My name is Barry Orlando. I am a recreational pilot and father of two living in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. I earned my private pilot certificate on October 15, 2007 and then on October 16th, 2010 I earned my Advanced Ground Instructor certificate. Like many my thoughts of flying were just a dream until I did something about it. Now that I have been flying for a bit, I understand how addicting it can be and I go out and seek new challenges for myself. You should too!
A Pilots Journal
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Posted in Introduction | Tags: AOPA Members, Cessna Pilots, Flight Training, Piper Pilots
No More Posts…
Well it’s been 7 years that I’ve had my pilots license now. I can’t call myself a new pilot or a very active one these days, so I am letting everyone know that I am not going to post in this blog anytime soon.
Getting your pilots license is a great accomplishment and a very personal one. Time and money…lack of disposable income really…have kept me from progressing further. In my personal life, I have remarried and have two – 20 something step children and will be moving to Corning, NY in June 2015. My sons are now 19 and 17 years old. My oldest son is in college and my younger one is going to college in Fall of 2015. Their success in college is far more important than my self indulgences…that means no spending money on flying.
In 5 years when I hope both boys are out of college I will be 55 years old, perhaps I can learn new tricks then.
Blue skies everyone!!!
Posted in Uncategorized
2014 Update
Sorry. I have been busy with life and running a flying club since the end of 2012.
I don’t have anything major to post on here at this time, so feel free to just view the past posts that I have created.
Posted in Uncategorized
Happy Memorial Day 2013 – And Google Sucks
Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service. It’s also another American Holiday that GOOGLE tries to ignore. This year only a small flag and a yellow ribbon show up on their home page and you have to mouse over it to see “Memorial Day 2013” and it doesn’t even link to anything so you can learn more about this day.
GOOGLE SUCKS
It’s shouldn’t be this way and I hope that they understand that we don’t appreciate that decision.
THE FREEDOM that Google enjoys here is the MOST freedom they will ever enjoy and they should honor the memory of the people who offered up their lives for the freedom they now have.
Celebrating Memorial Day is not a sin.
Celebrating Memorial Day is not a celebration of war…nobody is in favor of WAR.
When wars start it is hoped that they will end quickly and decisively so that no more lives will be lost.
The people who make that happen and who have paid the ultimate price are the ones we Americans remember today.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin should remember that “don’t be evil” is not just WHAT you do…but ALSO what you DON’T DO. Walking by a starving child and doing nothing is evil, even though you are not the one who caused the child to starve.
Ignoring the sacrifice of the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces who gave them the country that in no small part contributed to their success IS doing evil.
God Bless America and the people who have served and who continue to serve to protect our freedom.
Indifference should not be the new normal for our society. Our civilization can not stand on indifference.
Posted in Memorial Day | Tags: Google Sucks, Memorial Day 2013
2012 Flight Summary
Fall Update – It’s All About the Flying Club
How Are You Finding New Pilots? – Let me share how I do it!
Do you operate a Flying Club run a Flight Training school? How are you tackling the challenges of finding new pilots? If you are like many places you probably aren’t tackling these challenges and failing. The reason is that you assume too much, don’t think out of the box, or try the same old thing and expect change.
Let me share a few things that I have done to generate leads. Yes, I said generate LEADS because that is what YOU are looking to do. We aren’t talking huge budgets we are talking about self promotion and generating leads online.
You Can’t Promote in a Desert
You need to draw in people using the bait that attracts them to an airport and then once you get them in, they can and do tell others.
People really only think of two things when it comes to small airplanes:
- Airplane Rides
- Getting a Pilots License (Bucket List for the 25-45 yr old crowd)
I came to a decision awhile ago that if I didn’t help promote general aviation, nobody else would. So I threw caution to the wind and built a site called:
http://www.flythefingerlakes.com
This little one page wonder has generated 140 leads in a year and half for either airplane rides or for people interested in becoming a Student Pilot. I forward these leads to the only airport who accepted my invitation (Canandaigua) to take them…at no charge…for free. It just happened that my local airport was the only one out of 5 that I contacted who would participate or even return my email. Yes, only in our industry do you find people who don’t have an interest in generating revenue from leads that cost them NOTHING!
Next was a chance to do even more for aviation and again I threw caution to the wind again and this year I redesigned a site that I had for a few years for…again…my local airport:
http://www.canandaiguaairport.com
I was inclusive and setup a “Flight Training” page and with the help from the Flight Training school (who I send the other leads to) I received copy and promoted their flight training at:
http://www.canandaiguaairport.com/flight-training
This year this new page has generated 35 flight training requests.
So in the last year and a half I have generated 175 leads for my little local airport. I charged NOTHING, was paid NOTHING and used my online marketing experience and focused on the two things that people want to do with a small airplane. No Capital was needed to do this. A little sweat equity was all that was needed and you can freely replicate this as well for your own use.
In addition to these sites I also revamped our flying club web site (for the second time) and focused on the people walking of the street looking to maybe learn how to fly. So I threw caution to the wind and built a site without asking for permission called:
http://www.pennyanflyingclub.com
I kept it as simple as I could and clean. It’s functional for prospects and existing members. And it doesn’t fudge the numbers as far as rates or flight training costs and we talk about the responsibilities of membership. Information and rates are kept current. I even posted a repaint of one of our aircraft for use in Microsoft FSX, so you can fly the plane at home on your simulator.
There are always challenges but they can be overcome. Sure having a Cirrus SR20 for $165 / wet-based on Tach Time helps but it’s not the answer and more work needs to be done. Above all else…the planes must be affordable.
A Final Thought
I am just a pilot. I’m not rated. I don’t have a career in aviation. But I believe you need to GIVE in order to GET. And I believe it’s time…and time is running out…to give your time and talent to bringing on the next student pilot, or the next smiling child who had their first flight, or the middle lifer with a bucket list…a taste of what we take for granted. We take for granted the freedom of flight. And like every freedom, it will be taken away if we don’t use it and spread it from today’s generation to the next and to the next.
Stop waiting for the NEXT person to do it. Get involved!
PLEASE POST YOUR SUCCESS STORIES HERE
Posted in Flight Training, General Aviation | Tags: Flight Training, General Aviation
No Greater Burden (for us all)
August Update…and it’s hot…the weather is…not the post.
This post has no purpose except to share a few random items regarding me and a few aviation related, so here goes.
Carenado – has a number of interesting planes under development for FSX and X-Plane users. Go to their home page and click on “Incoming projects” in the center of their home page. A few things of interest include a G1000 182, an SR22 and a TBM 850 that are currently under development.
DuraCharts – produces up-to-date, durable, sectional aeronautical charts for discerning pilots who demand the very best at a reasonable cost. These charts are virtually tear resistant and are manufactured to last. The printing is as sharp and clear as any you have ever seen. No more tearing from constant folding and refolding. DuraCharts are available by subscription or individually as needed and can be ordered now from this website. Visit their website or contact Gil Stimson at gil@duracharts.com for more information.
MiddlesexValleyAirport – Received a small donation and a free breakfast coupon as a token of appreciation for the gratis site I created for them a few years back. Go get breakfast and bring a few friends to this great grass field.
Biopsy – Received good news that my biopsies for skin cancer came back as benign. It took $520 to find this out, which is $520 out of the flying budget or $520 from the funds I was going to use to remove what I have. However, some people don’t get good news so I will accept it and be grateful for it…and will let it go and move on.
Canandaigua Airport – I’m attempting to monetize this site and provide additional value by adding a “For Sale” section so that I can advertise aircraft for sale on the site, as well as offer banner advertisements on the home page. In addition, Thomas Road was closed on July 27th so that construction can begin to extend the runway. I will also be releasing a Canandaigua Airport BGL scenery file for use in Microsoft FSX. I have extended the runway and have used GPS measurements for accuracy. A few more measurements to go before its release.
Posted in Flight Log, General Aviation | Tags: AOPA Members, General Aviation