Aviation Organizations

     A pilots career path would determine what association is most important to commit to and become a member.  Airline Industry, Corporate/Business Aviation, and Cargo/Freight are all great examples of different industries that are available in Aviation.  Regardless of what career path a pilot would venture, the Wings Pilot Proficiency Program through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), would be an excellent choice to maintain throughout any of these aviation career paths.  It's based on the premise that pilots who maintain currency and proficency in the basics of flight will enjoy a safer and more stress-free flying experience (FAA, 2015).  The pilot that will be taking the Business Aviation career path would most likely be interested in National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) to assist and use as a tool in becoming more efficient, productive, and successful in the Business Aviation community.  The Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) would benefit a pilot that would be taking that airline path since it is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 51,000 pilots at 30 U.S. and Canadian airlines (ALPA, 2015).  Airforwarders Association (AfA) serves as the voice for the cargo/freight industry, varying from domestic to worldwide freight forwarding operations that represents nearly 400 member companies dedicated to moving cargo throughout the supply chain.

     The objective of the FAA Wings program is to address the primary accident causal factors that continue to plaque the general aviation community.  By focusing on this objective, the goal is to reduce the number of accidents we see each year for the same causes.  The award program is a true proficiency program that is designed to help improve skills and knowledge as pilots.  A selection of an Airman profile with the category and class of aircraft in which you wish to receive training and what you will demonstrate flight proficiency.  Requirements for each aircraft category and class include specific subjects and flight maneuvers.  Master pilot award recognizes pilots who have demonstrated professionalism, skill and aviation expertise by maintaining safe operations for 50 or more years.  Recipients are awarded a certificate and a lapel pin and are recognized in the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award (FAA, 2015).  The completion of any Phase of Wings satisfies the requirement for a flight review.  Not only will you complete a review of the most common weak areas that have led others to an accident, you end up with a flight review as well.

     Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, D.C., the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization and represents more than 10,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community.  NBAA's mission is to foster an environment that allows business aviation to thrive in the United States and around the world (NBAA, 2015).  The leadership of NBAA is organized with an 18-member Board of Directors, a team of experienced senior executives and the continuing guidance provided by a network of Standing Committees and Strategic Focus Teams that is focused solely on supporting the business aviation industry's diverse interests.  NBAA offers a comprehensive suite of benefits, services and products that give Member Companies of all types and sizes the tools they need to make the best use of their business aircraft.  Some member benefits include; representation, networking, access to industry experts, and flight department administration resources.

     Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is considered the strong voice for Airline Pilots.  Founded in 1931, the Association is chartered by the AFL-CIO and the Candian Labour Congress.  Internationally it is known as US-ALPA, it is a member of the International Federation of ALPA.  ALPA provides three critical services to it's members; Airline Safety and Security, representation, and advocacy.  At all levels of ALPA, pilots make decisions through the democratic process. All decisions start with our pilot groups. Each pilot group consists of all the pilots at a given airline. Pilot groups exercise considerable autonomy in governing their own internal affairs, such as negotiating contracts, enforcing those contracts, and discussing issues of concern with their companies.  Members of each ALPA carrier are represented by their Local Council Status Representatives, who make up each pilot group’s Master Executive Council (MEC).  ALPA’s National Officers, the President, the First-Vice President, the Vice-President-Administration/Secretary, the Vice-President-Finance/Treasurer, guide the Association’s work from its Washington D.C. headquarters and nearby Herndon, Va. offices (ALPA, 2015).
     
     Airforwarders Association (AfA) are the travel agents for freight shipments, moving cargo in the timeliest and most cost efficient manner.  Most of it's platinum members are pilots flying with Delta Airlines Cargo, Southwest Airlines Cargo, US Airways, Jetblue Airways, Etc.  The association's members range from small businesses with fewer than 20 employees to large companies employing more than 1,000 people and business models varying from domestic to worldwide freight forwarding operations.  Members benefit from the AfA’s expertise and experience in the air forwarding business, from legislative updates to frequent meetings with regulators to the latest information on the air cargo markets worldwide. AfA membership provides your business with access to top-quality training programs, up to date information about new regulations affecting the industry and news you can use to stay ahead of your competitors (AfA, 2015).  AfA offers their members key programs which include; affinity programs, training programs, industry advocacy on key legislation, industry news service, and media representation.

     Associations are the life-line of any industry, aviation included.  Picking the right association will save you time, money and frustration.  Many aviation associations represent the individual pilot, mechanic or enthusiast, while others represent your business and offer guidance, advice, forms, manuals, and checklists to assist you and your business in meeting the regulatory requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Joining a professional organization is a great way to learn about different aviation careers from people who actually work in aviation. The knowledge, experiences, and friendships gained from joining such an organization can truly help launch your career.

References

Airforwarders Association (AfA).  (2015).  Retrieved from http://www.airforwarders.org/cpages/about-us-2014

Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).  (2015).  Retrieved from http://www.alpa.org/AboutALPA/WhoWeAre/tabid/2030/Default.aspx

Aviation Entrepreneur.  (2015).  Aviation associations.  Retrieved from http://morethanflight.com/library/aviationassociations.html

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  (2015).  The wings pilot proficiency program.  Retrieved from http://www.faasafety.gov/WINGS/pub/learn_more.aspx

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).  (2015).  Retrieved from http://www.nbaa.org/about/

North Central Texas Council of Governments.  (2015).  Professional organizations.  Aviation careers.  Retrieved from http://www.nctaviationcareers.com/content/professional-organizations-0

The Business of Aviation

     To survive in any type of business its essential to remain consistent with forward movement when encountering profits and losses.  Finding new ways to save money throughout the year to conserve end of year revenue is up to clever strategies, which are not always straightforward.  Unfortunately, aviation business has gained a popular trend where it cost alot of money to make money and potential losses compliment the end of year revenue.  Hence, the cliche' "to make a small fortune in aviation, you must first start with a very large fortune."  Which does not mean a business cannot be successful in aviation, the business has to be able to create strategies to push through the times with losses to eventually gain profit overall.  The bigger the business, the greater operational cost with larger potential losses.  United Airlines, the biggest airline since it's merger with Continental Airlines in 2010, shows a great example of conflicts that aviation businesses can encounter especially with the advanced technology that airlines have accumulated over the years and are constantly challenged to support, sustain, and update.  In 2012, United delivered it's second Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a flight from Seattle to Chicago, but before the flight departed, a glitch in one of the airlines computer systems delayed 250 flights around the world for a couple hours.  In business, time is money and at this level it can be a substantial amount of money.  Mouawad states that United Airlines has the worst operational record amoung the nation's top 15 airlines (2012).  He goes on to mention that while most large airlines reported profits this year, United has lost $103 million in the first three quarters of 2012, with revenue up just 1 percent to $28.5 billion (Mouawad, 2012).  Asian Airlines has surfaced in the limelight recently with multiple mishaps and accidents with many fatalities.  They are not only facing there own challenges for errors they seem to generate, but also with the demand for pilot training they seem to lack and could potentially be the root to there problem.  Mayerowitz and Koenig state that boeing projects that the Asia-Pacific region will need 216,000 new pilots in the next 20 years, the most of any part of the world, accounting for 40 percent of the global demand (2014).  In addition to Asia Airlines current demand for training, a global demand this large will be essential to have solid training for pilots to be out flying in the industry.  Fast growing carriers such as AirAsia, Indonesia's Lion Air and India's Jet Airways, doesn't have enough training programs to produce all the pilots it needs, said David Greenberg, a former Delta Airlines executive who also oversaw pilot training and safety at Korean Air (Mayerowitz & Koenig, 2014).

     Business in aviation is highly demanding and unforgiving with valuable equipment and highly skilled personnel.  The organization and strategies for a business in aviation to become successful relies on leadership and management that is utilized throughout the company.  Of course there are other factors that play a role in structuring success for an aviation business such as overall business operation cost that includes training pilots and management, maintaining regulations, consistent progression in technology, and unforeseeable direction of fuel costs, etc.  Although, the overall success of an aviation business remains in how effective the leadership and management deploys all factors.  In the aviation industry, fuel cost reflected by the price per barrel of oil is a fundamental change.  Falling fuel prices are encouraging airlines to keep less efficient aircraft in service for longer but they are also likely to see growth in air travel as airlines pass on the benefit to passengers in the form of lower fares (Wall, 2015).  It would be ideal for a company to assume higher fuel rates in their daily operation considering airlines collectively high percentage of fuel operating costs, which would compensate for changing fuel prices to properly prepare for a rise and to alleviate the hit.  A decade ago, the world's airlines spent $44 billion on jet fuel, accounting for 14% of operating costs.  Today, the collective fuel tab is $211 billion, a whopping 31% of operating costs (Michaels, 2014).  A company also needs to focus in on certain areas that attract customers for a positive outcome.  Southwest Airlines has developed several tools and product evolutions to tailor it's product to business travelers, which is in an attempt to offset rising costs.  Furthermore, Southwest is noted for it's strong management-labor relations, which has positive and negative impacts.  On the one hand this strategy minimizes the risk of labor strife and increases employee satisfaction, which Southwest believes has a positive impact on service and the travel experience (Bhaskara, 2014).  The combination of a few factors has led to "double-digit growth" year-after-year in managed corporate bookings according to Southwest's Chief Operating Officer Robert Jordan.  The reason Southwest Airlines has turned increasingly to business traffic is rooted in its cost structure.  For much of the last two decades of the 20th century, Southwest was growing at a rapid pace.  When an airline is growing rapidly it can offset cost increases on its existing network by spreading fixed costs across more flights, aircraft, and destinations (Bhaskara, 2014).  Highly successful aviation companies, whether if it's a start-up or an expanding business understand that getting new customers to buy the commodity is what strives the business to success.  Keeping an existing customer is probably more important, but that is something competitive pricing and a good service will establish for your business.     

References

Bhaskara. V.  (2014, April 22).  Forbes.  Southwest airlines opens for business - customers.  Retrieved from  http://www.forbes.com/sites/airchive/2014/04/22/southwest-airlines-opens-for-businesscustomers/    

Graystone Advisors.  (n.d.).  7 keys to success in business aviation.  Retrieved from http://www.graystoneadvisors.com/7-keys-to-success-in-business-aviation

Gulliver  (2012, October 1).  The Economist.  Struggling to take off.  Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2012/10/airline-profitability

Juwel, D.  (2012, May 18).  Aero News Network.  Any pilot can fly an aviation business.  Retrieved from http://www.aero-news.net/AnnTicker.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=e1bdcebc-f425-4b88-9417-09cabb0d0dcf

Mayerowitz, S. & Koenig, D.  (2014, December 30).  Business Insider.  Asian airlines are struggling to keep safety standards on par with growing demand.  Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/asian-airlines-struggle-to-keep-safety-standards-on-par-with-demand-2014-12

Maxon, T.  (2014, September 22).  Seven U.S. carriers among the world's most profitable airlines. Retrieved March 30, 2015, from http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/09/sevem-u-s-carriers-among-the-worlds-most-profitable-airlines.html/

Michaels, K.  (2014, January, 13).  Aviation Week.  Opinion: How Cheaper Oil Could Help, Hurt Aviation.  What lower fuel costs would mean for aviation.  Retrieved from http://aviationweek.com/awin/opinion-how-cheaper-oil-could-help-hurt-aviation 

Mouawad, J.  (2012, November 28).  The New York Times.  Business Day.  For united, big problems at biggest airlines.  Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/business/united-is-struggling-two-years-after-its-merger-with-continental.html?_r=0

Wall, R.  (2015, January, 19).  The Wall Street Journal.  Lower jet fuel prices shake up aircraft market.  Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/lower-jet-fuel-prices-shake-up-aircraft-market-1421676374

Leveling the Global Aviation Playing Field

     The current global aviation industry is an extremely competitive market and has been focusing on certain threats that is potentially creating issues for the U.S. carriers.  The competition is a growing factor, which has not peaked looking forward through this issue.  Foreign government tax benefits, government subsidies, and cheap labor has been paramount relating to this subject.

    Persian Gulf carriers such as Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have been allegedly benefitting from subsidies that total up to billions of dollars since 2004.  "Industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said that while Persian Gulf carriers can turn to their governments for financing, other carriers must find their own means of raising money.  Similarly, airports outside the Gulf region must face challenges to expand that Gulf airports don't face" (Rice, 2015).  Although these Gulf carriers denied the allegations, supposedly there are supporting evidence corresponding and has details disclosed.  It has been claimed that Qatar and Abu Dhabi's Etihad wouldn't be financially viable without financial assistance.

     Foreign air carriers benefit from the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which makes available financing to purchase Boeing wide body airliners at rates and terms that are not available to U.S. carriers.  "The bank provided $34.5 billion in financing for some 634 aircraft from 2005 to 2010 and another $23 billion in 2011-2012 alone" (Carey, 2014).  At this rate, foreign carriers will exceed in the wide body aircraft industry while putting our U.S. carriers and manufacturing affiliates at a disadvantage.  

     Norwegian Airlines has put forth effort to expand its trans-Atlantic services through its Ireland subsidiary to operate to the United States.  Unions allege the airline is seeking to evade Norwegian and international labor laws and pay pilots less by establishing NAI as an Irish airline.  "A U.S. foreign carrier permit would allow Norwegian to be the first of a new breed of low-cost carriers to compete on lucrative trans-Atlantic routes, but plans have met resistance from airlines and labor unions as well as some lawmakers in the U.S." (Zander, 2014).         
           

References

Bhaskara, V.  (2014, September 2).  Forbes.  The fight over the export-import bank has no easy answers.  Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/airchive/2014/09/02/the-fight-over-the-export-import-bank-has-no-easy-answers/

Carey, B.  (2014, May 29).  AINonline. Air Transport.  U.S. airline industry in 'survival mode,' says pilots union.  Retrieved from http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2014-05-29/us-airline-industry-survival-mode-says-pilots-union  

Rice, K. (2015, March 13).  Travel Weekly.  Aviation.  U.S. airline group: Subsidies give Gulf carriers an unfair edge.  Retrieved from http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/US-airline-group-Subsidies-give-Gulf-carriers-an-unfair-edge

Zander, C.  (2014, March 12).  The Wall Street Journal.  Norwegian air may buy another carrier if denied U.S. permit.  Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303546204579434840031487838 

UAV's in the Civilian World

     Multiple opportunities exist for civilian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations, such as aerial videoagraphy and filming, along with different types of surveying.  The FAA will approve Hollywood's request to use drones for filming, government and industry sources familiar with the process have told Forbes (McNeal, 2014).  It's practical to mention that we will see this develop wider in civilian areas in the near future.  However, there are UAV civilian areas that are currently being utilized and doing quite well.  Handwerk (2013) mentions in an article that today only government agencies, some public universities, and a handful of private companies hold the few hundred existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) permits to fly private drones.  But the Federal Aviation Administration is set to further open skies to commercial UAVs by 2015 and expects to see perhaps 7,500 in the air by 2020.  Discussions have generated that scientists might use UAVs for research purposes in the future.  In addition, hurricane hunting, which recently had a large sum of money put toward experiments, monitoring wildlife populations, mapping roads and wetlands for land management purposes, are a few more areas that are currently being utilized with UAV technology in the United States.  Kharif (2013) states in an article that congress has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a plan to integrate drones into U.S. airspace by 2015 and to move faster on standards for drones weighing less than 55 pounds.   

     Unmanned aircraft are currently flying in the National Airspace System (NAS) under very controlled conditions. Operations potentially range from ground level to above 50,000 feet, depending on the specific type of aircraft.  However, UAV operations are currently not authorized in Class B airspace, which contains the highest density of manned aircraft.  Obtaining an experimental airworthiness certificate for a particular UAV is currently the only way civil operators of unmanned aircraft are accessing the NAS.  Currently, Certificates of Waiver or Authorization are available to public entities that want to fly drones in civil airspace (McNeal, 2014).  The FAA says that commercial operations are authorized on a case-by-case basis.  The FAA is working with civilian operators to collect technical and operational data that will help refine the UAV airworthiness certification process.  The agency is currently developing a future path for safe integration of civil UAV into the NAS as part of NextGen implementation.

     The United States first used UAVs, "drones", for battlefield reconnaissance.  Modern American combat drones were first utilized during Desert Storm, or "the first UAV war", which was from the development of the Hunter and the Pioneer.  According to a 1993 congressional report from the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, "The Pioneer unmanned aerial vehicle provided substantial imagery support to Marine, Army, and Navy units during Operation Desert Storm.  They were so good many more could have been used" (Miller, 2013).  The 9/11 attacks accelerated development for drones in the war on terror.  Shortly after 9/11, the first operational armed strike by an UAV took place in Afghanistan.  Since that first attack, the use of armed drones has risen dramatically to the point where drone strikes are now a common occurrence in battlefield settings.

     UAV development is without a doubt a growing industry with dependable opportunities, which would make this the right time to get in.  Until recently, the military has been the only provider to offer UAV pilot training.  With the rapid growth of UAVs and the massive list of potential civilian uses, there is no way that personnel coming out of the military pipeline can fulfill all of the industry demand for UAV pilots.        
                   

References

Caroll, J.  (2013, June 7).  Vision Systems Design.  Five ways UAVs are being used by civilians.  Retrieved from http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/2013/06/five-ways-uavs-are-being-used-by-civilians.html

Federal Aviation Administration.  (2014, January 6).  Fact Sheet - Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).  Retrieved from http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=14153

Handwerk, B.  (2013, June 6).  National Geographic.  5 Surprising Drone Uses (Besides Pizza Delivery).  Domino's delivery may be a farce, but drones are set to become common in american skies.  Retrieved from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/06/130606-drone-uav-surveillance-unmanned-domicopter-flight-civilian-helicopter/ 

Kharif, O.  (2013, November, 1).  The Washington Post.  As drones evolve from military to civilian uses, venture capitalists move in.  Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/as-drones-evolve-from-military-to-civilian-uses-venture-capitalists-move-in/2013/10/31/592ca862-419e-11e3-8b74-d89d714ca4dd_story.html

McNeal, G.  (2014, September, 23).  Forbes.  Drones are coming to hollywood:  faa set to announce approval for use in filming.  Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2014/09/23/drones-are-coming-to-hollywood-faa-will-announce-approval-this-thursday/

Miller, J.  (2013, August 19).  Strategic Significance of Drone Operations for Warfare.  The growing strategic significance of drone operations for warfare.  Retrieved from http://www.e-ir.info/2013/08/19/strategic-significance-of-drone-operations-for-warfare/

Career at one's disposal - Corporate Aviation

     It's often mentioned that a pilot should make a decision whether to go the corporate or the airlines route for a career.  Also, it's recommended to make a decision for a career path early on and stick with that decision.  However, it is not impossible to switch over from one to the other, but from many opinions its not the preferred route.  While building hours and preparing through training, typically is  the best time to determine which route, corporate or airlines, that will be satisfactory for the remaining of a pilots career.

     The decision to become a pilot in corporate aviation would be flying aircraft with companies for the transport of passengers or goods for business purposes, while the aircraft used in corporate aviation are generally not available for public hire.  Corporate aviation companies use various types of aircraft which employs the use of company-owned aircraft, air-taxi operations and time-share ownership of aircraft.  The aircraft are often equipped with special amenities to meet of business executives.  Pilots of corporate aircraft usually have a commercial pilot license with an instrument rating.  Robert Mark mentions in an article "A decade ago, a pilot considering a corporate flying job was assumed to be biding his time until that dream airline job came along" he goes on to mention that "Today, thousands of professional pilots have learned that corporate aviation has evolved into a worthy alternative to airline flying.  As a career, corporate aviation - also called business aviation - offers aviators a number of opportunities that are not available to airline pilots.  Business aviation pilots often fly the newest jets wearing attractive names like Gulfstream, Learjet, Citation, and Global Express.  In addition to carrying the most sophisticated on-board avionics and airline-like safety equipment in the cockpit, business airplanes are now capable of traveling internationally.  A Bombardier Global Express captured a world record when it easily made the leap from Chicago to Paris nonstop with a half dozen passengers aboard" (Mark, n.d.).

     A career goal in the airlines will typically start out with flight instructing until the pilot has enough flight hours to be considered by a regional airline.  Flying with a good regional airline, in an Embraer E-175 or E190, may be the extent of their personal pilot career goal and in some cases a regional airline career can be satisfying.  However, most pilots would prefer to fly for one of the major airlines as the quality of life has a tendency to be better than in the regional airlines.  Pilots who earn a living at the "majors", such as United, American, Delta, and Federal Express, fly large jet equipment such as Boeing's 737, 757, and 777.  The average salary for a major airline pilot is in the $100,000 range, with senior captains flying mega-size airplanes (i.e., Boeing 747/400) earning up to $200,00 annually" (AOPA n.d.).

     Corporate aviation departments, also called Business Aviation, has been established for a long time and in today's global economy it has become a necessity.  The old saying, "time is money" is what companies are interested in, along a better quality of life for their employees.  There isn't any logic with increasing an executives time on the road waiting for delayed or cancelled flights with additional costs that goes with commercial air travel, including airfares, overnight expenses, car rentals etc.  Its more cost effective to have their employees working and will increase time home with their family.  Business aviation has simply become a way of life for the successful, thriving businesses of today," Showalter says, "From the boardroom to the accounting department, it's the most efficient business travel alternative available" (Donnelly, 2012).  

     Flagship Private Air LLC, established in 2007 and located at Willow Run airport has a fleet of one aircraft, CE-650 III ( Citation III).  They have 5 full time pilots with 4 part time pilots and are licensed to fly CA, CB, CN, MX, SA, US, AK, HI.  Tim Patton started Flagship Private Air to make the most of his other company's plane, Domino's Farms-based Patton Holdings.

References

AOPA. (n.d.).  Let's go flying.  Career options.  Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/letsgoflying/dream/whyfly/careers.html

Donnelly, B.  (2012, August 6).  Forbes.  Business aviation: The unfair advantage.  Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/businessaviation/2012/08/06/business-aviation-the-unfair-advantage/
 
Mark, R.  (n.d.).  FAPA.aero.  Pilot Education.  Becoming a corporate pilot.  Retrieved from http://fapa.aero/becoming-a-corporate-pilot.asp

NTSB Most Wanted List, 2015

      The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recently published it's "Most Wanted" list for 2015 and this discussion will be focusing on the two aviation issues, "Prevent loss of control in flight in general aviation" and "Strengthen procedural compliance".  Issues identified by the NTSB that have caused fatalities or could potentially cause fatalities are definitely a significant problem.  An interesting fact regarding fatal accidents in general aviation is that they are at an all-time low.  "The accident rate per 100,000 flight hours dipped to 5.85, continuing a steady historic decline.  In all last year, 221 fatal GA crashes killed 387 people.  That is the lowest number of people killed in GA accidents since World War II" (Pope, 2014).  Some people in the aviation industry may disagree with NTSB highlighting general aviation loss-of-control accidents on the most wanted list.  AOPA President Mark Baker was quoted in an AOPA article that stated "Safety is the top priority for every pilot on every flight, and that’s reflected in the steady decline in GA accident rates,”  he goes on to mention “By putting loss-of-control accidents on its Most Wanted list, the NTSB is sustaining the focus on an issue that has been at the forefront of safety efforts by AOPA, the aviation industry, and the FAA for some time” (Tennyson, 2013).  

There are many efforts constantly operating to continue to create a safe environment in the aviation industry and that it has been an objective improving for many years.  Even though these issues are nothing new in aviation, they will always have a need for review of training to implement prevention and compliance.  Regardless, if your flying in the general aviation community or with commercial aviation, when a pilot doesn't receive precise training, doesn't comply with procedures, isn't honest about their knowledge level of stalls, or doesn't properly prepare and avoid hazardous situations, they could potentially create a significant problem with numerous lives at risk.   

     There are many factors that impact safety negatively in the general aviation community and for commercial aviation.  However, the greatest factor that impacts safety in the entire aviation industry is complacency, which includes human errors.  If a pilot receives the best training, properly follows procedures, recognizes the warning signs, and avoids hazardous situations, complacency will always be a threat that could gradually surface until something bad happens.  "In reviewing NTSB accident reports, it appears that inaction is far too common. Why? A few guesses: The pilot missed the clues that a problem was developing, underestimated the problem and action required, or was simply indecisive" (Anzalone, n.d.).  Boeing's chief engineer stated that "Human error has been documented as a primary contributor to more than 70 percent of commercial airplane hull-loss accidents" (Graeber, n.d.).  Human factors has been an increasingly popular subject for many years, which is the fundamental issue behind most aviation accidents and incidents.  

The NTSB created a list of recommendations for each topic area in the two items reviewed.  
Prevent loss of control in flight in general aviation:

                Pilots should:

• be prepared to recognize the warning signs of an impending stall, and be able to apply appropriate recovery techniques before stall onset.
• be honest with themselves about their knowledge level of stalls, and their ability to recognize and handle them.
• utilize aeronautical decision making (ADM) techniques and flight risk assessment tools during both preflight planning and inflight operations.
• manage distractions so that they do not interfere with situational awareness.
• understand, properly train, and maintain currency in the equipment and airplanes they operate. They should take advantage of available commercial trainer, type club and transition training opportunities.

     
  Strengthen procedural compliance:
       The NTSB has recommended procedural improvements, including:

• requiring pilots to conduct landing distance assessments,
• revising the procedures for handling thrust reverser lockout after landing, and
• in non-precision approaches, discontinuing so-called dive-and-drive approaches in favor of continuous descent final approaches.

     These recommendations for each topic area appear to be reasonable due to the level of responsibility each pilot is required to safely maintain in the general aviation community and during commercial aviation operations.  Aviation accidents and incidents are linked with a chain of errors, which some of the time may start with initial training or non-compliant continued training.  When a pilot is trained accurately from the beginning, they will inherit the required skills and knowledge to continue to be current and proficient, while safety being their top priority in the aircraft on every flight. 

References

Anzalone, B.  (n.d.).  AOPA Air Safety Foundation.  Human factors in general aviation.  Knowledge of our weaknesses is power.  Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/inst_reports2.cfm?article=4875 

Graeber, C.  (n.d.).  Aero Magazine.  The role of human factors in improving aviation safety.  Retrieved from http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_08/human_textonly.html 

Jansen, B.  (2014, March 31).  Usa Today.  Asiana airlines says pilot flying too slow before crash.  Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2014/03/31/asiana-crash-ntsb-san-francisco-boeing-autothrottle/6574165/

Pope, S.  (2014, September 16).  Flying.  Fatal General Aviation Crashes Drop To All-Time Low.  Retrieved from http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/accidents/fatal-general-aviation-crashes-drop-all-time-low

Prevent Loss of Control in Flight in General Aviation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/mwl7_2015.aspx

Strengthen Procedural Compliance. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/mwl10_2015.aspx

Tennyson, E.  (2015, January 13).  AOPA.  GA safety improving as NTSB targets loss of control.  Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/January/13/GA-safety-improving-as-NTSB-targets-loss-of-control

         

Regional Airlines and Professionalism

     The pilot shortage dispute across the United States has been assessed by many different individuals in the aviation industry and evaluated by professionals outside the industry as well.  Regional airlines pilot starting pay is extremely low and it's inevitably a concern that cannot be ignored, but the pilot shortage is not a myth.  Majority of pilots in the United States are still in fact willing to fly domestically, and they are not departing the U.S. to go work for other companies.  The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) states that "thousands of U.S. pilots now fly for foreign airlines because those airlines' stability, pay, and benefits are much greater than those offered by U.S. airlines" (2014, February 4).  Rottler runs a counter to the subject and states that ALPA has determined their political communication through press releases that illustrate misconstrued information.  He goes on to mention that "regional airline pilots are not leaving the United States en masse to go work for companies like Emirates, Cathay Pacific, or Korean Air.  A prospective pilot or even a somewhat-established regional pilot does not meet the very high published minimum hour requirements set forth by these companies which include thousands of hours of flight time" (Rottler, 2014).  
     Regional Airlines have been affected the most regarding shortage for qualified pilots and its hitting the industry sooner than expected.  The shortage is circulating from the accumulation of pilot retirements and latest rules that require an increase in flight training for new pilots and more rest for existing aviators at passenger airlines.  Carey and Nicas makes mention to the fact that the problems are evident in recent announcements from two U.S. airlines at opposite ends of the spectrum.  Carey et al states that "Great Lakes Aviation Ltd., a 32-year-old carrier based in Cheyenne, Wyo., says it suspended flights to six small cities in the Upper Midwest on Saturday, due to the severe industrywide pilot shortage and its relative acute impact."  Carey et al further added that "United said regional-airline partners are beginning to have difficulty flying their schedules due to reduced new-pilot availability.  The shortage has forced United to reduce [regional-airline] flying in our most unprofitable markets, which unfortunately are out of Cleveland, Chief Executive Jeff Smisek said in an employee memo" (2014, February 3).  ALPA staff claims "some regional airlines have not adequately prepared for today's pilot hiring needs, which have been predictably compounded in the near term by pilot retirements and increased qualification requirements" (2014, April).                                                                                            
 
  Regional Airlines are hiring at a rapid rate by the quantities, more than ever before in the history of the industry in the United States.  Also, having sufficient preparation, doesn't change the fact that this shortage was going to happen anyways because of the age 65 rule.  Wright states "Lets be clear about one thing, it used to be age 60, but five years ago, a deal was made to allow the older pilots to continue flying as a concession for terminating their pension plans, there was no provision that allowed pilots to collect full Social Security at age 60."  Wright further adds that "It was a quid pro quo that simultaneously brought the United States in line with what other nations do and kicked a staffing problem down the road" (2012, November 15). 

     The new regulations were generated out of the fatal Colgan Air crash in 2009 that killed 50 people.  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) increased the training of pilots to a minimum of 1,500 hours (reduced minimums depending on the curriculum included in training).  In addition, the FAA enacted the anti-fatigue rule, that increased required rest periods for pilots that carry passengers.  Trejos states that "The new regulations, which don't apply to cargo pilots, require that pilots get at least 10 hours of rest between shifts.  Eight of those hours must involve uninterrupted sleep."  Tejos further adds "Pilots will be limited to flying eight or nine hours, depending in their start times.  They must also have 30 consecutive hours of rest each week, a 25% increase over previous requirements" (2014, January 3).  Given these new regulations, its coherent that the regional airlines may have some challenges with the delay with new pilot training requirements and adjusting to the pilot rotation affected by rest requirements by keeping scheduled flights well-timed.
     Regional Airlines may consider to carry on with their reorganizing, since the pilot shortage will only continue to brew and create challenges with hiring of new pilots.  Jansen states that "Kent Lovelace, chairman of the aviation department at the University of North Dakota, studied pilot retirements, surveys of potential pilots and projected a shortfall of 35,000 pilots in the next 20 years (2013, October 3).   
     Within this new generation of increased pilot training, it is essential for new aspiring pilots to cross-examine their options and really consider going with an accredited academic program which could potentially expedite training.


     The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Regional Airline Association (RAA) represents the regional airline industry.  ALPA represents most regional airline pilots and RAA represents North American regional airlines and the manufactures of products and services and management, supporting the regional airline industry.  


     1)  Professionalism is being able to effectively maintain bearing while creating an optimistic environment and setting the example through your actions for individuals to follow. 
  
     2)  Colgan Air leadership directly influenced the lack of professionalism throughout their airline organization.  Their leadership generated habits of letting things slide and performing shading tasks which created complacency that spread throughout the majority of their organization.  The negative routine that Colgan Air employees became accustom to reflects the captain that repeatedly failed check rides, the captain that instructed a first officer to alter weight and balance numbers to complete a flight, and management lacking in their ability to keep their pilots honest and applying the correct industry regulations in their operation.
  
      3)  The low first year pilot pay and/or compensation structure of a regional airline could be effecting morale within the pilots throughout the regional airlines which could have contributed to the lack of professionalism demonstrated in the documentary.  But I believe that there is no excuse to demonstrate any factor in lack of professionalism no matter what position you hold in any industry.               

     4)  To maintain and expand my level of professionalism I will demonstrate dependability and integrity while effectively utilizing my knowledge in the aviation industry.  In addition, I will take the initiative to access any additional training that could potentially enhance the company.  

    

References

ALPA Media.  (2014, February 4).  ALPA News.  ALPA refutes myth of U.S. pilot shortage.  Urges       congress to enact pro-aviation policies.  Retrieved from http://www.alpa.org/Portals/Alpa/PressRoom/PressReleases/2014/2-4-14_14.10.htm    

ALPA Staff.  (2014, April).  Air Line Pilot Association.  A pilot shortage?  Nope. It's all about the money.  Retrieved from http://www.alpa.org/portals/alpa/magazine/2014/April2014_PilotShortage.pdf  

Carey, S & Nicas, J.  (2014, February 3)  The Wall Street Journal.  Airline-pilot shortage arrives ahead of schedule.  Pilot retirements and new rules on training and rest hurt more than expected.  Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304851104579361320202756500 

Jansen, B.  (2013, October 3).  Usa Today.  Airlines hire pilots as shortage looms.  Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/10/03/airline-pilots-shortage-american-jetblue-regional/2915363/

Rottler, M.   (2014, February 20)  AOPA opinion leaders:  Welcome to the pilot shortage.  Retrieved from http://blog.aopa.org/opinionleaders/2014/02/20/welcome-to-the-pilot-shortage/ 

Trejos, N.  (2014, January 3).  Usa Today.  New pilot fatigue rules go into effect this weekend.  Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/01/03/pilot-fatigue-mandatory-rest-new-faa-rules/4304417/  

Wright, C.  (2012, November 15).  Flight Training Blog.  The pilot shortage is gaining attention.  Retrieved from http://blog.aopa.org/flighttraining/?p=2108