Believes His Experience Could Be Benefit Students

Along with Hayden "Jim" Sheaffer, Troy Martin (right) is arguably one of the most vilified pilots among the GA community. The two men guided their Cessna 150 deep into the Washington ADIZ last May, jangling already-frayed nerves among lawmakers and, again arguably, setting the cause to reduce or eliminate the increasingly permanent TFR back many years.

So... would you want Martin to teach you to fly? Well, if you subscribe to the notion of "learning from the mistakes from others," it makes some sense... and Martin has some intriguing ideas about pilot training.

Martin, 36, was himself a student pilot on the ADIZ flight. Sheaffer was PIC, and was handling navigational duties on the flight -- but it was Martin who was at the controls for nearly all of the flight. 

Martin -- who holds a degree in aerospace engineering from Embry-Riddle, but has put his own pilot ambitions on hold -- admits that "in a lot of people's minds, [the flight] was damaging to general aviation." But while he acknowledges his own mistakes -- he says he should have asked more questions before his trip with Sheaffer to a North Carolina airshow -- Martin also sees a problem with the way pilots are trained.

"There’s just not a lot of structure today with how people learn to fly," Martin told the Lancaster Sunday News.

Martin has a plan. With the backing of several investors, he plans on a national network of flight schools that he says will make flying cheaper, safer and more professional. He's currently in talks with Lancaster (PA) Airport officials to establish the headquarters at the airport.

If plans go forward as hoped, construction of a new multi-story headquarters for Martin Aviation Group will commence by summer, with as many as 250 Martin flight school franchises nationwide launched by early next year -- an impressive goal. While each school would be independently owned, the ownership group would also handle sales, marketing and financial matters -- things that often bog down small businesses, Martin says.

In a marked shift from most other flight schools, Martin says his schools would recruit full-time instructors -- offering a living full-time wage -- instead of relying on part-time instructors simply building time on their way to hoped-for airline careers.

Students would be required to earn their pilot's license and IFR ticket in 49 lessons throughout the year, Martin says, with computerized preliminary lessons completed before each flight. Students would also be obligated to commit to a financing program... and after graduation, each Martin-trained pilot would be monitored to determine their eligibility for certification.

"It’s a little Big Brother-ish, I guess," Martin said, "but it’s safety-oriented." Martin also adds that better-trained pilots will be able to be insured for less, throughout training and afterwards.

Martin has also talked to several manufacturers, such as Cessna, Cirrus, and Piper, about supplying aircraft to the flight schools.

Some find issue with Martin's assertion that the current training systems needs fundamental change, however -- especially as federal regulations for training are spelled out fairly thoroughly.

"One of those regulations states in no uncertain terms that a pilot must be familiar with every aspect of a given flight," said AOPA spokesman Chris Dancy to the Sunday News. "That includes knowing the requirements of the airspace. ... That is covered."

But Martin sees gaps in the system, big enough to fly a C150 through.

"There are 20,000 airports out there," he said. "We’re building a brand around safety and efficiency ... and putting some of the enjoyment back in flying."

FMI: www.martinaviationgroup.com (Under Construction)