Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Assignment due Sunday, December 9th

Last post...I know you are all very sad. I'm sorry.

So this post will not require extensive research. Please answer the following questions:

1) Summarize your career plan that you had at the beginning of this course.
2) Has that career plan changed? Why or why not?
3) Has anything in the course influenced your answer to 2)...blog topics, guest speakers, assignments?
4) What was your most interesting blog topic? Why? What was your least interesting blog topic? Why?
5) Which guest speaker did you gain/retain the most from? Why?
6) What are your plans for continual professional development after graduation?

Not so bad, eh? No link required this week, unless you want to.
Cheers!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Assignment due December 2nd, 2012

EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)

Please answer the following questions:

1) Describe how the EU ETS works.
2) Describe why the US and other countries are opposed to participation in the EU ETS.
3) Describe the US's current position on EU ETS.
4) Describe the EU's current position on EU ETS.
5) ICAO is tasked with coming up with a global solution by fall 2013. What should this solution be?
6) Time to get political...is a solution to aviation emissions necessary? Why or why not?

Have fun...and don't forget to include a reputable link.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Assignment due November 11th, 2012

Topic: NextGen

The article passed out in class discusses the "four major pillars" of NextGen: economic impact, sustainability, flexibility and safety.

Of these four pillars, discuss the following:
 1) Rank these pillars in order of importance and explain your reasoning.
 2) We briefly discussed user fees in the last class and how much of NextGen funding will come from  user fees. How do you think these fees should be applied and why?
 3) As always, how will NextGen affect your career?

You have until Tuesday, November 13th to complete the assignment.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Assignments due October 28th and November 4th

Assignment due October 28th:

Choose ANY CURRENT aviation topic that we have not addressed in class and complete the following:

1) Give a brief (1 paragraph) history of the topic.
2) Discuss why this topic is a significant current issue in the aviation industry.
3) Discuss the future of the topic - 5 year prediction.
4) How is this topic significant to your career?

As stated in class, topics are first come, first serve. When you come up with your topic idea, please post it as a comment at the bottom of this post.

Assignment due November 4th:

Choose any topic that one of your classmates wrote about in the previous assignment and write about that topic from a different angle - that angle can be a slightly different subject within the same topic area or an opposing opinion.

I am not laying out any specific format or questions that you have to answer in this assignment. Just remember that this is a 400-level course and write accordingly.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Assignment due October 21st, 2012

Time to talk about China....

Specifically, General Aviation in China.

In July of this year, Hawker Beechcraft sold its business jet and general aviation operations to a Chinese aerospace manufacturer - Superior Aviation Beijing Co, Ltd.. This is not the only US general aviation manufacturing company to utilize China for support.

Additionally, China's general aviation industry, after being somewhat nonexistent, is in a period of rapid growth.

For this week's assignment, answer the following questions:

1) In addition to Hawker Beechcraft, discuss another US general aviation manufacturer with ties to China. Explain the details - who, what is the relationship, why did the relationship develop and any ramifications to the US  general aviation industry.

2) What are the reasons for this "rapid growth" in the Chinese general aviation industry?

3) What is the relationship between these US general aviation manufacturers with ties to China and the growth in the Chinese general aviation industry?

4) Most importantly, what does all the above mean for career opportunities in the US general aviation sector?

Have a blast!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Assignment due October 7th

Regionals...

Ok, I know I said that I would stay away from "airlines" this week, but in light of Izzy coming to speak to class next week about her experiences as a regional pilot, I felt that this would be a good week to explore the topic of regional air carriers.

On September 29th, Comair seized operations. Please answer the following questions:

1) Give the history of Comair. When/Where/Why/How did they start? Have they been an independent carrier or owned?
2) Why did Comair seize operations...what are the reasons for their downfall?
3) What is the overall financial status of the regional airline industry? Why is it changing?
4) As mainline airlines restructure their use of the regional carriers, what, if any, opportunities may open  up for regionals?

Final, unrelated question:
Pilots answer #1. Management answer #2.

1) Look up one regional carrier that is still operating. Are they hiring any pilot positions? If not, when was the last time that they hired? What is the starting pay of an first officer? Please provide a link to this information.
2) Look up one regional carrier that is still operating. Are the hiring any management positions? If so, which positions? If not, what would be possible management positions at the company in the future? Please provide a link to this information.

As always, have fun!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Assignment due September 30th

So far we have discussed ways to "level the global playing field" for the US airlines and the multiple ramifications of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2010. One common thread between these two subjects is money. In terms of leveling the global playing field, one question raised is how do we maintain a high level of standards while not increasing the consumer's ticket price. One money-related question in the discussion of the ramifications of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Act is how can there be an increase in training requirements, including more required hours, without increasing starting pay at the regionals? According to management at the regionals, ticket prices would have to be raised to account for an increase in pilot pay and that may be "unacceptable" to the general flying public.

So the topic this week is more philosophical than research-based (although you will probably need to do some historical research; there is still the "one link" requirement).

Answer the following:

-Should the ability to take a commercial flight on an airline to get from point A to point B be affordable to most of the public? Or should it be a luxury? For example, there are many locations which the cost of flying on an airline to that location is the equivalent of or even cheaper than driving to that location. Therefore, if you can afford to drive, you can afford to fly.

-Why is it that you can now often fly on a route for cheaper than or equivalent to the cost of driving that route? What's changed (there obviously may be multiple factors)?

-Let's say that the airlines did raise their prices, making flying commercially less accessible to the general public. What would the industry look like? How would this change the way airlines are structured?

Please feel free to add any additional thoughts.
Have fun!
Ms. Wall