Teen Business Ideas/Aviation Related

[iwannarv]

This may seem like I am rambling on but here goes....

My name is Brad, I'm 17 years old and I am from a small town in south central Kansas. I recently obtained my private pilot license this past august, and grew up around aviation. I am a member of the local EAA chapter (Great Bend, KS), and drool over RV's whenever I get the chance. There are several RV's in our EAA chapter, and that is why I joined up on this site - so I can learn as much as I can, and have the motivation to start my own RV project as soon as financially possible. (RV7, 180hp carb, Hartzell C/S, Glass Panel, VFR Day/Night, Classic Aero Interior, Red/White/Black paint with smoooth sweeping lines up the tail --- Yeah, I've dreamed about it a little )

Anyways, I am a Senior, and currently enrolled in a separate Entrepreneurship Charter School. A project in the class is actually starting and running our own business. Of course, I am wanting to do something that is aviation related, and an idea right now is making aircraft chocks painted to match a customer's airplane, and with a decal of the N# of the airplane. Right now, this is only an idea and have not started, but I am currently seeking ideas of what I can do with limited resources. The chocks are too easy to build yourself, so that is why I am open to other ideas.

Thanks a bunch!

[Tony Partain]

Brad the best thing you can do is spend as much time around the airport as you can. This will give you more time to see what goes on at the airport. Every time you talk to a person in aviation and hear a complaint or suggestion, take note of that and try to come up with a solution that will make it better, smarter or more cost effective. It will take time and the idea may not be readily apparent. Be careful every idea will not be a winner, but all it takes is one that works!

In addition to the wheel chalks as a business how about detailing planes? Most every pilot loves a good looking plane. Is there a charter service at your airport? You are in the middle of cattle country and those cattle buyers fly in to buy cattle in some very nice aircraft and there may be a need for them that you could fill. FBO? Check with them and see. Rans Aircraft is in Hays KS just 65 miles from Great Bend. Contact them or go see them. If you don't try you will never know. The worst that they could say no, You will hear a lot of that but be persistent and it will happen. Let it be known that you are looking. Get the word out just like you did here.

Although you want to do something in aviation, in reality you will be in the people business. Make friends and doors will open!

If you?re going to do something, try to make it something that you will enjoy and be passionate about, it makes the job turn into FUN!

Good Luck.

[pierre smith]

Brad,
There are many guys building RVs, some probably in your area in your EAA chapter as well. Learn to buck rivets and help instead of standing around and asking too many questions. I had a young guy that came by here and he was a lot of help to me while I was building the 6A.

It will lead to rides, maybe part time income when your aluminum working skills come up to par and so on. You sound like aviation is your draw and that's good. You'll be more successsful if you're doing something that you enjoy.

Blue skies and tailwinds.....

[iwannarv]

Thanks for the quick replies! I am always keeping my ears open and listening for ideas. If I could, I would do something with a local FBO, but the town's airport is a 1/2 mile grass strip with a few hangars. (For detailing airplanes - don't even have a water source out there) The nearest airport with an FBO is 35 miles away...

Yes, I would like to do something that will benefit me - like aluminum working skills. Maybe I could just build and sell van's toolboxes !

[rv7boy]

Brad,
Congratulations on obtaining your PPL and being an EAA member while still in high school. The vast majority of us on this site wish we had had the opportunities that lie before you at such a young age.

I really can't add to what Tony wrote in his post, but if you will find something that you are passionate about and you enjoy, combined with being priced at a fair and profitable price, then there is good reason to expect success with it.

I think the chock idea is a good idea. There may be others, but don't forget marketing. Sometimes that just means word of mouth at the airport.

Good luck...and I'm looking forward to seeing your completed RV in a few years!

Don Hull

P.S. After reading your second post, I will add another thought. Since you are computer savvy, you might think about setting up a web page or posting For Sale notices on several web sites.

[Low Pass]

You are on the right track. After having worked for "the man" for the last 25 or so years, I can definitely say that going the route of being self reliant or self employed is the direction I would go if starting over. Not to say all companies are bad. Just too many that are too volitile and unpredictable for a comfortable lifestyle.

As for what products are good to go after, like the other said hang out in the environment and think. You're still pretty young and open-minded. This is the best way to find a demand.

Now, for your class. It sounds simple, but how about a specialized aircraft cleaning service. There are already people who clean planes, but maybe you could angle in on cleaning experimentals. One of your sales pitches could somehow focus on the extra careful attenention to cleaning custom planes.

Another idea might center around "specialized" shop assistance skills - like bucking rivets, driving rivets, sweeping, priming parts, etc. Would sound good to your high school teacher. Might find some builders willing to hire a little help. Just a couple of ideas. Up to you to figure out the details!

As for the plane - it's great to have dreams. I can remember pricing Piper Cherokees new out of the Flying new aircraft reference magazine in '75. Had a plan, but always knew it wouldn't go into effect until after school. Don't let the RV get in the way of a good, solid college degree from an accredited, recognized institution. Something general and useful like business, science, etc.

2 cents based on having been there, done that, in many instances.

Blue skies and tailwheels.....

[vmirv8bldr]

Good thread going here.

Building on Low Pass's post, why not a Builder's assistance on wheels type thing. There are several builders assistance shops around the US, but you have to travel to them, and they help with you empennage kit only. But there may very well be a market for travelling builders assistance.

Case in point: My wife doesn't really like to help. And while I appreciate it when she does help, she doesn't put nearly as much pride in craftsmanship as I do. I was held up for two weeks waiting for my dad / bucking partner to be available to help. There are lots of these things where builders truly need two people, but only one is available. I would have gladly paid someone to lend a hand for about four days to knock that out, especially if they already knew what they were doing. Additionally, your only expenses associated with this are travel, meals, and lodging.
- It's something you (reportedly) enjoy
- You can learn a TON about the building process
- When you finally build YOUR plane, you KNOW what options to use, which ones to leave out, when to follow the directions to the T, and when to deviate a little.
- And you earn a little money at the same time, maybe enough to purchase one or two of the subkits.
- You meet several builders in a relatively localized area, making new contacts, broadening your social network.

On the wheel chocks idea. It's true that almost anyone can make them, and honestly, if they built the airplane, they probably WILL build their own chocks...out of wood. Like you said, it's very straight-forward. If you could make them out of Aluminum and make them light and small enough to stow in the plane however, now we're talking.

Here are some others:
Personalized items: Hats, Shirts, Sweatshirts, Jackets, Pub Glasses, Coasters, Mugs, etc.

Custom Airplane photography: (Ground Photo's, not Air to Air.) Come out, set it up, take photos, frame with custom matting. While a good camera would be nice, some basic instruction, a simple digital camera, and Photoshop could make a really good product. (You could combine this with the custom airplane detailing idea. Everyone wants the photos to be with a CLEAN, SHINY airplane.) No water, no problem. Dry Wash.

If I can think of any others, I'll post another reply. Good luck to you!

[szicree]

You gotta do something that can be scaled up. For example, airplane cleaning will never make you diddly, since there's only one of you, unless you take on employees. This, however, creates a new never-ending list of frustrations. Find something that can be mass produced for pennies, perhaps overseas, and sold via the web. The chock idea is a good one provided they are really cool and made cheap. Several folks on this forum produce various RV related stuff, but I suspect most don't realize much of a profit due to the limitations of a one-man production line. On the other hand, consider that Van's is able to ship entire airframe kits to the Phillipines, pay to have them assembled, ship em back to the US, and still turn a handsome profit.

Do the math and you'll see that a one man airplane cleaning or rivet bucking service will not support you (and an RV addiction). Keep thinking and you'll definitely come up with something great.

Now go get yer f-ing shinebox!

[Tony Partain]

Brad I am researching RV builders in KS. I will be calling them to see if they would be interested in mentoring you in the build process. Update to come as soon as the builders return my phone calls. BTW I know of 5 builders with in 150 miles of your location and one in Great Bend. I have placed a call to the closest one first. Lets hope he has time.

Another idea is Wichita KS. Aviation is very plentiful there several manufactures and many RV builders.

[iwannarv]

Mostly, all the profit made off of this 7 month project will go toward everyday expenses. (More t/w instruction and avgas included... Not to start another debate, but I don't want that funny rubber doughnut hanging off the front of my future rv) You never know - if some miracle happends and I make thousand of dollars over the internet - the tail kit will be on order!

But for now, simple things to give me something to do for a project. Yes.. if there was a local RV builder in the area within driving distance - it would greatly benefit me to get first-hand experience building. But remember, I'm just a dreaming teenager! Hopefully that will not limit me.