Aviation Daily News visited a well known – NOT renowned, just well known – flight school in Van Nuys, California and came upon a group of student pilots sitting around the lounge. While waiting for their instructors to return from the vaping area outside, the students opened up about how they plan to make money after passing their checkrides.
Mikey, a skinny 26 year old from New Jersey said, “My dad sent me here to fly so I could get out of the house and learn a skill. I might just stay in California and give rides to celebrities so they can take pictures for their Instagrams.”
Aviation Daily News: “Do you really think there is a big market opportunity here selling rides in small planes?”
Mikey T: “Hell yeah, just look at Instagram.”
We then turned our attention to Jonathan, a leasing agent with a rental property management company based in Reseda, CA.
Aviation Daily News: “Jonathan, what is your motivation for becoming a private pilot?”
Jonathan: “I have always wanted to be a pilot and now with my job I can actually afford the training. I’m going to take clients on flights to look at properties so I can write off the costs of flying.”
Aviation Daily News: “What kind of properties do you lease and will they show better from the air?”
Jonathan: “We rent apartments in the valley. Traffic is so bad around LA it would just be easier to fly.”
Aviation Daily News: “Good luck with that.”
Then we noticed Chas, a 40ish man who works in computer sales quietly sitting in the corner.
Aviation Daily News: “Chas, how will getting your private pilot rating make your job easier?”
Chas: “My territory is all of the southwestern United States. Instead of flying the airlines I’ll rent planes from the flight school then my employer will be paying for my flying. I can’t believe no one else has thought of this!”
Not wanting to throw cold water on the hopes and dreams of these enthusiastic and misguided future aviators, we left Van Nuys Airport shaking our heads.
