Role of Pilots in Aviation Industry - Essay Example

Details) Aviation Industry (Pilots) Pilots are usually highly trained professionals who fly helicopters and airplanes while carrying out other major tasks (Robinson 5). Although most pilots are entitled to transport cargo and passengers, some pilots are also involved in other tasks like testing aircraft, tracking criminals, directing fire fighting efforts, evacuating and rescuing injured people and monitoring traffic (Robinson 152). Generally, pilots are entitled to fly cargo and passengers for commercial, private corporations and charter airlines (Colbert 3). To a larger extent, two personnel, a pilot and a copilot or a captain and a co-captain share the responsibilities in an airplane. They for instance check the aircraft and its components (controls, tires, instruments, engines, cargo and luggage loading) to ensure that everything is operating as expected (Harvey 10). They also check with the weather service to establish the smoothest, safest and fastest flight path. They also monitor various systems and instruments during the flight while keeping in touch with the flight and air traffic coordinators throughout the journey in order to maintain the speed, altitude and the course of the flight (Robinson 153). Since pilots are evidently very important, they should be respected, their working conditions enhanced and their demands should be solved immediately they arise. As a matter of fact, airlines would close without pilots. Consequently, competent management of pilots is an important aspect irrespective of the type and size of an airline (Harvey 12). Similarly, pilots must also know their job while aiming at satisfying their employers and safely flying the customers to their destinations. Why Pilot Unions are important for the Airline Pilots One of the major functions of all levels of management in aviation is ensuring that human factor situations in which employees and other stakeholders operate are created (Marable 66). This is achieved by ensuring that the environment is enhanced for the employees to be able to accomplish their job. Since individual employees are limited to fight for their own rights, labor unions come in handy. In aviation industry for instance, labor unions play a very important role. Research shows that almost all airline pilots are union members (Tetrick 48). Globally, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is the largest union which represents pilots in Canada and America (Tetrick 49). Just like other employees in other industries, pilots have recently faced major challenges in their work routines. The management of civil aviation pilots is made even harder by the specific features of their work including the disincentive for a pilot to leave an airline and the extensive industrial power (Harvey 8). A suitable framework for evaluating the level of power and responsibilities in the aviation industry has thus been enhanced by unions. Most Commercial Airline pilots have joined one or more pilot unions including Airline Pilots Association, Allied Pilots Association (American Airlines) or International (ALPHA) (Colbert 3). Pilot unions are important bodies that bring order in airlines (Harvey 8). ALPA and other pilot unions are for instance involved in negotiating working conditions and the pay of the pilots (Colbert 4). Union Carriers also force employers to specify the processes of handling complaints and grievances in the contracts engaging their employees (Mark 140). This is not usually the case with non-union airlines which give different or non-existent methods of handling grievances. At the same time, a non-union employee does not have much recourse in terms of violations of work rules (Colbert 4). Unions also give pilots an opportunity to present their feelings and views to their employers through negotiating teams as written in the contracts (Mark 148). In the course of their operations, pilots also make their demands and expectations and speak out through their unions. Pilots are also given an opportunity to contribute to decisions touching their operations in terms of rules, needs and their working conditions through union representatives. The unions also effectively train investigators who assist in investigations of accidents and inspection of aircraft safety (Tetrick 49). The pilot and airline unions also act as powerful representatives of aviation safety matters in most countries (Colbert 6). The bargaining power of the unions is also very important in mitigating risks and losses which may result from threats of employee strikes. If awaited to happen, a strike of pilots can lead to a closure of airline operations (Harvey 10). Transport services in this case can be stopped and significant losses may be experienced by manufacturers and dealers of perishable commodities. How Corporate America Manipulates the Labor Force Globalization of information and capital revolution has transformed the production system and the character of work in America in a tremendous way (Robinson 152). The gender, ethnic and racial composition of the working class in America is changing faster than ever anticipated. On the other hand, corporate America seems to be using the same profit-driven methods that serve them well at the expense of the employees. The policies formulated and used are for controlling and manipulating the society and the labor market at large (Mark 16; Netjasov 66). While being guided by greed, the corporate America has as a matter of fact learnt to use the fundamental characteristics of most Americans for its own advantage. Organizations have for instance continued eliminating jobs and reducing wages and benefits. Prompted by corporate America profit oriented policies, every employee’s determination to survive has put workplace competition at exceeding levels. The consequences of corporate America are actually being observed even in the other members outside labor force. Corporate America has also increased job stress which has contributed to the current social and medical problems including heart attacks, impotency, high blood pressure and suicide (Mark 88). Corporate America has also adopted corporate multiculturalism as a way of manipulating diversity to maximize profits. There is racial exclusivity and divisiveness which has greatly manipulated the black people and other racial classes (Robinson 152). Many Americans are faced with great uncertainty each day about economic issues. Although employees are honest, they find themselves in accumulated debts and some turn to crime. Consequently, the society is slowly being characterized by increasing turbulence and growing unrest (Robinson 153). This is more so because the behavior and policies of the corporate America have pushed most employees to infidelity, divorce, murders, robberies and road carnage (Robinson 154). Most people also feel a deep sense of job insecurity. Corporate America has also turned to multinational companies in other countries which have seen them reduce their dependence of American labor (Mark 18). As a result, American workers have very little or no job protection. More sadly, college level and graduate employees have been forced to compete with the illiterate and semi-literate people for the available menial jobs. With its cost-cutting methods, corporate America has further created an ever-growing and potentially dangerous social and labor situation. Employees are in this case subjected to work for companies which only value profit and are in no way loyal to their employees and the country and its people. The corporate America has also created the ‘me’ factor where loyalty, friendship and fair play are no longer present at the work places (Robinosn 155). After the World War II, the labor union movement and corporate America agreed that corporations would increase wages and offer job security to their employees as long as radicals were removed from trade unions and labor would not go on strike (Marable 67). The agreement was however breached by the late 1970s due to the increasing competition from Japan and Europe (Marable 67). The corporate America has capitalized on this to manipulate employees while leaving them frustrated. Corporations have in this case thrown their employees out of their work places, overworked them for low pay and skilled workers are subjected to semi-skilled jobs or pressured from high paying. As Marable further observes, millions of Americans work for more than forty hours in a week but never have enough money to care for their children and families (47). Unfortunately, the society at large has not yet realized to what extent corporate America’s policies have affected the lives of majority Americans. Arguably though, although at a very stressing level, existing corporate policies have enabled employees to compete amongst themselves which is very healthy for the growth of any organization. As a matter of fact, the profits generated by organizations enables them retain their operations and work force. Why a Pilot Must Always Remember His/her Job. Air transport is expected to grow with more than 4.5% annual rate in spite of the underlying challenges like global economic crisis (Netjasov 213). Air traffic in Europe is actually forecasted to exceed three fold in 2050 (Netjasov 213). Like many other occupations, the work of a pilot can be extremely demanding. Airline pilots are for instance faced with situations which ask for wisdom and expertise skills. A pilot should in this case ensure that the demands bestowed on him do not exceed his/her operational capacities and capabilities. This calls for the same level of safety measures in order to reduce accidents caused by human errors. It is with these major reasons that pilots must always remember their job. Airline pilots must also cope with long and irregular hours of duty which are at times imposed by changes of time zones. At all times, a pilot should remember his or her job in order to accomplish his/her duties at the end of the flight. Pilots must also remember their job considering that the air transport system is a complex entity that involves air traffic control services, airports and airlines (Colbert 3). The pilots should remember how each aspect interacts with the other and what needs to be done at any particular time in order to avoid accidents. Before each flight, airplane pilots must also perform a number of safety measure tasks including determining flight and weather conditions, verifying the maintenance status of the air crafts while ensuring that enough fuel is on board. While captains are involved in briefing the crew members and flight attendants about the flight, pilots are entitled to perform operation checks and to test proper functioning of controls, instruments, mechanical and electronic systems on the flight deck (Mark 48). As a matter of fact, these operations require total sobriety from each pilot. Pilots must also remember their jobs considering that emergencies, challenges and other problems may be encountered during the flight. Any response to such issues requires quick response and sound judgment. This can only be implemented by pilots who know their job in order to enable them to adhere to checklist procedures in all areas of their operations. In conclusion, airline piloting is an exciting, important yet challenging career. Since airlines cannot operate without them, pilots should be regarded important and appreciated through proper training, fair remunerations and favorable working conditions. All stakeholders involved including the employers and the pilot unions should come in to defend the work of airline pilots. Pilots should on the other hand endeavor to remember their job in order to enhance un-interactive operations in the airlines while reducing human errors and accidents. Works Cited Colbert, Judy. Career Opportunities in the Travel Industry. USA: Library of Congress, 2004. Print. Harvey, Geraint. Management in the Airline Industry. USA: Library of Congress, 2007. Print. Marable, Manning. Black Liberation in Conservative America. USA: Library of Congress, 1997. Print. Mark, Robert. Professional Pilot Career Guide. USA: Library of Congress, 1999. Print. Netjasov, Fedja. “Framework for Airspace Planning and Design Based On Conflict Risk Assessment Part 2: Conflict Risk Assessment Model for Airspace Tactical Planning”. Transportation Research 24 (2012): 213-226. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. Robinson, David. Corporate Americas Final Solution. USA: AuthorHouse, 2008. Print. Tetrick, Byron. Choosing a Career as a Pilot. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2002. Print. Read More