Why VVIP and What’s the Difference?

At times the job of a Corporate Flight Attendant can be quite spectacular, but to do it, it takes a lot more than just good service and a smile. Starting a career as a Corporate Flight Attendant is rewarding, but there can be challenges. A good preliminary training program can help send you on your way, but be warned you may encounter some misinformation.  In order to find what you're looking for and the right place for you, it is important to discern between what you're told is required to work as a CFA, and what the actual requirements for a CFA to have the ability to fly and find employment really are.

Debunking the Accreditation Myth:

Just so that we are clear, there are no accredited training schools for Corporate Flight Attendants. That’s right! There are no FAA accredited training schools for Corporate Flight Attendants. Yes, that means that VVIP is not accredited, and that is because none of the schools are. The FAA does not require accreditation from training programs who train CFA’s. To clarify further, the FAA has no required certification for CFA’s because by FAA definition a Corporate Flight Attendant works on an aircraft with less than 20 passengers.  The Federal Aviation Regulations for Business and Corporate Flight Attendants are different from those of Flight Attendants flying on commercial aircraft with large numbers of passengers. What you are looking for as a prospective trainee is a program where the curriculum adheres to FAA best practices and guidelines for CFA’s not FA’s.

Why VVIP International?

VVIP is among many schools in the industry today that offer training to become Corporate Flight Attendants in the private industry of aviation. We created a new standard of training for Corporate Flight Attendants that distinguishes us from the rest. Yes, there are schools that offer a training similar to ours, but all curriculums are different and so are the packages being offered at various schools. Some give priority to in-flight safety, while others focus on in-flight service only, and at VVIP we focus on it all while giving our students an all inclusive, hands-on experience program. Conducted at a private FBO, on private jets, and for some the privilege of a demo flight with our instructors.

Our curriculum was created by leading Corporate Aviation Flight Attendants with a combined experience of over 20 years.  Iris Christmann and Lauren Pires have both been in the private aviation industry for many years. Together they combined their knowledge to create a unique experience that brings together the very best of the European training style for Corporate Flight Attendants, and the training style that is offered here in the US. They have both experienced and completed many, if not all, of the training programs offered for CFA’s between the US and the UK.  Iris and Lauren are lead CFA’s in the industry, and when it comes to learning and participating in a top notch training what you’re looking for and what you want is experience.  They have it!

Iris comes from Germany and has worked and traveled throughout the world. She is a highly experienced CFA with well over 20 years of experience in the industry, both as a CFA and as an instructor.  She demonstrates aptitude and an array of knowledge as a Corporate Flight Attendant, which she shares with students who take the VVIP training. Iris has flown with diplomats and royalty and is exemplary with teaching the cultural aspect of the industry to our students, which can be very beneficial for a CFA looking to work overseas and across borders with people of various nationalities and cultural backgrounds.

Lauren is the CEO of VVIP and a US based CFA who has worked and trained in both the UK and the US. In fact, that is how she and Iris came together. Like Iris, Lauren has accumulated many years of flying and providing instruction to future CFA’s. Lauren has worked as a Corporate Flight Attendant for Sandals, JetReady, Vista Jet, Delta Private Jets and Carnival Cruise’s private aircraft. She has also managed aircraft for undisclosed political figures, top musicians, and many other actors and actresses. She is an exemplary CFA whose reputation for in-flight service and hospitality supersedes her and led her to wanting to share her knowledge and experience with future CFA’s by means of a professional training.  

With VVIP International That’s Not All You Get!

We have many experienced professionals on our staff to train and support students who take our training. One of the most talked about aspects of our training is that VVIP trainees are given an on-jet experience with Stewart Pulley, Chief Pilot and Professor of Aeronautics. Stewart really employs the best of everything at VVIP, and he gives our trainees the advantage of the knowledge and experience he’s attained from many levels of the aviation industry.  Stewart has worked in general, commercial, and military aviation, and he’s done everything from maintenance to administration, education, and operations.

With our Corporate Flight Attendants Training Program students are provided the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the industry to date. To ensure that our students receive the best in-flight safety training that meets safety requirements for Corporate Aviation, we brought in specialists Mark Baker and Marc E. Coney. They bring the necessary elements to the VVIP training, so that all who complete it will not only be in compliance with regulations, but also feel the confidence needed to perform their jobs as CFA’s and take flight. Both Baker and Coney have extensive US Military backgrounds and have worked in Fire and Rescue, but at VVIP it gets even better! Joining Baker and Coney for the safety segment of our training is Jose Landrua, our Aquatics Coordinator. Jose (Tony), who conducts the VVIP Water Ditching and Survival Training part of the course, which has been an unforgettable experience to our students, and a key hiring factor for them as well.

What’s the VVIP Difference?

We feel there are many things that set us apart from other training schools, but what stands out to our students most is how our course covers several different training components that aren't usually offered all in one place, and all in one training. We believe in the aviation industry and that all training and experience is an advantage, and we encourage our students to get all the training and experience they can. Our main objective since the inception of VVIP International and our Corporate Flight Attendants Training has been to share our knowledge of the sky, and what we, as CFA’s, have learned, found useful, and found rewarding to our careers.

You can find our full list of offerings on our website, but here’s some of what you get with the VVIP International Experience:

• U.S. and European Standards

• Safe Food Handling, Safe Food Storage on Aircraft, Food Preparation-Presentation

• Etiquette According to Culture

• Business Etiquette and Protocol (Do’s and Don’ts)

• Expensing, Contracts, and Corporate Methods

• Firefighting Drills

• Water Ditching Drills

• First Aid, AED, Tempus and Hypoxia

• CPR Training

• Evacuation Scenario Drills

• Sea Survival Drills and Water Inversion Dunker

• CRM

• Emergency Procedures (Ground Evacuation Ditching), Aviation Security and Dangerous Goods

• FAA Policies in Private Aviation

• Aircraft Configurations

• Cabin Management Overview, Cabin Control and Operation

• Dressing the Jet, Stocking, and Inventory

• Galley Management/ Galley Handover / Takeover Process

• In-flight Troubleshooting

One of the main roles of a Cabin Attendant is service! We know how important top notch service is and have implemented a culinary experience into our program that our students find extremely beneficial and unforgettable. Students are not just taught how to plate meals. They are taught how to plan, prep, stow and serve, along with a few tricks of the trade you can only get from experienced leaders in the industry. In order to provide this premium experience to our students we partnered with licensed local catering experts, Silverlining of South Florida, the number one premier provider of in-flight catering service in the private aviation industry. In addition to their culinary in-flight expertise they give our students official training and certification in food handling and safety. 

Our program truly encompasses everything you need to get started in a career in aviation, and we offer everything a Corporate Flight Attendant would be looking for in a recurrent training. We have done it all to make it easier for our students to get jobs in a competitive industry and start flying. As we say at VVIP International, “one flight at a time”.  We connect our students with current leads in the industry and we guide them to where they can apply for work. We also have preferred partnerships with charter companies and private operators who exclusively staff our VVIP Corporate Flight Attendants.  

We are members of the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) and are now in the preliminary steps to becoming part of the WCA (Women in Corporate Aviation). We have arranged career scholarships for students and provide discounts for students who attend networking events like the NBAA Flight Attendant Conference in Hartford CT, where operators and charter companies are in attendance and looking to recruit.

We have created a sisterhood and brotherhood among trainees so that there could be an endless line of support for our trainees whenever needed. We don’t just take your money and put you through our training. We are invested in your success and truly want to see you fly. We managed to help several trainees attain positions and fly, and we are very proud of that. We offer our CFA’s our resume service geared specifically toward the industry, and provide them with mock interviews when necessary along with teaching them to negotiate and fascinate recruiters. We place as many CFA’s as possible. We are there for them every step of the way 24/7. Our trainees have access to an open line where they receive direct communication and support until they are confident to do it on their own. VVIP also invites our trainees to a Facebook forum group, where job posts are shared and actively updated. Questions with catering, handovers and takeovers, feedback, pax preferences, we are there. We understand they are invested, and just as much as they invest in us we invest in them. That’s the VVIP difference!

Networking on Social Media: Do’s and Don’ts

Social media is one of our biggest outlets for communicating, boosting business, and networking careers. There are countless advantages to social media, especially when navigating your careers in aviation, but they coincide with countless disadvantages. Social media provides a platform for users to create and engage an audience. When done correctly it is a useful business tool, but be warned, that same audience can turn against you, become your rivals, and shatter your potential!

So, how can you use social media in a positive way to network for your career in aviation, other fields, or business? There are many blogs and articles dedicated to exactly this. With a little research and the use of Google you can find various tips on the best way for you to create a presence on social media and build yourself. Personally I find social media to be very useful and informative. The key for me has been to follow the trends and interests of the audience I am targeting to build my business or brand. In doing some personal research to find the best ways of using social media for networking I found a few pointers I thought I should share. Perhaps they will be helpful, or insightful to what you should do when networking on social media, or not do for that matter.

Remember when you are using social media to network you’re putting a face to your brand, label, or business. This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s often helpful to put a face to the name. People want to see you are just like them. It gives you an opportunity to be personal and open dialogue, which by the way is very important, and I’ll mention dialogue again when I follow the do’s with the don’ts.

The Do’s!

• Do Build a social presence. According to career builders 60% of employers search job candidates on social media and pass by those who have no online presence. By all means start with family, friends, business contacts, co-workers, community members, even employees. What better way to begin branching out and being seen?

• Do share relevant content that will spark the interests of your audience. If you’re unsure as to what those interests are simply take a look at your followers. Much can be told just by doing that. You can see where they are from to find out the times your audience is watching, and you can also see what their interests are by what they’ve shared and posted.

• Do be visually appealing.

• Do be positive! You're much more likely to gain a productive audience with positivity verses being negative.

• Do conduct yourself as a professional first. I can’t emphasize enough how imperative it is that you practice etiquette when networking on social media. Keep in mind this may be the first interaction a potential employer or business person has of you. Also keep in mind that the content you share on social media may become public at some point and it reflects on you.

• Do give credit to others, but also think before you tag people in your posts. Give credit to authors if you are using their material. You can make good connections this way. Only tag people whose permission you have. Unwanted tagging can lead to unwanted problems that may result in loss of friends or followers.

The Don’t’s

• Don’t forget to proofread. Hey, we can’t always be perfect, and mistakes are mistakes, but employers are looking at you. Show that you are a person who pays attention to detail, instead of a person who doesn’t pay attention, or take the time to proofread. Of course nothing is perfect, we all make mistakes in grammar, but at least take the time to proofread and check for spelling.

• Don't look unprofessional, and always show your best self. While you may have friends and family following you keep it professional. Let’s be honest for a moment. Appearances do matter. As they say, be the part, and dress for success. Remember again, this may be a first impression of you. What would you want an employer or potential partner to see of you?

• Don’t be fake, just be yourself. You’ll get tired of keeping up appearances. It’s much easier to be yourself.

• Don’t believe and share everything you read on social media. Before you put your name behind something fact check it. It’s important to know the sources of the information you share.

• Don’t be distracted by the number of followers. Quality is always better than quantity. In fact, many say that large numbers often lead to large numbers of spam accounts.

• Don’t use your platform to retaliate or be negative. You may find that you’ve built a large followers base and think that you can use that forum to give bad reviews about others, or be negative, and you can, but it doesn’t look good. Here’s what it really says, I am bitter and I have a feud. It doesn’t provide positive feedback, only negative, and you will often lose followers or make people change their view of you. Dialogue is important as I mentioned earlier, but the kind of dialogue we have is just as important. Always say to yourself, “what does this comment/opinion say about me”.

Social media is here to stay. There’s no getting around it. Learning to use it to our benefit can take time, but again, if you do it right it can also make a world of difference when it comes to building yourself and networking for your careers. In aviation your image is everything. There is a human side to all of us, but we also hold each other to high standards. Be the person they remember for being empowering, positive and supporting. Don’t be the person they remember as always being fueled with drama, who discourages others, and is always negative.

I COMPLETED MY VVIP TRAINING...NOW WHAT?!

Once you have completed your training and obtained  your VVIP certifications be ready to promote yourself like crazy. Before you start sending out your resume, check and re-check your resume and cover letter. Everything you do from here on out should be perfect. Competition is fierce, but with the right training, drive and dedication anyone can soar!

Check out Air Charter Guide for a list of Charter Operators in your area. You will want to send your resume via email, snail mail and whenever possible, hand deliver it. Be sure you are sending your resume to the proper person in charge. Oftern times this is the Chief Pilot, Chief Cabin Attendant, Director of Operations or HR Department. Call ahead to confirm you are sending your resume to the proper person. Continue to follow up with them until they hire you or tell you to stop.

When you finally land your first flight, prepare, prepare, PREPARE. Get to planning and preparing for your flight right away. Things change be prepared for change and aim for perfectionin everthing you do. To make a good impression plan on being flawless in your appearance, performance and professionalism. You will not get a second chance to make a first impression. This is where the proper training comes into play and becomes invaluable.

ENJOY! You will love your new career. There is nothing like it on earth. You will travel the world in luxury, meet amazing people along the way and create memories that you will share with your grandchildren around the dinner table. Stories that will leave you and them in awe because you will have experienced what so few people will ever have an opportunity to even dream about.