Learning to fly, part 3
Trying to reason with monsoon season
by Christopher Key

Thanks to normal Northwest weather and a killer schedule brought on by December’s early deadlines, I haven’t been able to fly for several weeks. Flying is apparently addictive, since I seem to be having withdrawal symptoms. I have started thinking about how Whatcom County looks from the air whenever I drive somewhere. I even miss the sweaty palms when I’m swinging out over Bellingham Bay on final approach to the runway. The one thing that hasn’t changed is all the book time.
Achieving a private pilot’s license is not inexpensive, but the general aviation community makes your first lesson quite affordable. They know that most people will be hooked instantly. Some 45 aviation related business and organizations have joined forces to create a non profit called Be A Pilot. The program offers an introductory flight lesson to the general public for just $49. Bellingham Aviation Services, where I am learning to fly, is one of more than 2,100 flight schools taking part in the program.
Be A Pilot was formed in 1997, a year after registered pilots in the U.S. hit a 30 year low. Since then, more than 200,000 have signed up for the introductory lesson and about half of them have gone on to formal flight instruction. You can obtain an introductory flight certificate by logging on to www.beapilot.com.
Bellingham Aviation Services came into being just over a year ago. When Alpha Aviation closed its doors, the Port of Bellingham put out a request for proposals. Port officials felt there should be more than one company offering fueling services and wanted to encourage competition. Jeff Geer teamed with a couple of colleagues to form the LLC. Jim Hammonds came on board last March to run the flight school.
“We originally had an agreement with Northway to lease our planes,” he said. “Now we own a Cessna 172 and are leasing a Beechcraft Duchess.”
The Cessna is what I’m learning to fly and the Beechcraft is for those pursuing a multi-engine rating. Bellingham Aviation Services employs 20 people.
“It’s easy to get good people, but not many have the training we need, especially in safety procedures,” Hammonds said. “We’re talking with Bellingham Technical College about a program to train people for aviation careers. There’s an aura of glamour surrounding aviation that helps attract people.”
The biggest need is for avionics technicians.
“There seems to be an adequate number of airframe mechanics, but avionics has advanced so quickly that few prospective employees are up to date,” Hammonds said.
Commercial airlines used to rely primarily on military trained pilots, but their numbers were decreasing steadily prior to the Iraq war.
“Horizon, for example, invests a lot in training,” Hammonds said. “They spend $30,000 to $50,000 to train someone who already has a commercial license. You have to know the specific systems used by that company. You have to pay your dues, though. The small regional and commuter airlines don’t pay much. Airlines want people they don’t have to retrain.
Those who are aiming to fly for the major commercial operators typically obtain the needed flight time by working as flight instructors.
“The middle sized feeder airlines are pretty stable right now,” Hammonds said. “But things are obviously going to have to change at the major airlines.
Hammonds sees general aviation as a time management tool for busy professionals.
“September 11 forever changed the way we travel,” he said. “If you have a pilot’s license, you can avoid the security hassles at the airports. You don’t even have to own a plane. You can rent and save money by sharing expenses with other passengers. And if your luggage gets lost, you know who to blame. Plus you can fly on your own schedule instead of that of the airlines.”
Long term plans for Bellingham Aviation Services include the possibility of starting an air taxi service. Getting that license involves a lot of time. In addition to being one of the principals of the company, Jeff Geer serves as general manager.
“I’ve been flying for about 18 years,” he said. “The company I worked for had a corporate aircraft, so I got some time in. We thought that Bellingham needed a full service fixed base operator (FBO). That involves a lot more than just fueling and flight school.”
Changes in general aviation made it more feasible to do business.
“Fifteen years ago, Bellingham didn’t attract the types of aircraft needed to support a FBO,” Geer said. “That’s all changed thanks in part to the efforts of the Port of Bellingham. The timing and the opportunity just came together.”
Geer has spent most of his career in telecommunications technology, but has always loved aviation.
“There is a real future for this company,” Geer said. “We’re already running ahead of our business plan. It’s been a unique opportunity to meet people in the industry and learn new things. I’ve even met a couple of astronauts. My passion for aviation keeps opening up new doors.”
Despite Geer’s experience, running the company has involved a steep learning curve.
“The trend in general aviation is toward very light jets,” he said. “These are four to six passenger planes that are really going to open up jet aircraft to small and medium sized companies. Flight schools are going to have to adapt.”
Increasingly complex avionics systems offer opportunity.
“We’re well positioned for that with our avionics shop,” Geer said. “We’re getting our people trained now for future opportunities. There are lots of opportunities involving experimental aircraft. The industry is finding a lot of new niche markets. People are building airplane kits in their garages that are far more user friendly than they used to be. It’s an exciting time to learn how to fly.”