Expert: David A. NewMyer - 11/25/2003

Question
Hi. I am interested in a career in aviation. I am 30 years old and have 7 hours of flight training behind me. I love flying and everything associated with it, but understand that given my age and experience - starting a career as a pilot now would be a bit of a long shot.
I am now wondering about other avenues in aviation to pursue. I am not really interested in being a mechanic or ATC. I am intersted in positions that would allow growth and management potential. This was spurred by me stumbling across information about colleges that do MBA's in aviation.
Do you have any good ideas?
How could one expect to be employed if he/she completed an aviation MBA without any other experience in aviation, for example?

Answer
Hi, David:

Thanks for your question.  I will try to assist.

As far as your age and experience, being 30 years old still gives you (assuming good health) 30 years to get the qualifications you need and then get that good job with a major airline and work for 20 to 25 years in such a position.  That is, there is a mandatory age 60 retirement rule for airline pilots flying for FAR 121 airlines (airlines flying large airline equipment).  So, if flying is really what you want to do, don't let your age stop you.  There is still time to pursue a flight career.  The key is to honestly assess what YOU want to do and what you LOVE to do.  Give that some thought.

If flying is not all that you want to do, but, just part of it, then, you need to step back and look at the entire aviation industry as a source of employment.  For example, there are four main parts to the civilian aviation industry in the USA:

Aviation/aerospace Manufacturing:  689,000 employees

Airlines (major, national, regional
and Air Cargo):                    704,000 employees

General aviation (all flying except
that done by the airlines and the
military.  Includes corporate flight
departments, fixed base operations at
airports that do fueling, flight
training companies, maintenance
companies, etc):                   638,000 employees

Government (federal, state and
local including most local airports,
state aviation agencies and federal
agencies such as the Federal Aviation
Administration, Transportation Security
Agency, National Trans Safety Board, etc): 176,000 empl.

TOTAL:                               2,207,000 employees

So, in an industry that employees over 2 million people, there are lots of opportunities for a well educated and aviation-certificated person.  As far as positions that offer growth and management potential, they exist throughout the industry in every segment.  Some segments such as government agencies and manufacturing tend to recognize the value of education (such as an MBA) a bit more than other segments such as general aviation and airlines.  However, airlines will value an MBA in their marketing and sales forces.  Airlines right now are a bit constrained in the post-9/11 environment.  Many layoffs have occurred and a few more are still happening at some airlines as they shrink to reduce costs.  However, at the same time, some low cost carriers such as Southwest, jetBlue, ATA, Air Tran and Frontier and expanding.  So, those companies probably represent the best AIRLINE opportunities right now, along with some larger regional airlines like Comair or Skywest.  Other growth segments are represented by aviation manufacturers that are building the next generation of military aircraft such as Lockheed-Martin and The Boeing Company (St. Louis).  Another growth segment since 9-11 has been corporate and business aviation...however, that segment is largely focused on hiring pilots, mechanics and dispatchers and has little room for an MBA who is not otherwise qualified in aviation.

That leads me to a point about aviation jobs in general:  There IS a bias in favor of those employee candidates who have some sort of aviation certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, some military aviation background or experience and/or some sort of past civil aviation background or experience.  As someone who has worked for over 30 years in aviation, and who entered the industry with no prior FAA certification, I can say that, if it had not been for an internship that I accidentally received while I was still in college that got me some civil aviation experience, I would not be where I am today.  I have also run into several circumstances where some form of FAA certification would have been helpful to me.  So, I recommend that to you:  Get some sort of Pilot or other certification.  It helps your credibility.

As far as completing an Aviation MBA and what expectations one might have from such a program with little or no experience:  I think it depends a lot on the economy at the time you graduate AND on the placement history of the program/networking from which you graduate.  Much of the placement of graduates from ANY program has to do with networking with prior graduates as well as the connections to aviation of the faculty with whom you study.  I think that I addresses the possibilities in general above as far as growth segments in aviation....those areas are where I would concentrate a job search if I were an MBA student.  The job hunt for any aviation student today is just as hard as finishing the degree itself!  It is hard work but worth it in the end.

By the way, as far as universities that offer aviation degree programs, the University Aviation Association sells a booklet entitled THE COLLEGIATE AVIATION GUIDE which lists all such institutions.  Call them at 334-844-2434 or email them at uaa@auburn.edu to order.

I hope that this answer has helped.  If you need more, please follow up with another question.  Best wishes to you!

Sincerely,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu