Business

Simply Fly: 8 key ideas

by G. R. Gopinath

The core ideas of Simply Fly, each in under a minute, written in our own words. Want the full depth? Get the book.

1. IDEA 1 OF 8

   An army officer became an entrepreneur

   Gopinath describes leaving the Indian Army as a young captain and returning to his village in Karnataka to farm.

   He experimented with sustainable farming and silk production, learning the risks and rewards of running his own enterprise.

2. IDEA 2 OF 8

   Farming taught resilience

   Gopinath describes the struggles of farming, from bad weather to debt.

   These experiences taught him persistence. In his telling, living with such uncertainty taught him to keep going when plans failed, and to stay calm when things were out of his control.

3. IDEA 3 OF 8

   Helicopters came next

   Gopinath co-founded Deccan Aviation, a helicopter charter company, despite having little money.

   He saw opportunity in serving remote places. In his telling, starting with little money meant he had to be inventive, and the experience prepared him for running an airline later.

4. IDEA 4 OF 8

   He dreamed of cheap flights

   Gopinath dreamed of making air travel affordable for ordinary Indians, not just the wealthy.

   He launched Air Deccan in 2003. In his telling, this meant a very different idea of who should fly, and it led him to rethink how an airline could be run.

5. IDEA 5 OF 8

   Low costs made flying possible

   Air Deccan cut costs with no-frills service and simple booking.

   Ticket prices fell dramatically. In his telling, saving on small things made it possible to charge less, so many first-time travellers could afford to fly.

6. IDEA 6 OF 8

   Bureaucracy was a constant hurdle

   Gopinath describes fighting government rules and delays at every stage.

   Persistence helped him succeed. In his telling, getting permissions and approvals took great effort, and he kept on pushing rather than giving up when delays arose.

7. IDEA 7 OF 8

   Growth brought problems

   Air Deccan grew quickly but struggled financially.

   Gopinath eventually merged it with Kingfisher Airlines. In his telling, rapid growth can strain a company's money, and the merger was one way the airline's story continued.

8. IDEA 8 OF 8

   Dreams need courage

   Gopinath encourages readers to pursue bold ideas despite setbacks.

   His story shows entrepreneurial courage. In his story, trying something bold means facing doubters and failures, and he suggests that courage is needed to keep going.