Country Club Style

I was at an outlying airport preparing to take a student up for a lesson. As I did my walk around I heard a voice from behind: "I've never seen a PiperSport before." So as the student strapped in I gave my "elevator speech" on the airplane, LSA and Sport Pilot requirements. I always finish with a smile on my face and stress how much fun she is to fly. When he left we got back to business. The lesson went well, and upon return I opted to debrief while sitting in the airplane. As I reviewed the simulated in flight emergency a voice came from outside the airplane: "What kind of airspeed do you get out of this?" Once again I spoke to Sally's attributes for a few minutes, smiled then excused us and went back to the debrief. "She sure is a pretty plane". And so it goes.

Plane & Pilot has a great article this month about the company that imports SportCruisers into the USA.

• Patrick Arnzen, the 34-year-old president of US Sport Aircraft, says, "It's all about knowing your customers, providing them what they want and keeping it fun in the process.
• Wes Wynne, a new private pilot, said, "I started my training at another school. I was frustrated by maintenance issues with their 40-year-old planes when I happened to drive by US Sport's ramp and saw the cool planes they were flying. I went in the office and was impressed by the friendly people. But when I found out that it cost less to rent a brand-new SportCruiser than a 1970s 172, I was hooked. "
• The success US Sport has experienced can be traced back to their energetic president. A former airline pilot, and one of the youngest designated pilot examiners (DPE) in the country, Arnzen has run several aviation businesses prior to launching an Addison, Texas, location for US Sport Aircraft. Starting with a dirt-floor hangar and one aircraft, Arnzen quickly grew the business to a 10,000-square-foot facility, 20 or more planes and 20 staff members. "I could not have done this by myself. My biggest talent is probably being picky and only bringing on team members who share our vision and passion."
• "The SportCruiser is everything we could have hoped for in a modern, well-equipped and economical cross-country airplane, and the friendships we've formed with the personnel at US Sport Aircraft will last long after we stop our flying adventures." -Gary Cordell

Have fun, be safe, train well.