Aviation Organizations

Despite AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) and ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association) being the two most important aviation organizations for an aviation professional to belong to, I’m going to talk about a few less-recognized aviation organizations that are still worthwhile.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an organization that anyone with an interest in aviation should belong to. I am a Lifetime Member of the EAA, and the organization’s purpose goes well beyond experimental aircraft. The EAA has existed since 1953 and is comprised of almost 200,000 members. EAA is self-described as “the Spirit of Aviation”. As described on the EAA website, the EAA serves the aviation community by:

Inspiring new participants in aviation

·       Inviting the public to experience 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

(EAA, 2018)

Aviation interests served by the EAA include learning to fly, pilot resources, homebuilts, ultralights, light sport aircraft, warbirds, vintage aircraft, aerobatics, and more. The EAA has chapters at airports all around the country and hosts VMC and IMC clubs, as well as the world’s largest aviation event in Oshkosh. The EAA provides advocacy for the freedom to fly and offers resources to keep the entire general aviation community safe.

While the EAA doesn’t specifically cater to aviation professionals, the EAA has an immense member base, and there are endless opportunities to meet other aviators, both professional and recreational. The EAA also has many job opportunities, including, one of particular interest, part-time positions as a Ford Tri-Motor pilot. Becoming an EAA member is a great way to network and create lifelong friendships.

Another organization is the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). The NBAA is an organization founded on the use of general aviation aircraft for business purposes. Another way of describing the NBAA’s focus is corporate aviation under Part 91. The NBAA website states,

Throughout its history, NBAA has worked to support policies that foster business aviation in the United States and around the world. Among the policy priorities for the Association and the industry it represents are modernization of the nation’s aviation system, building upon the already outstanding safety record for business aviation and preserving secure access to airports and airspace (NBAA, 2018).

The NBAA is an organization for anyone with an interest in corporate or business aviation. The organization provides networking opportunities, career resources, and advocacy for issues that are important to the industry. The NBAA can help its members land jobs in a multitude of business organizations that use aviation to excel. Corporate flight departments can be lucrative opportunities, they offer flying opportunities, as well as the opportunity to work within the company in other capacities.

Belonging to any organization is important to connect with others. Aviation is not a huge industry, but you won’t believe how much is missed when the only person you interact with is the pilot in the seat next to you. By reaching out and contributing to the aviation community, an individual can feel the sense of belonging within a larger group. Who you know means a lot in aviation. Relationships open doors for careers and friendships and make the profession more enjoyable overall. Take a little time to network on a daily basis. You don’t know who somebody else knows.

Sources:

Experimental Aircraft Association. (2018). Who we are. EAA. Retrieved from https://www.eaa

.org/en/eaa/about-eaa/who-we-are

National Business Aviation Administration. (2018) Legislative & regulatory issues. NBAA.

Retrieved from https://www.nbaa.org/advocacy/issues/

Open Skies

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.

The Open Skies Agreement is a deal between the governments of the US and the UAE to create an “international aviation system based on competition among airlines in the marketplace with minimum government interference and regulation” (U.S. Department of State, 2002). The agreement, signed by the U.S. Department of State, permits the other country’s airlines to “establish offices in the territory of the other Party for the promotion and sale of air transportation” (p. 6).

“Delta, along with American and United through the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, have asked the U.S. government to open consultations with Qatar and the UAE to address the issue of $42 billion in government subsidies given to the Gulf carriers, which violate the Open Skies agreements between the U.S. and those nations” (Modolo, 2015). Emirates and Etihad are two Gulf airlines that are a part of the agreement and government subsidized.

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

In the past, the Contract Mail Act of 1925 provided “agreements and subsidies that pioneered what would eventually become the carrier’s domestic route maps” (McGee, 2015). USA Today added that the Essential Air Service program and Fly America Act are evidence of US airline subsidies. The Essential Air Service program “currently provides subsidies for airlines serving 163 rural communities nationwide” (McGee, 2015). Since 1974, the Fly America Act has “required federal agencies to use U.S. air carriers to transport passengers and cargo when such travel is funded by the government” (McGee, 2015). After 9/11, “Congress and President Bush put forth the Air Transportation Safety and Stabilization Act. Washington so quickly assisted the airlines that virtually nothing was asked in return, not even the quid pro quo of implementing the many passenger rights proposals put forth during that time” (McGee, 2015). It is apparent the U.S. government, like any other nation, does assist its aviation businesses.

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 Export-Import Bank’s purpose is to “help American businesses sell their goods and services abroad” (Lipton & Weisman, 2015). Boeing claims that “the Ex-Im Bank is crucial in allowing the company to compete against export credit agencies in France and Germany, which are only too happy to offer guarantees for the purchase of jets from Airbus, Boeing’s sole competitor in the wide-body market” (Lipton & Weisman, 2015). Delta Airlines has claimed that competitors, including Emirates, have “used the Ex-Im guarantees to lower their borrowing costs, and then used the savings to cut ticket prices on international routes that compete with Delta or buy still more new jets” (Lipton & Weisman, 2015). American companies are not able to use the Ex-Im Bank to secure these low interest rates for purchasing Boeing aircraft.

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

U.S. carriers take issue with Norwegian in a similar way to Gulf carriers. Norwegian uses a crew-leasing scheme by employing staff from a firm called OSM Aviation (Lazare, 2017). Norwegian Air uses the crew leasing scheme “to sharply undercut pilot pay scales at the U.S.-based carriers. According to the data provided by U.S.-based pilots, a typical Norwegian Air captain flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner earns approximately $115,000 yearly, while a captain flying a Dreamliner for United or American would earn approximately $270,000 annually” (Lazare, 2017). The issue U.S. carriers have with foreign carriers is that they are subsidized by foreign governments and they don’t have unionized work forces.

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

Based on the information that I found, the international aviation industry is not a level playing field. In a sense, it is a pay-to-win structure where the airlines that get the most government assistance are able to offer the lowest rates and obtain the most customers. I do not think it is right for the U.S. to essentially ‘tear up’ the Open Skies Agreement because foreign carriers are subsidized. It is not on Etihad, or any other airline, to not accept government subsidies or take advantage of the Export-Import Bank offered. It is on the U.S. government to ramp up assistance to domestic carriers and compete on the global level.

Sources:

U.S. Department of State. (March, 2002). Air Transport Agreement between the government of

the United States of America and the government of the United Arab Emirates. US Department of State. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/1 25743.pdf

Modolo, K. (October 2015). Subsidized Gulf carrier competition forces Delta to cancel ATL-

Dubai. Delta News Hub. Retrieved from https://news.delta.com/subsidized-gulf-carrier-competition-forces-delta-cancel-atl-dubai

McGee, B. (September 2015). How much do taxpayers support airlines? USA Today. Retrieved

From https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/mcgee/2015/09/02/how-much-do-taxpayers-support-airlines/71568226/

Lipton, E. & Weisman, J. (April 2015) Boeing and Delta spend millions in fight over Export-

Import Bank’s existence. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/20 15/04/07/business/boeing-delta-air-lines-export-import-bank.html

Lazare, L. (February 2017) Why United, Delta and American pilots are still calling out Norwegian

Air. Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved from https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/ne ws/2017/02/15/united-delta-american-pilots-take-on-norwegian-air.html

FAA Administrator

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

Since 1989, John Dunkin’s work experience, according to a Smithsonian documentary, has been working as Trump’s personal pilot. Dunkin is the Trump Organization’s director of aviation operations for a fleet that includes a Boeing 757, a Cessna Citation X business jet and three Sikorsky helicopters. An administration official went on record to say of Dunkin, “He’s managed airline and corporate flight departments, certified airlines from start-up under FAA regulations, and oversaw the Trump presidential campaign’s air fleet, which included managing all aviation transport for travel to 203 cities in 43 states over the course of 21 months.” (Swan, 2018).

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

Republican congressman from Missouri, Sam Graves is a pilot and long-time supporter of the general aviation industry. A spokeswoman from his office said that his office is not aware that he is being considered for the position. He has made it clear that he is seeking the House Transportation Committee chairmanship, whose current holder is retiring from Congress (Swan, 2018).

Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell is another candidate for the FAA Administrator position. The acting FAA Administrator was in the Air Force. He flew over 6,000 hours, including combat service in Operation Desert Storm, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and Command Pilot. After the Air Force, he was a pilot at American Airlines for 16 years. He served as Vice President of the Aerospace Industries Association and the Senior Vice President for Safety, Security, and Operations at Airlines 4 America (Federal Aviation Administration, 2018).

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

Trump has expressed sentiment that the FAA Administrator position should be held by a pilot. The Obama-era Administrator Michael Huerta was not a pilot. “Huerta has previously been the FAA’s deputy administrator, and before that held posts elsewhere in DOT, worked at port organizations for New York City and San Francisco, and been managing director of Salt Lake City’s organizing committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics” (Politico, 2018). Typically, FAA administrators have been aviation industry or federal government professionals, with patronage appointments few and far between in recent years. Huerta’s immediate predecessor, Obama appointee Randy Babbitt, was a former airline pilot an executive for ALPA. Babbitt resigned from the FAA after being charged with drunken driving (Politico, 2018).

-What is the job description of FAA Administrator?

The FAA Administrator is responsible for managing all of the FAAs employees and setting directives and deliverables for the entire organization. The Administrator is the highest position in the FAA.

-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?

Who gets appointed to the FAA Administrator position is very important. The FAA administrator is the highest position and provides upper level leadership. Without strong leadership at the top, the FAA will inevitably end up with problems. The FAA needs a leader that understands aviation and can act in the best interest of all. The FAA creates and enforces the regulations which govern all aviation, so the Administrator must have the well-being of aviation as his or her highest priority.

Federal Aviation Administration. (January 2018). Daniel K. Elwell Acting Administrator.

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

Gurciullo, B. & Snyder, T. (February 2018). Skepticism reigns about putting Trump’s pilot in

charge of FAA. Politico. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/26/tru mppilot-faa-post-skepticism-366199

Swan, J. (February 2018). Trump privately pushing personal pilot to run FAA. Axios. Retrieved

from https://www.axios.com/exclusive-trump-privately-pushing-personal-pilot-to-run-faa-1519595187-5a735cc4-63e6-4348-b980-1aadf0b8e80d.html