The demand for flight training has increased in the last few years as airlines struggle to find qualified pilots. Flight schools are busy providing training to the new generation of pilots and finding a competitive advantage is quintessential to sustain growth. Flight Schools are required to modernize to attract young pilots and are faced with the predicament of purchasing new OEM aircraft and equipment and further delaying the return on investment. In the last 45+ years, Air Plains Services has enabled several flight schools to become more profitable with the legacy Cessna 172 aircraft. Fleet operators are pleased with the substantial decrease in operation costs, enhanced safety and dedicated support they receive, consequently, they are able to make better decisions to invest profits.
All business owners are aware that operation costs must be controlled. Utilizing a modernized legacy fleet of aircraft provides much better ROI when compared to new OEM aircraft because the initial investment is substantially less. On average the payoff is achieved in half the time. The cost of replacement of OEM parts is very high and the lack of availability could ground an aircraft for a few days. Our STCkits are produced with certified parts that we manufacture in our own facility with controlled costs and a fraction of OEM prices. We stock over 1200 of our kit parts to enable our customers to get back into the air safer and reduce downturn.
Fleet standardization enhances safety with added simplicity and cross-training between different aircraft. We strive to make our flight manuals standard and we provide operators with additional data when necessary. The added horsepower and lighter airframe weight provide a better margin of safety to reach pattern altitude quicker and perform well on hot, sunny days. Utilizing the most famous trainer aircraft, the Cessna 172 with added power and superb handling characteristics, enables students to learn the basics of stick-and-rudder flying. Air Plains is also equipped with the ability to provide a modern cockpit environment with glass instruments, metalized panels, and a new interior that is customized and branded.
The best advantage Air Plains can provide is a partnership and dedicated support. We take care of the fleet support while the customer can concentrate on running the business operations. Customers prefer one place to call to get parts on the shelf and use our expertise to find solutions fast. Our excellent relationship with Lycoming Engines and Continental Motors enables us to take care of maintenance items and provide a fleet discount. We strive to provide continual engineering and improvement to our kit parts and our goal is to provide the quickest turnaround possible even when custom parts need to be fabricated for customers.
A prudent manager must consider all available options to sustain growth and stay competitive.
Investing in legacy aircraft that are safe, modernized, and maintained by an industry expert to meet customer demand is an excellent strategy for a healthy operation and provides much steeper growth when compared to the initial investment necessary to purchase new OEM aircraft. Air Plains is well-positioned to support flight schools to pursue this strategy and we offer several packages that are customized to work with flight schools of different sizes.
