Careers in aviation management are taking off

Aviation, as a broad term, encompasses a wide variety of career opportunities. A person’s initial concepts of aviation are likely to be directed towards flying as a pilot in a commercial aircraft. But aviation is in actuality, a global organization that requires disciplined, professional managers to design, manage, and operate the national and international aviation systems of the future. Aviation is a high-tech, swiftly evolving, competitive business operating in a global arena. As a result, educated and sufficiently trained managers are needed in dozens of different careers within the arena of the aviation management industry. Transportation, marketing and logistics, flight operations, and air traffic control are just a few. There are in fact, far more positions available in aviation management than in commercial or private piloting.

Aviation Managers are needed in airports; airlines; transportation support fields; and local, state, federal, and international regulatory agencies. Technical experts with computer, electronic, instrumentation, inspection, and investigative skills are in great demand in these areas. The aviation industry also has many opportunities available in research and development. This is because work is frequently being performed to analyze aviation and to determine what can be done to make it safer and more efficient, as well as to develop new products and techniques designed to enhance the success of the aviation industry as a whole.

The three primary areas of focus in aviation management are Fixed Based Operation Management, General Airport Management and Financial Management. Fixed Base Operation Management (FBO) centers on the business practices involved in operating a maintenance facility at a commercial airport. General Airport Management revolves around the practices and policies of planning and management within the wide-ranging areas of a commercial airport. Corporate Financial Management focuses on the principles and techniques of financial analysis and long-term financing, capital management and budgeting within the aviation industry.

The field of Aviation Management has progressed quite a bit in the last few years in aircraft productivity, speed, and a variety of technologically enhanced arenas. The contribution of aviation is much greater than it was a decade ago. Furthermore, the industry is expected to continue to expand in the future. In fact, the job market in aviation management is so diverse that the future employment outlook is considered to be excellent.

One of the most significant areas of growth in aviation management is in air traffic control. The air traffic control system is an immense network of individuals and machines that strive to ensure the safe operation of both commercial and private airplanes. Air traffic controllers coordinate the movement of air traffic to make certain that planes stay a safe distance apart. Their immediate concern is safety, but controllers also must direct planes efficiently to minimize delays. Some regulate airport traffic; others regulate flights between airports.

The volume of air traffic is set to increase at an astounding rate over the next few years, which is also creating major problems for air traffic control centers. While technical developments in air traffic control are proceeding very rapidly, insufficient attention has been paid to the human factors that are equally vital to issues safety. In an area of the industry in which new technology is fueling dynamic levels of globalization, many experts are demanding that air traffic controllers should be required to meet international standards of training and qualification before being allowed to perform.

The aviation industry additionally offers many employment opportunities in the arena of employee management. This is because firms in this industry have quite varied employment relationships, and there is considerable evidence that these variations affect outcomes of critical interest to the airlines and their employees. For example, cross-functional coordination among occupational groups has been shown to be a critical determinant of turnaround time and other key productivity and quality outcomes. In more general terms, labor relations have been a pivotal issue in the recent history of the aviation industry. Highly adversarial labor relations exact a high price on profits and in some cases, such as the former Eastern Airlines, can contribute to the demise of an entire organization. At the other extreme, innovative and cooperative labor relations can be a source of significant competitive advantage, which makes the need for effective employee relations managers more paramount than ever.

Careers in aviation management are as diverse as they are complex. The aviation industry requires effective management in the areas of public relations, finance, business operations, civil engineering, personnel and labor relations. The aviation manager is often asked to wear a variety of different “hats” and is also likely to become directly involved in executive business decisions. Managers in the aviation industry may also at times be responsible for making and enforcing airport rules and regulations, planning and supervising maintenance and safety programs, negotiating leases, determining the airport budget and promoting increased use of the airport. Thus a career in aviation management offers a plethora of unique management opportunities that offer variety, advancement potential and job security.