Operating a FTO

[Caledonian]

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

Am new to this site and this is my first post so please be gentle!!

I am wondering what steps do people take to start a flying training organisation? is it difficult? do you need CAA approval? how do you work out where you operate from and why? and how do you decide what is the best aeroplane for your company?

I am very curious as it seems that in the UK there are airports where they have an abundance of FTO's and yet and some places they are crying out for more FTO's to give the public some more competition so to speak.

How do you gauge what the market is like for example in west central scotland there is glasgow, prestwick and cumbernauld and to the best of my knowledge gla has a club but why no more is it because the bigger airpots chase away small aeroplanes or is there a monopoly, cumbernauld only has 1 I believe why is that but yet prestwick I think has 2 I dont know if that means they guys have the market sown up or is there room for much more and what do airport operators think of new flying training companies starting at there airport?

Just a few questions its just it really interests me to know how it all works!

appreciate your time folks and look forward to reading your replies!

All The Best
Caledonian!

[distaff_beancounter]

Hi Caledonian and welcome. We may not know the answers here, but that does not stop some of us from replying, & on the whole we do not bite. ;)

Firstly could you clarify your question please?

Are you considering a basic flying school for JAA PPL/IMC/Night, as under JAA-speak that would be a Registered Facility (RF).

Or do you which to start something for more advanced training such as M/E, IR, CPL etc, which under JAA, DOES require a Flight Training Organisation (FTO).

I only ask, as it is relatively easy to set up a RF, but requires a lot more hassle, paperwork & red tape to set up a FTO.

[Caledonian]

Hi distaff beancounter,

Thanks for the quick reply, yes I was just wondering about things like basic ppl and maybe imc not M/E or IR anything like that

Regards
Caledonian

[StrateandLevel]

The economics of operating a flying school are such that most accountants would advise you to invest your money elswhere where it might show a profit.

The number of clubs/schools on an airport depend very much on who owns the airfield. If you own the airfield, a maintenance organisation, a flying school and possibly a restaurant you can probably make a reasonable return on your investment so long as you don't allow other schools to trade there as well.

Where lots of schools trade from the same aerodrome there is usually insufficient bussines for them all, but the owner makes his money from rent fuel and landing fees. Maybe aircraft rental as well.

The big airfields don't like light aircraft, because they bring in complaints, not money; so they raise the handling charges to the point where they cannot afford to operate.

There is a saying in aviation, how do you make a small fortune? You start with a large fortune!

[notice]

Don't waste your time and money on a start-up but, if really keen, just place a small ad. in Pilot or Flyer (Investor wishes to buy Flying School etc) and wait for the enquiries from all those who are desperate to get out of the business.

[LowNSlow]

Caledonian, not wishing to be negative but there is the old joke/factoid.....

How do you make a small fortune in aviation....... Start off with a large fortune. :eek:

In my 10 odd years of flying I have only met one couple who managed to make a good living from running a flying school without owning the airfield etc as Strateandlevel pointed out. I've only ever rented an aircraft to a flying school and that was a marginal (in profit terms) enterprise. At the moment you would be better advised to buy GlaxoSmithKline shares (don't blame me if you subsequently lose your shirt on them :D).