Article appeared in the King Schools Catalog July 2021 by John & Martha King
“It is wonderful to see you all here! … Isn’t this fabulous to be able to go to an aviation event again!”
Martha King at SUN ‘n FUN, Lakeland FL 4/16/21
These were Martha’s first words during our talk at the AOPA Pavilion at SUN ‘n FUN this year (2021). It had been well over a year since we were able to do a live presentation. We were vaccinated, excited, and it felt like we had just gotten out of jail. It was such a joyful experience to be at an airshow. Like so many things, we had taken our annual trips to SUN ‘n FUN and AirVenture a bit for granted.
Well, not anymore.
Pilots are getting back to routines. EAA’s AirVenture, the NBAA show in Las Vegas, the HAI Heli-Expo, and AOPA Fly Ins are all happening. Just about all the aviation organizations in the USA are moving ahead with in-person events. And now, as society continues to continue open, even more pilots will be returning to the cockpit. If you are one of those, and you need help knocking the rust off, we have courses that will get you back up in the air—with confidence.
Meanwhile, one area of concern is that with flight training continuing to ramp up, checkrides have become very hard to schedule. Waits of three and four months are common and DPEs are travelling long distances to fill the needs in some areas. This has substantially increased the cost of checkrides with some pilots paying $1,000 and up for their checkrides.
At these prices, and long wait times for a re-check, the consequences of a failed checkride could be devastating. If you have a checkride coming up, please consider our practical test courses. They will ensure you are well prepared to ace your checkride the first time.
The good news is that aviation training continued throughout the crisis. Sure, training took a hit at the beginning, but once flight instructors and flight schools figured out how to train safely, the customers were waiting. And many GA pilots found flying was a way to travel without the risks of public transportation. They just carefully choose their cockpit companions. It worked, but as a community we did miss the in-person events that bring us all together.
We hope to see you in Oshkosh!
Warmly,
Glad to see you survived your vaccines. Keep on keeping on!
Indeed. Many did not. The virus was less risky.
I will rely on my immune system.
This is incredibly inaccurate and potentially harmful. I hope you stay safe, but I also hope you stop spreading disinformation.