Aviation Training Management Systems: Going Paperless

Before aviation training management systems like Flight Schedule Pro existed, operating a flight school involved a lot of pencils, paper, and phone tag. For many owners, that’s still the case. But this industry is heading toward a paperless future with increasing speed. Word is spreading that digital management tools are having positive impacts on schools, including happier students, lower overhead, and fewer reporting errors; they’re also freeing up time for owners to focus on the core task of teaching people to fly.

Here are a few examples of how even the heavily regulated world of aviation training is experiencing digital transformation. But first, an invitation: If you’re still struggling with paper student records and data entry errors, with scheduling mishaps and maintenance-interval scares, why not give Flight Schedule Pro a try? (You can experiment with the platform for up to 30 days free!)

Find out how an integrated flight school management platform can help your business grow. Book a Flight Schedule Pro demo today.

Then & Now: Aviation Training Management Systems

Flight School Scheduling

We released Flight Schedule Pro in 1999, when flight scheduling was still a jumble of calendars and phone calls. Students had to call a receptionist to book a training flight. The phone line could only handle one caller at a time, and there was only one scheduling book. If three flight instructors were on the line trying to figure out their schedules, a student could be stuck on hold for quite a while.

Now, Flight Schedule Pro’s Scheduling Hub gives instructors instant online access to aircraft bookings. It provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop scheduling system, complete with automated notifications, recurring and group booking, and color-coding to identify aircraft usage. Advanced permissions allow you to control who can make appointments, potentially removing busy signals from your student scheduling system entirely.

Record-Keeping & Part 141 Compliance

Then and now, the FAA requires flight schools to keep detailed records on all their students. What that looked like (and still looks like for many flight schools!) is a bookshelf stuffed full of binders, which are in turn stuffed with every student’s lessons, grades, and flight reports.

The complexity of this “filing” system can become a problem during audits by your local Aviation Safety Inspector, especially if you operate a Part 141 pilot school. If your student records aren’t perfectly organized, you may prolong your audits, frustrate your auditors, and increase the odds of a citation.

Now, digital records don’t require hours of hand-filing, and they allow you to participate in virtual Part 141 inspections. Inspectors appreciate the convenience, while flight school owners can rest easy knowing a misfiled document won’t get them into trouble with the FAA. Flight Schedule Pro’s digital records system also prevents Part 141 errors. For instance, when an instructor recommends a student for a Part 141 stage check, the system draws on student progress data to verify that they’ve met the requirements.

We work with the Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs) that make those determinations, and we’ve been approved by FSDOs across the country, ensuring compliance with FAA record-keeping rules—not just in the abstract, but in the rubber-to-road application of the regulations, as understood by the local agents in your area.

Aviation Student Progress Tracking

To track student achievement, flight schools sometimes used massive paper grids called “horse blankets.” These records documented every lesson, grade, and flight that the student completed throughout their entire aviation education—all on a single, gigantic sheet of paper.

These are not easy documents to file. And while some administrators made extra copies for students, not all did. That could leave students unsure of where they stood in their progress toward flight certification. Finally, bulky paper records made lousy ways for instructors to compare progress between members of the same class.

Now, high-performance schools that train dozens of students at a time on tight schedules need a way to see student progress at a glance. Flight Schedule Pro’s student progress-tracking dashboard gives instructors a snapshot of every student’s achievement at once. That helps them optimize training for students who may be falling behind, keeping the whole class on track for a more successful experience for all. And it makes it easy to share progress data with students.

Try Paperless Flight School Management Tools For Free

Flight Schedule Pro helps flight schools update their aviation training management systems with advanced digital tools built to simplify mission-critical processes. If you’re ready to digitize training records, simplify file access, and save administrative costs in both time and treasure, Flight Schedule Pro can help.

Sign up for a free trial of Flight Schedule Pro today.