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Clear Air Aviation Reaches One Year Mark

by clearair
Tue, Aug 23rd 2011 03:35 pm

August 23rd, 2011 marked the one year anniversary of the start of business for Clear Air Aviation. Owner and Gold Seal Flight Instructor Patrick Finnegan has been teaching student pilots in the Western New York area for nearly six years, and last year decided to open and operate his own flight training operation. 

Starting a business in any economic climate is a huge risk, especially in the volatile one the country is facing right now. Also, much of the flight training market includes people that are not so recession-proof, so this tacks on some extra pressure. So how has Clear Air not only survived, but thrived?  "It's simple," says Finnegan, "provide a service that puts the customers needs first, without nickel and diming them, and you'll stand out among the competition."

Finnegan understands that flight triaining is not a low-cost venture, and it's a very safety-sensitive business.  "Quality is a must, corners cannot be cut, but at the same time a student pilot has to progress through training as smoothly as possible to prevent spending more than they need to," he explained. Patrick has been an aviator for ten years, and honed his skills as an instructor for five years before going into business for himself, and it shows. With Gold Seal Flight Instructor status, Finnegan has proven that he not only sends a relatively high number of student pilots to take pilot tests, but they pass on the first try with no problems.

Clear Air has had a very successful first year, not only training its flight students to the highest standards, but also providing great service. Custom scheduling, clean, well-maintained aircraft, and always having a lesson plan ready to go are some benefits that Clear Air student pilots enjoy. Provide a good service and it gets people talking. Finnegan says that 90% of new business has come from word of mouth, allowing him to keep advertising costs low.

An unknown only 12 months ago, Clear Air Aviation is an up and coming player in the flight training industry. If you are interested in learning to fly, you can call 7 days per week, 716-444-0232 or send an email to [email protected].