For many private pilots (especially those who can afford to own a helicopter) the appeal of flying helicopters is accompanied by a desire to buy into a lifestyle as opposed to skill alone. Sell the sizzle not the sausage, as they say. HQ has this nailed, charismatic personalities, eccentricity, flying tales, photos, memorabilia & importantly, a buy in from lots of other people from similar circles who they'd perhaps want to socialise with outside flying.
By contrast the more 'corporate' (lacklustre) approach taken by many - black trousers, polyester shirts with epaulettes and airline jumpers, feels absent of personality, adventure or intrigue. It's missing the sizzle and personalities of the sort of place you'd just pop in for a coffee on your way past...
When selling the experience to the private pilot - the fun found outside the cockpit is just as important, if not more so, than the fun in the aircraft, and this isn't achieved with coffee machines and company logos, but with people who make it interesting. However marmite or 'put on' the mysterious Q character is, he wins the appeal of a great deal of people, who have a great deal of money, and it's not by accident. Is it the best place to go for zero-commercial career training? No - without an ATO they don't even offer any commercial training. Is it a fun place to go and share quaffs with other rich intriguing owner types and fly privately? Seems so.
Last edited by SARWannabe; 12th Dec 2017 at 09:36.