Aviation Organizations - Due April 3rd at 11:59PM

This week's topic is a little less intense. The topic is Aviation Organizations. Please answer the following questions:

1. What associations do you plan on belonging to when you are employed and engaged on your career path?  Identify at least two organizations. 

2. Research the associations that you identified. Discuss the mission and functions of each association. 3. Also discuss the role of these organizations in the overall industry, including their support for other sectors of the industry.

3. Discuss why is it important for you to belong to these associations, as a professional and for the overall industry.

Chinese Competitor to Boeing and Airbus? - Due Sunday, March 27th @11:59PM

On Monday, November 2, 2015, the first Chinese larger-airliner aircraft rolled out - the C919. This aircraft was built by COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) and will compete with the A320 and the B737, seating about 168 passengers. Although the hope is for western certification, the C919 has yet to be FAA-certified, currently limiting the countries where the aircraft can operate. Given this information, please answer the following questions:

1) Do you believe that the C919 will ever receive FAA certification? Why or why not?

2) For sake of argument, if the C919 receives FAA certification, what challenges do you see for US carriers? Look at various aspects - for example, what would in mean in terms of aircraft purchases? What would it mean in terms of public perception?

3) Discuss COMAC a little and its relationship with the Chinese airlines and the Chinese government. Are there other aircraft in the works? If so, what are the specifics?

4) If this aircraft were to receive FAA certification, do you feel that other companies would enter the market as competitors to Boeing and Airbus?

5) Finally, has Boeing or Airbus responded to this rollout in any way?

Have fun!

Flying Cheap - Professionalism in the Industry: Due Sunday, March 20th @ 11:59PM

The topic is the regional airlines. Many of you, regardless if you are a management or flight student, will work in some capacity with the regional airlines. Hopefully, through writing this blog, you will have a further understanding of the environment as well as the current issues impacting the industry.

In class, you watched a documentary called "Flying Cheap".  This documentary is about the regional airline industry, focusing on two aspects. First, there is a discussion of the Colgan accident and factors that may have contributed to the accident. Second, the documentary presents information about the career of a regional pilot.

Please address the following topics in this blog:

**First, address the state of the regional airline industry. There is a lot of "buzz" about the possible pilot shortage. There are two sides to the argument: 1) There is not a pilot shortage. The problem is pilot pay. There are plenty of people who want to be pilots in the United States but are unwilling to fly domestically because of low wages, and 2) The pilot shortage is real and based upon projected retirements and the current number of new pilots entering the industry. Which side do you believe and why? To answer this question thoroughly, you must research and provide evidence of research of both sides of the issue. 

**Second, with the new regulations, regional airlines may be concerned with their hiring pool. Why? What do you see as possible solutions - both for aspiring pilots and for the regional airlines themselves?

**Third, ALPA represents most regional pilots. Which organization represents the remainder of the industry, such as management, manufacturers, etc.. 

**Forth, keeping the documentary in mind, please answer the following questions:

-I proposed that one theme in the events that led up to the Colgan accident was the lack of professionalism.  Answer the following three questions related to professionalism:

    * 1) Define professionalism in your own words.

    * 2) List two ways in which lack of professionalism was demonstrated in this documentary. Remember: Both pilots and management can lack professionalism.

    * 3) Do you feel that first year pilot pay and/or the compensation structure of a regional airline is a contributing factor in the lack of professionalism demonstrated in the documentary?

    * 4) List two specific ways you plan on maintain and expand your level of professionalism once you are employed in the job that you listed in 1). These ways must be independent of the requirements of the job.

Commercial Space - Due Tuesday, March 15th @ 11:59PM

Is Commercial Space Tourism a viable industry? Please answer the following questions:

1) Historical background: When did the idea of "space tourism" begin? How has it developed? What have been the hurdles and accomplishments?

2) Give a brief summary of the rules and regulations that currently govern the commercial space industry. When and why were they developed? Do you feel that they are appropriate or that the need to be more or less restrictive?

3) Where do you see space tourism headed and in what time frame? I.e., do you think it will be accessible to the general public, not unlike the commercial airline industry? Do you think it will develop into a means of transportation or do you think that it will perpetually exists as a one-time, bucket list adventure?

4) What are the qualifications to work in the space tourism industry  - either from the pilot or the management perspective? This may require some research, perhaps even making a phone call.

Global Airline Issues - Due Monday, March 7th @ 11:59PM

US Airlines are known for attacking foreign long-haul carriers, often attributing their success solely to the government subsidies that these carriers receive. Please answer the following questions:

1) List and describe two long-haul foreign carriers that receive government subsidies.

2) Do any long-haul US carriers receive subsidies or have received subsidies in the past? If so, which airlines? Why?

3) Another complaint is that long-haul foreign carriers have made aircraft purchases at "below market interest rates" that are unavailable to US carriers. How is this possible? Please discuss the Export-Import Bank.

4) Finally, critically analyzing the above information, do you feel that the global "playing field" of long-haul carriers is fair?

Enjoy!