Pilot Survey

[whatevrworks]

If you earned your pilot certificate in the last 10 years please take the time to complete the survey below. Myself and a couple other dc area pilots are trying a new perspective on gathering information on pilot starts. In our opinion we are not getting a very good return on investment with the current programs to encourage new pilot starts. We are not CFIs or in any way involved in flight training, and donated the $300 for the survey account. Please feel free to pass around. The more responses the better. After the survey closes on Nov 15 we will be compiling and analyzing the results and releasing to anyone who is interested.

Https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/privatepilot

thanks
Dave

[Chick]

Sport pilots aren't accepted in the survey.

[whatevrworks]

Nothing against sport pilots but most schools in the country don't have LSA's
and most flight schools don't offer sport pilot certificates just like most
schools have stopped offering recreational certificates because of lack of
interest. The survey is directed at those who have completed their Private and
beyond because there are a LOT more of those around and gives us a bigger
sample. Also the economics of sport pilot training and traditional private
pilot training are two very different things and are hard to correlate without a lot of
additional data.

Dave

[Bill]

How are you planning to ensure that you get a statistically valid sample of the pilot population?

[ysifly2]

So... You are excluding those pilots that didn't use a flight school?
That's what I would imply from your response above.
What "return" on investment are you looking for? Are you further only wanting pilots that are getting a return? You are excluding sport and recreational specifically... Are you wanting to exclude those that have a private and fly for the enjoyment? How are you measuring that return?

Guess I am really confused on the audience for your "analysis".

[whatevrworks]

How are you planning to ensure that you get a statistically valid sample of the pilot population?

So far our percentage of responses for each pilot certificate closely mirror numbers listed with the FAA. Obviously with a voluntary survey its not 100 percent perfect, but the plan is to ensure our results are similar to the breakdown of FAA numbers and extrapolate based on this result. We also have some follow-up questions ready for those that choose to provide contact information at the end of the survey as well as using EAA/AOPA/FAA results to validate certain results. Obviously with this method we will only reach those who participate in internet surveys as we are not mailing any surveys - although neither does the FAA any longer.

dave

[whatevrworks]

So... You are excluding those pilots that didn't use a flight school?
That's what I would imply from your response above.
What "return" on investment are you looking for? Are you further only wanting pilots that are getting a return? You are excluding sport and recreational specifically... Are you wanting to exclude those that have a private and fly for the enjoyment? How are you measuring that return?

Guess I am really confused on the audience for your "analysis".

Not at all excluding those that didnt use a flight school. The questions are phrased to ask flight school (or instructor). The reason we are not including Sport or Recreational because they are a tiny percentage of all certificates out there. We dont care whether a private pilot only flies around the pattern every three months to stay current or flies across the country weekly. Mainly we are concerned with what led them to become a pilot, what led them to complete their training, and the issues along the way. We are mainly concerned with providing data to schools and instructors regarding the vast majority of pilots out there and how to reach those potential new pilots. When referring to return on investment I am referring to the way the large aviation organizations spend money on promoting flight training (more and more every year) with very little to show for it.

Sorry that some Sport and Recreational certificate holders feel "left out" but thats the reality of any such sample. Just as we are limiting the survey to those who received their certificate in the last 10 years - because we wanted relatively recent results - we had to choose the best population to analyze in our opinions.

dave

[Green Goggles]

I completed your survey last night. I think I answered everything to the best of my ability.

You might have reference this in your previous post, but some questions seemed worded a bit odd for my situation.
I didn't use a flight school, so to speak. I asked around, found an independant instructor who fit my needs, and hired him. The questions that continually referenced a flight school threw me off a bit.

My situation was just one guy teaching another guy to fly.

[whatevrworks]

Appreciate you taking the time to complete. We haves out 180 responses so far. Independent instructor is fine or flight school we are not so interested in the school or instructor but on your background and the factors surrounding your start in aviation. Thank you again for taking the time to respond.

Dave

[Bill Greenwood]

You say that the FAA doesn't mail out surveys, and that everything has to be done on the internet.
Not quite true, don't know about just student private pilot surveys, but just yesterday the FAA mailed me and I filled out two surveys re the two airplanes I own.
Thing like how they are used and equipment, etc.

[Frank Giger]

The reason we are not including Sport or Recreational because they are a tiny percentage of all certificates out there. We dont care whether a private pilot only flies around the pattern every three months to stay current or flies across the country weekly. Mainly we are concerned with what led them to become a pilot, what led them to complete their training, and the issues along the way. We are mainly concerned with providing data to schools and instructors regarding the vast majority of pilots out there and how to reach those potential new pilots. When referring to return on investment I am referring to the way the large aviation organizations spend money on promoting flight training (more and more every year) with very little to show for it.


dave

Hmmm, perhaps the reason most flight schools don't have an LSA qualified aircraft is that they are told (by exclusion in your survey as an example) that Sport Pilots aren't worth training (implied) and don't go farther in their training (stated, but untrue).

Number of Sport Pilots trained without LSA compliant aircraft = zero.
Therefore no need to obtain such an aircraft for training, as there are zero students.

Or so your logic works.

What would be more interesting is to see completion rates for Sport Pilot students.

Btw, Sport Pilots are money making honey holes for schools and instructors due to the further training required for additional endorsements.

While a SP might get his permit in twenty-something hours, there's still the controlled airspace endorsement, tailwheel, above/below 87 kts endorsement, upset training, spin training, and yes, even aerobatics.

Not including those who opt to extend to a PPL due to change of mission requirements in flying.

My flight instructor is somewhat biased against Sport Pilot training - he's in the "it's a half measure" camp - but admits that he has been shocked at what a sound investment his little Champ has been, generating more cash than his beloved C172....and proving to be somewhat of a gateway drug for PPL training.

[Chick]

Amen, Brother Frank! It has been an uphill battle to get people to understand that Sport Pilots are responsible for the quality and extent of their training. I fly mainly around Atlanta; but, I do fly cross country, as well. Take a look at a sectional. We have a lot of interesting airspace around here. I have all the available sport pilot endorsements plus about 40 hours dual in GA aircraft. I fly light sport; but, I further my training to be a better, safer pilot. I have had more problems with people doing dumb and even illegal things in the air from pilots that were flying very nice GA aircraft. This may be because of the smaller percentage of sport pilots. I'm not so sure, though. We, sport pilots, have to be more aware of doing things the right way because many GA pilots are convinced that sharing the skies with us "half trained" yokels is dangerous. The majority of pilots I know don't feel that way; but, it does seem the nay sayers are more vocal. There is no reason that a sport pilot can't fly as safely and as professionally as the most senior 747 pilot within the confines of our certificate, training and skills! That part is up to us. I cherish my ticket. Flying, to me, is a lifetime commitment to learn. I don't plan on flying at night and I have no interest in flying when there is restricted visibility. I have received training in both, in case I mess up and get myself in a position to need that training. I don't plan on doing spins; but, I didn't want the first spin I had to get out of by myself to be my first spin. I love to take my little plane up with my wife, on a pretty day and look around. I enjoy the sights and the challenge of doing something just a little better than last time.