Flight School 2008 | Agenda
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4
1-3 pm | Registration (with refreshments)
3 pm | Welcome, Esther Dyson
This year's Flight School addresses the challenges facing start-ups in general aviation and commercial space as new models emerge and get tested in practice. Until last year, air taxis were mostly theory; until last year, fewer than five nonprofessional astronauts had ever been to space. Now, the pioneers are facing day-to-day commercial realities - insurance, marketing, operational safety - even as they still try to re-shape their marketplace (air traffic control, regulations, contracting procedures and the like).
This workshop is for participants - entrepreneurs, marketers, regulators, investors, inventors. We are not trying to impress customers or snow the press. We're getting together to share experiences, refine strategies, find ways to work together and - yes - understand our competition in order to position ourselves more accurately and compete more effectively. So, please pay attention and get ready to contribute!
Aviation start-ups | The market: Challenges and opportunities
Traditional private-aviation economics: Will they last?
The traditional air charter business relies heavily on economic anomalies: subsidization of operators by owners who bear the capital costs of the aircraft, offset by operating inefficiencies and unoptimized scheduling. On the other hand, the card programs address only the top end of the market. Optimization software and new aircraft are changing the game. What models will work? How will the business change over time?
Air taxis: What have we learned so far?
New entrants into the so-called air taxi business report on their progress so far. What *is* the air taxi business? What have the pioneers learned? Are they replacing air trips, car trips - or generating new trips? What do customers like, and what needs to change? What new markets - including those outside the U.S. - look promising?
Reception and dinner on-site
(to accommodate late arrivals; families and companions welcome)
THURSDAY, JUNE 5
8:30 am | Good morning!
Aviation and Space | Common challenges and opportunities
Going abroad: Opportunities outside the U.S.
Markets outside the U.S. are also open to aviation and space start-ups. Eclipse Aviation, for example, has launched a joint venture in Russia. Other aviation companies are expanding in India; a start-up is seeking funding to launch in South Africa. Many governments want to field their own space programs, and are looking to outsource much of the work. What are the opportunities? What are the obstacles?
The air-traffic management challenge: Growing up around an old model
A variety of parties are deploying new technology – collectively comprising much of so-called "NextGen" – outside the U.S. and in secondary markets inside the U.S., including Florida and California. Some of the participants will talk about their plans and what they hope to learn. Can they provide a model for how to manage traffic across the system? What regulatory accommodation or support is necessary?
Environmental issues: Facing the facts in air and space
So far, the "environmental challenge" has surfaced mostly as noise issues and fuel prices. But it's about to get political. How damaging are aviation and space travel to the environment? How can the industry come together to mitigate those effects? What new technology is needed - fuel, engines, or what? What regulations or pricing mechanisms do we face? What arguments can we (legitimately) make FOR our services?
Lunch with Eric Haseltine: Don't ask your first child for permission to have a second one!
Eric Haseltine explores the real worlds of Disney, Washington and virtual reality. With candor and common sense, this former National Intelligence CTO explains how to navigate the complexities of today's modern world.
Insurance & Legal: Real obstacles, or just a way to say no politely?
The insurance market is based on past experience... but aviation start-ups are working with new kinds of planes, and space start-ups don't have much "experience" yet. Sometimes that means insurance is expensive; worse, it can be almost impossible to get. What are the issues around liability and insurance for start-ups in air and space? What can they do to get insured?
Finance: Where the money meets the clouds
Finance is always a tough issue for start-ups, but it's worse in the capital-intensive, track-record-light world of air and space start-ups. A few large investors are coming into the game. What appeals to them? What do they look for when they assess a start-up? What does the industry need to get more attention - and money - from the investor community?
Reception, dinner and micro-air show, at the airport (families and companions welcome)
FRIDAY, JUNE 6
8:30 am | Good morning!
Space start-ups | The market: Challenges and opportunities
Ready for take-off: Start-ups on the runway
A virtual line-up of start-ups share their plans with the Flight School community (including investors). These start-ups range from Airship Ventures, a Zeppelin operator, to Icon Aircraft, with a sneak preview before its launch later this year.
The right stuff: What it really takes to build a rocket company
Most of the new-space rocket companies operate in stealth, many of them funded by individuals outside the public eye. But some of them are willing to share their secrets. For starters, building a rocket company takes more than just building a rocket. You need finance, marketing, strategy...and of course a market. The traditional markets have been the U.S. government and telecom satellite operators worldwide. Now, new space companies are looking at space tourism, scientific research and ultimately mining, energy and other resources. When will those markets be ready? What can a rocket company do in the meantime? How will pricing shake out in the face of physics on the one hand and market forces on the other?
Counterpoint: What it takes to build a new-space company
While some pioneers build rockets, other companies are looking at complementary markets: space-appropriate technologies and materials, hotels (on earth and in space), real estate, training, marketing and more. They face the same questions: When will those markets be ready? What can they do in the meantime? Are there other markets they can sell into, including entertainment, advertising/promotion, research, education and the like?
The space-shuttle gap: How will we fill it?
The U.S. space shuttle will be going out of service in 2010, leaving the U.S. space program without its own means of getting people and supplies to and from the international space station for at least five years. How can the private sector help to fill the gap and what role can they play in creating true commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit? Beyond that, what are the prospects for commercial transportation services between the Earth and Moon and beyond?
Closing Lunch with Speaker
