Global Airlines: Is it a fair playing field ?

     The US-UAE Open skies agreement grants each party the right to fly over their territory without landing, the right to make stops in their territory for non-traffic purposes and other rights specified in the agreement. This agreement was designed to promote international aviation and eliminate government involvement. It aims to create a freer environment for the international commercial aviation industry. Delta and United are two American long haul carriers that had received $42 billion in what's reportedly "unfair" government subsidies in 2015 according th the business insider.
    In a report from "View from the wing" US airlines have received more subsidies than middle east carriers. In 1999 the congressional research service put out a paper detailing government subsidies for US airlines. Between 1918 and 1998 the government spent $150 billion in support of aviation. Also in the 40's and 50's subsidies to US airlines were a huge political issue for the railroads.

REFERENCES

Leff, Gary. US Airlines Have Received More Subsidies Than Middle East Ones. April 8, 2015. https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/08/us-airlines-have-received-more-subsidies-than-middle-east-ones/
Congressional Research Service. Report RL30050. Aviation Direct Spending, 1918 - 1998. February 3, 1999. https://file.wikileaks.org/file/crs/RL30050.pdf

   
   

Final Blog :

     I've selected a weird one to write about again. I chose this because I might not have been very fair on the party I kind of spoke against, so I'm hitting it from a different perspective this time around. I've decided to blog about who should be the next FAA administrator.
     As you know President Trump has tipped John Dunkin, his personal long time pilot for the FAA Administrator position. A position that puts him in charge of the $16 billion budget according to reports all over the news. There isn't a lot or anything about his resume online but John Dunkin has worked for Donald Trump since 1989 when Trump owned his own airline. Dunkin's role took off in 2016 during the presidential campaign when he coordinated and led the aviation-related side of Trump's campaign for travel to 203 cities in 43 states over the course of 21 months, coordinating aircraft movement, among other duties, while serving as captain for the Boeing 757 jet. He's also managed airlines and corporate flight departments, certified airlines from start-up under FAA  regulations. Other candidates however include acting FAA administrator Daniel .K. Elwell, who is fillinlg in after Huerta's departure. Elwell is a former pilot and has served in various roles at the FAA for years. Previously served as Deputy Administrator of the FAA, Assistant administrator for policy, planning and environment, most recently senior advisor on aviation to U.S secretary of transportation. From 2013-2015 he was senior vice president for safety, security and operations at Airlines for America, prior to that he was vice president of the aerospace industries association from 2008-2013. He was also a commercial pilot for 16 years with American Airlines while serving as managing director for international and government affairs at American airlines. Republican representative Sam Graves, who sits on the aviation subcommittee of the house committee on transportation and infrastructure is also reportedly a candidate. 
     A quick look at past FAA administrators, firstly we look at Langhorne M. Bond. Born in Shanghai in 1937, earned an A.B and law degree at the university on Virginia. He went on to study at the institute of air and space law at McGill University, London school of economics and Oxford University. Bond was a member of the task force that developed the legislation establishing the U.S Department of Transportation, and then served one-year stints as special assistant to the first DOT secretary, Alan S. Boyd and as assistant administrator of public affairs in the DOT's Urban Mass Transportation Administration. He left federal service in 1969 to become Executive Director of the National Transportation Center, a non profit research organization in Pittsburgh that managed bus technology projects for transit authorities. In March 1973, he became Secretary of Transportation for the State of Illinois. Like John Dunkin and the next ex administrator we'll check out, he has no military history or background. I believe he's the first FAA Administrator that served without a military background or history. David R. Hinson, a native of Oklahoma earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. He served as a naval aviator and as a pilot for Northwestern Airlines. In 1961 he became a flight instructor for United Airlines. He later became captain and director for flight training for West coast airlines, eventually becoming the director of flight standards and engineering for West coast's successor, Air west. In 1973, he founded Hinson-Mennella  Inc., a partnership whose acquisitions included Flightcraft Inc., the beech aircraft distributor in the pacific northwest. He was one of four founder of midway airlines in 1978 and served as chairman and chief executive officer from 1985 until the airline ceased operations in 1991. When selected to run the FAA, he was executive vice president of marketing and business development with Douglas airlines, a subsidiary of McDonnell Douglas. Like John Dunkin, he was in charge of an ailine that closed up. I picked these two because I think they have similarities with President Donald Trump's candidate for the position.
     As the FAA administrator, John Dunkin, if he gets it, will be responsible for the safety and efficiency of this very large aerospace system. Who better than a pilot that's been a part of that aerospace system. I think John Dunkin can be a good administrator. He's loyal and shows longevity, he's worked for Donald Trump for 29 years now. He's has experience flying the man all over the world. He's navigated his way through a very busy campaign period with no hiccups. I believe he's a good shout for FAA administrator and I'm sure he'll get a lot of support.

REFERENCES

Davis, Parker. Trump's Personal Pilot on Short List for new FAA Head. February 28, 2018.

Lanktree, Graham. Who is John Dunkin? Trump wants his personal Pilot to head the FAA. February 26, 2018.

https://www.faa.gov/about/history/media/AOA_bios.pdf

https://www.faa.gov/about/key_officials/elwell/        

     

ATC Privatization

     The task of ensuring safe operations of commercial and private aircraft falls on Air Traffic Controllers (ATC). They must coordinate the movements of thousands of aircraft, keep them at safe distances from each other, direct them during takeoff and landing from airports, direct them around bad weather, and ensure that traffic flows smoothly with minimal delays. The ATC systems like Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC), Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), and Flight Service Station (FSS) help controllers achieve their ultimate goal - To clear traffic and provide whatever information and assistance the pilot requests. The proposed NextGen is not one technology, product or goal. According to the FAA, the term NextGen encompasses dozens of innovative new technologies that's being developed and implemented after thorough testing for safety. Through the FAA's modernization efforts, they're creating new interconnected systems that fundamentally change and improve how the National Airspace System (NAS) users see, navigate and communicate. NextGen provides ATC with the exact location of aircraft and a clear vision of surrounding conditions. The FAA has switched to a satellite enabled navigation system that is more precise than traditional ground based navigation aids. Using these satellites enables the FAA to create optimum routes anywhere in the NAS through all phases of flight. And finally in the modernized NAS, aircraft must be able to receive dynamic, complex instructions from ground systems. Our new digital communications system helps pilots and ATC to communicate more quickly, more easily, and with less risk of miscommunication than radio messages over busy frequencies.
     I think one of the main reasons General Aviation (GA) has traditionally spoken against ATC privatization is because of the interests of the people behind it. The AOPA (Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association) and NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) are a couple of aviation associations against the privatization of ATC and they've launched media campaigns to counter what they call "gross misrepresentations" by the airline-backed groups supporting it. "Air traffic control privatization is the biggest threat to the future of our industry that we've ever seen" said Ed Bolen, president of the NBAA, during a panel discussion among GA leaders on Oct 10, 2017 at the NBAA convention in Vegas. House bill 2997 would transfer ATC and it's billions of dollars in assets from the FAA to a 13-member board controlled by airline interests. As far as I can tell from my research, privatization of air traffic controls has been heavily precluded in the EU (European Union). Even in Russia, the authorities have  strong control over their aviation nationwide. But in Canada the case is different. In 1996, the government of Canada was faced with a large and continuing deficit, it was looking for a way to rid itself of things that cost money like the Air traffic control system. Then Nav Canada, a privately run, non-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system, assumed control of the ATC system from Transport Canada. According to an article written in January of 2012 by Robert P Mark for AINonline on AINonline .com, transitioning to a privately run ATC has so far been eneficial in terms of  fee structure and they put safety first, not business.
     The bill to privatize ATV will have to go through the house and congress. At this point congress still faces the decision to privatize ATC or not. The chairman of the house transportation committee Rep. Bill Shuster's bill to spin off ATC operations which has been endorsed by President Donald Trump advanced out of the committee. Members of congress from both chambers and parties remain unconvinced.
     Lastly, do I feel the current ATC system would be more effective if it was privatized ? I really don't know. There are ways of turning it over to private owners and making it run smoothly, possibly even better but why try to change something that doesn't need fixing. I think the airlines and maybe even the controllers will benefit from privatization but I don't if that'll be at the detriment of the general public. And that's who we need to think about.

References

Gunter, Chase. Air traffic control reform hits turbulence in Congress. Nov, 01. 2017.

Hirschman, Dave. GA GROUPS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN AGAINST ATC PRIVATIZATION. October, 10. 2017.

Mark .p. Robert. Canada's Private ATC System Offers Alternative for Cost-cutting Nations. January, 01. 2012.   

Aviation Organizations

     I think Aviation organizations are important for the young aviator coming into the industry or in college. The two I've identified are Alpha Eta Rho and Air Transport Association of Canada. Alpha Eto Rho International Aviation Fraternity is a professional collegiate fraternity founded to bring together those students having a common interest in the field of commercial aviation. Since 1929, the organization has fostered a unique bond among fellow aviators and aviation enthusiasts, and has aspired to uphold our longstanding motto of "Collegiate Aviation leaders of today... Aviation leaders of tomorrow." Membership into Alpha Eta Rho is open to all collegiate men and women who have a strong interest in, or who are currently seeking careers in any field withing the aviation and aerospace industries. The fraternity bond cultivated by Alpha Eta Rho fosters a professional and social atmosphere that not only enhances the collegiate aviation experience but also builds friendship and networking that will last a lifetime. 
     Since 1934, Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) has continued to demonstrate its effectiveness and leadership as the organization representing the interests of the Canadian aviation industry both nationally and internationally. The commercial aviation industry operates in an extremely complex economic and regulatory environment that demands proactive and timely responses.Our industry needs the support of a dynamic association offering efficient safeguards in advance of any changes in our regulatory, fiscal and legal environment. The mission states "To support our members in their commitment to a safe, world leading and sustainable Canadian Air Transport industry". Their objectives are to promote safe, reliable, efficient and affordable air transportation for people and goods to the benefit of Canadian societies. Engage in relevant government and regulatory authorities to advance Canadian commercial aviation and facilitate sustainable air transport. Advocate for government recognition of commercial aviation as a Canadian socio-economic driver. Promote the availability of world class flight training in Canada, domestically and internationally. Promote and support sound environmentally responsible operations and policies. Promote and support a regulatory framework that recognizes enterprise and imagination in providing safe and competitive air transport services. Provide excellent and cost effective services to our members. Promote professional operation standards and business practices by the membership. Inform and engage the public and other stakeholders about the industry and its view. And communicate matters of interest to our members in a timely manner.
     Joining organizations like these are a good platform for information in the industry, for networking, for exposure and to be a part of something big. Alpha Eta Rho builds relationships from this young time that lasts a life time and ATAC helps domestically and internationally with aviation matters that need to be put out there. Both also look really good on a resume as well.

REFERENCES

Air Transport Association of Canada. http://www.atac.ca/web/en/about-us/mandate.html

Alpha Eta Rho. https://www.alphaetarho.org/about-alpha-eta-rho/    

         

Who should be the next FAA Administrator ?

     As you know President Trump has tipped John Dunkin, his personal long time pilot for the FAA Administrator position. A position that puts him in charge of the $16 billion budget according to reports all over the news. There isn't a lot or anything about his resume online but John Dunkin has worked for Donald Trump since 1989 when Trump owned his own airline. Dunkin's role took off in 2016 during the Presidential campaign when he coordinated and led the aviation-related side of Trump's campaign for travel to 203 cities in 43 states over the course of 21 months, coordinating aircraft movement, among other duties, while serving as captain for the Boeing 757 jet. He's also managed airlines and corporate flight departments, certified airlines from start-up under FAA regulations. Other candidates however include acting FAA Administrator Daniel .K. Elwell, who is filling in after Huerta's departure. Elwell is a former pilot and has served in various roles at the FAA for years. Previously served as Deputy Administrator of the FAA, Assistant administrator for Policy, planning and environment, most recently Senior Advisor on Aviation to U.S Secretary of Transportation. From 2013 - 2015 he was Senior Vice President for Safety, Security and Operations at Airlines for America, prior to that he was Vice President of the Aerospace Industries Association from 2008 - 2013. He was also a commercial pilot for 16 years with American Airlines while serving as Managing Director for International and Government Affairs at American Airlines. Republican Representative Sam Graves , who sits on the Aviation subcommittee of the House committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is also reportedly a candidate.
     Looking back at past Administrators and their qualifications I picked out Jane .F. Garvey. She earned her B.A from Mount Saint Mary's College and her M.A from Mount Holyoke College. From 1988 to 1991 she was commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works, and later served as Director of Boston's Logan International Airport. In 1993 she joined the Federal Highway Administration, serving as Deputy Administrator and then acting Administrator. In 1997 she became the first FAA administrator to serve a 5-year term. Also going all the way back to the mid 1900's, John .H. Shaffer. He earned his wings while attending West Point. Graduating in January 1943, at the height of World War 2, he went on to fly 46 combat missions as a B-26 pilot with the 9th Air Forces in Europe. In 1946, while still in uniform, he earned his M.S degree from Columbia University. This was followed by successful assignments as production project officer of the Army Air Forces B-50 program (1948-54). In January 1954, he resigned his Air Force commission with the rank of lieutenant colonel to become general production manager and assistant plant manager of the Ford Motor Company's Mercury assembly plant in Metuchen, New Jersey. Three years later he joined TRW, Inc., an aerospace conglomerate.
     As the FAA Administrator, this person is responsible for the safety and efficiency of the largest aerospace system in the world. They oversee the budget and employees and is focused on ensuring the agency and its employees are the best prepared and trained professionals to meet the growing demands and requirements of the industry. I think it definitely matters who takes on this role as you can see from the qualifications of past administrators and the job description. I think Mr. John Dunkin just maybe meets the bare minimum of a person that can take on that position and I say this not because Trump put him in the running but because after reading what past Administrators had done before getting into the position I think he's not in the same class as they are. Perhaps, if his airline didn't fold up after 2 years I'd take him more seriously. But generally speaking, I think it takes an extensive knowledge of the politics and aviation practices and application as well as administrative qualities to take on the responsibilities that come with the job.

REFERENCES

Davis, Parker. Trump's Personal Pilot on Short List for new FAA Head. February 28, 2018.

Lanktree, Graham. Who is John Dunkin? Trump wants his personal Pilot to head the FAA. February 26, 2018.

https://www.faa.gov/about/history/media/AOA_bios.pdf

https://www.faa.gov/about/key_officials/elwell/ 

The Comercial Space Industry

     Is Commercial Space Tourism a viable industry ? Over the past few years a growing level of professional work has been done on the subject and it's now clear that setting up commercial space tourism services is a realistic target for business today. However there are reports that space tourism will be utterly disappointing. Joseph Stromberg wrote an article on August 20, 2015 about how billionaires like Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos have poured tons of money into building and developing vehicles for space tourism and it seems close to happening in the next few years but the catch is, their plans merely involve flights into suborbital space technically crossing the 100 kilometer line considered the lower boundary of space to give fliers a few minutes of weightlessness. He also compared the price (about $250,000 right now) to taking a brief zero gravity flight called the "vomit comet" for $5,000. Lastly, he brings up the issue of the mass transportation of people up into space. John Logsdon, founder of the Space Policy Institute said, "we've been launching people into space for 54 years now, and less than 600 people have made the trip. I think the idea that there's some magic bullet that could open up orbital space to large numbers of people is an illusion".
     Between 1963 and 1982, U.S expendable launch vehicle (ELV) manufacturers produced vehicles only under contract to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or the Department of Defense (DOD). In the early 1970s when private companies and foreign governments purchased communication satellites, they had to contract with NASA to launch their payloads. The U.S government essentially served as the only provider for space launch services to the western world. In the late 1970s the U.S government decided to phase out all ELVs  except one (scout) in favor of the U.S space shuttle. The shuttle would take all U.S satellites into orbit. In 1982, the first successful private launch in the United States took place - a test launch for the space services' prototype Conestoga rocket. The procedures required to gain approval for that launch, however, proved time-consuming and led to the introduction of legislation to make it easier for companies to pursue=e commercial launch activities. The Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984 as amended and re-codified as 51 U.S.C 50901-50923, authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) and through delegations, the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA)  Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST), to oversee, authorize and regulate both launches and reentry of launch and reentry vehicles and the operation of launch and reentry sites when carried out by U.S citizens or within the United States. The Act directs the FAA to exercise this responsibility consistent with public health and safety, safety of property and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. The Act also encourages the FAA to encourage, facilitate and promote commercial space launches and reentries by the private sector, including those involving space flight participants.
     I think the prospect of space tourism is really exciting but unfortunately I don't see it being accessible to the general public in my lifetime. I think there would be a lot of hurdles to overcome before we're able to convince the general public that space travel is safe and can be done several times and at an affordable price as well. I'm also interested to see how the rest of the world reacts to it and how the competition for space travel evolves worldwide. I don't think space travel will be just another means of transportation, it'll be something that you plan to do with your entire family one time in your lifetime and if your lucky or rich enough maybe a few times. NASA would have to develop a space vehicle that can be used more than a few times, this will help reduce the price for the general public. They'll have to convince the general public that space travel is something that's achievable on a normal consistent basis. Also, I wonder how it will affect normal transportation on earth and if it'll increase the economic distance between the upper class, middle class and lower class. I just think there's a lot to consider before or if we get there. I don't know what you have to do to be an astronaut these days or to work in the space tourism industry but I'm sure it's not easy.

REFERENCES

Stromberg, Joseph. After the Virgin Galactic crash, does space tourism still have a future?  https://www.vox.com/2014/11/4/7149465/space-tourism-virgin-future 

Stromberg, Joseph. Why space tourism is going to be utterly disappointing.  https://www.vox.com/2015/8/20/9181909/space-tourism-cost  

https://www.faa.gov/about/history/milestones/media/commercial_space_industry.pdf

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/regulations/

       

The Current Status of UAVs

     The UAVs are very popular these days with everyone, from military people to civilians. Kids love them, use them for fun and recreational purposes. Youtubers, cinematographers, and photographers use them often to capture new exciting angles and give their work something extra. Aviation enthusiasts love to fly them, to pass time or for those who for some reason can't qualify for a pilot's certificate. And of course businesses use them for commercial purposes. It put's them out there, makes them deliver services of good faster and people like that. Because of actual aircrafts flying in different air spaces there has to be rules for manned and unmanned to coexist. So to use a small unmanned aircraft for recreational, commercial, governmental, or other purposes it has to be registered under Part 107 of the regulations. These regulations include operational limitations like maximum weight, time of operation, speed and altitude, area or airspace in which it can be operated with and without ATC clearance, weather minimums, how and who can operate or supervise operation of the unmanned aircraft. I should say there is a waiver process, which provides flexibility to existing regulations. Part 107.200(a) states, "The administrator may a certificate of waiver authorizing a deviation from any regulation specified in Part 107.205 *List of regulations subject to waiver* if the administrator finds that a proposed small UAV operation can safely be conducted under the terms of that certificate of waiver". This allows a UAV operator to propose an operation that is not permitted under Part 107.
     Unmanned aircrafts are operated in countries across the globe, they're big in Europe but my focus is on its use in Africa. In early 2018, Tanzania's government began using drones to deliver medical supplies such as blood and vaccines to remote areas. The government expects to save lives thanks to faster delivery of medical supplies. Prior, Rwanda launched a drone delivery program with zipline. They've made well over 1,400 similar deliveries.
     Integrating UAVs into the NAS is something I see happening in the future. The fact that UAVs introduce a unique element into the National Airspace and present the risk of collision with other aircrafts and other civil airspace users in not new. Dating back to June 1981, the FAA published an Advisory Circular (AC) entitled "Notice of Policy for Unmanned Aircraft Systems". More recently, to mitigate the risk of an accident or incident between UAVs and other traffic in the NAS, the FAA has authorized a series of guidelines to determine if the UAVs may be allowed to conduct flight operations in the NAS. Specifically, it established a dedicated unmanned aircraft program office in December 2005 to serve as the organization's focal point for unmanned aviation policies and standards. My point is there have been measures in place for a long time to try to make this happen so it's highly probably that it will happen. Although, the challenges to make it happen are great. To mention a few, the struggle of an airline pilot to see and avoid these small UAVs, ATCs ability to safely direct every aircraft through the airspaces especially without RADAR or NextGen technology. The accident rate for UAVs is higher than for conventional aircraft. A significant proportion of these accidents are associated with human error. I think, if the the UAVs are to be permitted to be operated in the NAS, it'll be necessary to understand the human factors associated with these vehicles. Also the public perception, which historically carries a lot of weight, is yet to be seen. How they view the development now and how they'll react should there be an accident or incident.
     As far as  the military is concerned, I think the introduction of UAVs has transformed their strategies. Stealth being a huge one for me. Conducting operations, surveillance and reconnaissance undetected gives them an advantage over the enemies. I believe their introduction has been successful considering the money and manpower it would take to conduct such operation. And about all, you can't put an amount of money on a life lost so if the drones keep men and women that serve out of harms way or at least reduces that risk then that's a certain success.
     UAV Jobs: https://www.indeed.com/q-Uav-jobs.html & https://www.indeed.com/q-Pilot-Uav-jobs.html
   

REFERENCES

Herwitz, Stanley R. PhD, Hobbs, Alan PhD. Human Factors in the Maintenance of Unmanned Aircraft

McFarland, Matt. East Africa is leading the world in drone delivery. money.cnn.com

Ravich, Timothy M. The integration of unmanned aerial vehicles into the national airspace.

Shoffet, Daniel. Drone Intergration: A Pilot's Solution to a Serious Entertainment Problem, 33J. Marshall J. Info. Tech. & Privacy L. 1 (2016)  

Zeigler, Brad. The Part 107 Waiver Process and Airspace Authorizations.

      

Should Cargo Carriers Be Exempt From Flight/Duty Changes ?

     The Department of Transportation identified the issue of pilot fatigue as a top priority during the 2009 airline Safety Call to Action following the crash of Colgan Air flight 3407. The FAA launched an aggressive effort to take advantage of the latest research on fatigue to create a new pilot flight, duty and rest proposal which the agency issued on September 10, 2010. According to the FAA press release page on their website the key components of the final rule for commercial passenger flights includes varying flight and duty requirements based on what time the pilot's day begins. It incorporates the latest fatigue science to set different requirements for pilot flight time, duty period and rest based on the time of the day pilots begin their first flights, the number of scheduled flight segments and the number of time zones they cross. The previous rule included different rest requirements for domestic, international and unscheduled flights. Those differences were not necessarily consistent across different types of passenger flights and did not take into account factors such as start time and time zone crossings.
     The new rule also addressed flight duty period which includes deadhead transportation, training in an aircraft or flight simulator, and airport standby or reserve duty if these tasks occur before a flight or between flights without an intervening rest period. The old rule only accounted for the time a pilot is actually in the cockpit flying. The rule set a 10-hour minimum rest period prior to the flight duty period, a 2-hour increase over the old rule. The new rule also addressed potential cumulative fatigue by placing weekly and 28-day limits on the amount of time a pilot may be assigned any type of flight duty. It also places 28-day and annual limits on actual flight time and requires that pilots have at least 30 consecutive hours free from duty on a weekly basis, a 25% increase over the old rules. The FAA expects pilots and airlines to take joint responsibility when considering if a pilot is fit for duty, including fatigue resulting from pre-duty activities such as commuting. An airline may also develop an alternative way of mitigating fatigue based on science and using data that must be validated by the FAA and continuously monitored.
     The estimated cost of this rule to the aviation industry is $297 million but the benefits are estimated between $247 - $470 million. Covering cargo operation under this new rule will be too costly compared to the benefits generated in this portion of the industry. Some cargo airlines already have improved rest facilities for pilots. The FAA encourages cargo operators to opt into the new rule voluntarily, which will require them to comply with all of its provisions. Again, you can read more of all this information on the FAA website under press releases. All flight and duty limitations for cargo carriers can be found in the Federal Aviation Regulations Aeronautical  Information Manual (FAR AIM) 2018 under PART 117 starting on page 325.
     Like I said above one of the reasons that cargo carriers have been excluded from the new changes is because it's not financially profitable for the industry. The cost to implementing this for the cargo carriers is too high and the benefit or return is low. I think it's really that simple but other things like the fact that there aren't passengers involved so there's no "public perception" to worry about and that accidents associated with cargo carriers usually don't have anything to do with fatigue might also play a small role in all this. I think cargo carriers have been given a choice to be included and it's up to them to make that choice. I think like most passenger airlines, cargo airlines also have alternative ways of mitigating fatigue. If the cargo carrier can afford to be included then by all means, they should but keep in mind also that one big reason for this new rule is that it brings back a profit for passenger airlines and the FAA didn't make it mandatory for cargo airlines because they weren't going to make a profit on it. So the real question is, why should the cargo carriers want to be included in the new rule if they're not gaining from it like the rest of the industry is ?
     From a managerial perspective, I think it makes scheduling a bit more difficult. Maybe reinforces the shortage of pilots, but I don't honestly see it affecting the careers of dispatchers, air traffic controllers or administrative staff.

REFERENCES

https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=13272

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/part-117

         

Pilots And Mental Illness

     Unfortunately, Germanwings Flight 9525 was the last flight for 144 passengers including 16 students and 2 teachers, a British engineer and a prominent opera singer with her partner and toddler child, Felix. The airbus took off from Barcelona, Spain to arrive at Dusseldorf airport in Germany but never made it as it crashed 62 miles North-west of Nice in the French Alps. This was the first crash in the 18 year history of Germanwings airline.

     The crash was deliberately caused by the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, after he was instructed by his captain, Patrick Sondenheimer, to prepare for landing while he excused himself to use the bathroom. Unknown to the Captain, he was leaving the controls of the aircraft in the hands of a psychiatric patient diagnosed with depression. Captain Sondenheimer should have been more vigilant after he got a very cryptic and quite nervy response from his co-pilot. "Hopefully", he said. "we'll see". After the Captain left the cocpit, first officer Andreas Lubitz locked the door and disabled the access panel. Without responding the calls, shouts and banging on the door from his Captain, without responding to ATC calls, he set the autopilot to descend to 100 feet and accelerated the speed of the descending aircraft several times before it eventually crashed into the side of a mountain in the French Alps.

     The co-pilot's mental illness was documented and he shouldn't have been allowed to fly in his conditions. Also, he's shown a pattern of lying and deception which should have raised a red flag to his superiors including his curt response to the Captain which should have seriously bothered the Captain. Prior to the accident he had an episode that made him drop out of flight training which was treated and he was cleared for duty. He was also required to be examined by Lufthansa's Aeromedical center due to the SIC notation on his medical records.

     Based on the Pilot Fitness Aviation Rule-making Committee Report published on November 18, 2015 there are several recommendations for tackling Pilot mental illness and the FAA in conjunction with Aircarriers have been battling to raise awareness and implement these programs. I think from the perspective of the Airlines and the FAA taking serious measures like this will only further reduce the number of pilots we have and airlines will definitely loose money, which lets be honest is as important as safety when it comes to priority. I think the airlines will also be very reluctant to do anything because the number of mental illness related accidents are very low. In other words they probably wouldn't see the need to fix something that's not really that broken yet. I think it'll be a slow, long process to fully implement any measures to eradicate mental illness among pilots. 

REFERENCES

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/committees/documents/media/pilot%20fitness%20arc%20report.11302015.pdf

https://www.gq.com/story/germanwings-flight-9525-final-moments

Flying Cheap and Professionalism

     The buzz about the shortage in pilots is one that I've heard more than anything else over the past few years and I believe it's true. Last Christmas alone American airlines faced severe pilot shortage. The scheduling system allowed too many pilots take time off for the holidays and there wasn't even pilots to fill in. As a result thousands of flights had no crew. It was also reported in the "Dallas Business Journal" that American Airlines is offering signing bonuses of up to $45,000 for experienced pilots. I think all evidence points to the fact that there aren't enough pilots in the industry at the moment. Also I don't think the pay increase will solve the pilot shortage problem because according to Brent Bowen, dean of the college of aviation at the Prescott campus, entry level pay for first officers has rebounded in the last year and signing bonuses of up to $60,000 at air carriers. And across the board, pilots have been payed more over the past two decades. So my thing is, if the increase in pay hasn't solved anything for the twenty years, it's not going to change anything now.
     The 1500-hour rule was birth, in my opinion, from complains of aviation ignorant people who needed to see something change, didn't matter what changed, they just needed to see something change. Understandably, due to their grief and what they where facing they needed someone or something to blame and something to hold on to. They needed some kind of closure. And they got it, the rule makers increased the requirement for hours needed to fly for passenger and cargo airlines. Among other things of course. This affects the hiring pool at regional airlines because the rule has made it more expensive to get an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. It has also made the time to get an ATP significantly longer. These factors can be discouraging for any student thinking about applying for an ATP and so it reduces the applicants the regional airlines receive which of course reduces their options to hire. 
     Professionalism is the conduct and qualities one exhibits on the job without fail. From the documentary the captain and first officer's conduct before and during the flight lacked professionalism. Also, the administrative culture lacked a lot of professionalism.
     I feel like the first year pay and compensation structure of regional airlines did contribute to the lack of professionalism demonstrated in the documentary because if I or anyone for that matter was treated the same way there is a high probability that the job wouldn't be taken as seriously as it probably should. If my employers don't think my services are worth much then it seems to me that my job isn't worth much either, so why break my back for something that doesn't seem worth it ?
     As my definition implies, my professionalism is my conduct so the first way I'll maintain my level of professionalism is to be who I am. Act the way I was raised, with dignity and self serving. The second way I'll expand my level of professionalism is to look/ dress how I want to be addressed. Basically, dressing the part or more.

REFERENCES

http://www.travelweekly.com/Robert-Silk/How-1500-hour-rule-created-pilot-shortage

https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=14838

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/11/aa-nightmare-before-christmas/

Personal Introduction

     This long ride into the aviation industry started only a few years ago, sometime in 2012. I didn't grow up in an aviation family or have any affiliation with the industry but I think the desire to do something different, and not be what people expected of me drove me to think of alternative career paths that I'd enjoy, make good money and command some prestige from my peers and family. Engineering and architecture where possibilities until my aunt told me of how her late husband passed. Turns out, he was a pilot. Didn't die on the job but that was the first I heard of or actually thought of flying or aviation as a career. After that, I couldn't get this fantasy of being a pilot out of my head and in a bigger way than I thought made me decide to find out what was what in the aviation industry. 

     Anyway, after a few years in a few places and gathering information here I am. Currently, my major is in aviation management and dispatch with a general business minor and I intend to graduate in the spring on 2019.

     The future is something no one knows, we can try to predict and work towards goals but we just don't know. My plans for the future is to work as a dispatcher for Air Georgian, a Canadian regional airline for Air Canada while working on my masters and eventually work my way up to work for Air Canada itself.

     Moving on in this class the main things I'd like to be covered include, job opportunities, options for young graduates with little or no experience, progressing through the ranks, leadership, career after aviation (after active flying/managing/dispatching etc) and possibly awareness for the industry for the general public and within the industry.