The Goals of Airline Alliances and MCL Licensing
Creation of networking and provision of Competency-Based Training (CBT) are the goals of alliances and MCL licensing respectively. Commercial pressure and cost reduction calls for various aviation companies to merge and create an airline hub for the movement of passengers and other products. Airline alliances therefore, is the coming together of two or more firms to create a distinctive entity in which each single entity maintains individual features, identity and internal management. The aim of joint operation is to provide a wider market for a particular product under one commercial brand. In this case, however, it should be noted that coming together of airlines to co-exist does not rule out quality provision of services. The thin boundary is the extent and core drive towards making high value measures of operation a priority. In this view, therefore, creating a knowledge and experience oriented environment for controlling aviation entities is more influential compared to opening up for networking. This justifies the fact that MCL licensing, due to its training oriented motives, outweighs networking because it entails learning processes and equipping administration of aviation firms with the know-how skills on effective manning of the available resources. Quality learning is needed for matching the firms with the current technology that is developing rapidly therefore, MCL licensing, being for excellent performance, should be embraced.
The question whether to adopt airline alliances or multi-crew pilot licensing depends solely on the need for branding, networking competency, safety and technological advancements (quality or networking). Commercial pressure and cost reduction calls for various aviation companies to merge and create an airline hub for the movement of passengers and other products (Earnhardt et al, 2014). Airline alliances therefore, is the coming together of two or more firms to create a distinctive entity in which each single unit maintains individual features, identity and internal management. The aim of joint operation is to provide a wider market for a particular product under one commercial brand. Multi-crew Pilot Licenses (MCL) is a competence and training oriented initiative that seeks to measure the knowledge and qualification of aircraft personnel by providing quality education using advanced technology. For instance, the use of simulation, that is, employment of high technology equipment with virtual real cockpit to train pilots without using the actual aircraft (Glassman et al, 2015). The option whether to heavyweight or lightweight airline alliances and multi-crew pilot licensing relies on the networking, product marketing and training for competence and safety assurance.
To begin with, safety of passengers is crucial compared to branding and market expansion for services and commodities. Air travel has recently continued to be the safest means of transport. This is attributed to proper education for the crew on risk management, imparting knowledge, setting appropriate code of conduct standards and upholding competency based training. The rates of accidents have dropped compared to previous scenario when multi-crew pilot licenses were not initiated. For instance, the lifetime likelihood of dying in an air or space transport accident is 1 in 7229 passengers and includes noticeably more dangerous non-commercial air travel (Radigan, 2011). To make it more clarifiable, the chances of an aircraft accident are, in terms of risk, induced by unnoticeable firearms discharging and followed by undue exposure to natural heat. The comparison that is often made to the danger of dying as a car occupant is 1 in 415. This brings a clear view of how training of aircraft pilots has mitigated occurrence of flight- perpetrated deaths. On the contrary, airline alliances seek to proliferate bargaining power, large quantity purchase and cost reduction (Tsai & Huang, 2012). The merged firms enjoy wide market and reduced purchasing cost for the aircrafts. In this perspective, the battle is between human life safety and comfort. Although individuals need to lead economical existence by employing little efforts to meet their desires, their life is far much important. The wellbeing and knowledge ability is crucial for catapulting human towards meeting their daily aspired requirements and matching with the advancing scientific and technological world (Ciuffoletti, 2018). It is therefore, evident that safety and experience are two different but inseparable components. Air travel time does not equal knowledge thus a need for dogmatic values. Flight occasion, from this perspective, is not a direct measure of experience or safety thus a call for intense training by use of devices such as simulators.
The Importance of Safety and Competence in Aviation
In addition, time economy should be considered when attaching weight to airline alliances and multi-crew pilot licensing. Merging of firms to operate under shared codes and values may induce congestion and time uneconomicity (Fullingim, 2011). For example, passengers who are on a short point to point journey cannot make a direct move to their terminuses without going through the designated airline hub as it is the case with passengers travelling from Manchester to Kozhikolde in India who have to go to London, Paris or Frankfurt. Long waiting hours and congestion is experienced especially in scenario where so many passengers using a single course are to be served. Unlike alliances, multi-crew pilot licensing enhances competence. The best results are achieved through training and running several education programs (Sinha, Wei & Hwang, 2017). This enhances passenger oriented values in terms of servicing. As alliances aim at creation of market and trade relations, MCL tries to meet travelers’ needs through promoting competence and experience building.
The central question of concern conversely, is whether to support quality and capacitating experience or fortifying connections to provide a vast market and enjoy membership cost reduction through coalitions. In this case, however, it should be noted that coming together of airlines to co-exist does not rule out quality provision of services (Naeem et al, 2011). The thin boundary is the extent and core drive towards making high value measures of operation a priority. Alliances equally need pilots to facilitate passenger and cargo flight, therefore, the major concern is on how well they can manage aircrafts and auto control any risk accruing and take a timely and appropriate course of action. The fact remains that whether operating as a non-airline union member or as a joint, experience and competency is required. The know-how is attained through proficiency-based training and assessment as it is prepared in MCL programs that take emphasis on realizing benchmarked values of performance and application of learnt skills in the place of work after finishing an education program (Earnhardt et al, 2014). A competent pilot, as a result, should be in proper position of applying procedures based on documented operating directives, exhibit effective language use and receptive feedback to resolve ambiguities, manual aircraft control to ensure successful outcome of movement. These attributes are products of proper training plans that mould an aircraft manager into an all-round and independent individual.
Furthermore, aviation management not only requires subsided operation cost to remain functional but it also needs rational minded personnel to facilitate proper running and meeting of the expenses on operational factors. Alliances constitute a relative reduction in aircraft purchase expenses but when the knowledge on how to manage the available revenues lacks, it is equally expensive because the returns that are controlled poorly cannot allow enjoyment of the mitigated costs of functioning (Fullingim, 2011). Also, facts have it that employment of technology that is of high level tends to cut down on human resource requirement and improves on results due to efficiency. The surplus capital created is diverted towards some other developmental use such as expanding a certain department.
Time Economy in the Aviation Industry
Besides, a concern whether alliances and MCL licensing can exist in isolation is vital. Someone who is, for instance, empowered internally or mentally is more influential compared to the one made prominent through networking and co-existence (Yadav & Nikraz, 2012). In this regard, the distinctive feature is the difference in the dependence ratio. Although alliances create room for learning, sharing of codes and cost, it is evidenced that it cannot be alienated from managerial know-how which is an outcome of experience and intensive training of the crews. Keeping this line of argument, a non-alliance member airline that upholds high standards of providing competent education programs can stand on its own and thrive compared to the one in coalition but which does not give much attachment to ensuring that its personnel acquire relevant performance skills and harmonize to the fleeting progression of technology. As an MCL tool, Instructional System Design (ISD) is a tool for management that makes the foundation of knowledge acquiring policies or leaning procedures more professional (Yadav & Nikraz, 2012). The model is crafted to allow continuous assessment therefore making it an investigative advance. Based on the critical use of ISD, the likelihood that the courseware suits the education goals are increased.
In as much as alliances creates networking, market expansion and bargaining power, the concern for equilibrium of relation should be put into concern (Tsai & Huang, 2012). The aviation firms that are not into balance with the rest of the coalesced companies in terms of capital tend to operate along the choking lines. The financial imbalance system among the incorporated entities turns the less stable ones to overstretch as a means of matching onto the set levels. If such a case persists, for example, what will be the fate of the other corporation that is striving so hard to continue existing in the system? If management of aviation is based on alliances, then what should be the guarantee that the balance exists? The solution to these discrepancies should be endorsing company- based empowerment by initiating well laid out training strategies to fortify internal management (Aguado et al, 2011). As sighted from this analogy, therefore, creating a knowledge and experience oriented environment for controlling aviation entities is more influential compared to opening up for networking. This justifies the fact that MCL licensing, due to its training oriented approach, outweighs networking because it entails learning processes and equipping administration of aviation firms with the know-how skills on effective manning of the available resources.
In summary, aviation management requires implementation of proper training programs to enhance internal capacity building and administration skills rather than mere networking whether in alliance or independent entity. Multi-crew pilot licensing is driven with the goal of providing quality education and advanced technology for instance, the use of simulators. Management success of aviation firms therefore does not rely on network size but possession of appropriate skills and knowledge. Quality learning is needed for matching the firms with the current technology that is developing rapidly therefore, MCL licensing, being for excellent performance, should be embraced.
References
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