Introduction | Introduction |
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In April of 2005, Erdos & Morgan was commissioned by AOPA Pilot to conduct a positioning survey among all certificated pilots. The content of the study included demographics, certificates and ratings held, types of aircraft owned and readership of a list of eleven aviation publications. In addition, respondents were asked to rate the same eleven publications on a list of nine qualitative attributes. The survey sample for this study was supplied by AIRPAC, Inc., located in Edmond, Oklahoma. Erdos & Morgan contracted with AIRPAC, Inc. to supply their total database of all FAA certificated aircraft pilots. Erdos & Morgan then eliminated pilots whose only certification was listed as balloon, control tower operator, flight engineer, glider, navigator, recreational, or where a certification type was not specified. Additionally all APO/FPO addresses and a number of non-individual names and addresses were removed, after which the balance of the names were reduced to the 2,000 called for in the survey specifications, by systematically eliminating every nth name. The survey sample, by virtue of its design and the way it was selected, ensures that the results of the study would be nationally representative of certificated general aviation aircraft pilots including all airline transport pilots, commercial pilots, private pilots, and student pilots. Two versions of the questionnaire were developed in order to eliminate order bias. In the first, the publications were presented in alphabetical order, and in the second the publications were presented to the respondents in reverse alphabetical order. Every other name received the reverse alpha questionnaire. On April 28, 2005, a questionnaire packet containing a two-page questionnaire, a cover letter on Erdos & Morgan letterhead, a one-dollar bill incentive, and a postage-paid reply envelope was sent to the entire 2,000-member survey sample. A follow-up questionnaire mailing was sent on June 6, 2005, to non-respondents. No incentive was included in this follow-up mailing. Completed questionnaires were returned directly to the offices of Erdos & Morgan, and at no time was AOPA Pilot identified as the sponsor of the survey. By the study closing date of July 5, 2005, a total of 529 usable questionnaires had been received. This number represents 27.3% of the net effective survey sample, since there were 59 Post Office returns. The response rate is consistent with similar recent studies conducted by Erdos & Morgan. All completed questionnaires received by the close of field, and none received thereafter, were included in the tabulations. Erdos & Morgan prepared percentages and other calculations herein in accordance with accepted research practice.  Top |