Crystal Air President Taylor Newman says he has seen the number of people seeking to learn how to fly soar over the past year or so amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s more than I’ve ever seen,” said Newman, 48, adding that some people have told him they’ll never again fly on commercial airlines.
Crystal Air has opened a new flight school at Collegedale Municipal Airport. It also operates another such school, among other aviation services, at Chattanooga Airport.
Newman, who has been involved in the aviation business since graduating from Middle Tennessee State University in the mid-1990s, put the increase in people wanting to learning how to fly at 200% above the typical number in the past.
The climb started last year after the coronavirus lock down when many people continued to work from home rather than go into their offices, he said.