Aviation Organizations

The topic is Aviation Organizations. Please answer the following questions: 

Do not use AOPA or ALPA in your answers.

1.     What associations will it be important to belong to when you are employed and engaged on your career path?  Identify at least two organizations. 

Two associations that will be important to belong to when I am employed and engaged on my aviation management and/or flight career path are the Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

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.

The mission/goal of the MAAE is to assist airport executives in fulfilling their responsibilities to the airports and communities they serve. The MAAE was founded in 1949, to represent airport management throughout Michigan (Michigan Association of Airport Executives [MAAE], 2017). The MAAE has been in constant pursuit of fulfilling its mission since its inception in 1949. According to MAAE (2017), the MAAE has primarily facilitated the accomplishment of their mission of assisting airport executives and their respective airports and communities through the continual development of various methods, of which aid Michigan-based airports in  developing expertise and leadership within their respective organizations. Additionally, by representing the state of Michigan at national association meetings, the MAAE works to ensure the regional needs of its members are addressed and acknowledged by governing bodies (MAAE 2017). Subsequently, the MAAE further accomplishes their mission of assisting Michigan-based airport executives with their various responsibilities bestowed upon them by the communities they serve through representation on a national level.

As mentioned previously, the primary mission or goal of the MAAE is to assist airport executives in fulfilling their responsibilities to the airports and communities they serve (MAAE 2017). However, according to the MAAE (2017), the MAAE was also established for the purpose of increasing the use and improving the facilities and services of Michigan airports. The MAAE facilitates this increase and improvement of various facilities and services provided by Michigan airports through four essential functions. These four functions are as follows: 1. Provide a medium for the exchange of ideas, methods, information, and experience for the operation of airports; 2. Promote and encourage the passing of legislation (both State and Federal), for the good of aviation; 3. Cooperate with the FAA and Michigan Aeronautics Commission in achieving their programs/goals for aviation and; 4. Promote and encourage better relations between airports and their users (MAAE 2017).

Since the MAAE offers membership to airport executives (or managers) from large, medium, and small airports, the four previously mentioned functions of the MAAE benefit and/or support the aviation industry in its entirety, but more specifically, the commercial and general aviation sectors. This benefit and support to the aviation industry is primarily facilitated in the form of memberships, which are open to all Michigan airports. The MAAE offers an ‘Airport Membership’, which allows each airport to appoint as many members as they please. The appointed members under said membership must include individuals who exercise active responsibility for the management, general superintendence, operation, or administration of an airport within the state of Michigan (MAAE 2017). The dues associated with an ‘Airport Membership’ are contingent upon its size and are broken down by category. The dues for a large hub (or commercial airport) are $3000, a medium hub is $1500, a small hub is $1000, non-hub is $600, an Essential Air Service (EAS) is $500, a large General Aviation (GA) airport is $500, and a small GA airport is $200 (MAAE 2017).

Additionally, the MAAE offers a ‘Corporate Membership’, which is open to both public or private corporations and individuals who are engaged in at least one of the following activities: Development or maintenance of an airport, the manufacture of sale of aircraft, aviation fuel, air navigation facilities, and/or equipment or materials used in the establishment of operation of an airport (MAAE 2017). The membership dues associated with the ‘Corporate Membership’ are based of the number of employees within said corporate organization. Specifically, if the organization consist of over 50 employees the cost is $600, under 50 employees is $300, and if the organization classifies as an Association and/or Government Agency, then the cost is $100 (MAAE 2017). Needless to say, this specific membership is meant to benefit and support the corporate/business (i.e. General Aviation) sector of the industry as opposed to the ‘Airport Membership’, which tends to provide a more direct benefit to the larger, commercial sector. The main disadvantage of this membership is that corporate members do not retain voting rights, while those holding an ‘Airport Membership’ do.

Now that I have outlined the two types of memberships offered by the MAAE and briefly explained their purpose, I can expound upon how the MAAE benefits and supports other sectors of the industry, especially the commercial and GA sectors. Being a member of the MAAE Membership allows both commercial and GA airport executives (or managers) such as those from Willow Run or Detroit Metropolitan to attend various conferences/seminars pertaining to the growth and development of Michigan Airports. Consequently, by attending said seminars, the attendees are able to converse with other airport executives and managers who share similar  responsibilities, and learn from their mistakes and experiences in efforts to better their respective (commercial or GA) airport, and subsequent industry sector. The MAAE typically holds two conferences/seminars per year, namely the Michigan Airport Conference and the MAAE Annual Fall Conference. The Michigan Airport Conference is co-sponsored with the MDOT and the Office of Aeronautics. According to the MAAE (2017), the Michigan Airport Conference provides an excellent opportunity for airport management staff, consultants, sponsors, and vendors to address issues concerning airport operations and administration. The MAAE Annual Fall Conference provides an excellent opportunity for Airport Managers, FAA, and State Office Aeronautics representatives, airport engineers, consultants, and airport equipment to meet, exchange ideas, and discuss problems and solutions facing Michigan airports (MAAE 2017). Both conferences benefit and support the commercial and GA sectors of aviation because they allow for executives and managers from both sectors to convene in a centralized location to discuss potential issues/problems, and more importantly, exchange viable solutions to said problems affecting the commercial and GA sectors. Furthermore, these conferences also include employees from prominent authoritative bodies such as the FAA, who oversee all aviation sectors. Since the FAA is an attendee at these conferences, they can provide specific attention, answers, and guidance to the various problems encountered by the executives from the commercial and GA airports.

Thus, the MAAE plays a monumental role in the industry overall, especially with respects to the Michigan-based commercial and GA sectors. The MAAE fulfills this role by offering membership to commercial, corporate, and GA airports/operations. This allows said organizations to enhance their operation, attain specified funding, and attend various seminars/conferences where they can receive assistance from governing officials (e.g. FAA) to address, combat, and implement corrective action to potential issues or problems facing all (e.g. commercial or GA) airports, ultimately improving their sectors.

The mission of the NBAA is to foster an environment that allows business aviation to thrive in the United States and around the world (National Business Aviation Association [NBAA], 2017). According to the NBAA (2017), the NBAA is the leading organization for companies that rely on GA aircraft to help make their business more efficient, productive and successful. Furthermore, since its founding in 1947, the NBAA has represented more than 11,000 companies and provided more than 100 products/services to the business (corporate) aviation sector.

The numerous functions provided on behalf of the NBAA are primarily focused on the promotion and enhancement of general aviation, specifically business (corporate) aviation. That said, the NBAA provides three essential functions to the business aviation sector. The first of function of the NBAA is to settle issues associated with business operations airspace access, airport utilizations, and aircraft noise. Additionally, the NBAA has focused their attention on and directed their efforts to settle prevalent issues pertaining to (business) aviation safety, operational efficiency, fair and equal (airport and airspace) access, FAA reform, nose and compatible land use, and several other issues (NBAA 2017). According to the NBAA (2017), the second function the NBAA provides is the discussion and management of prominent international issues such as international aviation policy as well as the improvement and standardization of global air traffic systems. The third, and final function of the NBAA is the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of operational and managerial data related to the safe, efficient, and cost-effective use of business aircraft within the GA sector (NBAA 2017). Analyzing said data empowers the NBAA to further identify and understand the continuously on-going advancements in (aviation) technology and procedures (e.g. NextGen) that could have a potential impact (either positive or negative) within the business (general) aviation sector.

The NBAA prides itself on serving the Business Aviation community since its inception in 1947, therefore it is not surprising to know the organization has been a monumental factor in making business/corporate aviation as prominent and significant as we know it to be today. That said, the NBAA does not possess a defined role within other industry sectors nor does it support other sectors because the NBAA is business aviation specific. The only role the NBAA has is to emphasize, promote, and sustain the viability of the business sector. However, in doing so, the NBAA also provides a strong sense of support for GA overall because business aviation is housed under GA. Subsequently, the NBAA aids in the perpetuation, enhancement, and viability of GA, which is one of the major (and more commonly used) facets of the industry, alongside commercial and military aviation.

3.     Discuss why is it important for you to belong to these associations.

Generally speaking, it is important for me to belong to these associations because they can provide various opportunities for employment and/or internships, offer career insight (from aviation-employed professionals), and allow me to network with aviation professionals who are where I am striving to be. Furthermore, by belonging to these two associations, I will not only be able to expand my network and make more (aviation) connections, but I will also be able to learn about more opportunities (some of which are membership exclusive) and attend various conferences/seminars to enhance my aviation (and general) knowledge. Additionally, belonging to these associations is important because being a member of them demonstrates that I am an active participant within the aviation industry, thereby denoting a keen interest in the aviation industry’s viability and long-term growth.

As an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Aviation Management, it is important for me to belong to the MAAE organization because it promotes the professional development of both members and students who are actively engaged in the study of airport administration (or management) (MAAE 2017). The MAAE accomplishes this promotion and encouragement of aviation/airport management students through the use of free student memberships and several scholarship opportunities, which are MAAE member exclusive. Additionally, it is important I be a part of the MAAE because I can receive discounted (if not free) admission to the conferences and seminars hosted by the MAAE. It is at these conferences and seminars where I will have the opportunity to network, connect, and talk to airport executives and managers who may have a vacancy and/or internship opportunity within their organization that I would not be cognizant of otherwise.

As an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Aviation Management, it is important for me to belong to the NBAA because they are an instrumental factor in the sustainability and promotion of business (corporate) aviation, which is where I plan to begin my flight career. Additionally, it is important I belong to the NBAA because they offer a vast amount of scholarship and internship opportunities to students (like myself). Specifically, the internship opportunities can provide me with the vital and necessary (business) or general aviation experience to either transfer into a permanent (i.e. full-time) position within the NBAA, or with an akin aviation organization. Furthermore, the NBAA offers numerous volunteer and career opportunities that I could take advantage of as a member, thereby allowing me to network with other business aviation professionals in efforts to perpetuate and/or solidify my aviation career. Since the NBAA is one of the most substantial and notable organizations within the sector of GA, being a member would indefinitely speak volumes regarding my knowledge of and commitment not only to the business sector, but to GA and the industry overall.

Therefore, it is important for me to belong to the MAAE and NBAA because of the discounted (and/or free) memberships they offer to students pursuing an aviation-related degree, the numerous scholarship and internship opportunities available, and the ability to expand my professional (aviation) network through the attendance of organization-specific conferences and seminars. It is also important to belong to these associations because they tend to ‘standout’ on a resume/CV, and more times than not, the employer (or individual reviewing my credentials) will also belong to these aviation organizations (if not more). Thus, belonging to not only these aviation organizations, but others as well will increase my chances of attaining an interview and/or employment because they denote commitment to and knowledge of the various facets/sectors, which compose the industry as a whole.

References

Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE). (2017). About us. MAAE. Retrieved from http://www.michairports.org/index.php?pr=About_MAAE

Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE). (2017). Conference information. MAAE. Retrieved from http://www.michairports.org/index.php?pr=Conferences_&_Seminars

Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE). (2017). Membership information. MAAE. Retrieved from http://www.michairports.org/index.php?pr=Membership_Info

Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE). (2017). Scholarship opportunities. MAAE. Retrieved from http://www.michairports.org/index.php?pr=Scholarship_Opportunities

Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE). (2017). Welcome, members, and guests, to the Michigan Association of Airport Executives official website. MAAE. Retrieved from http://www.michairports.org/index.php?pr=Home_Page

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). (2017). About NBAA. NBAA. Retrieved from https://www.nbaa.org/about/

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). (2017). NBAA history. NBAA. Retrieved from https://www.nbaa.org/about/history/ 

Aviation Emissions, Concerning?

The UN recently reached an agreement on aircraft emissions. Please answer the following questions in regards to this topic:

1) Summarize aviation's contribution to overall emissions. Please be specific, using statistics,  etc.. For example, how do aviation emissions compare to emissions from other industries?

Before I can begin explaining how the aviation industry has contributed to the world’s overall emissions, one must first explain which/what type of chemical compounds (i.e. emissions) transpire. Popular to contrary belief, aircraft produce emissions akin to those emitted from an automobile. Specifically, aircraft jet engines emit chemical compounds such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), water vapor (H20), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and Sulfur Oxides (Sox) (AvStop.com 2015). However, it is the unburned or partially combusted Hydrocarbons (HC) amongst other minute compounds that truly harm the environment by worsening the air quality. These unburned hydrocarbons are known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs); only a small subset are considered damaging, but the quantity of VOCs emitted into the environment (especially with the increase of air transport) has caused alarm. According to AvStop.com (2015), typical jet aircraft emissions are primarily comprised of three compounds: 70% CO2, 30% H20, and less than 1% of trace compounds such as CO, NOx, SOx, and VOCs. Unbeknownst to many, these compounds are termed differently depending upon where they are emitted: when expelled into the atmosphere at higher altitudes (e.g. during cruise flight) they are deemed ‘greenhouse gases’, but when emitted near the ground (e.g. during takeoff/landing), they are deemed ‘pollutants’.

The clear majority of jet aircraft emissions, specifically 90% of them, are produced at higher altitudes, or during cruise flight (AvStop.com 2015). When these compounds are expelled at the higher (cruise) altitudes, the water vapor in conjunction with other compounds tend to create ‘contrails’. These contrails are what individuals on the ground often see when they look in the sky as they have a ‘trail’ like appearance in the sky depicting the course of an aircraft. These contrails also create a ‘greenhouse’ effect within the atmosphere, thereby damaging the ozone layer in conjunction with the other VOCs emitted at this level of flight. The remaining 10% of aviation emissions occur on the ground during ground operations. These emissions are often generated by aircraft taking-off or landing, taxiing, and ground service equipment (e.g. fuel trucks, GPUs, etc.), and subsequently have the same negative effect on the environment (AvStop.com 2015).

Despite what people may believe based upon their own notions and/or minor research from reading bits and pieces of various articles, aviation does not contribute a large margin to the world’s overall emissions. In fact, aviation only contributes 2% to the world’s (manmade) CO2 emissions and only 12% to the CO2 emissions from all aviation related transport sources (e.g. aircraft, ground equipment, etc.) (Air Transport Action Group [ATAG], 2015). 2% and 12% emissions contribution are relatively minute in comparison to the number of aircraft being utilized for transport and the increase/growth of the industry. Albeit the aviation industry has experienced a notable (approximately 5%) increase in passenger travel each year over the past 10-20 years, air carriers, airports, and their governing bodies have made tremendous strides to mitigate their C02 and other emissions (ATAG 2015). It is because of the strides and joint efforts made by aviation officials and air carriers that the industry has reduced its (aircraft and ground operations) emissions growth to 3%. This emission reduction has primarily been facilitated by the upgrading and implementation of newer technology, policies, and procedures, which lessen the amount of time aircraft are on the ground (with engines running) and how much time they spend in the air during delays (e.g. holding patterns). The most significant improvement will come in the form of NextGen, which utilizes GPS technology to provide aircraft with more direct routes. By instituting more direct routes, aircraft flight time will be reduced, subsequently attenuating aircraft emissions and aviation’s overall emission contribution. According to ATAG (2015), the largest contributors to manmade (or human-induced) CO2 emissions are as follows: Power generation at 24% (which is primarily produced in the forms of coal/gas fire stations), followed by land use change at 18%, proceeded by the agricultural/industrial/transport (includes aviation at 2%) sectors at 14%, and lastly building/infrastructure and other energy related occupations at 8% and 5%, respectively. This means the aviation (or transport) industry is the third most (manmade) CO2 emission efficient industry since it contributes 6% and 9% more CO2 emissions than the building/infrastructure and other energy related industries, respectively. Additionally, this also means the aviation industry generates 12% and 4% less to manmade CO2 emissions (overall) than the power generation and land use industries, respectively, and is thereby more efficient.

Despite aviation emissions not having a large contribution percentage or impact on the overall environment, they still harm the environment and add to aviation’s overall contribution. Most individuals do not consider if there are any additional emission sources aside from the aircraft itself when discussing aviation emissions because they think the aircraft is large so it must produce the most exhaust. This notion however, is incorrect as a large portion of aviation emissions stem from the airport itself, specifically the ground equipment and other moving parts that maintain the airport’s business continuity. These sources include cars (e.g. airport police), catering trucks, shuttle buses and taxis, ground power units (GPUs), and other support vehicles. The primary chemical compounds composing the aviation emissions are CO2, H20 (water vapor), NOx, HC (hydrocarbons), CH4, and CO (Federal Aviation Administration [FAA], 2015). CO2, H20 (water vapor that helps formulate contrails), and NOx adversely affect the global climate change, while the HCs, CH4, and CO adversely affect the local air quality since they are pollutants (composed of unburned components of jet fuel).

When compared to emissions generated by other industries, aviation does not contribute a large margin to the overall emissions generated (both in the U.S. and worldwide) as I have previously mentioned. However, these notions mean nothing unless statistical data is provided to back them. Emissions are often measured in BTUs, or British Thermal Units, which denotes the energy efficiency of a product such as an appliance, a vehicle, or a mode of transportation. For the purposes of this question, each mode of transportation will be measured in BTU per passenger-mile to evaluate efficiency and emission generation. Therefore, the more energy efficient a mode of transportation is, then the lower BTU per passenger-mile and emission generation it will have.

In the U.S., there are five largely used modes of transportation, which are as follows: Automobiles, personal trucks, transit (city) buses, commercial airlines (i.e. aviation), and rail; rail is comprised of three subcategories, namely intercity rail (Amtrak), transit rail (subway) and commuter rail. According to AvStop.com (2015), commercial airlines (aviation) is the third most efficient (or least BTU per passenger-mile generating) mode of transportation generating approximately 3,600 BTU per passenger-mile. The aviation industry’s emission contribution generates only 100 BTU per passenger-miles more than automobiles (which is the second most efficient mode of transportation), and only 850 BTU per passenger-miles more than the most efficient rail mode of transportation. Traveling by rail is the most efficient mode of transportation holistically speaking; as mentioned previously, it is composed of three sub-categories. The most efficient rail method is commuter rail generating 2,750 BTU per passenger-mile, followed by intercity rail (Amtrak) at 2,900 BTU per passenger-mile, and lastly, transit rail (subway) at 3,100 BTU per passenger-mile (AvStop.com 2015).

When comparing aviation to the most efficient mode of transportation (i.e. rail), aviation appears to be extremely efficient in terms of emission generation since it only generates 850 BTU per passenger-mile more than commuter rail, 700 BTU per passenger-mile more than intercity rail, and only 500 BTU per passenger-mile more than transit rail. This is a phenomenal feat and an exemplary demonstration of the aviation industry’s minute emission contribution considering how many aircraft operate each day globally. Additionally, aviation only generates 100 BTU per passenger-mile more than the second most efficient mode (automobile). This 100 BTU per passenger-mile difference truly highlights how efficient and low emission generating aircraft/airport operations are when you consider the amount of and how frequently automobiles are used in the world. Automobiles are one of (if not the) most common means of travel in both short- and long-distances. Thus, for the aviation industry to only produce 100 more BTU per passenger-mile than automobiles (which are in abundance and commonplace in the U.S.) is extraordinary.

Since commercial airlines (aviation) is ranked third in terms of efficiency and emission generation, this means there are two additional modes of transportation under it, which are personal trucks and transit (city) buses. According to AvStop.com (2015), personal trucks generate 4,300 BTU per passenger-mile, while transit buses are the least efficient (i.e. generate the most emissions) as they generate 4,800 BTU per passenger-mile. This means the aviation industry generates 800 and 1,200 BTU per passenger-mile less than personal trucks and transit buses, respectively. Considering the vast amount of personal trucks and city transit vehicles operated within the various cities and states, their large emission generation is no surprise. City transit, especially buses, have implemented upgrades to the engine and exhaust systems to become more fuel, emission, and eco-friendly/efficient. Despite these improvements, transit buses still produce a large amount of emissions and harm the environment, hence the reason why it is (statistically) the most inefficient mode of transport. However, despite these statistics, people still assume that since a commercial (jet) aircraft is larger than an automobile, personal truck, or bus, then it is extremely (emission) inefficient, which is not true at all as denoted by the above statistical breakdowns. Therefore, although aviation is the third most efficient mode of transportation, the industry only generates 3,600 BTU per passenger-mile and contributes only 2% to CO2 emissions overall, which is minute, relatively speaking, when compared to the other, vaster modes of transportation such as rail (average of 2,916 BTU per passenger-mile) or transit buses (4,300 BTU per passenger-mile).

2)The article in class confirmed that the UN had reached an agreement for the reduction of aviation emissions. What are the specifics of the proposed reduction plan?

The essential purpose of the UN agreement is to control and reduce the harmful emissions generated by international airline flights in efforts to mitigate the aviation industry’s adverse effect on global warming. The agreement was ratified and accepted by all 191 ICAO member states during a meeting in Montreal. This agreement however, is such a big deal because it is the first climate-change pact to establish worldwide limits on a single industry (Lowy 2016). Presumably, this agreement is based off and/or is thereby akin to that of plans to reduce emissions under the Paris Accord, which was also incepted in 2016, and aims to reduce emissions and control global warming. The proposed plan by the UN is an intrinsic, all-encompassing one that addresses the issue of global warming and aviation’s contributing role in it by setting ‘emission limits’ on international flights and implementing a ‘carbon credit’ concept to air carriers. Each individual country will be responsible for establishing and placing the ‘emission limit’ on their respective air carriers as outlined in the UN agreement (Lowy 2016).

One of the specifics outlined by the proposed plan marks the year 2020, as the upper limit of the amount of emissions air carriers will be allowed to generate. If an air carrier exceeds this set limit, of which is benchmarked from their emission amount in year 2020, then said air carrier(s) must rectify or offset the exceeded amount by means of ‘carbon credit’ (Lowy 2016). This notion of purchasing ‘credit’ entails air carrier(s) (that have exceeded their allotted emission production) buying carbon credits from other industries and companies that fund and/or facilitate projects focused on addressing, mitigating, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As of right now, the proposed UN agreement appears to be composed of two phases, of which span over 15 years for countries to be within full compliance of the agreement. The beginnings or ‘pre-phase 1’ of the plan is set to begin in year 2020. The amount of emissions an air carrier generates within year 2020, will essentially serve as the upper ‘cap’ limit on the amount of emissions air carriers can produce in future years of operation (Lowy 2016). Phase 1 of the proposed UN airline agreement is set to begin in year 2021, and last until 2027. During this phase air carriers and their respective governing countries will be held responsible for abiding by their allocated emission limit (as benchmarked in year 2020). Albeit phase 1 is completely voluntary, the UN encourages countries to participate sooner rather than later. Phase two, which is set to begin in year 2028, and end in year 2035, requires mandatory participation, involvement, and abidance to the emission restrictions from all 191 ICAO member states (and their air carriers) (Lowy 2016). According to Lowy (2016), the Environmental Defense Fund calculated that full compliance and abidance to the established emission caps would reduce carbon emissions by 2.5 billion tons over the 15-year span of the proposed UN agreement. Reduction of carbon emissions by 2.5 billion tons roughly equates to removing 35 million cars off the road for every year the proposed UN agreement is in place, which in total (over the entire 15-year period), equates to 525 million cars off the road.

One more specific encompassed within proposed UN agreement is that participating governments must present national plans to control and lessen emissions in efforts to limit the global temperature rise less than 2 degrees Celsius (or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) (Lowy 2016). This plan will essentially outline the necessary corrective changes each respective government will institute such as (aircraft and airport) equipment upgrades, and the implementation of new policies and procedures to be utilized within the aviation industry to maintain compliance with their air carrier(s)/county’s emission cap. An additional specific of the agreement is that it currently only applies to international flights since they account for approximately 60% of aviation and industry emission (Lowy 2016). However, the guidelines governing domestic flights, which account for the remaining 40% of aviation emissions, will be outlined within the Paris Accord (agreement), of which was instituted in December 2016. The primary purpose of the Paris Accord is akin to that of the proposed UN agreement. Specifically, the Paris Accord aims to unify rich and poor countries (with air carriers) to commit their involvement and actively participate in combating aviation’s effect on climate change, in addition to lessening the rise in global warming temperatures (Lowy 2016).

An additional specific pertinent to the proposed UN agreement, with respects to monetary funding, is the agreement is being funded (primarily) by participating air carriers within the industry. The estimated cost to implement and maintain the proposed UN agreement is $5.3 billion to $23.9 billion per year by year 2035 (Lowy 2016). This may seem like a substantial amount of money for air carriers to pay to fund a worldwide agreement, but in comparison to the $181 billion in fuel cost said carriers paid the following year, it is relatively minute. Therefore, as I mentioned earlier, the overall goal of this proposed UN agreement is to reduce emissions generated by the global aviation industry and limit the global temperature rise less than 2 degrees Celsius (or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) through a joint-effort of all 191 ICAO member states.

3) It also appears that emission reductions are under the Paris Agreement. How might this play out under the newly elected administration?

The Paris Agreement (Accord) was adopted in December 2015, by 195 countries. This agreement is notable and making headlines because it is the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal to be in existence (European Commission 2017). The goal of the Paris Agreement is akin to that of the proposed UN agreement, but the Paris Agreement contains more stringent regulations to ensure they achieve their climate reduction goal. Specifically, the goal of the Paris Agreement is to implement an action plan (through the joint-efforts of 195 European countries) that will address, combat, and lessen the global climate change below 2 degrees Celsius. Essentially, the Paris Agreement serves as a bridge between the European policies and the attainment of climate-neutrality, with the end goal being emission and global warming and reduction (European Commission 2017).

The Paris Agreement, at its essence, is comprised of five major components or sections, which are as follows: Mitigation (reducing emissions), transparency and global stock-take, adaptation, loss and damage, and the role of cities/regions/and local authorities. Under the mitigation component, the participating governments agreed to set the long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature below 2 degrees Celsius. Additionally, said governments agreed to focus on limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius because doing so would notably reduce the risks and adverse impacts of climate change (European Commission 2017). In regards to the Transparency and global stock-take section, the participating governments agreed to convene every five years to set more ambitiously specific reduction goals in accordance with improvement data. Said governments also agreed to report to each other and their respective civilian bodies on the status and/or updates of the implemented plan in addition to tracking their progress towards the long-term goal via transparency and accountability system (European Commission 2017). With respects to the Adaptation section, the participating governments agreed to strengthen the societal ability and cognizance of the importance of climate change by means of educating their (respective) societies on how to deal with its adverse impacts. According to the European Commission (2017), the governments agreed to provide continued and enhance international (adaptation) support for developing (i.e. economically-disadvantaged) countries so that they too can abide by the stipulations set forth by the Paris Agreement. Under the Loss and Damage section, the agreement not only recognizes the importance of averting loss and damage related to the negative effect of climate change, but to also address and minimize any instances of it in a holistic manner. Furthermore, the agreement acknowledges the need to and importance of cooperating and enhancing the comprehension, action, and support of various facets (pertinent to the aviation industry) such as early warning systems, emergency preparedness, and risk insurance (European Commission 2017). Lastly, the agreement recognizes the role the cities, regions, and other local authorities can play in reducing emissions, and expounds upon it. Said parties are invited to increase their efforts to reduce emission, decrease susceptibility to the negative effects of climate change, and maintain and promote both regional and international cooperation (European Commission 2017).

Now that I have explained the pertinent essentials of the Paris Agreement and its relative similarity to that of the proposed UN agreement, I believe this may play out in favor of the newly elected administration. What I mean by this is that the Paris Agreement and the UN agreement have one common goal: reduce aviation emission to control global warming (i.e. climate change. The primary difference between the two is that the Paris Agreement is a tad more stringent than that of the UN because it regulates domestic flights as well. With that said, the primary purpose of privatizing ATC and implementing NextGen technology is to significantly enhance aircraft/airport operations. This enhancement will be accomplished with the utilization of GPS technology, thereby allowing aircraft to fly more direct routes, reduce flight and taxi times, and ultimately reduce aviation emissions from aircraft and airport ground equipment. President Trump has already expressed his sentiments and support for the privatization of ATC as he believes it will enhance the safety of the industry, improve airspace utilization, reduce costs and increase revenues, allow for more efficient air transportation, and reduce aviation-related emissions. Therefore, with the UN emission reduction agreement in conjunction with the Paris Agreement coming into play, President Trump and his newly elected administration may be more inclined to push (the bill) for the privatization of ATC as a façade to gather support for said bill. Thus, the newly elected administration may utilize the two agreements as a basis/motive to expedite their own agenda/plan of privatizing ATC as a means to bypass the support and lobby groups (e.g. EAA, Delta Air Lines, etc.) who are against ATC privatization.

4) What is your opinion about the validity of these upcoming aviation emissions reduction laws? Are they a necessity or overreaction? Why?

After conducting some extensive research and cross-referencing the credibility of the sources I accessed, I believe these upcoming aviation emissions reduction laws are valid and necessary. From what I have read, the Paris Accord appears to be more stringent in terms of emission regulation, control, reduction as opposed to the proposed UN agreement, but despite this, I still feel the Paris Accord is not an overreaction, but a necessary implementation. I think it is absolutely phenomenal that both of the emission agreements have essentially unified the vast majority, if not all, of the involved/affected countries in the fight to combat and reduce aviation emissions and the subsequent climate change (i.e. global warming). Furthermore, I am impressed by how the agreements have empowered the participating governments to work together in efforts to address a common cause.

With the climate change (increase) and emissions, specifically CO2 and hazardous pollutants, growing each year, an aggressively diligent effort needs to be made by those in power, and both the UN emissions agreement and the Paris Accord accomplish this rather well. I believe both agreements are valid because of their unique plan/strategy to control and reduce emissions from air carriers (and their governing countries). I say this because the agreements, specifically the UN agreement, has elected to make year 2020, the ‘benchmark’ year for air carriers; this year will serve as the ‘emission cap’ denoting the highest amount of emissions air carriers can generate before having to buy ‘credit’. I feel three years is a valid time frame for air carriers to adjust to the new plan, plus participation is voluntary until 2021. Additionally, if the air carriers and their governing countries abide by the established requirements of the proposed plan, then CO2 emissions will be reduced by approximately 2.5 billion tons. This equates to the removal of 35 million cars from the road for every year the proposed UN agreement is in place, totaling (over the entire 15-year period) to 525 million cars off the road. The fact the ‘credits’ air carriers will have to purchase if they exceed their emission cap goes towards funding emission control projects and related companies is a phenomenal and proactive concept. Therefore, I feel the ends of these proposed plans indefinitely justify their means. If implementing ‘emission caps’ and attacking this issue in a collaboratively, aggressive manner is what it will take to reduce the global temperature rise by 2 degrees Celsius (or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and preserve the Earth (and environment) within 15 years, then so be it. Thus, it is because of these previously mentioned reasons in addition to the long-term benefit that will stem from compliance of the agreements are why I feel they are both valid and necessary.

References

Air Transport Action Group (ATAG). (2017). Facts & figures. Air Transport Action Group Facts & Figures. Retrieved from http://www.atag.org/facts-and-figures.html

Air Transport Action Group (ATAG). (2016). Like virtually every area of human activity, air transport has an impact on the environment. Aviation and climate change. Retrieved from http://aviationbenefits.org/environmental-efficiency/aviation-and-climate-change/

AvStop.com. (2015). How do aviation’s Greenhouse gas emissions compare to other transportation sources?. Aviation Online Magazine. Retrieved from http://avstop.com/aviation_emissions/How_do_aviations_greenhouse_gas_emissions.htm

AvStop.Com. (2015). What emissions come from aviation. Aviation Online Magazine. Retrieved from http://avstop.com/aviation_emissions/What_emissions_come_from_aviation.htm

European Commission. (2017). Paris Agreement. Climate Action. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/international/negotiations/paris_en

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (2015). Aviation emissions, impacts, & mitigation: a primer. FAA Office of Environment and Energy. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/policy_guidance/envir_policy/media/Primer_Jan2015.pdf

Lowy, J. (2016). UN agreement reached on aircraft climate-change emissions. AP News. Retrieved from http://bigstory.ap.org/article/6be5cb930f7b4ecbb24ec79219a74225/un-agreement-reached-aircraft-climate-change-emissions#

Aviation Flight and Management Opportunities

So far, through guest speakers and discussions, we have explored airlines, the cargo industry, airport management, air traffic control and a little but of general aviation. I would like you to explore some of the other sectors of aviation by answering the following questions:

1) Find a corporate aviation department. Give basic details about the company, including both flight and management opportunities for employment. List any current jobs that may be available with that company.

Before I can expound upon the Corporate Aviation department/company I selected for the purposes of this post, I am compelled to explain what Corporate aviation is and what it entails. By definition, Corporate aviation (also commonly referred to as Business aviation) is the use of aircraft by companies for the transport of passengers or goods for business purposes. The aircraft used in Corporate aviation operations are generally not available for public hire (McMurchie 2016). According to McMurchie (2016), the primary purpose Corporate aviation serves is to meet the needs of businesses (or business professionals) that utilize personal air transportation to travel from point A to B. Corporate aviation is unique in this regard because said businesses and business professionals utilize personal air transportation (usually small twin-engine aircraft and/or helicopters) as opposed to utilizing commercial air carriers for their traveling needs. The primary reason why Corporate aviation has gained an immense amount of popularity, specifically with businesses and associated professionals, is because of the ‘travel freedom’, flexibility, and convenience it provides them. In comparison to traveling via commercial air, which can cause unnecessary inconveniences, stress, and not to mention, does not allow much flight scheduling flexibility, Corporate aviation is ideal for businesses and business professionals who are ‘frequent flyers’ and possess irregular schedules.

As I mentioned previously, Corporate aviation is often called and/or synonymous with Business aviation. That said, Business aviation is defined as the use of any “general aviation” aircraft for a business purpose. Furthermore, the FAA defines General Aviation as all flights that are not conducted by the military or the scheduled airlines (i.e. Part 121 operators) (National Business Aviation Association [NBAA], 2017). Thereby, Corporate aviation is a facet of the General Aviation sector, which focuses on the business use of aircraft and helicopters. One of the most prominent and notable supporters and promoters of Corporate/Business aviation is the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). According to the NBAA (2017), the NBAA was founded in 1947, is based in Washington, D.C., and their purpose is to foster an environment that allows business (corporate) aviation to thrive within the United States and worldwide. Holistically speaking, the purpose of the NBAA is to lead the business/corporate sector of aviation in addition to supporting and promoting other General Aviation aircraft (or companies) to enhance their overall efficiency, productivity, safety, and success.

The Corporate aviation company I chose to focus this post on is Corporate Eagle. Corporate Eagle is a Michigan-based Corporate (Business) aviation company that was founded in 1982, by Rick Nini and another individual. Before founding Corporate Eagle, Rick Nini was a corporate pilot, and now he is the present-day President and CEO of the company (Corporate Eagle 2017). Corporate Eagle is the largest and longest-serving provider of fractional and managed business aviation in the state of Michigan. According to Corporate Eagle (2017), their vision is to create an exemplary experience for members, every time, without compromise. Corporate Eagle is a Southeast Michigan-based company composed of 57 full-time aviation professionals, 31 of which are pilots. Corporate Eagle initially started as a partnership known as Tradewinds Aircraft Sales, whose purpose was to purchase and sell used, light aircraft in 1980. In 1982, the partnership incorporated, becoming Tradewinds Aviation, Inc.; following the incorporation, the company acquired a (financially) struggling flight school known as Great Lakes Aero. It was with this acquisition of said flight school that the initial ‘vision’ or mission to become a top-tier aviation operation and the largest provider within Southeast Michigan was born (Corporate Eagle 2017). Three years later in 1985, Rick Nini transitioned out of his corporate piloting career to became the President of Tradewinds Aviation Inc. In 2008, Tradewinds Aviation Inc., was renamed to Corporate Eagle Management Services, Inc., or Corporate Eagle for short. According to Corporate Eagle (2017), the purpose of the name change was to better reflect the company’s service and vision for the future in efforts to adequately meet the increasing demand for the fractional share program. The most recent accomplishment and stride in the corporate sector and aviation industry the company has made occurred in 2015, with the launch of its first Falcon 200 fractional program aircraft.

Since Corporate Eagle is a prominent company with the Corporate/Business sector of aviation in addition to being both a supporter and promoter of General Aviation, the company always has job opportunities available, which are not only posted on their website, but are also disseminated to numerous collegiate aviation programs. Corporate Eagle offers employment opportunities for both aviation flight and management students, which are usually sent to the respective majors via email by the program advisor. Additionally, Corporate Eagle makes their various employment opportunities available during their attendance at collegiate career fairs. Last year (and I presume this year as well), Corporate Eagle (along with 40-50 other aviation organizations) were present at Western Michigan University’s (WMU) career fair, which is better known as ‘Aviation Outlook Day’. The purpose of ‘Aviation Outlook Day’ is to help students connect with various aviation organizations and professionals, discuss career options, and learn about the needs of the industry while having fun doing it (Western Michigan University [WMU], 2017). During this time, representatives from both the flight and management side of the company are present and talk to students about their future career goals, the company’s available employment opportunities, and even offer on-the-spot interviews for said opportunities. There are currently two employment opportunities (one for flight students and one for management students) being offered by Corporate Eagle, of which can be found on their website (and on WMU’s job blog). The two employment opportunities being offered as follows:

The employment opportunity suited more towards aviation management students is as follows:

·      Job Title: Aviation Company Parts and Supplies Purchasing Agent

o   Position Summary:

§  Our business is growing rapidly. We will be soon adding more aircraft to our fleet and are now seeking additional individuals to join our team.  Our fleet currently consists of 14 aircraft (3 x King Air B200, 1 Hawker 700, 4 x 800XP, 1 Hawker 900XP and 5 x Falcon 2000) with operations based at Oakland County International Airport (KPTK)

o   Responsibilities/Duties:

§  Purchasing parts and supplies for Corporate Eagle’s fleet of aircraft

§  Purchasing office and company supplies as needed

§  Maintain a clean and neat and organized parts room

§  Maintain accurate count of all parts and supplies

§  Maintain OSHA compliance an MSDS manuals

o   Location: Waterford, MI

o   Minimum Qualifications:

§  Great Plains accounting software knowledge

§  Computer and IT knowledge a plus

§  Must have a clean driving record

§  Must pass Drug and Alcohol screening

§  Must pass a criminal background check

The employment opportunity suited more towards aviation flight students is as follows:

·      Job Title: Flight Crewmember (First Officer)

o   Position Summary:

§  Our business is growing rapidly. We will be soon adding more aircraft to our fleet and are now seeking additional individuals to join our team of professional pilots for flight duty in unscheduled FARs 91K and 135 operations. Our fleet currently consists of 14 aircraft (3 x King Air B200, 1 x Hawker 700A, 4 x Hawker 800XP, 1 x Hawker 900XP and 4 x Falcon 2000) with operations based at Oakland County International Airport (KPTK). Responsibilities will include flight and ground duty as required flight crewmember (Second-In-Command) in domestic and international operations. Essential attributes candidate(s) must possess include the ability to provide exceptional personal concierge services to our private Members, maintain a high level of technical competence and professionalism, and perform nominal office duties as required/directed. Advancement to Captain occurs based on a scheduled pilot performance-based progression plan. All flight crewmembers are cross-qualified in two of the three types of aircraft we operate. Initial equipment training may be in any of the three aircraft types operated (dependent on immediate need), with training in a second type to follow six months later.

o   Location: Waterford, MI

o   Minimum Qualifications:

§  College Graduate

§  Bachelor’s Degree Pilot Certificate and Ratings

§  Commercial Pilot Certificate

§  Instrument Rating

§  Multi-Engine Rating 

§  Flight Instructor

§  Single Engine (airplane)

§  Instrument (airplane)

§  Multi-Engine (airplane)

§  FAA Second Class Medical Certificate (with ability to obtain First Class)

§  Flight Experience:

·      Total Time ≈ 1000 hours

·      Dual Given ≈ 250 hours

§  Other miscellaneous requirements:

·      Passport

·      FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit

o   Preferred Qualifications:

§  College Graduate or Bachelor’s Degree

§  Aviation/Aeronautics related Major Pilot Certificates and Ratings

§  Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (or ATP written test and ability to immediately take Practical Test for ATP Certificate)

§  Flight Instructor or Single Engine (airplane) o Instrument (airplane) or Multi-Engine (airplane)

§  FAA First Class Medical Certificate (with ability to maintain) Flight Experience

§  Total Time ≈ 1200 hours • Dual Given o ≈ 500 hours ▪ Primary & Advanced ▪ ≈ 50-hour Multi-Engine

§  Other miscellaneous requirements:
• Passport
• FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit

The aforementioned employment opportunities offered by Corporate Eagle were provided by and retrieved from websites operated by Corporate Eagle (2017) and Western Michigan University (2017); additional information pertaining to them can be found in the references section below.

3) For management students, describe a job that could be potential employment opportunities for you in the general aviation sector.

As opposed to the aviation flight students whose employment opportunities primarily emphasize in-flight operations or ‘flight-line’ responsibilities, there are a vast number of employment opportunities that aviation management students can pursue within the General Aviation sector. The aviation management major tends to provide more job flexibility and options than the flight major. For instance, as a management major, I can seek employment opportunities pertaining to aviation operations such as an Aircraft Dispatcher, Air Traffic Controller, or Crew Scheduler. As I stated earlier, the NBAA is an instrumental supporter and promoter of both Corporate/Business and General aviation. As a promoter of this sector, the NBAA posts yearly internships that are available for both flight and management students, which usually begin in May or June and last until August.

That said, a position that could transpire into a potential employment opportunity for me within the General aviation sector is as a Summer Operations Intern for the NBAA. The Summer Operations Intern is a full-time position, who reports to the Senior Manager of Security and Facilitation, is located in Washington D.C., and plays an integral role in the Operations division of the NBAA. According to the NBAA (2017), the purpose of the Operations Intern is to provide an undergraduate college student who possesses an interest in business (corporate) aviation with exposure to the various facets of NBAA operations. The primary role of the intern is to assist subject matter experts with research activities on regulatory and technical issues related to the operation of business aircraft in addition to performing other administrative tasks pertinent to business operations. Other essential duties and responsibilities associated with the internship position include, but are not limited to, the following:

·      Research with legislative, regulatory, technical, and aviation information to assist with responding to member inquiries or creating new resources for the NBAA website

·      Assists with special projects, including research and analysis of flight operations data, surveys of members and NBAA committee projects/deliverables

·      Assists Operations division with special projects as needed

·      Participates in customer service initiatives

·      Reviews NBAA website content for accuracy and makes suggestions for potential updates with direction from Operations division staff

There are several additional essential duties and responsibilities expected of the position, but the aforementioned responsibilities provide a sufficient scope of the day-to-day duties. The desired qualifications of an applicant consist of said applicant having business aviation experience in a flight department or charter operation, possessing an FAA private pilot or aircraft dispatcher’s certificate, and be an aviation major. Since I meet and/or exceed all the required and desired qualifications and have ample experience working for a Part 121 carrier, I strongly believe that this is a job that could transpire into a potential career (employment) opportunity if I am selected for the position.

An additional position I feel could transpire into a potential employment opportunity for me within the General aviation sector is as a Summer Conferences and Seminars Intern for the NBAA. The Summer Conferences and Seminars Intern is a full-time position, who reports to the Senior Manager of Conferences and Seminars, is located in Washington D.C., and plays an integral role in the Operations division, specifically supporting the Conferences and Seminars sector of the NBAA. According to the NBAA (2017), the purpose of the Conferences and Seminars Intern is to provide an undergraduate or graduate college student with exposure to the various aspects of working in a trade association. The Conferences and Seminars intern will work primarily with the NBAA’s Operations division to support the Senior Manager of Conferences and Seminars in addition to assisting in the completion of projects for other divisions. Other essential duties and responsibilities associated with the internship position include, but are not limited to, the following:

·      Provide administrative support to the Operations division

·      Coordinate request for proposal documents for conference hotels, city searches and/or AV needs

·      Order promotional items and supplies for events

·      Assist with the coordination of committee meetings

·      Provide research for future year budgeting

There are several additional essential duties and responsibilities expected of the position, but the aforementioned responsibilities provide a sufficient scope of the day-to-day duties. The only desired qualification consists of having experience in creating and/or editing promotional video content. Since I meet and/or exceed all the required and desired qualifications and have ample experience working for a Part 121 carrier, I strongly believe that this a job that could transpire into a potential career (employment) opportunity if I am selected for the position.

Both of the previously mentioned employment opportunities excite me because they are encompassed within the business/corporate aviation sector and are heavily associated with the NBAA. I am also excited because both positions appear to be very interesting and would provide me with the opportunity to network with aviation professionals and political officials in Washington D.C., which is an experience in and of itself. These opportunities, let alone anything the General aviation sector has to offer (especially those in Washington D.C.), appear to be extremely promising with respects to career perpetuation and longevity, ergo another reason why I am excited and feel they could transpire into potential employment opportunities. That said, I will more than likely pursue all the employment opportunities the NBAA has to offer with hopes of attaining at least one. If I am selected for a position, it would be a phenomenal way to end the winter semester and start my summer.

All the information related to the duties and responsibilities associated with the two previously mentioned employment opportunities were provided courtesy of the NBAA (2017); any additional information pertaining to them can be found within the references section below.

5) For management students, find two positions other than GA, airlines, airport management or corporate that you may be qualified for upon graduation.

Aside from General Aviation, the airlines, airport management, or corporate aviation that I may be qualified for upon graduation are a Remote Pilot Operator and Air Traffic Services intern.

The Remote Pilot Operator position is offered by a company named SAIC, located in Minneapolis, MN, and is a part-time position for the day-shift. The Remote Pilot Operator (RPO) job entails the operator utilizing a combination of Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), keyboard, and voice communication system (VCS) to simulate the actions and communication of pilots and remote ATC facilities during medium and high-fidelity training exercises. Additionally, RPOs receive voice commands from students input proper entries into the automated system to simulate pilot actions, translate displayed information into the appropriate ATC terminology, and respond to the operator via VCS (SAIC 2017). According to (SAIC 2017), to satisfy the basic qualifications for this position, a candidate must possess a high school diploma, demonstrate a minimum keyboard speed of 40wpm with 90% accuracy, the ability to read and interpret materials such as diagrams and manuals, and be able to speak clearly. The operator would work in air traffic facilities of varying sizes to safely separate more than 50,000 aircraft in and throughout the National Airspace System (NAS) each day. To ensure adequate training and efficiency as an air traffic service provider, the FAA trains new air traffic control specialists and provides recurrent training to said specialists to ensure proficiency.

An additional position I may be qualified for upon graduation is an internship offered by the NBAA, but is focused entirely on Air Traffic Services. According to the NBAA (2017), the purpose of the Air Traffic Services position is to provide an undergraduate college student with exposure to the various facets of Air Traffic Services holistically and within the NBAA. Primarily, the Air Traffic Services intern will assist with the day-to-day functions and air traffic issues that impact NBAA member companies as well as gain exposure to vast FAA and NBAA computer programs in efforts to gain proficiency working the National Airspace System. Upon completion of the internship, said student will possess a solid foundation and working knowledge of traffic flow management and the Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) process (NBAA 2017). The location of this internship is in an actual FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) in Warrenton, VA. The desired qualifications an applicant should have wanting this positon include business aviation experience (in a flight department or charter operation), an FAA private pilot certificate or dispatcher’s license, and a major in aviation (preferably in an ATC or aircraft dispatch program). Since I meet and/or exceed all the desired qualifications and have a moderate interest in ATC, this position is a viable opportunity that I am qualified for.

6) For both flight and management students, has this assignment changed your current plans? Why or why not?

In all honesty, this assignment has not changed my current and/or post-graduation plans. I say this assignment has not changed my current plans because prior to completing this assignment I already knew and possessed a solid plan as to what my post-graduation plans/intentions were. In fact, I have been working on solidifying said plans since the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year. Thereby, since the start of the Winter 2017 semester, my plans have only altered slightly, but the sequence of events have not. However, I can say this assignment was beneficial as it allowed me to explore other areas of interest and unearth new information pertinent to the industry I would not have known or learned otherwise. This assignment also provided me with the opportunity to further research viable corporate/business companies and the employment opportunities they are offering to college students like myself, namely Corporate Eagle and the NBAA. I always possessed an interest in the corporate/business sector of aviation and would like to begin my career as a First Officer (FO) for a company similar to Corporate Eagle or Amway Aviation. The corporate/business sector of aviation has always intrigued me because of the sleekly unique aircraft, hospitable environment, and various travel locations (both domestic and international) it offers pilots.

My current post-graduation plans include beginning my MBA program at Central Michigan University in the summer (ideally in August/September) with hopes of completing it in one calendar year. Additionally, I plan to obtain employment with either Kalitta Air, USAJet, or a legacy carrier as an Aircraft Dispatcher to utilize my certificate, or as a management (operations) intern with an emphasis on Safety or Flight. Once I secure employment within one of the three previously mentioned air carriers, I plan to gain experience within the Part 121/135 environment and progress to attain an upper-level management positon such as the Director of Operations (DOO). Furthermore, I plan to work both my current job and any aviation-related intern position I am offered while going to graduate school so I can amass funds to continue my flight training and earn the remainder of my ratings. As I anticipate this process of earning money and ratings will take three to five years, I will gain the necessary experience, knowledge, and contacts within the industry to ensure a relatively easy transition into an FO position within the corporate/business sector, which is where I plan to retire. Therefore, to serve as a synopsis of my post-graduation plans (within the next 12-36 months), I plan to start my MBA program at CMU, obtain an internship at a Part 121/135 air carrier to gain experience, and continue my flight training so I can transition into the flight deck of a corporate carrier. Thus, albeit this assignment was both refreshing and interesting as it allowed me to extensively research opportunities outside of the ones covered by this course previously, my current (post-graduate) plans have not been altered.

References required. Most likely, they will be links to the companies.

References

Corporate Eagle. (2017). A history of excellence. Corporate Eagle. Retrieved from http://www.corporateeagle.com/

McMurchie, J. (2016). What is Corporate Aviation. eHow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6849315_corporate-aviation_.html

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). (2017). Career opportunities: summer intern, air traffic services (381). NBAA. Retrieved from https://career4.successfactors.com/career?career%5fns=job%5flisting&company=nbaa&navBarLevel=JOB%5fSEARCH&rcm%5fsite%5flocale=en%5fUS&career_job_req_id=381&selected_lang=en_US&jobAlertController_jobAlertId=&jobAlertController_jobAlertName=&_s.crb=66ABaHFQMsBBlils9HAkOHCjORE%3d

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). (2017). Career opportunities: summer intern, conferences and seminars (401). NBAA. Retrieved from

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). (2017). Career opportunities: summer intern, operations (301). NBAA. Retrieved from https://career4.successfactors.com/career?career%5fns=job%5flisting&company=nbaa&navBarLevel=JOB%5fSEARCH&rcm%5fsite%5flocale=en%5fUS&career_job_req_id=401&selected_lang=en_US&jobAlertController_jobAlertId=&jobAlertController_jobAlertName=&_s.crb=cTewO7gUyUVWMBdxWwgU2%2bks0Ko%3d https://career4.successfactors.com/career?career%5fns=job%5flisting&company=nbaa&navBarLevel=JOB%5fSEARCH&rcm%5fsite%5flocale=en%5fUS&career_job_req_id=301&selected_lang=en_US&jobAlertController_jobAlertId=&jobAlertController_jobAlertName=&_s.crb=bS72kMVGTzDW1yB7qrU219cXHqI%3d

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). (2017). What is Business Aviation. National Business Aviation Association. Retrieved from https://www.nbaa.org/business-aviation/

SAIC. (2017). Remote pilot operator. SAIC. Retrieved from https://jobs.saic.com/job/Minneapolis-%28MSP%29-Remote-Pilot-Operator-M98-Job-MN-55401/391204500/?feedId=4&utm_source=Indeed

Western Michigan University (WMU). (2017). Aviation Outlook Day. College of Aviation. Retrieved from https://wmich.edu/aviation/jobs/aviationoutlookday

Western Michigan University (WMU). (2017). Newest postings!. Western Michigan University. Retrieved from http://hubspot.aviation.wmich.edu/jobs-scholarships-and-internship-postings