Microlighters

Hey All,
How goes it?
It has always been a dream of mine to open a flight school in the farmlands of CT when I am out of school.
I was thinking of something like Light Flight (A private airfield on a farm).
I am homeschooled and my tutor wants me to do an advanced project on starting one.
I would like all the info you can throw at me!
It is an advanced project so give me all sorts of info not just simple stuff!
Thanks All
Ross (Trikenut)
BTW: This project is due middle of next term (27 November) so I have a LONG time. (This project can take so long because it is so advanced)
And no... I don't have learning problems or anything like that!

Apply for large overdraught and something to stop your hair loss (Ask fred Blokland for advice on hair product)

Check with Russel (African Grey) He just done it at Circus and should be able to help. HUGE COST I am told, especially if you have to do EIS...

Good luck...

Get a list of questions together and phone me, I will be willing to answer your questions. Deon 083 400 1405

Hi Trike Nut...here's some food for thought

The cost for Microlight School is NOT prohibitive....BUT the AIRFIELD IS
CAA will audit:
1) The establishment - classroom etc, material, computers, cupboards, property leases agreements...so that the environment is secure for the students. Requirements are as per Air Law Part 141
2) The Aircraft - must be up to scratch with Insurance and Lease agreements in place.
3) Your Operating procedures - must operate according to a Manual Of Procedure (M.O.P), which lays out everything, syllabus, school structure, methods etc....

Cost estimate (excluding aircraft, furniture and computers) with Inspection fee: Approx R15 000

The Airfield - for Commercial venture on privately owned presumeably Agricultural Land will need:

1) Environment Impact Assessement (E.I.A) - FIRST before building or doing runway etc. You have to aquire the services of a consulting company who assess everything from public participation, migratory patterns of wildlife, Road department letters, bordering council letters of comment, underlying rock structures with geological surveys a real possibility...absolutely ridiculous Red Tape. This will take in the region of 3 Years.....and R50 - R100 000....

2) Land Use application with the local council once you have the EIA. You have to advertise in papers, more public meetings....Council approval - Time frame 1 Year and R10 000

Runway grading, grass planting and hanger and school construction then starts.....

My costs were similar to the following
Runway - 800m x 20m Grass - R30 000
Building upgrade - R150 000
Per Hanger 15mx18m (Second hand uprights / strcuture) - R200 000 (Concrete floor, electricity point and decent lights etc)
Second Hand Tractor and grass cutter - R40 000 (Still have to get one - been paying R600 per cut)

I have 3 hangers and a reasonable runway .
Total costs to date excluding (my time) and other individuals input in the region of R1 000 000.
Monthly running costs in the region of R10 000

5 Years on and finally there light at the end of the tunnel. As an individual, you need to have a LOT of students to cover the setting up of an airfield and school...personally I do not see any NEW Microlight Airfields/Schools being formed without the help of big investment from a number of individuals interested in Training , but rather agreements with existing airfields.

Larry Eschner (Bapsfontein)and Geoff Dyer (Light Flight) had good advice for me many years ago - don't restrict yourself to Trikes only. We had windy /unsafe conditions here in Jhb - Aug, Sept, Oct 2003 and my earnings were about R1000 per month - Soul Destroying

Same as for Deon, if you need a hand send me an pm or email.

Regards
Russell

Start out by draftng a business plan. When you conclude this document you will then know if the project is viable or not, not only from a financial point of view but from a sustainability point of view as well. Luckily I did an MBA a couple of years ago so I can send you some good information on business plans. This is the only way to go as if you require financing any bank would ask to see such a document. The main headings you need to consider are:

- Business model
- State why you would have a competitive advantage over other similar flight schools
- Barriers to entry and how you plan to overcome them (i.e. capital outlay, CAA, environmental impact, etc)
- Competitor analysis
- Marketing plan
- Macro economic environment (is the current economy condusive to sustaining a profitable business)
- Initial capital outlay
- Forecast a minimum of 5 years (revenue, expenses, profitability)
- Discounted cash flow to see if the initial capital outlay will be recouped in a reasonable time.
- SWOT analysis (strenghts, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the project)

Hope this helps a bit. I think your biggest problem will be the initial capital outlay and the period it will take to recoup this costs.

Good luck

Hi Trikenut,

By the time you have done this you should be able to have a drink in the bar that you hopefully plan on building at your airfield.

Jokes aside, Geoff Dyer has been a good mate of mine for the last 15 years and I have seen the uphill battles he has been through as well as the never ending paperwork.

When the weather is kak, the money stops flowing. That aside he now has a thriving business and a reputation as one of the top flight schools in the country. All achieved through hard work and perserverance.


Cheers,

Andy

Hey All,
Thanks for the info.
There is a hell of a lot of work to do when opening a flight school!
Wow! If I start now I will be finished by the time I'm 21 (8 years time)!!
I'll look into all of this. More info!!
Regards
Ross
BTW: My uncle has one of the best enviromental companies in CT check out there website http://www.dougjeff.co.za (Douglas Jeffery, my uncle.) They are the people to contact in the way of airfeilds. (With me as a nephew I'm not suprised! )

Trikenut....Should you not be at school or focusing on schoolwork at 11h12 on a Tuesday morning?

Hi Trikenut, you can get the school up and running within a few months but the problem is that you will need a CFI. Phone me for more info I dont like typing letters.

He's one of the lucky ones who "homeschools"

Bring back corporal punishment I say!!!

leftseat wrote:He's one of the lucky ones who "homeschools"

Bring back corporal punishment I say!!!

Tobie wrote:Trikenut....Should you not be at school or focusing on schoolwork at 11h12 on a Tuesday morning?

Agreed Tobie....

Now go do your homework Trikenut

Hey all, actually I'm sick at home and my tutor didn't leave me any work! Yay!!!
Party, Party, Party!!

Geez,

You really seem to be at deaths door. Please take it easy. How are you managing to type at all?

Give me your dad's e mail addy. He needs to see this forum

Start writing your business plan for your flight school if your tutor has not left you any work. You guys have got it easy nowadays. Eeiish to be your age again.