How to get a raise or save your job.
I thought that might get your attention. But I’m not kidding. If you are part of a flight department, almost any flight department, I’m willing to bet you are enduring some belt tightening. If you are the manager of that flight department you might even be losing a bit of sleep. Shooting from the hip and going with the flow are no longer options. You need to learn how to measure the effectiveness of the company aircraft in a way that resonates with the person who signs the checks. And you need to learn fast.
I read a couple articles that led me to think about the need to appropriately calculate the return on an aviation investment. Initially I focused on the Return On Safety Investment (ROSI) but I soon realized that I need to broaden my thinking. If we don’t have the ability to measure (in dollars) the business advantages created by the flight department, the safety investments become a useless afterthought.
Apparently Just identifying the real “Boss” can sometimes be a problem in some flight departments. The March issue of World Aircraft Sales (www.avbuyer.com/worldaircraftsales) includes an article, “Reporting Procedures for Business Aviation Leaders.” Pete Agur, the Managing director and founder of the VanAllen Group (www.vanallen.com), writes about something simple but alarmingly important. This is a quick read and it is definitely worth your time.
“Dashboards” are all the rage in modern management. The March issue of AIN leads off with an article that describes a new tool offered by Gray Stone Advisors . (www.graystoneadvisors.com) The article will bring you up to speed on the concepts of measuring flight department performance and calculating ROI.
Okay, your turn. How do you measure the effectiveness of your flight department? To whom do you present the results?
Join the conversation. Remember, we are all in this together.
Richard Keltner.
