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Winter Special – JA Flight Services is please to offer 50% off the instructor fee on all rental checkouts.  JA offers some of the nicest rental aircraft in the Chicagoland area and employs a full-time staff of instructors to expedite all checkouts.  Among the rental aircraft available at JA are:

• 2009 Diamond DA-42 with Garmin G1000
• 2006 Beechcraft G-36 Bonanza with Garmin G1000 and TKS known Ice
• 2007 Cessna 172S with Garmin G1000 (3 to choose from)
• 1982 Cessna 172RG, Garmin equipped
• 1980 Cessna 172N….IFR equipped, great rate!

Call JA Flight Services today at 630-549-2152 to schedule your checkout.  Visit our fleet

A Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) is commonly thought of as services for private jets at an airport, but using operations instead is a better fit. FBO’s can range from a small VIP lounge within an airport terminal, to a large facility built specifically to offer services to not only crew and customers, but to also take care of the aircraft.

So, what does all this mean? What does it include? At J.A. Air Center, a lot.

State-of-the-Art

The new J.A. Air Center at Aurora Municipal Airport is the Midwest’s premier FBO, featuring a private terminal where pilots, crew and passengers are treated to concierge-level services and have access to every possible amenity to make the visit memorable and comfortable.

Stretching out from the terminal is a 20,000 square foot canopy that will allow for drive-up service for any size aircraft, something that earns praise from customers during inclement weather.

Once inside the terminal, you will be greeted and directed where to find whatever pleases you–a relaxing pilot lounge, convenient access to computers, pilot snooze rooms, a workout center and corporate office space. The Pilot Store stocks a full line of the latest avionics equipment from top manufacturer, Garmin, as well as a variety of other aviation essentials.

Aircraft Amenities

If 150,000 square feet sounds like a lot of space, it is. J.A. Air Center caters to the aircraft as well, with plenty of room to house company jets and complete flight departments. This lets us not only protect aircrafts from the elements—this is Chicagoland!—but it also gives easy access to our on-site staff of expert mechanics. This allows us to perform routine maintenance with a minimum of fuss and downtime.

We are also an FAA-certified, Part 145 repair station, stocking a huge inventory of parts and equipment. This means we can get our hands on the latest avionics technology and provide award-winning service for our customers.

One-Stop-Shop

J.A. Air Center is a full-service FBO, and there isn’t a single detail that’s been overlooked. The list of services is impressive and designed to make sure that every service needed is available.

This includes: aircraft detailing; aircraft hangar space; fueling service; ground handling; crew services; passenger services; ground transportation; certified aircraft maintenance; aircraft charter; and flight instruction.

No other FBO in the region can even come close to what we offer, especially when you consider our location, outside the hustle and traffic of downtown Chicago. We are a hub for personal and professional travel to the city and the major technology corridor that stretches between.

A favorite place for pilots to call their permanent home, we are also known for our corporate office space that is quickly filling up. If you need an office space to call home, we might have the perfect place for you.

What it’s All About

At the end of the day, or flight, it’s all about you–the pilot, the crew, the passengers, the trainees, the buyers with dreams of buying their first aircraft, or their 100th—and taking care of your every need.

Our certified mechanics and aviation professionals have come a long way from their “barnstormer” predecessors in the 1920’s, where business was transient and conducted from one farmers’ field to another, but their passion for aviation has never been stronger.

Contact us today to see how we can help you.

Major news organizations are calling it the perfect storm. While the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that air travel will almost double in the next 20 years, from 4 billion to 7.8 billion passengers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says the number of pilots has decreased 30 percent in the last 30 years and unless something is done, it’s only going to get worse.

The downward trend for pilot shortage shows no end in sight, and the outpacing of demand over supply could warrant the doom and gloom pictures being painted for the airline industry over the next two decades.

On the other hand, “It’s fantastic news for innovation and prosperity, which is driven by air links. It is also a huge challenge for governments and industry to ensure we can successfully meet this essential demand,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Growth by Region

The greatest demand is expected to be in the Asia-Pacific region as it surpasses the United States. More than half the new passengers in the next 20 years are anticipated from that region. India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Turkey will all enter the top-ten markets, passing up the UK, France and Italy.

These figures could shift downward if trade liberalization and visa approvals slow, or if travel restrictions are put into place. On the other side, the number of passengers could triple in 20 years if there is an increase in market liberalization.

The five fastest-growing passenger markets are expected to be China, the United States, India, Indonesia, and Turkey. Other markets expected to double each decade at a compound rate of more than 7.2 percent each year, are mostly from Africa and include: Sierra Leone, Benin, Mali, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Malawi, Chad, Gambia, and Mozambique.

Changes in the Industry

Years ago, becoming a pilot was considered prestigious, providing high salaries, nice schedules, and a lot of days off. The military also funneled pilots into the airlines once they had been fully trained and completed their commitment.

Today, that has changed. According to CNN, some of the factors that have affected the industry include: the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 that brought in the low-cost carrier; the 9/11 attacks that affected the financial health of the airlines; major airlines declaring bankruptcy; and pilots who were downgraded in position and pay due to the financial troubles and lack of passengers.

Why Are There Fewer Pilots?

“Retirements at U.S. airlines will start to rise precipitously starting in 2021 as the current crop of pilots turns 65, the mandated age of retirement,” says CNN Business. Almost half of pilots flying today are Baby Boomers and they are about to retire.

Almost 40 years ago, about two-thirds of pilots were ex-military. Today the number is half that, and both the Navy and Air Force are predicting significant shortages for the future as well.

The problem does not lie only with retirements but is multi-faceted. “The high cost of pilot training and several years of earlier hiring freezes in markets like the United States and Australia have deterred potential aviators from entering an industry that Boeing says will need 637,000 more pilots over the next 20 years,” reports Reuters.

Complicating matters, there seems to be a bidding war going on as well. China, for instance, is competing heavily to attract experienced foreign captains by offering annual salaries up to $314,000, tax-free.

Don’t Forget the Private Sector

The shortage also poses a threat for private aviation as private and business aviation competes against the big airlines for qualified pilots, and some say private aviation is growing at a faster pace than commercial travel.

“Private aviation relies on the most experienced pilots, who can also offer VIP passengers the personal attention they expect. These pilots have to work flexible hours to meet on-demand schedules. While these coveted pilots have traditionally been among the highest paid, they are now moving to commercial airlines that offer higher salaries and benefits private jet operators can’t match,” says Forbes.

Is There a Solution?

As they seek a solution to the problem and recognize that it must be done quickly, some airlines are planning to expand their in-house training programs. Quantas Airways plans to invest $15 million in a new flying school, while Emirates opened a $135 million flight training academy last year that can train 600 new pilots.

Foreign airlines, such as Thailand’s Bangkok Airways PCL is attacking the problem in much the same way as China, by increasing salaries and benefits and hiring, but that doesn’t address the shortage issue, as it doesn’t add any new pilots into the pool.

Unions see this as an opportunity to ask for better working conditions and higher pay but offer no real solution for the overall shortage.

On a smaller scale, there are people leaving their current jobs every day and hopping on the track to pilot as they see the hiring wave in front of them. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) tells the story of three of them—a stay-at-home mom, a corporate pilot, and a flight-school owner—all who have started over in one way or another. Most important to them, rather than pay, as long as it was reasonable, was their quality of life, the predictability, and transparency of the major airlines, and working close to home.

Small But Mighty

J.A. Air Center, based in Aurora, Illinois, is doing their part to be part of the solution to the pilot shortage problem. They offer a world-class career pilot program that puts aspiring aviators into the commercial pilots’ seat in 12 months.

The program puts them onto a career path in a quarter of the time it takes to graduate college. Students are trained using the most modern equipment available and trained and mentored by pilots in the Chicago area.

After graduation, Cadets are guaranteed an interview with Mesa Airlines and an internship with Southern Airways flying as a co-pilot. Cadets will get two weeks of Cessna Caravan training and then be placed at a base in the Southern Airways Express system.

Pilots fly with Southern Airways as paid qualified Captains as well as earning $15,000 in tuition reimbursement.

They may not be able to meet the demand of turning out 87 new, trained pilots each day, but with programs like theirs, and others like them, J.A. Air Center is a part of the solution.

Contact J.A. Air Center today to learn more about becoming a pilot. This opportunity is available to graduating high school students, college students and people wishing to become an airline pilot with little or no experience.

Selling your own aircraft isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. You might think all you have to do is put it on Craigslist and off you go. In reality, it’s like a dance; finding the perfect buyer and matching them up with the perfect aircraft and purchasing experience.

Even if you think you know the value of your aircraft, believe in your sales skills, are comfortable talking with people, and are motivated, chances are you would still be better served by a broker.

Not only would you save tons of time answering phone calls and teaching prospects a million little details they should know, you can sit back knowing an expert has you in his very capable hands and you don’t have to do much more than collect the check.

There are also a few more reasons you might not have considered:

Reason #1: Using a broker will save you money, even after paying the brokerage fee.

You will have an expert aircraft sales team who not only does the market analysis to price your aircraft exactly right; they will also develop the sales campaign, list the sale both domestically and abroad, take calls, educate potential buyers over and over again, follow-up on every lead, and negotiate for you.

Reason #2: We stay up on buyer trends, so you don’t have to.

The market is constantly shifting and what worked last year—sometimes even last month—may not work now. Even more, buyers are more sophisticated and research aircraft differently now than they used to. We know how to reach them.

Reason #3: We will develop a specific, strategic campaign.

We will launch a strategic marketing campaign both domestically and internationally. This will generate the interest to get calls rolling in and convert page views into serious prospects.

Reason #4: Follow-up. Follow-up. Follow-up.

The name of the game is follow-up. Without it, you might as well not bother selling anything at all. About 80 percent of sales are made on the fifth to 12th contact, according to the National Sales Executive Association. After we educate buyers, we actively follow-up with them, and help them put all the pieces in place–escrow, insurance, financing–so they can buy your aircraft.

Reason #5: Buyers are more relaxed with brokers than owners.

Most buyers don’t want to get bogged down in the minutiae and sentimentality that can be attached to an item for sale, especially an expensive item like aircraft. Serious buyers prefer a smooth process that not only helps them decide on what type of aircraft they need, but also has professionals who help them through to the finish line.

Let Us Partner with You

The most important question you can ask yourself is, how much is your time worth and where would that time be best spent? We have no doubts, your time is worth a lot more than broker fees, plus, the earning potential you have elsewhere is well beyond the net profit you’ll make selling your aircraft.

At J.A. Air Center, you can put our expertise and experience to work for you. All you have to do is make a phone call and we can take care of the rest. Contact us today and let’s get started!

On Oct. 10, at 7 p.m., two aviation and weather specialists are coming to J.A. Air Center to give pilots and weather enthusiasts an up-close look at what the future holds for aviation weather information tools and displays being developed by the National Weather Service.

Navigating Weather Information from the National Weather Service

These have the potential to change the face of aviation and the way pilots, technology and weather forecasting interact. Not only will it impact safety, but it will increase efficiencies. You won’t want to miss a chance to learn how this will impact you.

This one-time event will be include presentations, noteworthy demonstrations you won’t see anywhere else, and will be followed with a chance for you to ask them questions. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to spend time with two professionals at the top of their field.

Join Steve Lack, Aviation Weather Center (AWC) Techniques Development Meteorologist and Aviation Weather Testbed Lead from Kansas City, MO, and Jamie Enderlen, Chicago Center Weather Service Unit (ZAU CWSU) Meteorologist-In-Charge from Aurora, IL, as they share these exciting new advances in weather information.

Steve is currently working on developing new tools for use by Aviation Weather Center forecasters and for the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation tool on AWC’s website that is used by Flight Services.

Jamie has played a pivotal role in many national, aviation-related research projects within the National Weather Service, including Digital Aviation Services and how to effectively display aviation-related products on the web for pilots.

This event will be held at J.A. Air Center, 43W730 U.S. Hwy 30, Sugar Grove, IL. We look forward to seeing you there! Contact us for further questions.