"Opportunity, Perseverance, Takeoff"
The "future" of Takeoff Consulting is Final Victory Aviation. Aviation, flight, has allowed ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary feats. Aviators have overcome countless odds, delays, disabilities, and hardships to persevere and earn their "ticket." Final Victory is dedicated to helping people to accomplish great things of their own, using the tool of aviation. Through flight training, airplane rides, and air show performance, we aim to inspire persons of all ages to never give up on their dreams. We will do whatever it takes to help someone fly, or, use flight to succeed in other aspects of life. Everyone is capable of greatness.
Executive Summary
FV Aviation will be located at the Canandaigua airport, in the scenic Finger Lakes region. Operating out of the Charles E. England Memorial Facility, FV serves the purpose of mentoring people to fly. Inspiration, and perseverance serve as the main models for Final Victory. FV was founded by college/commercial flight school student Austin Hancock, a lifetime aviation and WWII enthusiast. We offer a completely different style of flight training, which we feel is very holistic in nature. Our student and clients learn more than just "how to fly," they grow as an individual as well. Students learn how to thrive, overcome adversity, and use their inner-strengths to live fulfilling lives. We help students find what they may not have known existed within them.
Many reasons exist for why people avoid learning to fly, despite having the desire to. The most noted reasons include lack of funding, medical status, learning-style, time/family/work commitments, or fear of failure. Why do we care so much about our student's needs? The answer is simple, we have been "there" before as well. Austin, the Founder and CEO of FV Aviation, fought FAA medical restriction, financial hardship, and a near impossible schedule to become a licensed pilot. We know from this experience that "there has to be a better way," one where no aspiring aviator has to go it alone. We do whatever it takes to help our clients fly, this includes helping them with the above "roadblocks." No one should be denied becoming a pilot, so long as they have the desire.
Our facility serves as a "Centre of Inspiration," where displays of famous aviators through history stand to educate and inspire our students. These displays always grow, as well, with each additional student that succeeds here. They are part of the same collective story. We understand that, just as many people learning to fly face hardships along the way, so too do non-pilots. For this reason, we offer more than flight mentoring. Aviation is a powerful tool, whether someone is learning to fly or not. We feel that using flight-subject based programs and opportunities, we will gain interest of clients from all backgrounds with all different life goals. Experiencing a airplane ride, with a "pep-talk" or life-coaching session, may prove to be an effective motivator. Furthermore, air show displays of our Yak-3, P-51, or L-4 aircraft serve as tools for inspiration. The possibilities are endless, aviation can give something to everyone.
While focusing in the field of aviation, we feel that Final Victory can offer maintenance and parts fabrication on aircraft as well. We plan to offer these services as our brand grows. In keeping with the “holistic” view of FV, we can make the difficult much easier to achieve for the aircraft owner or parts customer. Many a pilot and plan operator face the stressful task of locating a replacement part, which is crucial to keeping them flying. Furthermore, the issue of trust and safety are first in mind while searching for a shop to maintain one’s aircraft. The small-business size of Final Victory will be more appealing to clients, and add a sort of comfort and assurance to their experience.
Final Victory has a strong background in WWII history, hence our name (refers to the Final Allied Victory of WWII.) We have a specific focus in military aviation, "Warbirds." This background adds to our ability to offer WWII USAAC-style flight training programs. In addition to 1940s flying lessons, our interest in the era has been planned into our future expansion timeline. We have ambitions to operate a 40s style Bed & Breakfast. This business would be enhanced by 1940s style activities, such as hangar-dances, victory gardening, and countless other fun opportunities.
Hancock Bro's Yak-3U
I, and my 10 year-old little brother David are starting "early" on the framework of Final Victory. We are planning to save funds, and either construct or acquire a Yak-11, which we will convert into a Yak-3U. This is a significant project as it will help us continue to "bond" as brothers, give us a common goal to work towards, teach David about the value of planning, saving, and never giving up. Furthermore, the project will result in us having a fully-flying Yak-3U to use for selling rides, airshow performance, and telling the story of Russian Female Fighter-Pilot, Lilya Litvyak. We plan to paint the Yak-3U in Litvyak's markings, and fly it as a tribute to her (once complete.)
"Lucy Gal" - Pennington Project
I began this project to honor a local MIA Tuskegee Airman, Flight Officer Leland H. Pennington. He was lost over Croatia on April 21st, 1945, while returning home from an escort mission over Austria. He was flying a P-51B, named "Lucy Gal" after his wife back home. Leland was raised in Rochester, NY. I have made contact with his family, and this project has even re-united some of them.
The goal of the "Lucy Gal" project is to recover Leland Pennington and his airplane. From there, we will give Leland the rightful military services he deserves, and then restore his P-51B "Lucy Gal" to flying condition. From there, the airplane will be operated by the National Warplane Museum, and serve as the cornerstone to a year-round Tuskegee History Program. This is open to underprivileged-minority youth in the Western New York area, and teaches them the history of the airmen, aircraft maintenance, basic flight principles, and valuable life skills. "Lucy Gal" will serve as a learning tool for these at-risk children. I have been involved with the program since the beginning, in 2004, serving as a tour guide and lecturer.
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