Aviation Training Prepares for Post COVID-19
As most of the world continues the slow process of reopening, flight training providers are grappling with rebuilding their businesses with the new realities of sanitization, social-distancing, uncertain economies, and the ever-present worry of a possible second virus wave and another round of restrictions.
At the same time, providers have found a resiliency through innovation that they believe will expand opportunities and provide new flexibility for students in the future.
A survey
Early on, as the pandemic set in, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) surveyed about 300 flight schools to determine how their businesses were faring amid the spread of the virus and the associated restrictions.
Keith West, senior director of flight school business support for AOPA, said roughly two-thirds had shut down to some extent. That ranged from ceasing operations altogether to those that might have only conducted ground school or limited flighttraining operations to students building solo hours.
Months without income
In addition, universities with large aviation schools have had to furlough instructors and send their students home, while the largest of the simulator providers have had to navigate through temporary shutdowns and varying needs of the range of customers. Many schools said they could manage for about two months without an income “before it had a severe impact and put the business in question,” West said. “There are so many different things that are at work.”