and here's how they feel about it,'" he says. And everybody wins. "You know, what happens up here, and I've seen it happen, is that you get guys who are doing their thing up in engineering or manufacturing or whatever and if they're never out in front of the cus-tomer in his face looking at what is going on, they just never understand what works for them and what doesn't.

"Getting our people, at all levels, down in front of the customer is so important. The customer likes it because it allows them to relate at different levels; they're just not talking to a salesman. In turn, it gets us to relate to the customer and say, OEWow. They're a good company. They're working hard. I can see where they are struggling with the way this works. Maybe we can modify it or maybe change the way we support them.' It just really narrows the gap between you and your customers. That's what that plane does. Hands down, if we didn't have that plane, that would not be happening."

Michigan Flight Schools Flying High

"With demand for air travel at record highs and many pilots facing mandatory retirement at age 60, U.S. airlines are desperately trying to fill their cockpits." The Wall Street Journal.

While Michigan businesses continue to face economic challenges, the flight schools in Michigan are experiencing an apparent growth that has them flying high! The demand for qualified commercial pilots is growing and high school students as well as displaced manufacturing worker are discovering the opportunities that the aviation industry offers.

In addition to Suburban’s two flight school, the seven Michigan Cessna Pilot Centers have all added new Skyhawks to their fleets over the past several months to meet the demand they’re experiencing.

“We’re training tomorrow’s pilots in Skyhawks that include a state of the art instrument panel, probably better that what they’ll fly when the land their first job,” remarked Ray Larner, owner of Michigan’s newest Cessna Pilot Center in Lapeer, MI. “Our newest plane never spends any time on the ground!”

Ray’s flight school isn’t the only new flight school to enter the Michigan flight training market. Troy Air Experience opens this month and two to three new Cessna Pilot Centers are expected to open in the state before the end of the year.

“It’s exciting to see the flight schools doing so well,” said Tom Trumbull, owner of Suburban Aviation, Inc. in Ottawa Lake. “We’ve seen increased activity in both our Pilot Center partners as well as the Michigan collegiate programs.”

Last month, Northwestern Michigan College agreed to purchase eleven new Skyhawks over the next two years to meet the needs of the industry with qualified pilot graduates. Suburban delivered the first three in March and will deliver three in May of this year.

To find out more about learning to fly, or a career in aviation, you can contact Suburban Aviation, Inc or your local flight school . You can also attend a “What’s it take to become a Pilot” seminar at Suburban in early May. Visit Suburban’s website for date and time information.

Cessna�s Jack Pelton Addresses the Great Lakes Aviation Conference

Attendees at the Great Lakes Aviation Conference were honored to attend Jack Pelton’s keynote address and to hear his impassioned plea to fight user fees, the biggest threat to general aviation’s future. As is now becoming a tradition, the weather on the last day of the conference was horrible and closed roads and highways all over the state. Jack also found himself challenged by the weather and decided to land at Pontiac instead Livingston as he had originally planned. Despite the diversion, Jack arrived at the Rock Financial Showplace, the conference’s new home, on time and with an important message.

“Grass roots efforts work!” stated Jack with emotion. “The height of the stack of letters on any issue really does affect your representative’s vote.”

After describing vividly how general aviation may change should used fees be implemented, Jack supplied the audience with information regarding other options to the funding issues as well as several actions that each could take to make their views heard. The response to Jack’s talk has been tremendous with Michigan aviators sending letters and emails to their respective representatives and flooding their inboxes.

“Yes, Cessna has some wonderful new products that will be announced very soon, but we need a healthy industry too. User fees affect the manufacturers, but will also play a role in the safety of our skies.”

Listeners were also teased with talk of Cessna’s new very light jet (VL J), the Mustang, and of Cessna’s new sport plane which will revitalize the flight training industry with a more affordable training airplane. Following his talk, Jack tackled the snowy Michigan roads to Pontiac and flew back to Wichita.

While Jack’s address was the highlight of the conference, attendees were overwhelmed with the new and exciting changes. The new location at the Rock Financial Showplace was appreciated by most and put the conference right in the heart of the aviation population of Michigan. The career fair, also new this year attracted both aviators and those who may be considering a career change. Watch for bigger and better next year!

Next year’s conference will be in the same place, and the same “Super Bowl” weekend. Mark your calendar now and hope that the weather is not the same.