21st Century Aerospace and the Power of Human Communication Skills

Aviation played a vital and dynamic role in 20th Century technical and social progress. That role has always represented power and continues to do so as it expands to meet the challenges of aerospace power in the 21st Century. Human communication skills are the transmission vehicle that allows aviation/aerospace information to be converted to the power of usage in this highly specialized and dynamic field. Utilizing the advice gleaned from the literature and studies pertinent to the importance of communications skills in a variety of occupations, this presentation discusses the perceived deficit in communications training for aviation students and further explores the importance of developing those skills for 21st Century aerospace leadership

A Delphi Study: Expanding K-12 Student Knowledge and Interests in Aviation/Aerospace Recommendations from NASA Aerospace Education Specialists

An aging aerospace workforce coupled with declining student interest and skills beginning at the secondary level and running through the doctoral level has prompted a potential crisis in the aviation/aerospace industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that 54 percent of U.S. aerospace workers over age 45 will leave the field by 2008 opening up some six million aerospace jobs. If the existing trends continue, there will not be enough workers to fill those positions which are vital to the U.S. economy and security. Aerospace employment is at its lowest in 50 years (Aerospace Industries Association, 2004). Data from the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry indicated that math and science performance of U.S. high school seniors ranks near the bottom internationally (2002). The Commission made the following recommendation: The Commission recommends the nation immediately reverse the decline in, and promote the growth of, a scientifically and technologically trained U.S. aerospace workforce. In addition, the nation must address the failure of the math, science and technology education of Americans. The breakdown of America\u27s intellectual and industrial capacity is a threat to national security and our capability to continue as a world leader (p. xvi). The Commission further stressed the importance of taking action to improve math and science instruction across the entire education range--K-12 through graduate school. In an effort to encourage students to pursue scientific interests in aviation/aerospace, Aerospace Education Specialists working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are involved in a relatively new effort to work with K-12 educators to provide in-classroom education about the field of aviation/aerospace. As former K-12 educators, these specialists are constantly looking for new and creative ways to convey to current K-12 educators the importance of aviation/aerospace careers to the future of the industry. And, as representatives of NASA, these specialists are trained and experienced in matching agency resources with the needs of educators

Quality Indicators for Collegiate Professional Pilot Training Programs: a Delphi Study

The purpose of this study was to identify the quality indicators that comprise an exceptional collegiate professional pilot program as identified by a national panel of experts in aviation higher education. A Delphi panel of 13 experts participated in a 3-round Delphi to identify quality indicators in 9 categories. This was accomplished through generation of qualitative comments in the first Delphi round, following by rating and ranking of categories and items within categories in 2 subsequent rounds. Findings and conclusions./ The Delphi panel of experts provided their perceptions of quality indicators within 9 categories and were in clear agreement concerning the relative importance of categories and items within categories. The categories in descending order of importance were: Faculty; Equipment and Technology; Curriculum and Instructional Delivery; Government (FAA) Compliance; Facilities; Assessment/Evaluation; Flight/Administrative/Staff Support Services; Completion Rates; and Student Organizations. ASchool of Teaching and Curriculum Leadershi

A Comparative Study of Collegiate Aviation Students and Business Students Related to Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Preferences

There has been limited research to date that addresses the difference, if any, between students who choose the various fields of aviation as a major, and those who choose other majors, particularly business. This study utilizes the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to compare preferences of aviation majors to business majors because of its unique characteristics and its noted lack of use in the aviation arena. The findings of the study revealed that there are no significant differences between business and aviation students in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicators except in the way they orient themselves in the environment (Judging and Perceiving). These findings are a reminder to teachers of aviation students that classroom structure should balance discussion, practice skills, fun and other activities with learning objectives to accommodate the dominant styles of aviation learners. On the other hand, the predominant Judging style of business students would demand that classroom discussion be somewhat limited in order to meet specific learning goals. Maintaining a balance of teaching style is important both for the teacher and the student in reducing the discomfort of the teacher operating outside a preferred style and eliminating the mental stress of the student attempting to learn new material while using an auxiliary type