Len Lanetti
Cleared for Takeoff
New Mexico Business Weekly
From the May 16, 2005 print edition
Focus
Aviation firms gear up for takeoff of new market
Eileen M. Garvin
Special to NMBW
Look out your window and you are likely to find yourself gazing up at a perfect New Mexico sky, that dome of blue that graces the Land of Enchantment for more than 300 days a year.
But many New Mexico businesses are looking up at that same blue sky and seeing green. That's because a recent change in Federal Aviation Administration rules is expected to increase the number of leisure pilots flying in the United States, causing a whole new market to take off.
"Nobody knows how big it will be," says Kyle Ramsey, general manager of West Mesa Aviation in Albuquerque. But his company and others in the state are gearing up for an increase in business as a result of the Light-Sport Aircraft rule, which is expected to draw thousands of new pilots into the sky.
"We want to make aviation safe and affordable for recreational pilots," said FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey last year when the rule was introduced. "This sport pilot, light-sport aircraft rule reduces the barriers to becoming a pilot and an aircraft owner while assuring that safety will always be the priority," she said.
The Light-Sport Aircraft rule, which went into effect on September 1, 2004, governs aircraft, pilots and maintenance. According to the FAA designation, light-sport aircraft are single-engine aircraft weighing less than 1,320 pounds. The category includes airplanes, gliders, balloons, powered parachutes, weight-shift-control aircraft and gyroplanes.
Light-sport aircraft have a maximum occupancy of two people, a maximum airspeed of 120 knots and fixed landing gear and fixed pitch propellers. They can be flown only during the day and cannot tow any other object. The specifications make for vehicles that don't go very far very fast.
The light-sport designation represents a transition from ultralight vehicles, which can have only one occupant and cannot be used for training. Ultralight vehicles do not have U.S. or foreign airworthiness certification.
Less cumbersome than the FAA regulations governing more complex planes used for private pilot training, the Light-Sport Aircraft rule should make this class of planes cheaper to manufacture, sell and rent.
"There is less paperwork," says Edsel Ford, aviation inspector at the Light-Sport Aviation Branch of the FAA in Oklahoma City, Okla. "Through this initiative, the FAA adopted a new way of accepting certification of standards of aircraft."
The industry-driven initiative also is expected to make it easier to get insurance, financing and access to certain airports.
"We forecast a significant impact," says Ford. "It will probably effect a great number of people out there to make aviation more accessible to them."
West Mesa Aviation is gearing up for that accessibility.
"We have investors lined up to purchase airplanes that are on the FAA (approved) list," says Ramsey. He says the company is waiting for the FAA to finalize its list of approved aircraft, but is in the process of picking out the planes it wants to use for training and rental purposes.
The 15-year-old company already offers flight training, and Ramsey says adding light-sport aircraft training will be easy to do. "[Light-sport aircraft] don't go very far, so I don't have to teach them much about weather and maps," he says.
He expects the light-sport aircraft license to appeal to retirees and people who have the time and money to fly for fun.
"These are the guys who are going to go out on the weekend and bust holes in the sky just for the thrill of flying."
A light-sport license is expected to be more affordable for more people because it takes less training time and, therefore, less money. Whereas a private pilot's license takes a minimum of 40 training hours, a light-sport aircraft license can be earned in as few as 20 hours. Ramsey also says he expects the aircraft to be reasonably priced.
"About 90 percent of these planes will cost less than $100,000," he says.
Some could be as cheap as $15,000 to $40,000, whereas a fixed-wing Cessna, an industry standard for training private pilots, costs about $180,000.
Ramsey says West Mesa Aviation, which also offers aircraft fueling, parking and maintenance, plans to start marketing its light-sport training program this summer.
Western Skies Pilot Shop in Albuquerque also is anticipating an increase in business from the new rule. The aviation retailer has already stocked up on the textbooks and training materials designated for light-sport aircraft training.
"I am just waiting on one of the local flight schools to get going on it," says owner Robert Devine. "I am pushing the flight schools because I am getting these inquiries and I don't know where to send them."
In addition to selling books and equipment to student pilots, Devine says his shop also acts as an information clearinghouse for potential pilots.
"We are the first point of contact for a lot of people trying to get into flying," he says.
Another benefit for retirees is that, unlike a private pilot's license, the light-sport license requires no official FAA medical exam. All you need is a valid drivers license. Ramsey expects that element to appeal to older enthusiasts.
"A lot of these guys are older, retired guys who could never get a license before because they could not pass the medical exam and they knew it," he says.
Great Southwest Aviation in Roswell does not expect the light-sport aircraft rule to have any immediate impact on its business. That's because the small, light planes won't be allowed to fly into the Roswell Industrial Airport where the company operates. Great Southwest Aviation President, Larry Jessen, explains any airport that is tower-controlled won't allow light-sport aircraft into its airspace because they don't carry adequate equipment for their pilots to communicate with the air traffic controllers.
However, Jessen thinks the light-sport license is good for the industry as a whole.
"I am supportive of it because it will give more people an opportunity to learn about flying. It will give them a taste of aviation. For some people that will be enough."
For those who want more, Great Southwest Aviation and others in New Mexico can offer further training. Great Southwest serves military and business aircraft as well as private pilots and offers fueling, parking and maintenance.
The FAA anticipates implementation of the rule will cost approximately $158.4 million over the next 10 years. It estimates potential benefits ranging from $57.7 million to $220.3 million. The organization expects about 15,000 ultralight fliers to convert to the light-sport aircraft license and 12,000 new pilots to be trained in the next decade.
While the industry as a whole has suffered from soaring gas prices and an increase in insurance costs of late, New Mexico retains one big advantage.
"We have some of the best weather in the world for flight training," says Ramsey.
From the May 16, 2005 print edition
Focus
Aviation firms gear up for takeoff of new market
Eileen M. Garvin
Special to NMBW
Look out your window and you are likely to find yourself gazing up at a perfect New Mexico sky, that dome of blue that graces the Land of Enchantment for more than 300 days a year.
But many New Mexico businesses are looking up at that same blue sky and seeing green. That's because a recent change in Federal Aviation Administration rules is expected to increase the number of leisure pilots flying in the United States, causing a whole new market to take off.
"Nobody knows how big it will be," says Kyle Ramsey, general manager of West Mesa Aviation in Albuquerque. But his company and others in the state are gearing up for an increase in business as a result of the Light-Sport Aircraft rule, which is expected to draw thousands of new pilots into the sky.
"We want to make aviation safe and affordable for recreational pilots," said FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey last year when the rule was introduced. "This sport pilot, light-sport aircraft rule reduces the barriers to becoming a pilot and an aircraft owner while assuring that safety will always be the priority," she said.
The Light-Sport Aircraft rule, which went into effect on September 1, 2004, governs aircraft, pilots and maintenance. According to the FAA designation, light-sport aircraft are single-engine aircraft weighing less than 1,320 pounds. The category includes airplanes, gliders, balloons, powered parachutes, weight-shift-control aircraft and gyroplanes.
Light-sport aircraft have a maximum occupancy of two people, a maximum airspeed of 120 knots and fixed landing gear and fixed pitch propellers. They can be flown only during the day and cannot tow any other object. The specifications make for vehicles that don't go very far very fast.
The light-sport designation represents a transition from ultralight vehicles, which can have only one occupant and cannot be used for training. Ultralight vehicles do not have U.S. or foreign airworthiness certification.
Less cumbersome than the FAA regulations governing more complex planes used for private pilot training, the Light-Sport Aircraft rule should make this class of planes cheaper to manufacture, sell and rent.
"There is less paperwork," says Edsel Ford, aviation inspector at the Light-Sport Aviation Branch of the FAA in Oklahoma City, Okla. "Through this initiative, the FAA adopted a new way of accepting certification of standards of aircraft."
The industry-driven initiative also is expected to make it easier to get insurance, financing and access to certain airports.
"We forecast a significant impact," says Ford. "It will probably effect a great number of people out there to make aviation more accessible to them."
West Mesa Aviation is gearing up for that accessibility.
"We have investors lined up to purchase airplanes that are on the FAA (approved) list," says Ramsey. He says the company is waiting for the FAA to finalize its list of approved aircraft, but is in the process of picking out the planes it wants to use for training and rental purposes.
The 15-year-old company already offers flight training, and Ramsey says adding light-sport aircraft training will be easy to do. "[Light-sport aircraft] don't go very far, so I don't have to teach them much about weather and maps," he says.
He expects the light-sport aircraft license to appeal to retirees and people who have the time and money to fly for fun.
"These are the guys who are going to go out on the weekend and bust holes in the sky just for the thrill of flying."
A light-sport license is expected to be more affordable for more people because it takes less training time and, therefore, less money. Whereas a private pilot's license takes a minimum of 40 training hours, a light-sport aircraft license can be earned in as few as 20 hours. Ramsey also says he expects the aircraft to be reasonably priced.
"About 90 percent of these planes will cost less than $100,000," he says.
Some could be as cheap as $15,000 to $40,000, whereas a fixed-wing Cessna, an industry standard for training private pilots, costs about $180,000.
Ramsey says West Mesa Aviation, which also offers aircraft fueling, parking and maintenance, plans to start marketing its light-sport training program this summer.
Western Skies Pilot Shop in Albuquerque also is anticipating an increase in business from the new rule. The aviation retailer has already stocked up on the textbooks and training materials designated for light-sport aircraft training.
"I am just waiting on one of the local flight schools to get going on it," says owner Robert Devine. "I am pushing the flight schools because I am getting these inquiries and I don't know where to send them."
In addition to selling books and equipment to student pilots, Devine says his shop also acts as an information clearinghouse for potential pilots.
"We are the first point of contact for a lot of people trying to get into flying," he says.
Another benefit for retirees is that, unlike a private pilot's license, the light-sport license requires no official FAA medical exam. All you need is a valid drivers license. Ramsey expects that element to appeal to older enthusiasts.
"A lot of these guys are older, retired guys who could never get a license before because they could not pass the medical exam and they knew it," he says.
Great Southwest Aviation in Roswell does not expect the light-sport aircraft rule to have any immediate impact on its business. That's because the small, light planes won't be allowed to fly into the Roswell Industrial Airport where the company operates. Great Southwest Aviation President, Larry Jessen, explains any airport that is tower-controlled won't allow light-sport aircraft into its airspace because they don't carry adequate equipment for their pilots to communicate with the air traffic controllers.
However, Jessen thinks the light-sport license is good for the industry as a whole.
"I am supportive of it because it will give more people an opportunity to learn about flying. It will give them a taste of aviation. For some people that will be enough."
For those who want more, Great Southwest Aviation and others in New Mexico can offer further training. Great Southwest serves military and business aircraft as well as private pilots and offers fueling, parking and maintenance.
The FAA anticipates implementation of the rule will cost approximately $158.4 million over the next 10 years. It estimates potential benefits ranging from $57.7 million to $220.3 million. The organization expects about 15,000 ultralight fliers to convert to the light-sport aircraft license and 12,000 new pilots to be trained in the next decade.
While the industry as a whole has suffered from soaring gas prices and an increase in insurance costs of late, New Mexico retains one big advantage.
"We have some of the best weather in the world for flight training," says Ramsey.