On-Site Clinics
Over the years, Rich has conducted training clinics stretching from Fairbanks, AK to Kissimmee, FL; from Friday Harbor, WA to Long Island, NY; from Bismarck, ND to Olive Branch, MS; even from St. Catherines to Sault Ste. Marie, Canada and from Kumamoto to Mt. Fuji, Japan.
If you’re interested in having Rich travel to your airport to conduct a fun and educational training clinic, the following information should help. Use these guidelines for general planning purposes only; exact cost and other details, however, must be coordinated directly with Rich.
Planning Guidelines
Typical Scheduling Considerations
Although many variations are possible, the following format has worked quite well in the past. Of course, it’s best to plan this event during the most likely time of the year for good weather (and pilot interest). It is also wise to have a back-up airplane just in case, if possible.
It’s important to plan the event far enough in advance not only so that the host can promote it adequately, but also so that all parties involved can coordinate schedules, equipment, and other logistics related to the event. For example, local FAA FSDO’s may require up to 90 days lead time to publish notices regarding safety seminars. While 90 days is really the minimum lead time for promoting such an event, Rich often requires longer notice as his schedule often books months in advance.
Weekend Clinic Format
Thursday — Rich arrives on-site in the afternoon, inspects the training aircraft and host facility, and conducts an evening FAA safety seminar hosted by a local FBO, flying club, or pilot group. This seminar is free and should be open to all pilots whether they are participating in the hands-on training clinic or not. A typical evening seminar runs as follows:
7:00-7:15 — Host Introductions/Announcements
7:15-8:05 — Seminar Topic, Part I
8:05-8:15 — Break
8:15-9:05 — Seminar Topic, Part II
The host can select two of Rich’s 45-50 minute topics to cover Part I and Part II, or one of his 1-1/2 to 2 hour topics for the entire evening. (See Rich’s list of topics)
During the evening seminar, Rich often incorporates video clips along with a Mac laptop running PowerPoint. The FAA can usually provide an LCD projector w/ screen and VCR equipment for this. Rich also requires a small table so that he can offer his books/videos for sale at the end of the seminar.
Friday thru Sunday — Rich conducts morning and afternoon training sessions each day, typically broken down as follows: Pilots are assigned into morning and afternoon groups. A morning briefing is held for the morning group, followed by consecutive flights, a lunch period, an afternoon briefing for the afternoon group, and several more flights.
Up to six training sorties are normally flown per day, with a total of (18) slots available for a three-day weekend training clinic. Depending on the airplane and the proximity of the practice area, a “sortie” is usually 45-48 minutes long. A typical training clinic day in the summer might be scheduled as follows:
8:30-9:30 — Morning Briefing, all morning pilots in attendance
9:30-10:30 — Morning Sortie #1
10:30-11:30 — Morning Sortie #2
11:30-12:30 — Morning Sortie #3
12:30-1:30 — Lunch Break
1:30-2:30 — Afternoon Briefing, all afternoon pilots in attendance
2:30-3:30 — Afternoon Sortie #1
3:30-4:30 — Afternoon Sortie #2
4:30-5:30 — Afternoon Sortie #3
Monday — Rich departs unless the demand for training is great enough to justify extending the training portion of the clinic an extra day (this would have to be pre-arranged).
Typical Cost Considerations
Fixed costs
- Round-trip travel expenses.
- Accommodations — Rich is not opposed to staying in a spare room in someone’s house to reduce costs; otherwise, you’ll need to take into account the daily rate for a local hotel room.
- Rich’s on-site daily rate.
- Local costs that may be associated with hosting the clinic.
Variable Costs
- The hourly rental rate of the training airplane and accessories.
Amortized Per-Sortie Cost
- For budgeting purposes, the fixed costs are amortized over the number of sorties flown. The sortie operating cost of the airplane must then be added to this amount.
- Recent per-sortie costs in the U.S. have worked out to be $300-350 each. In other words, selling 18 training slots at $300-350 each has been covering the cost to host recent clinics. To date, no pilot interested in this training has balked at the price, especially when the price is compared to the overall cost for a pilot to travel from their location to train with Rich at his home base. Moreover, an on-site training clinic is a value-added service being offered by the host for the convenience of local pilots/clients.
It may be possible to find partial sponsorship to offset some of the cost as well, thereby reducing the per-sortie cost to each participant. Perhaps the host facility, or the FAA, or your State Division of Aeronautics, or a local aviation insurance company would be interested in sponsorship.
Other Considerations
Insurance — Rich carries CFI insurance with a $5,000 aircraft damage liability limit.
Promotion/Scheduling — The host shall be responsible for promoting the event locally, scheduling the flights, and coordinating the logistics for an evening safety seminar. Rich Stowell will provide guidance as necessary.
