Plus One Flyers, Inc.

Board of Directors
2007 Membership Survey Report

Respectfully submitted by

S. Kurowski, Vice President, Director
E. Archer, Ph.D., Director

11May2007

Contents

1.0 Objectives / p.2
2.0 Data Sets Examined / 2
3.0 Membership Profiles / 3
4.0 Population Sub-Grouped Charts / 6
5.0 Comparative Aggregate Charts / 13
6.0 Write-In Reponses / 19

1.0 Objectives

The 2007 membership survey sought to develop and update the following:

  • Membership Profiling– develop updated membership demographics, preferences, biases, and other characteristics to profile a “typical” member and identified exemplar membership sub-groups.
  • PlanningGuidance – the findings of this report will also be used as a part of a separately reported Directors and Officers guidance document combining 2006 operations flight data and the 2007 IDP report to help explore key decision factors and make relevant recommendations where possible.

Members were invited to participate in the survey through an e-mail campaign and a posted Schedule Master notice. For a period of approximately one month, mid-December through mid-January, the anonymous survey was available on the club web site. Incentives in the form of randomly awarded flight time and pilot shop gift certificates totaling $400 were distributed to survey participants at the January General Membership Meeting.

A basic survey software solution issued a unique random ID code to each surveyed member, which allowed subsequent member completion of incomplete partial surveys and revisions to their earlier responses. Many of the same questions from the year prior (2006) were retained for comparative analysis.

2.0 Data Sets Examined

  • 2007 Survey Data Set
  • 376 surveys collected(2 partial), approximately 47% of members, 302 prize registrants
  • 15,039 data points and 177 ‘other’ write-in responses
  • Collected data 12/12/2006 to 01/14/2007
  • 36 multiple-choice questions, Board of Directors developed
  • Data collected via web site directly loaded into SQL relation database for analysis.
  • 2006 Survey Data Set
  • 353 surveys collected (7 partial), approximately 44% of members, 298 prize registrants
  • 11,543 data points and 155 ‘other’ write-in responses
  • Collected data 12/02/2005 to 01/03/2006
  • 33 multiple-choice questions, committee developed
  • Data collected via web site directly loaded into SQL relation database for analysis.
  • Assumptions
  • The 376 surveys collected represent actual data from approximately 47% of members.
  • Extrapolation of the results to the entire membership base is reasonable.
  • Missing, incomplete or inaccurate survey data were statistically insignificant.

Online versions of complete data sets can be found at . Use your BOD secure login to download these club-confidential files.

3.0 Membership Profiles

3.1 “Typical”Member Profile

The survey data identifies the following profile as “typical” of a Plus One Flyers member, such that a randomly selected member is likely to match the profile in most areas.

“Typical” Plus One Flyer Member

•Age 45 (36 to 55), flying monthly 5 to 10 hours on a budget of $250 to $500, from MYF

•Lives 10-20 minutes from MYF

•Is not an aviation professional

•Referred to club by CFI, friend or other

•Single-engine private pilot, 100 to 500 hours, evenly split VFR / IFR ratings

•Most comfortably flies VFR in Cessna aircraft having IFR platforms

•Tends to fly but a few favorite specific aircraft

•Flies mostly local training and pleasure flights, then for staying current

•Will fly any day of the week but prefers weekends / holidays

•AOPA member, about 1/3 have taken a mountain flying course in the last year

•Evaluated club management as doing an excellent or good job

•Says club competitive edge is having more aircraft, better aircraft, convenience of scheduling & payment, having a sizable number of CFIs to choose from, and (from write-ins) our friendly staff.

3.2 Four Distinct MembershipPopulation Sub-Groups

A cluster analysis tree of the survey responses, Figure 1,hasfour response paths at the top node (the uppermost line at path correlation = 1.0), demarkingfour club member pilot population groups. In the figure, population sub-Group 2 is boxed red, Group 1 is boxed green, Group 2 is boxed blue, and Group 4 is boxed purple.

Figure 1 – Member Population Response Cluster Analysis

Figure 2 folds up the path tree above to more clearly demonstrate the four pilot populations. The branching relationships demonstrate the degree of similarity or differences in the responses. For example, Groups 1 and 4 are more alike than Group 2 or 3, but Group 3 is more like Groups 1 and 4 than Group 2.

Figure 2 – Folded Population Cluster Analysis

Group 2 (n = 252, 68%): Recent members (joined in 2006) that tend to be mid-age (36-55). They have a student or private VFR, single-engine certificate, and are low-time pilots. They tend to fly on weekends primarily for flight training or pleasure and cancel largely due to weather.

Group 3 (n = 47, 13%): These are members that largely joined 1996-2000 and are slightly younger than Group 2 (36-45). They also have a high number of pilots that spend > $2K/month on flying and can accept a higher increase in the rates. They tend to be IFR rated and fly anytime. Many are CFIs and a high number seldom attend meetings. There are also a high number that belong to another club.

Group 1 (n = 21, 6%): Many of these members have been with the club for a long time and are much older (56-65), however there is also a large component that are young (26-35). These members tend to be mid- to high-time commercial IFR and multi-engine rated pilots that fly in average IFR conditions with a high number flying weekdays. They tend to fly for pleasure and choose aircraft based on their confidence in its safety and prefer IFR platforms with GPS. A high number seldom use the website, but the group tends to attend meetings and would attend socials.

Group 4 (n = 53, 14%): These are members that have recently joined and tend to be mid-aged with high income. They are both low and high time pilots that fly 26-50 hrs/mo and are very IFR competent. They tend to fly a variety of planes and tend to fly anytime to maintain currency. There are a relatively high percentage of aviation professionals in this group.

Group 1 – Medium/High-Time IFR(6%) Member Profile Detail
•Medium/high timers, 500-1000 hours or more
•Commercial IFR ratings
•Lives 10-15 minutes from airfield, nearest of the four group to MYF
•Joined before 2000, or recently 2005-2006
•Walk-ins then referrals – only group web site not a factor in joining
•Most likely to have recent WINGS course
•One in 5 belongs to another flying club
•Income $50K to $150K
•Ages 56 to 65
•No flying preferences for day of week
•Comfortably flies IFR
•Trust / confidence in aircraft is primary selection factor, then engine power / •Mostly C172, then C172SP and C172RG – lowest variety of aircraft flown
•Prefers GPS IFR platform
•Most willing to fly any available airplane
•Local pleasure flights, then currency in rating
•Cancels due to changes in plans, then IMSAFE and WX
•Either never attends membership meetings, or frequently attends
•Very interested, or uninterested in social events
•Least likely to use web site for information
•Evaluated: Excellent club management
•Priority: Reduce competition for planes, Schedule status accuracy, and write-ins
Group 2 – Low-Time VFR(68%) Member Profile Detail
•Low-timers, under 500 hours
•Private VFR/IFR, students
•Lives 15-20 minutes from airfield
•Joined 2006, referrals mostly
•Does not belong to other flying club
•Income $50K to $200K
•Ages 36 to 55
•Avoids flying weekdays
•Comfortably flies VFR
•Type of aircraft is primary selection factor, then cost and availability / •Mostly C172
•Prefers VFR or IFR platform
•Flight training, then local pleasure flights, tad of business
•Cancels due to WX, then changes in plans
•Never or infrequently attends membership meetings
•Mostly interested in social events
•Sometimes uses web site for information
•Evaluated: Excellent or good club management
•Priority: More inexpensive planes, and write-ins
Group 3– Medium/High Time IFR(13%) Member Profile Detail
•Medium timers, 500-5000 hours
•Commercial IFR
•Lives 20-30 minutes from airfield
•Joined 2000 by referrals, then walk-ins
•Half belong to a second flying club
•Ages 26 to 55, dominated by 46 to 55
•Flies any day of the week
•Comfortably flies IFR to minimums, then IFR
•Type of aircraft is primary selection factor, then cost and availability / •Prefers non-GPS IFR platform
•Giving flight instruction, then currency in rating,
< 1 week cross-countries
•Cancels due to WX, then change in plans or aircraft maintenance
•Sometimes attends membership meetings
•Interested in social events
•Uses web site for information
•Evaluated: Good or excellent club management
•Priority: Schedule status accuracy, and write-ins
Group 4– Low-Time IFR and High-Time Aviation Professionals
(Purple, 14%) Member Profile Detail
•High timers 5000+ hours and 250-500 hours low-timers
•About half are aviation professionals
•Commercial/private IFR, ATPs
•Joined 2006
•One in 5 belongs to a second flying club
•Income $100K to $150K
•Dominated by ages 26 to 36, then 46 to 55
•Flies any day of the week
•Comfortably flies IFR, then IFR to minimums
•Availability and type are primary aircraft selection factors / •Mostly C172 but flies a variety of other aircraft
•Prefers non-GPS IFR platform, then GPS IFR
•Currency in rating, then local pleasure flights, some business
•Cancels due to WX, then aircraft maintenance
•Never or seldom attends membership meetings
•Less interested in social events
•Uses web site for information
•Good or excellent club management
•Priority: variety of planes, and write-ins

3.3 Observed Changes fromYear Prior 2006

The comparative charts in 5.0 reveal the following shifts relative to the 2006 survey data:

  • New member referrals are up from 2006.
  • More members are slightly closer to home field.
  • More members select aircraft by type, useful load.
  • Fewer members are flying 10 to 20 hours / month.
  • Fewer members are comfortable flying IFR approaches to minimums.
  • Fewer members requested more varied kinds of aircraft models.

Growing membership segments include:

  • Priority: Better fleet maintenance - squawks quickly fixed, and more aircraft at SEE, RNM
  • Students and members below 500 hours (number of members above 500 hours members isdecreasing)
  • Income $150K to $200K
  • Ages 46-55 (ages 36 to 45 slight decrease)
  • Under 5 to 10 hours/month flying time
  • Monthly flying budget $750 to $1000
  • Claimed sensitivity to 5% to 10% hourly rate increase
  • Hourly cost as a factor, then availability, trust/confidence in aircraft, equipment/features
  • Use of Other, C172, C182RG, SR22, and C210 aircraft models, relative to other models
  • Selects aircraft by availability, trust/confidence in aircraft, equipment/features preferences
  • Flying VFR and VFR with situational awareness GPS
  • Training, local pleasure, business flights
  • Seldom or never attend membership meetings
  • Evaluated: Excellent club management

3.4 Top Reported Concerns

Themain two concerns communicated in the data were, in this order:

  1. requests for more aircraft of the most popularly flown models, at all airfields
  2. aircraft maintenance-related issues (squawks, inaccurate schedule status)

The first of these suggests that our membership may be self-limited near 800 to 900 because of the number of aircraft in our fleet, and that a carefully selected test might answer that question. It is also not inconsistent with the ability of 18% of our members shared with other local flying clubs; these may increasingly rely upon the other club for aircraft when our fleet utilization peaks.

4.0 Population Sub-Grouped Charts

The four main membership sub-group population responses are diagrammed for relative analysis. All charts are scaled 0 to 1.0 (0% to 100). For aggregate % totals see the 2007-2006 comparative analysis charts in 5.0.

5.0 Comparative Aggregate Charts

These comparison charts show aggregate response volumes for both 2007 and 2006. All charts are scaled 0 to 1.0 (0% to 100%), blue squares are 2006 responses, red diamonds are 2007.

6.0 Write-In Responses

Write-in responses were collected for various questions to encourage member-guided expansion of response areas. The complete set of write-in responses is below – it is worth reading all of them. Example write-in suggestions to improve the club included:

•organize social events (BBQ hangar parties, fly-ins/outs, charity, etc.)

•more/new aircraft (roughly evenly distributed requests: trainers, complex, high-performance)

•check each aircraft each day (squawks, fluids, tach, ADs, condition)

•software/payment upgrades

•launch a “Get Flying Again” program

•aircraft care and security briefings

•block rates

•fleet at CRQ

QUESTION / WRITE-IN RESPONSE
What top 3 factors most affect your aircraft selection decisions? (Pick factor #1 of 3)
COST PER NM
I fly my plane
I pick a 172 because that is all we have at SEE.
location
suitability to mission objective
taildragger
Training requirements
What ever the student is comfortable in
What top 3 factors most affect your aircraft selection decisions? (Pick factor #2 of 3)
Still no other choice.
What ever the student is comfortable in and can schedule
What top 3 factors most affect your aircraft selection decisions? (Pick factor #3 of 3)
As allowed by my ratings and endorsements
Light Sport
Maintenance condition and engine performance.
One that the student is comfortable in and is not always in maint.
Rapid owner response on squawks AND my confidence in the A/C
Speed
taildragger
the aircraft my student prefers
How good a job do you think Plus One's current management team is doing?
Excellent, keep up the good work, but get a 182T PLEASE!
excellent,just wish we had chapter here in Las Vegas!!!
Good, but need to do a better job of letting members know about payment issues to avoid late fees
I am not aware of any problems so keep up the good work.
im disappointed in the software (schedulemaster and billing orchard) that is used.
Need better phone tree (availability) / responsiveness to issues!!
needs improvement in scheduling aircraft maint.
new
no opinion
not a member long enough to evaluate
not sure
Would like to have an organized \"Get Flying Again\" program.
What Plus One priority do you think would make the club better?
Expand the Plus One aircraft fleet at CRQ
A couple of more affordable planes with glass panels.
Ability to pay for time on-line. Buy block time at a 5-10% discount.
ACCURATE info/pics for ALL aircraft online
add a non-tailwheel aerobatic plane
Add newer airplanes to the fleet.
Add nicer retractable gear aircraft - other than the malibu. Use paypal for online payments for rentals.
addition of AA5B
another cirrus
attempt to place several more well equiped( gps and autopilot) retractables in the club. Commander 114, Saratoga, etc.
Availability of LSA and instructor on weekends at MYF or SEE
Better communication between the members about squawks. You should have to call the owner or Sorbi AND the next person on the schedule to fly the plane if the plane cannot be fixed by the next scheduled flight time.
better equipped aircraft
Better logging and computer tracking of squawks on all aircraft
Cancellation policy change- perhaps offer 3 free cancellations per month- but beyond that there would be a minimal fee to discourage mass scheduling throughout the month
club organized events..bbqs, socials, hangar partys, ect..
Educational Briefings on Security and Taking Care of Aircraft
expand the Plus One aircraft fleet at CRQ
find bigger hangar for David Long who maintains many Plus One airplanes
fine the way it is.
Get a Cherokee 6 or Saratoga on line
Get members to know each other, form culbs within clubs, organized flying trips etc.
Have a Grumman Tiger
hire someone to check the airplanes each morning. Wash windows, clean airplane, pick up checks, check gripes, note hours to SCHEDULE maint.
If members would add fuel AND oil after flights
Larger selection of multi engine aircraft
making sure planes have supplies (oil, window cleaner, paper towels)
Many planes are well managed with squawks fixed. One or two do not seem to fully address issues such as current IFR data base.
More and less expensive pipers
More availability in the bigger aircraft.
More glass cockpit (G1000) planes
More high perf aircraft + 6 place aircraft including some aircraft at SEE
more high performance singles eg A-36, c210
more planes @ palomar
My view is not an educated view. Not on site enough.
need more lsa planes
new
none
not a member long enough to evaluate
Offer block rates, facilitate renters insurance, help cover a/c maintenance
On-line or automatic credit card payment for when Gibbs is closed
Pay for aircraft online / Mexico aircraft
reduce operating costs
schedule master sucks, replace it.
Staff members become knowledgeable about the TSA registration process that Alien Flight Students need to go through before taking flying lessons.
To new of a member to say, get back to me in a few months
Upgrade facility
Would like to have an organized \"Get Flying Again\" program.
you are doing a good job....
What top 2 factors MOST make Plus One better than other flying clubs (pick factor #1 of 2)?
Accessability and friendliness of staff, Dave Jeebie, Bob Arnesto, Jon Bannster, all you guys are great!
availabiltiy of c210 high performance single
Friendliness of club personnel
Impressive business practices and excellent insurance
It is available at SEE.
more tail draggers
My CFI is there
N738LF
Never been a member of another club
no other experience
none of the above
Only charges 1 hour per day for XC trips
only club ever involved with
The only local club offering an LSA for hire and instruction
availability of unique aircraft (like Malibu)
Close proximity to my home
Create \"Club Associations\" so checkrides from Plus One work in other flight clubs in other cities.
I dont consider you better
Increasing the number of women and minority flight students
Management team. Dave & Tara
N738LF
Never been a member of another club
no other experience
none of the above
How did you learn about Plus One? / American Flyers CFI MYF GIBBS EBY KAPENAS
Aquired a flight club I was part of
At the airfield
Banyon Air
flight school
Flyer at Gibbs
Former Board Member of Plus One Flyers
Former Flyers Inc Member
from Gibbs staff
I was a previous member
I was an original member when Gus Schwartz started the club
Mailing telling of SEE operations.
migrated from disolved Flyers Incorporated club
migrated from the disbanded \"Flyers, Inc\" club
MTX quality recomendation from Comair
Plus One flyer at Gibbs
Plus One price sheet at Gibbs
previous member
Previous Member
previous member, decided to rejoin
Previous Plus One member
Previous Plus One Member
prior member
Referred by my husband, a Plus One Member
saw it at CRQ while with PCF, then moved to MYF
Was a member of another flying club
was a member of flyers before
Was previous member 10 years ago
Was there when Plus 1 and MYF Flyers morphed into eachother
Work of mouth around airport. I was in Flyers.
Yellow Pages
Which airfield is closest to your primary residence?
AZ resident
BWC
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
CRQ
I live in Hawaii
I live in Virginia and travel to SD area on business MYF is usually closest to where I stay. I frequently wished I lived in the area so I could participate in club meetings and activities.
I m not sure
IPM IMPERIALVALLEY
North Las Vegas
SDM
SAN
SAN

Plus One Flyers, Inc. Confidential Board of Directors 2007 Membership Survey Report9/30/2018