Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi guys,

 

  I just got on here. I hope I can get some help from all you experts. I have a dilemna. I have a passion for aviation. I want to create an aviation business. I am thinking of finding a mentor on linkedin, but i`m not sure if I should because I feel some of the people on it may not have the entrepreneurial spirit i have. What would be your advice for me to network myself with people in the industry? or if you are an aviation passionate individual I`m sure i could apply your knowledge

 

 

Victor

Victor, I spent nearly two years on designing and developing an executive airport.  No, I`m not really an aviation buff, but I can tell you that your bug is shared by a very large group.  To wit, there are literally hundreds of magazines and periodicals and forums devoted to them, assuming another fanatic is what you are looking for. 

 

That said, you can`t go wrong on sites like SUN and LinkedIn for networking, mentoring, and business ideas.  After all, once you put the passion aside, which you`ll need to do to make sure you make sound decisions, it`s just another business.  Let your passion drive you, not guide you.

Victor,

 

I`m a pilot, aviation nut and entrepeneur. What type of aviation-related businesses are you thinking about? I often think about how do do that as well, since aviation is my ultimate passion, but building software is my gift, and another passion.

 

Steve

Hey Steve,

 

 Thanks for the quick reply. My idea is actually something I imagined and found out that it exists already. It`s basically renting out a flight simulator for customers to use instead of only trained pilots to have the luxury of flying a boeing 737 etc. There are two companies. There is one in New Zealand and one in England. The one in England is better established and has more experience. However, the one in New Zealand has branched out into more countries. The one in England was created through a pilot who convinced British airways to let normal people have access to it, while the one in New Zealand, the guy started it as a result of the large capiltal he was making through his mortgage business. I don`t know how to start it in the US without capital, not to mention that I`m not a pilot so credibility towards people in the industry may look down on me. I have pasted both websites for you to see.  I think the same business can succeed in the states. The only problem will be to overcome that some people may feel that it is threat to the country to let people fly flight simulators because of 9/11. Shoot me some questions about it if you don`t mind and tell me if you think it can be successful. Hope to hear from you soon Steve. Keep it real ;)

 

http://www.virtualaviation.co.uk

http://www.flightexperience.com.au/

 

Victor

Thanks for the quick reply and the encouragement. I have started trying to network also on Linkedin looking for entrepreneurs within the aviation industry. Hopefully, i can ran into a mentor who would want to take me under his shoulder and guide me through this process.

 

Victor

Victor,

 

Right off the top of my head, I know that Continental has a sim that you can fly in Texas:

http://www.b737.com/

 

The caveat is you must have a student pilot license, or a frined who has a pilot license.

 

I also found this, which appears is just for fun and you don`t need a pilots license:

http://www.flyasim.com/

 

Both are in Texas. I`ld be willing to bet that if you could duplicate this in another location, you`d probably have a winner. But of course you should run the numbers to ensure you could make money on this. I imagine you`d have a pretty hefty outlay up front just for the simulator and an instructor. Where would you locate the sim?

 

Good luck! I`d be interested to follow along and see how you do with this.

 

Thanks for the links. My jaw dropped when i saw what you sent me. aparently, there is already competition within the country.

 

I`m gonna have to find a way to get this stuff running quickly before someone else starts it.

 

Victor

Flight Experience has a franchise location in Singapore.

 

I think you idea is coool. But is there any other way to find a flight simulator which is as Real as real-life flying but on the same time low on cost as well. Flight Experience has some limitability such as a fixed-base trainer (doesnt move) , and its only B737. What about those who wants to try on a helicopter? Or as a fighter pilot who engaged in a dogfight, experiencing the G-force (mild) of a fighter?

 

If there`s a software + simulator that incoporates all these functions but still low on cost, I`ll guess it would be a big hit in anywhere.

 

I guessed softwares are easy to find, look at the `microsoft flight simulator series. It is as real as possible. The main thing is the flight controls, cockpit, the environment which simulate the flying experience. This reminded me of WII by nintendo to Playstation, WII is an interactive entertainment.