Why do people buy Ferrari sports cars? Prices start at around $250,000 with the most expensive production models topping out around double that. The performance is not legally useable on any public road, but the sales figures show Ferrari sold over 11,000 last year. Why do people buy Rolex watches? Prices start at around $10,000 (just under the cost of a pilot license) and go up from there. They’re not as accurate as the GPS-derived time our smartphones display, but Rolex still sell about...
about 2 years ago • 1 min read
Customer experience is the process is matching a business’ procedures with customer expectations. Done well and you have created a fan; poorly and you get bad reviews. Recently I took my dad to get a haircut. We went to a nearby barbershop with a sign in the window saying “Walk-In Customers Welcome.” When we walked-in, the shop was busy with school kids getting their hair cut the day before school restarted. The barber stopped cutting hair, came over and suggested my dad make an appointment...
about 2 years ago • 1 min read
Happy New Year! Like many of you, I traveled over Christmas period to spend time with family: Three generations brought together in one house for several days of celebration. As a member of the middle generation who grew up with time in both camps, I smugly enjoyed watching everyone else struggling with––and often distrusting––the things we understand and take for granted, such as: Streaming video and audio vs. broadcast television and CDs In person banking and paying by check vs online...
about 2 years ago • 1 min read
Last week I posed a question: Can pilots learning to fly for personal reasons play a role in stabilizing the cyclical flight training industry? Here are some of the benefits that personal pilots can bring. Local pilots are not subject to the cyclical nature of airline hiring. Their economic circumstances can help to balance the training cycle that dependence on airline training can bring. Local pilots bring awareness of the airport to their friends and neighbors. They are cheap and effective...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read
Now that the holiday season is underway, I've been reflecting on the past year. One of the things that keeps coming back is the cyclical nature of flight training. Over the last three years we've seen a shortage of instructors, followed by what seemed like the end of airline travel as we know it during the pandemic. And now we have a pilot shortage again! This past year, several people have asked me about learning to fly for personal reasons, so I've been spending a lot of time thinking about...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read