Growing Despite The Economy... Or Because Of?
This week, the Aircraft Partnership
Association announced it recently posted its 2,500th member profile
on the official website. Over 1,000 new members have joined since
December.
"While the economy is having a dramatic adverse affect on
aircraft sales, many aviators are beginning to actively pursue
forming private partnerships now that a viable mechanism exists to
facilitate the process," reads an APA statement.
The Aircraft Partnership Association uses web-based programs to
match partnership preferences that include aircraft type, budget,
airport, flying experience and more. The APA encourages pilots to
post their secure profiles on-line for free in an endeavor to match
like-minded aviators who want to share the cost of owning/operating
an aircraft through private partnerships.
"We've seen APA memberships begin to spike as the economy
slows," said APA President David A. Kruger. "People who are
passionate about aviation aren't willing to just stop flying. What
they are doing is actively looking for new ways to reduce the cost
of flying so aviation can stay a part of their lifestyle longer.
"For some pilots, that may mean purchasing a used aircraft instead
of a new one. Some current aircraft owners may want to find
partners to help share to cost of ownership rather than succumb to
the financial pressure to get out of flying altogether.
"The beauty of APA is that uses technology to intelligently form
partnerships that work for new, used or currently owned aircraft
anywhere," Kruger added. "And better still -- individual
memberships are free!"
Members are encouraged to post their partnership profile on a
secure database called the Virtual Pilot Lounge at the FMI link
below. Once members complete their partnership profile, they
can begin to search the database for suitable partners using a
variety of parameters including aircraft type, budget, proximity
from home or airport and much more. Members can even choose to
receive e-mail alerts when a new partner joins in their area.
Kruger stresses the searchable database is free, and member
information remains strictly confidential and is never used for
marketing purposes without permission.
"The idea of reducing the cost of flying by sharing the cost
ownership has always been a great idea, it was just never going to
happen by posting a flyer on the FBO bulletin board," Kruger
concluded. "Today, using a web-based technology as the conduit to
connect the partnership dots, more pilots will be able to realize
the dream of aircraft ownership and more aircraft owners will be
able to keep their planes as an integral part of their lifestyle or
business rather than letting it become a hangar-queen."
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