What NASA’s Artemis 1 Launch Means for Flight Schools and Aviation

On November 15, 2022 NASA launched the Artemis 1 rocket into space to orbit using their new SLS (space launch system) which has been said to power rockets with 8.8 million pounds of thrust. The rocket that just went up is an uncrewed mission that will be testing some of NASA’s new technology which will later be used on crewed missions, but it’s not the science and technology that we should be concerning ourselves with. It’s how this entire Artemis program is being publicized to the general public.

Back in 2021, when NASA first started to roll this out to the public, it really wasn’t about space exploration or the furthering of science. At least at first glance. Although the foundation of the program is science and the furthered development of mankind, the media has taken this and put a major spin on it. CNN’s headline to this announcement was “NASA’s Artemis program will land the first person of color on the moon.” What this means is that NASA and the media are really making an effort to push STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education to minority groups.

I personally don’t think we should be focusing on racial identity and ethnicity labels. It makes it seem like if you’re a person of color, you can get preferential treatment. This is not the case. Aviation and aerospace engineering are all merit based and only astute intelligent individuals should be allowed in the club. Regardless of skin color, race, or origin. However all of this does make a good headline which is where I want to focus our attention on.

The Headlines

Headlines and news like this breaks down conceived societal barriers by instilling inspiration to people who would have never thought of beginning a career in aviation and aerospace. In NASA’s Why the Moon video they say, “The wealth of knowledge that can be gleaned from the moon will inspire a new generation of thought and action.” And this definitely holds true. More people are getting interested in aviation and aerospace. This can be seen in search trend data and statistics from the FAA. More people are searching for pilot training and more people are becoming student pilots.

So what does this mean for your flight school? The biggest dream that NASA and the media are peddling to the masses is the opportunity to become an astronaut. But where does that begin? It starts with becoming a pilot. NASA’s publicity indirectly affects flight schools all across the globe by renewing an interest in aviation and space exploration.

You can expect more and more people to come knocking at your door. You can expect to see your number of calls to increase steadily throughout the next couple of years. There is going to be a new wave of interested customers that want to train to be a pilot. Therefore, we need to position ourselves to be the number one choice. We need to make sure that our flight school stands out from the competition. Otherwise, we’re missing out on this great opportunity that is coming up.

Our digital presence means more than ever in the age of mobile phones and the internet. How your website is designed, how you rank on search, what your online reviews say, and what your social media presence looks like will all play a key role in whether a prospective customer is going to choose your flight school to train at.

The Opportunity

It all starts with your website. Before customers start training in your school, they’re going to look at all of the flight schools in the area and check out each one of their websites. You’re going to want to position yourself on your website as the best flight school in the area so that they choose you instead of your competition. How do we go about doing this? If you’re using a no code page builder like WordPress, then make sure that your website looks modern and clean. Choose a great looking theme and make sure it’s mobile responsive and that it works on all screen sizes. Optimize your website by using H1, H2, H3, etc tags correctly and title each of your pages on your website that has your long tail keywords.

Next, look at your all of business listings on Google, Facebook, Yelp, etc. and make sure that you have good reviews. Check for negative reviews and address them all professionally. Typically reasons for bad reviews are cancellations and rescheduling so when you respond, make sure you emphasize the safety of your team member and customers. Leave your contact information for them to reach back out to you and make it look like to other people who might be reading your response that you did your best to accommodate and you’re doing everything you can to make it right.

Lastly, take a look at your social media profiles. If you haven’t created a Facebook page, a Twitter account, or a LinkedIn account, then get started today. These things take time to grow and the best day to start was yesterday. Post regularly and respond to customers and people who follow your page. Grow a following and build an online community centered around your flight school.

Your digital marketing system should be multifaceted and you should incorporate multiple platforms and services to get your name out there.

Need Help?

Right Rudder Marketing is here to help you. We want to grow the aviation community and help flight schools train more people to become pilots. We’re digital marketing experts and know how to get your flight school out on the digital space professionally. Reach out to us and schedule a free growth accelerator call. We’ll help identify ways that you can improve your flight school and attract more student pilots.

Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls