AOPA Designates Jumpers Away a “Distinguished Flight School”
Updated: May 2
Jumpers Away was recently designated one of 32 “Distinguished Flight Schools” nationwide by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association following their 2023 Flight Training Survey. Jumpers Away was one of only seven distinguished schools in the southern region.
Thousands of pilots completed the survey about their most recent flight school experience. Flight schools were scored in four areas: Educational Quality, Customer Focus, Community and Information Sharing. Following are Jumpers Away’s scores in the four areas, with Jumpers Away’s ranking alongside all eligible flight schools.
Educational Quality Scale (Range: -9 to 9)
Jumpers Away’s Score: 7.4
The national average of all eligible nominees: 6.2
Jumpers Away’s national percentile ranking: 92%
Customer Focus Scale (Range: -8 to 8)
Jumpers Away’s Score: 7.5
The national average of all eligible nominees: 6.2
Jumpers Away’s national percentile ranking: 97%
Aviation Community Scale (Range: -4 to 4)
Jumpers Away’s Score: 3.8
The national average of all eligible nominees: 3.3
Jumpers Away’s national percentile ranking: 92%
Information Sharing Scale (Range: -4 to 4)
Jumpers Away’s Score: 3.0
The national average of all eligible nominees: 2.0
Jumpers Away’s national percentile ranking: 91%
Aggregate Overall Score (Range: -30 to 30)
Jumpers Away received an overall score of 26.5 from its customers.
The national average of all eligible nominees: 22.0
Jumpers Away scored better than 95% of national nominees.
Customer Comments
At the end of the survey, respondents were asked the following open-ended question: Why should or shouldn’t your school win a Flight Training Experience Award? These are the responses by Jumpers Away’s customers:
“The dedication to my personal needs went above and beyond…what I had experienced in the past.”
“It is the only school of it's kind trying to help new commercial pilots learn about and get qualified to break into the Jump pilot industry. Being a CFI isn't for everyone and this school allows another real world avenue to gain flying experience.”
“As a young pilot that has always dreamed of getting into drop operations this was the best program I could have asked for. This training program allowed me to get the training I needed to conduct safe jump operations and learn how to handle situations I previously would not have known how to deal with. Aside from the amazing training this program also offers job assistance which really helps low time pilots.”
“Jumper's Away provides niche training and advanced skills that permit safe and efficient piloting skills. The school's realistic platform scenarios and location greatly improves students ability to perform as jump pilots.”
“Chief pilot Ed Scott is such a genuinely kind person and great pilot. He never made me feel like I couldn't do it. I highly recommend.”
“Jumpers Away prepared me for real world experience as a Jump Pilot. Lessons were well planned in a building block approach that made it very easy to understand concepts and use knowledge in the real professional skydive environment. Even though I had 500 hours prior to attending, there was so much that I learned, both in knowledge and application. Jumpers Away sets the student up for success...”
“As a graduate of the course I was highly impressed with the professionalism, thoroughness, and level of excellence that Jumpers Away provided me to set me up for a future skydiving pilot job. It was an extremely fun and amazing experience, and I would certainly recommend it to others pursuing this path in aviation!”
“It was an amazing experience and opportunity.”
“AOPA’s survey shows that Jumpers Away graduates are pleased with their training, and believe that the program provides good value,” said Ed Scott, founder of Jumpers Away. “What’s equally pleasing to me is that Jumpers Away pilots are getting job offers, sometimes even before they complete the course. And DZ owners tell me they are pleased with the Jumpers Away graduates they hire as jump pilots.”
Jumpers Away was founded in 2021 and is now in its third year, operating from the Cape Fear Regional Jetport near Southport, North Carolina.
