1500

At the beginning of the year we discussed how the 1500-hour rule could be affecting the pilot and what should be done. I stated my position in opposition to the 1500-hour rule, stating there has been no evidence that the increased ATP minimums have increased the safety for 121 carriers. The 1500-hour rule was a rush job by the FAA to show the public that more ‘experienced,’ pilots were at the controls. Also included was that pay increases would help with the pilot shortage. This is what I also believe is not the case. But for the purpose of this different view, I will make the argument that the 1500-hour rule has helped improve safety at the 121 carriers that the pay increase has brought back pilots.

On February 12, 2009 a Colgan DHC8-400 crashed in Buffalo, New York, killing all on board and one person in a house. After this crash the media started to dig deeper into aviation regulations. One thing they found was that in order to fly for a regional airline, all you needed was 250 hours TT and a commercial multi engine rating (FAA, 2013). Once this was broadcasted, outrage ensued stating that was insufficient time, to be able to fly for the airlines. This intern began a movement to increase safety at the airlines. One of these changes included an increase in the number of hours required for first officers at the airlines. This change would become the 1500-hour rule. And since this rule became public regulation, no one has died as a result (on a US carrier) to an airline accident (Yanofsky, 2018).

This is very difficult to type because there is 0 evidence that the 1500-hour rule helped. Now I will argue against it again. Along with the 1500-hour rule came a string of changes to the 121 world, including new flight duty and rest regulations introduced in 2011 and new training requirements in 2012. Again the 1500-hour rule took effect in 2013, four years after the Colgan crash. In that time span, not one death was recorded due to an airline crash.  In fact, both of the pilots in the Colgan crash had more than 1500 hours. The captain had over 3,000 hours and the first officer had over 2,200 hours. This negates the 1500-hour rule people are talking about. It now takes about an extra 1,200 hours, from graduation of a part 61 school to make it to the airlines. That’s almost over two years of flying somewhere else, before going to the airlines.

The pilot shortage talk wouldn’t be complete without talking about money. Money does talk, and the regional airlines have been under paying their pilots for years and years. In 2012 the average pilot salary per year was $22,500 (Zillman, 2014). That’s how much I made as a Line Tech while still living at home. These regional pilots were still trying to pay off their student loans and trying to afford rent and other life costs. Now pilots are earning around $60,000 in their first year. This is a false narrative though. In reality, pilots are still making more then they were six years ago but not by much. The $60,000 first year pay includes the hourly scale and bonuses. After the first year, those bonuses go away, and the pilot reverts back to making $35,000 - $40,000 per year. Until about the third year when most are eligible to upgrade to captain. This trend does not look like its slowing down. The regionals are making it look more appealing to work for them with the high first year pay only in turn to decrease your pay in the second year. And not every pilot can receive the maximum number of bonuses.

The pilot shortage is a real deal that is and will affect the aviation industry in the future. But there is hope. Just recently, the amount of pilots has grown over the past year tremendously. Since 2010 the number of pilots has decreased from 627,588 to 584,362. Over a 40,000 decrease in pilots. But in 2017 the US saw its first growth in eight years. In 2017, the amount of pilots increased by about 25,000. Almost all of that came from the student pilot sector with an increase of over 21,000. This could mean many things, but I see it as a huge positive in the US aviation market.

References

E. (2018, April 19). Pilot Career Compensation. Retrieved April 20, 2018, from https://www.envoyair.com/pilot-career-compensation/

F. (2014, September 19). Press Release – FAA Boosts Aviation Safety with New Pilot Qualification Standards. Retrieved April 17, 2018, from https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=14838

Yanofsky, D. (2018, April 18). The first US passenger airline with an accidental death since 2009 is Southwest Airlines. Retrieved April 20, 2018, from https://qz.com/1254971/southwest-flight-wn1380-is-the-first-fatal-us-passenger-airline-accident-since-2009/

ATC

1) Describe the fundamentals of our current ATC system vs. the proposed NextGen system. Include details. i.e. "Next Gen is satellite-based." is not enough detail.

The current ATC system was made in the 1970s known as Host (pretty creepy). The system is outdated but is very reliable. Hence why not much has changed in over 40 years. The system is however very inefficient. Using outdated radar services instead of GPS. The world is connected by GPS, planes even use GPS for routing, but the controllers that tell the plane where to go don't have that luxury. We all know the government takes AWHILE change anything. Well the FAA was tasked with updating the ATC sector of aviation. The new updated system is called NEXT GEN (kinda cliche). But in 2007 the first concept was published. In it were the major goals, and completion dates of these goals. Next Gen works in three parts. First is See, this part helps controllers see exactly where planes are at all times and lets controllers see weather patterns. Next is Navigate, this part works with See, as controllers are now able to give aircraft more direct routes. Next is Communicate, here controllers are able to send clearances and other information to aircraft digitally by means of the new digital communications (FAA, 2017). On paper Next Gen looks great, looks exactly what the United States airspace system needs. But with set back after set back, it is looking more like a hassle then a good thing.

2) Why has GA traditional spoken against the privatization of ATC? What is the stance of US airlines on ATC privatization and why? Find two aviation organizations/lobby groups/think tanks (not individual companies) etc. and report their response to privatization.

GA has traditionaly spoken against the privatization of ATC because privatizing this function would greatly hurt the GA cause. Once ATC is transferred over to the private sector, the Airlines would step in and quickly have a huge interest in route planning. Making sure they each get priority into large hub airports. The GA world won't be able to compete. There will be no competitor, meaning there will be no way to reduce the costs of using the airspace system. A MAJOR lie being broadcasted by our President and the airlines is that the main reason you are delayed is because ATC can't keep up with traffic demand. This is true in some sense but it is NOT the overwhelming factor of why you can't get to your vacation in time. Out of 100% of flights between January 2017 and December 2017, 80.18% of flights were on time, 14% of flights were delayed or cancelled due to other factors including: Maintenance, weather, or late departures, and only 5.82% of flights were delayed in the Airspace system (DOT, 2017).

The US airlines are 100% for ATC privatization. This is due in part because the airlines want to see ATC modernized. The FAA has taken years and lots of money to try and modernize is only to be stricken by delays and the need for additional funding. The airlines believe a private organization will be able to speed up the process, thus leading to the airlines saving money on routes.

Many organizations (mainly GA) have opposed ATC privatization. One of the organizations is the AOPA. The AOPA states that the main interest in the Airlines wanting to privatize ATC is so they can all lobby for reduced pricing from more direct routes. Thus gaining a bigger profit. They will also charge more on their tickets because of a usage fee to use ATC and ticket prices will increase (Kildea, 2017).

A supporting and opposing view comes from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. They will not support any for-profit model and a new private company must at minimum: 

• protect the rights and benefits of the workforce; 
• ensure that safety and efficiency remain the top priorities; 
• provide a stable, predictable funding stream that adequately supports air traffic control services, staffing, hiring and training, long-term modernization, preventative maintenance, and ongoing modernization of the physical infrastructure; and
• maintain service to all segments of our nation’s diverse aviation community. 

(Rinaldi, 2017)

3) Is ATC privatized in any other countries? If so, where? Write about the details of how this system works. How is it funded? Who are the private operators? Etc..Does the privatized ATC system run more or less efficiently than our current system?

ATC has been privatized in countries such as the UK and Canada. Lets focus on Canada because they are our neighbors. They are completely separate from the government and are funded by charging anyone who uses their services (NAV Canada, 2018). It is hard to compare Canada's system to ours as the United States has a very complex system and many many users. Canada's aviation industry is no where near the size of the United States. 

4) What would be the process for converting our current system into a privatized system? i.e. would it have to go through Congress, the FAA, etc..Where is the discussion at? i.e. is there a passed bill or law allowing ATC privatization? Does it have to be an act of Congress or can the FAA make this decision on its own. How do expect the current administration to impact ATC privatization if at all?

The process of privatizing ATC will have to pass congress and the President first. There must be a proposed bill, and that bill must go through all the legal hoops before coming a law. There has been a proposed bill but it never made it out of the committee debate. The current Republican administration was really pushing for the privatization over the summer and I believe support kind of fell through the cracks when other issues about our country arose. 

5) Finally, do you feel that the current ATC system would be more efficient if it were privatized. Why or why not?

I feel the current ATC system would be more efficient if it is modernized. I don't believe privatizing ATC will do anything beside increase operational costs for GA pilots and flight schools and put more money in the airline pockets.

References

D. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2018, from https://www.transtats.bts.gov/OT_Delay/ot_delaycause1.asp?type=21&pn=1

ATC Privatization Myths vs. Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2018, from https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-advocacy-and-safety/aviation_advocacy/top-aviation-issues/atc-privatization-myths-vs-facts

Church, D. (2017, June 5). June 5, 2017 // Statement by NATCA President Paul Rinaldi about President's Announcement of Air Traffic Control Reform Initiative. Retrieved April 6, 2018, from https://natca.org/index.php/media-center/news-archive/1887-june-5-2017-statement-by-natca-president-paul-rinaldi-about-president-s-announcement-of-air-traffic-control-reform-initiative-2

F. (2017, December 04). How NextGen Works. Retrieved April 6, 2018, from https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/how_nextgen_works/

Investor Relations. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2018, from http://www.navcanada.ca/EN/about-us/Pages/investor-relations.aspx

Aviation Organizations

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.

Excluding the Airline Pilots Association and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, I believe it will be important to belong to the Experimental Aircraft Association. Anyone with an interest in Aviation can join. Being a member myself they offer great resources for the beginners’, up to the very experienced and beyond. This organization is not only for pilots, they welcome anyone with an interest in Aviation to join or participate within their organization. From their founding in 1953, the EAA has been the pinnacle for the freedom of flight. ‘They are a community of passionate aviation enthusiasts that promotes and supports recreational flying. Their vision is a vibrant and growing aviation community. Their mission is to grow participation in aviation by promoting the “Spirit of Aviation.”’ (EAA, 2018)

The next organization I would belong to is the National Business Aviation Association. The NBAA was founded for the sole purpose of protecting business aircraft operators. (NBAA, 2018) Back in 1946 the business side of aviation had not been touched by the government and the founders felt that they needed an organization to help protect their rights. With over 10,000-member companies, that employ over 19 million people, its no wonder the NBAA is at the forefront of protecting business aircraft.

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

The EAAs mission is to ‘grow participation in aviation by promoting the “Spirit of Aviation.”’ The EAA not only promotes the most basic, grassroots of flying but also promotes a wide variety of the aviation industry. From the EAA website, this includes serving the community by:

Inspiring new participants in aviation

• Inviting the public to experience freedom of flight
• Providing a compelling view of possibilities
• Nurturing interest in aviation
• Supporting clear pathways to participation

Enriching the participation experience

• Protecting rights and the freedom to fly
• Encouraging affordable flying in a local environment 
• Cultivating and providing knowledge, information, and resources
• Embracing diverse interests, camaraderie, and fun
• Supporting and promoting aviation events and activities

The NBAAs mission statement is “To foster an environment that allows business aviation to thrive in the United States and around the world” (NBAA, 2018). NBAA is not only focused on business aircraft and operations. They also advocate for issues such as aviation safety, operational efficiency, fair and equal access, FAA reform, air support, air traffic control modernization, and much more.

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

I believe it is important to belong to both these associations and more like them. The Aviation world is large, but everyone knows someone. The EAA and NBAA both embody the world of Aviation to the fullest. Both companies help the industry in separate ways but both organizations promote the meaning of Aviation. With over 135 years of combined Aviation service, it is no wonder these organizations are so successful. Both organizations also provide some great networking opportunities. The EAA has chapters at local airports that could have anyone from the basic GA pilot to the CEO of a major airline. With over 200,000 members, events across the country and with the largest aviation gathering at Oshkosh you are bound to meet a lot of people. The NBAA also holds several events throughout the year along with regional forums and a national conference and exhibit.

4. Describe potential employment opportunities with these organizations.

At both the EAA and NBAA there are full and part time job opportunities as well as internships. Some of the internships that the EAA has are: Marketing Business, Development, Membership Services, Human Resources, Government Advocacy, Information Technology (IT), Communications/PR, Convention Admin, Education Events, Graphic Design, and Photography. The EAA also offers volunteer opportunities either year-round opportunities or for the largest aviation gathering in the world during the Oshkosh air show.

A potential employment opportunity at the NBAA is being a regional representative. This position “provides oversight and implementation of initiatives focused on business aviation advocacy, influencing aviation policy, interacting with the aviation industry and working with members at local, state and regional levels.” (NBAA, 2018)

References

Who We Are. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/about-eaa/who-we-are

History. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/about-eaa/eaa-history

EAA – Where Your Work Ignites Passion. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/about-eaa/eaa-careers

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh | Oshkosh, Wisconsin | Fly-In & Convention. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure

NBAA History. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2018, from https://www.nbaa.org/about/history/

Careers With NBAA. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://www.nbaa.org/about/careers/

Events by Date. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2018, from https://www.nbaa.org/events/date/

Open Skies

1) Describe the US-UAE Open Skies Agreement. List and describe two long-haul carriers that are a part of this agreement that also receive government subsidies.

An Open Skies Agreement is between two countries that have foreign commercial carriers operating in their countries. The agreement is to allow foreign carriers to operate freely in and over the other country and vise versa (US Government, 2015). The United States is a member in 120 of these agreements. One that has currently been under the micro scope is the United Arab Emirates agreement. The United States focus in some of the agreements is very little to no governmental subsidies to a countries own airline. The UAE agreement has been under fire because the United States legacy carriers have been in uproar that the countries two largest airline (Emirates and Etihad) have been receiving government subsidies to keep the airline tickets cheaper than the United States carrier. This is very much true. Just look at the prices for yourself. Using Emirates, a flight from NYC to Dubai on March 30 till April 6, is $1,025.41 (Emirates, 2018). A flight on Delta for the same days is $1,733.41 (Delta, 2018). Just over $700 difference for the same ticket. Emirates which is based in Dubai and whose parent company is The Emirates Group is owned by the Government of Dubai. That is a huge conflict of interest. The City of Dubai became the land of the rich due to the massive oil reserves that they own. This makes the governments pockets very deep and very likely to use that money to grow their Airline. They can use this profit from oil to lower the operating cost of their jumbo jets to reduce the fair on tickets to allow more passengers.

Now I will say this, according to Ashley Nunes a guest writer for Forbes, Aviation Week, NPR and Weird; he states that the American Carriers do business with other airlines that receive massive amounts of government subsidies. Such as Delta who is partnered with China Eastern and China Southern who both received about $865 million in government subsidies (Nunes, 2016). Also, Delta (who has been the front runner) also receives help from our Government. The State of Georgia just got rid of a huge jet-fuel tax break for Delta. So, there is some blame on both sides of the aisle.

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

All three long-haul US carriers receive and have receive subsidies. Between 1957 and 1984 the US government allotted $928 million to Delta, United and American. After the 9/11 attacks in New York City, the whole airline system took a dive for the worst.  On September 22, 2001 (just 11 days after the attacks) Congress and President Bush implemented the Air Transportation Safety and Stabilization Act (Congress, 2001). Which granted up to $10 Billion in federal loans to the air carriers. Another example of a subsidies is Chapter 11 protection. An airline can file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to dismiss debts and freeze wages that foreign airlines cannot.  All three legacy carriers and those they have merged with have all filed for chapter 11.

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

The way foreign carriers can purchase aircraft “below market value,” is due to the Export-Import bank. This bank is Government run and is used by foreign companies to purchase American made products at a lower interest rate than the rest of the market. American companies are not allowed to use this service for Boeing products as the products must be imported for them to use the service. This is why Delta just purchased 100 Airbus A321neos with an option to purchase 100 more.

4) Are there any current issues with Norwegian International Airlines and the Open Skies Agreement? What about with carriers such as Emirates or Qatar?

Norwegian International Airlines is a subsidiary of the European low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle. The three legacy carriers are scared that with its low operating cost they will under cut their fares flying out of the United States. They believe that since they are headquartered in Ireland (with low taxes) they will be able to pay very little for their crews and hire Asian workers at ‘below market wages’ (Zhang, 2017).

I believe the issue the three legacy carriers have with Emirates and Qatar is that they are on the legacies turf. The Gulf carriers can cut ticket prices due to large amounts of government subsidies. The legacies can’t keep up with the cost of flying into the Gulf and are losing out on a big profit there and they don’t like it.

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

I do not believe the long-haul carriers playing field is fair. Every airline worldwide accepts some form of subsidy from their government for their airline to prosper in the world-wide market. This is even true for the American carriers. My first paragraph sounds like I am totally agreeing with the legacies, but I am an American and want the airlines that represent the United States to continue to grow. I do believe the message that the legacies are marketing, that the Gulf carriers are taking US jobs is a fictitious statement. They just want to keep their turf theirs and don’t want to lose the war of the airlines.

References

Open Skies Partnerships: Expanding the Benefits of Freer Commercial Aviation. (2017, July 05). Retrieved March 18, 2018, from https://www.state.gov/e/eb/rls/fs/2017/267131.htm

D. (2001, September 22). H.R.2926 - 107th Congress (2001-2002): Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act. Retrieved March 18, 2018, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/house-bill/2926

Nunes, A. (2016, November 17). Government Airline Subsidies... So What? Retrieved March 18, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/11/17/government-airline-subsidies-so-what/#3054b9381f5f

Zhang, B. (2017, February 09). Europe's best low-cost airline could be an issue for the Trump administration. Retrieved March 18, 2018, from http://www.businessinsider.com/norwegian-air-international-america-trump-2017-2

FAA Admin

-What are the qualifications of John Dunkin (President Trump's pilot)?

This should be an interesting post. On January 7, 2018 Michael Huerta; after over six years as FAA Administrator was replaced by Daniel Elwell. Michael Huerta took the position from Randy Babbitt who resigned on December 6, 2011. Huerta was acting administrator from 2011-2013 when he was finally confirmed administrator. His term was to last five years and on January 6, 2018 his term ended. This created a void for the position and Daniel Elwell was appointed acting administrator. Now a permanent administrator is needed. Trump has nominated his private pilot John Dunkin. This is the second time we have seen John Dunkins name thrown around. Back in February 2017, during a meeting with top airline executives he said, “my pilot, he is a smart guy, and he knows what’s going on.” (Trump, 2017) John has been flying since the age of 15. There is no doubt he is a competent pilot. He has flown Trumps personal Boeing 757 all over the globe. But is he a competent administrator? Dunkin has been Trumps pilot since 1989 and has managed airline and corporate flight departments. (Mighty Planes, 2013) He also oversaw Trumps campaign fleet. Seeing as I can’t find any information on what airline he managed or corporate flight department besides Trumps I can’t say if he is competent in that way. I can say that it is a little bit conflict of interest. Seeing as he is the Presidents pilot and he agrees with the privatization of ATC. It will be interesting to see how this story plays out.

-Who are the other candidates for FAA Administrator and what are their qualifications?

Another candidate is current acting administrator Daniel Elwell. He earned his wings after graduating from the Air Force academy and racking up more than 6,000 hours in civilian and military operations. He was an airline pilot with American Airlines for 16 years. Piloting the DC-10, MD-80, and Boeing 757/767. From 2008-2013 he was the Vice President for the Aerospace Industries Association. He ten became the Senior Vice President for Safety, Security, and Operations at Airlines for America. He then became Deputy Administrator and on January 7, 2018 was named Acting Administrator (Transportation.gov, 2018).

Another candidate is Bobby Sturgell. He has a similar path as Elwell. Graduated from the Naval Academy. He flew for United Airlines, flying the Boeing 757/767. He was the Deputy Administrator from 2003-2007 when he was appointed Acting Administrator from 2007-2009. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Washington Operations for Rockwell Collins.

-Pick two past FAA Administrators. What was their qualifications?

The most recent would be Michael Huerta. His qualifications include commissioner of New Yorks’ department of ports, executive director of the Port of San Francisco, Managing Director with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, Group President of the Transportation Solutions Group at Affiliated Computer Services. In 2010 he became Deputy Administrator and in 2011 became Acting Administrator. In 2013 he became confirmed Administrator.

Randy Babbitt was the Administrator from 2009-2011. His term is shrouded by his drunk driving arrest in 2011. But before that he was an airline pilot for Eastern Airlines for 25 years. He also was the Executive Administrator for the Air Line Pilots Association from 1987-1990. In 1990 he was the President of ALPA. In 2011 he was arrested for drunk driving which the charge was dropped in 2012 as the arresting officer had a hunch that he was drunk. Not enough evidence to pull him over. Also, a video of the arrest was shown in court and it showed that he was not driving in the wrong direction that the officer said he was (Jouvenal, 2012). In 2012 he was hired at Southwest Airlines as the Vice President of Labor Relations.

-What is the job description of FAA Administrator?

The FAA Administrator, “is responsible for the safety and efficiency of the largest aerospace system in the world — a system that operates more than 50,000 flights per day. He oversees a $16.4 billion-dollar budget, more than 47,000 employees, and is focused on ensuring the agency and its employees are the best prepared and trained professionals to meet the growing demands and requirements of the industry.” (FAA, 2018)

-In terms of your career and based upon the job description above, do you feel that it matters who the FAA Administrator is? Why or why not?

I do believe it matters who is chosen as FAA Administrator. I do not think just anyone can run a whole government agency without some prior experience in a high leadership role. This being said I do not believe John Dunkin is fit to be the FAA Administrator. I believe he lacks the experience of an administrator. I believe Daniel Elwell should be appointed based on his past and that he has been the second in command since June 2017.

References

Daniel K. Elwell. (2018, January 10). Retrieved March 3, 2018, from https://www.faa.gov/about/key_officials/elwell/

Laris, M., & III, A. H. (2018, February 27). As President Trump puts longtime personal pilot on shortlist to head FAA, agency faces biggest challenges in decades. Retrieved March 03, 2018, from https://www.denverpost.com/2018/02/27/john-dunkin-faa-short-list/

(2013, June 9). Retrieved March 03, 2018, from https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/mighty-planes/trump-757/1003002/3398551

Jouvenal, J. (2012, May 10). Drunken driving charge dismissed against former FAA chief Randy Babbitt. Retrieved March 03, 2018, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/drunk-driving-charges-dismissed-against-former-faa-chief-randy-babbitt/2012/05/10/gIQA0SbuFU_story.html?utm_term=.128fbd03b4e2

Deputy FAA Administrator Dan Elwell To Serve as Acting FAA Administrator. (2018, January 05). Retrieved March 03, 2018, from https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/dot0118

Space

1) Historical background: When did the idea of "space tourism" begin? How has it developed? What have been the hurdles and accomplishments? Start in the 1960's - present day.

Space tourism began back in the 1980’s. This was not technically called ‘space tourism,’ at the time. This was a way for the Soviet Union to broaden its pool of cosmonauts. This program was given the name Interkosmos and included cosmonauts from the Warsaw Pact countries. These cosmonauts were fully trained but since they were not Russian or United States employees this gave them the title of space tourist. The United States had a similar program. The position of ‘payload specialist,’ was given to representatives of companies that had a specific payload on that mission. As NASA gained more traction with the shuttle program they decided to allow citizens without scientific or governmental roles to fly. Christa McAuliffe was the first teacher in space, aboard the doomed Challenger shuttle. NASA expected two-three citizens would be able to travel per year. This program was put on haul for 16 years as McAuliffe’s shuttle disengaged on re-entry. Then in 2003, Miles O’Brian was chosen for the first journalist in space. This was canceled in the wake of the Columbia disaster in 2003.

2) Give a brief summary of the rules and regulations that currently govern the commercial space industry. When and why were they developed? Start with the first rules developed in the 1980s. Do you feel that they are appropriate or that the need to be more or less restrictive?

The rules and regulations that govern the commercial space industry are located in Title 14, Volume 4, Chapter 3, Part 400-460.53. Part 461-1199 are reserved for future use. In 1984 congress passed the Commercial Space Launch Act, which facilitated the private enterprise of commercial space and technology. This act let private companies use the launch sites and equipment from the government to help cut the cost for the government. I feel as if there isn’t much in the current FARs. I believe that over time and as commercial space industry grows (just like the aviation industry) more regulations will come out. But just like the aviation industry many of the regulations were made after tragedies.

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

I see the space tourism kick headed towards a potential flight to space within the next 10 years (five years because I think it can be done). I do not believe space tourism will be available to the general public for many years. This is due to the high operating cost of a rocket. For example, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket cost $54 million alone (Fernholz, 2013). This is not a lot compared to a Boeing 777 ($320 million) but there’s over 1500 of them out there. There is only a couple Falcon 9 rockets. The Falcon 9 can also be delayed for days on end. For example, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Spanish communications satellite was supposed to launch on 2/25/18 and has been delayed till 3/1/18 to recheck systems. (Clark, 2018) It could also be delayed even longer as another rocket has been scheduled for the same day and has priority over the SpaceX launch. So as a plane is delayed an hour cost in thousands of dollars. The Falcon 9 sits for days costing millions of dollars in delays.

I believe that one day space travel will be accessible to the general public. Much like the aviation industry was only available to those with money until 1976. In 1976 deregulation changed the airline industry forever. But this will not happen for the space industry for a long time, if ever.

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

To become a pilot in the space industry (at least for NASA), you need at least a bachelor’s degree. But many astronauts had masters or even Ph.Ds. the higher the degree the better chance of being selected. If you go the bachelor’s degree route, make sure you have three years of “related, progressively responsible, professional experience,” or 1,000 jet hours of pilot-in-command time. (Howell, 2017) Along with those requirements a candidate must have 20/20 vision (naturally or corrected), blood pressure not more than 140/90 sitting, and height of 62 and 75 inches. There are also interviews during selection to determine if you are physically and mentally able to work as an astronaut.

This isn’t the end of the road yet. If chosen you still aren’t an astronaut. Next comes two years of basic training. After graduation, an astronaut is not assigned a flight right away. They are usually assigned as backup on other flights, training and more training are included in this time. Once selected for a flight, usually training is another year of simulation for the mission with crewmates.

All I have to say is, it is not easy to become any sort of pilot.

Reference

Contributor, E. H. (2017, June 7). How To Become An Astronaut. Retrieved February 25, 2018, from https://www.space.com/25786-how-to-become-an-astronaut.html

Clark, S. (2018, February 27). Atlas 5 launch on track for Thursday, SpaceX mission expected to slip. Retrieved February 27, 2018, from https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/27/falcon-9-atlas-5-hispasat-goes-schedule/

History.com Staff. (2010). Challenger Explosion. Retrieved February 27, 2018, from http://www.history.com/topics/challenger-disaster

UAVs

 1) What civilian purpose, if any, are UAVs currently being used for in United States? How are these civilian UAVs currently regulated (if they are regulated)? What are some of the details of the regulations that apply to the commercial use of UAVs?

There are many civilian purposes that UAVs are being utilized for in the United States. For example, Copter Kids use their drone for film. They have used their drone for the movie; ‘Chips,’ Katy Perry’s music video, ’Rise’ and others. Not only can UAVs be used for film purposes, but they can also be used for: search and rescue, pipeline patrol, mapping, and photography. Not just anybody can pick up a UAV and start flying it everywhere. There are some ‘loose’ regulations. CFR part 107. Like you need a certificate, need to be over 16 years old, read and speak English. The one regulation I have noticed being broken is the airspace location. When I was flying a couple months ago, a drone was spotted flying over US23 in Willow run(KYIP). Tower could not see it and therefore put us in a hold on the south side of the airspace. Right now, there is no requirement for UAVs to have a Mode C transponder within the Mode C veil. Also, to go along with that statement, I was tubbing along a river in Ann Arbor and noticed a drone flying above. This was also directly in the Class D of KARB. Both these incidents were probably being operated by your regular personal drone use, but it just goes to show that the current regulations are still trying to work themselves out.

2) Are UAVs being operated commercially in other countries? If so, where and for what purpose? 

Apart from the commercial business for UAVs in the United States, other countries are beginning to offer permits for commercially operated UAVs. In Europe, UAVs are used for industrial purposes right now. There is not a huge market for personal use as of yet. Just like in the United States UAVs biggest market is that of the media and entertainment sector. But within the next few years they believe that construction, inspection and public safety sectors will surpass the entertainment sector. They predict that construction will be worth $147 million in 2018. (Sharma, 2018)

3) Do you foresee UAVs integrating into the NAS? If so, how? Also, what problems do you foresee resulting from this? Be sure to include not only logistical problems, but also potential perception problems.

 I do see UAVs becoming a part of the NAS. This is because they are advancing with technology. Pretty soon UAVs will be flying packages from the warehouse to someone’s door step. There is only a matter of time before the public sees the UAV as a helpful tool and not a conspiracy theory for spying. I do foresee the issue for the line of sight rule and for communication issues. Some more regulations would have to be in place for proper radio knowledge. There would also need to be away for the line of sight rule to be changed. I would think have redundant video cameras mounted on the UAV would be something the FAA is looking into. If the military can fly drones from miles away or even across the globe, I think UAVs at home are on track to becoming part of the NAS.

4) As for the military application of UAVs, how have they transformed military strategy? Has their integration been efficient (consider all aspects - from financial to ethical)?

 In the early stages of UAVs in the military, they were mainly used for reconnaissance. After years of use, it was determined that missiles could be outfitted on them and used for attack missions to keep pilots and ground soldiers safe. This brought up the topic of is it ethical to attack someone without confirming with ground units that the target is the actual target. It also makes for a very stressful job. UAV pilot’s recon for days on end, one target, depicting patterns and people before they attack. Which makes the attack more personal say if they see children playing nearby. This makes it hard for UAV pilots to strike. From a financial standpoint UAVs have been an issue for the military. Up to 500 pilots and ground crew support are required for a 24-hour coverage.

5) Finally, do some research and find out if there are UAV jobs that are advertised for civilians (both flight and management students). If so, include this as your link. If you are unable to locate a job posting, reference your above answers to brainstorm the potential for types of UAV jobs in the future.

https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?cmp=HUB-Media-Company&t=Drone+Pilot+Camera+Man&jk=2870b859025e745c&q=Drone+Pilot+%2470%2C000&vjs=3

This job is located in, Phoenix, AZ flying for contract. They work with real estate agents, builders and developers. Pay is between $50-$100 and hour. “Must have a killer portfolio and 2 years of drone videography.”

References

Dilbert at war. (2014, June 23). Retrieved February 7, 2018, from https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21604608-stressful-lives-chair-force-dilbert-war

Palmer, T. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2018, from https://www.copterkidsllc.com/our-work

Pilots and Mental Health

Pilot Mental Health

Germanwings flight 9525 crashed into the side of a mountain on March 24, 2015. The crash left the world in awe that a perfectly good plane fell out of the sky. The world wanted answers but the answers we all received were shocking at best. The French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety(BEA), was the lead investigator with help from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. A week after the crash they found the black box. What was heard on the voice data recorder was shocking. The Captain Patrick Sondenheimer and F/O Andreas Lubitz talked “normally,” for the first part of the trip. Then as the Captain began the mid-flight brief Lubitz became short with his answers. The Captain then decides to leave the cockpit to presumably use the lavatory. This gave Lubitz time to close and lock the door, then time to disable the unlock code outside the cockpit. This now meat Lubitz was alone in the cockpit with no way for anyone to gain entry. As Lubitz set the vertical speed to descend at 100 feet per minute, you can hear the captain banging and screaming through the door. Lubitz said nothing during this time, as only steady breathing was captured by his microphone.

Lubitz mental illness was documented. According to the website cbc.ca, the airline Lufthansa (where Lubitz did his flight training and owner of Germanwings) found emails saying he took a several months break due to a “serious depressive episode.” (Associated Press, 2015). The airline then goes on to say Lubitz passed all his medical checks. Lubitz also struggled to get his ratings while at the Airline Training Center in Arizona. One instructor said Lubitz failed one of his flight tests because of a lack in situational awareness (a key in being a pilot). Another instructor; Scott Nickell that Lubitz struggled with procedural knowledge.

An example of another flight caused by mental health of a pilot is Fedex Flight 705. The main reason for the near crash was due to a disgruntled flight engineer Auburn Calloway. He was facing a possible dismissal due to falsifying flight hours. His family would benefit from his $2.5 million life insurance policy. He planned to murder the flight crew with claw hammers, club hammers, a spear gun and a knife (Kovalchik, 2008). Luckily the crew of three were able to restrain him while being on the brink of death. Upon landing a written note was found written by Calloway about his despair. Any person that wants to kill others and him/herself has apparent mental health problems.

Mental health in Aviation is highly misunderstood. There is no way to diagnose a pilot without having them tell an aviation medical examiner (AME). This is by far the easiest way to lie about any illness somebody has. For example, anything that’s wrong with somebody is extra paperwork, more time not having a medical and less time flying due to how long it takes for paperwork to go through the system. There needs to be reform around the whole industry. Mental illness is no joke as we can see it took the life of 150 people in flight 9525 and countless others in this industry. I believe the FAA and other Aviation bureaus need to hire a trained psychologist and use them with the AME. This could be used as the last line of defense. Also, I believe there should be some sort of mental illness database that examiners can look at to see if a patient has been treated for a mental health issue before. Last thing I would add is a check up every six months with a psychiatrist employed at the airline. I choose six months because flying is very stressful and to fly for the part 121 companies you need a first class medical. This means that if someone is under the age of 40 they will be looked at once for their medical renewal every year and at the halfway point. If someone is over 40 then they will be looked at every time they renew their medical.

From the FAA and airline perspective, the issue would rise up of falsifying his/her medical. No mater what the process is on determining if a pilot has great mental health there will always be a way around telling the truth. As I stated earlier the AME can ask questions about a patient’s mental health, but they are just questions, they aren’t looking in-depth into the patients past. The practice now is broken and needs a fix and just idling by will only make matters worse.

References

Press, T. A. (2015, March 31). Lufthansa knew of Germanwings co-pilot's 'depressive episode' years ago. Retrieved January 25, 2018, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/germanwings-flight-4u9525-flight-school-knew-of-depressive-episode-1.3015984

Kovalchik, K. (2008, July 24). True Crimes: The Man Who Hijacked a Cargo Jet. Retrieved January 25, 2018, from http://mentalfloss.com/article/19159/true-crimes-man-who-hijacked-cargo-jet

Flying Cheap

Flying Cheap and Professionalism

Two words, “Pilot Shortage.” Now don’t freak out, pilots aren’t getting shorter. What this means is there are more jobs then pilots available. Again, calm down this doesn’t mean a recent college graduate with very little time in a plane is going to be flying you to your destination. Each pilot still must get a minimum number of hours to be able to fly for the airlines. The shortage is brought on by too many retiring pilots and not many new pilots entering the industry. This topic is mainly looked at towards the regional airlines. I believe the shortage of pilots is industry wide and worldwide.

I believe that low pay for low time pilots and the number of retiring pilots are both contributing factors as to why there is a pilot shortage. I also believe there are other factors as to why there is a pilot shortage. Now this one is just speculation (and my own view) but kids only fly maybe two or three times while growing up. Therefore, it’s not a part of their everyday life as a fireman or police officer are. In class when I was a child I always put down, “when I grow up I want to be a fireman.” My grandfather was a fire Chief for Engine in Detroit. Fireman and police are a part of a child’s upbringing. Firemen and police come in to schools to talk about fire safety and stranger danger all the time. Not once do I remember a pilot coming in to talk about plane safety. The people that are retiring now were alive in the golden age of flying. Back when flying was a huge privilege. Everyone wanted to be a pilot and to travel the world. This was high class. Now flying is seen as a tuna in a tuna fish can; jam packed with people, paying for every accessory to the flight. Also, every news story about aviation is a crash or a negative story about the industry. Not a very an enlightening story line to a career.

The FAA raised the minimum retirement age for part 121 pilots from 60 to 65 in 2009, to avoid this big of a pilot shortage. Then in late 2009 Colgan Air flight 3407 crashed in Buffalo. Following this accident, the FAA raised the minimum Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) requirements from 250 hours to 1,500 hours. (Reynolds, 2107) For students learning to fly this meant finding a job outside of the regional airlines to build their hours. This in turn lead to a decrease in the number of pilots the regionals could choose from. Now pilots had to wait a year or two to build up 1,500 hours. This lead to many pilots giving up on the regionals and choosing part 91 and part 135 companies to work for due to a lower hour requirement. Many would stay in the “corporate” sector also due to money. The average salary for a first officer at the regional airlines was $18,000-$20,000. (O’Brian, 2010) That pay makes it hard for living because many students took out loans for flying and college. Then after college they must start repaying those loans back, which can be upwards of $800 a month. Take that and living expenses into account that doesn’t leave much if any money left over for food and everyday activities.

I believe the “pay increases,” will help with some of the pain with the shortage but won’t necessarily solve it. The pay increase I am talking about is located at the regional airlines. Now these are increased pay, but they are a gimmick. Let’s look at Envoy Airlines. They advertise that their starting pay is $60,000. For a student that is only making $20,000 a year that seems like a great deal. BUT, the catch is their starting pay is not $60,000. Looking through their website I found that you can receive up to $22,100 in as a sign-up bonus. Again, looks like a great deal, BUT money that is given as a bonus is taxed at a higher rate than earned income. So, you won’t even see all $22,100, and that’s even if they give you all of it. Digging deeper into their website, I stumbled across their cadet program. This program allows private, commercial, and instructors a way to get an interview with the Human Resources department at Envoy. This program also offers $5,000 total in tuition help for every 100 hours logged from 500 hours to ATP minimums. So, say I am a part 141 graduate and can earn my ATP at 1,000 hours, after 500 hours I would receive $1,000 every 100 hours. Reading further into the cadet program it states I could receive up to $17,100 in a sign on bonus. Now I am no expert at math but 17,100 plus 5,000 equals 22,100, the same amount as the bonus stated on the first page. This means that any one not apart of the cadet program is only eligible up to $17,100. All this is just for signing up, after your first year there are no bonuses for signing up. If we take the $60,000 they advertise as starting pay and subtract the bonus, that’s only $37,900. That’s not very good. I believe that the pay increase needs to be an actual increase and not a bonus gimmick to make a difference. As for me, I am buying into this gimmick because my end goal is to work for American and Envoy offers a flow through program. If the gimmick works on me it will work on others.

The 1,500-hour rule has shrunk the hiring pool for the regionals. A pilot is eligible for his commercial rating at 250 hours. That is a 1,250-hour gap needed to be made up somewhere. Many go on to be flight instructors, survey, aerial photography. But some go to cargo companies or charter service companies because their hour requirement is 1,200 hours for Pilot in Command duties, which every pilot wants. These pilots begin working at a cargo company at 600 hours as a Second in Command to build hours to the 1,200. By the time they reach 1,200, they have probably been working at the company for a year and can upgrade to the Captain spot (MORE PAY). By the time they reach 1,500 they pass on the opportunity to go to the regionals because they can’t afford to take the pay cut.

Regional airlines have cadet programs which allow a sort of mentorship for beginning pilots. I believe this is a great idea, but I believe they need to broaden their horizon. These cadet programs are for sponsored schools and there aren’t many. I believe they need to open the cadet programs to all aviation students to give them a goal to work towards. They also need to increase their pay because no one wants to pay back loans while making $40,000 a year before taxes.

Professionalism to me is holding oneself to a higher standard.

Professionalism lacked in the documentary when the director of aviation safety stood at the footprint of a crashed plane that killed all on board stating the regional airlines are safe. This was very disrespectful to the families that lost loved ones on that flight and showed a lack in professionalism in his work. Another lack in professionalism was the pilots of Colgan Air. The pilots were in no way able to fly that plane. Money is not more important than the safety of other humans and your own life.

I do not believe the pay structure at the regional airlines is a contributing factor for the lack in professionalism. I believe this because it’s the way they are trained. If they are trained lackadaisical then they will fly lackadaisical. I also believe it’s the supervisors and management that contributes to the lack of professionalism. Management wants to make money for the company putting pressure on the supervisors who in turn puts the pressures on the pilots.

Two ways I will maintain and expand my professionalism once employed is to always stay learning. Becoming complacent in the ways you accomplish tasks leads to a lack in judgment, leading to an accident. I will also hold others to a higher standard that is set out by the company. If I notice a lack of professionalism I won’t hesitate to report it even if they are my superior.

References

Reynolds, M. (2017, October 16). Small Airports Could Soon Be Doomed Thanks to America's Growing Pilot Shortage. Retrieved January 19, 2018, from http://fortune.com/2017/10/16/pilot-shortage-airports-tickets-flights/

Young, R., & O'Brian, M. (Producers). (2010). Frontline[Video file]. United States: PBS. Retrieved January 20, 2018.

University & Commercial Flight Schools. (2017, December 18). Retrieved January 21, 2018, from https://www.envoyair.com/cadet-program/

Introduction

1) 
My interest in aviation began while I was growing up. My parents would take me to museums and air shows.  I never knew how to become a pilot, so i never really searched for any flight schools or intro lessons. Then in 9th grade someone I knew began his career at EMU Aviation. Our parents were good friends and they told them how to start. I went on my discovery flight in 2011 and that is when I finally knew i wanted to become a pilot.


2) 
I am currently a senior studying Aviation Flight Technology. I am working on my Commercial multi add-on. I will be graduating in April.

3) 
My current career goals are skewed. I know I would like to work for Envoy or PSA airlines and flow through to American Airlines.  To get to the ATP minimums there a lot to do other than flight instruct. As my idea to get to the airlines changes almost every other week my plan right now is to finish multi and CFI. Then I would like to CFI out of state to build up some hours to the Part 135 SIC minimums. Then stay there till I reach the ATP minimums. That will more than likely changemore than once during this class.

4) 
I would like to see people who have a variety of work experience flying. Not just CFI to airlines. Also the FAA last semester, brought up reducing the ATP minimums. I would like to discuss this some more. I would also like to discuss what the airlines believe are good hours. Because some people say single-engine turbine time looks bad on a resume for the airlines but CFIs with just single piston time get hired.