Al and Tim Adelman, father and son owners of Chesapeake Sport Pilot, decided to give up careers as attorneys to work in a field fueled by their passion for aviation. Their Stevensville, MD flight school opened its doors in February of 2007 with one light sport aircraft. Al and Tim shared their experiences in building the flight school this week at AirVenture.
Tim Adelman first flew at the age of 16, and while completing his college degree and MBA, he offered his CFI services on the side. He realized the potential for an LSA flight school while working on a program for the Department of Justice which uses LSA aircraft for law enforcement. The Sky Arrow was the first aircraft Tim and his father purchased, and its tandem seating and great visibility generated a lot of interest at the local field.
Performing a market analysis was an important part of Chesapeake Sport Pilot's startup, and Tim says he went to many airports to simply talk to pilots and potential students about their interest in the sport aircraft segment. The Adelmans also studied the aircraft and products available in the LSA marketplace, and spent a lot of time working on a financial structure that would make the school viable. When the flight school opened, Chesapeake Sport Pilot actually had ten students lined up without paying a dollar for advertising.
As attorneys and experienced businessmen, the Adelmans saw the school's business plan as the most important foundation to build from. "It's hard to insure new LSA schools." Tim says. Having a detailed business plan allowed them to legitimize their operation to the insurance company as well as sell their operation to the airport. Despite having two fixed wing schools already on the premises, Chesapeake Sport Pilot's mission filled a ...