Taking Flight: Education and Training for Aviation Careers

214 Pages·1.128 MB·English

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title : Taking Flight : Education and Training for Aviation
Careers
author : Hansen, Janet S.; Oster, Clinton V.
publisher : National Academies Press
isbn10 | asin : 0309056764
print isbn13 : 9780309056762
ebook isbn13 : 9780585022383
language : English
subject Aeronautics--Vocational guidance.
publication date : 1997
lcc : TL561.T35 1997eb
ddc : 629.13/0023
subject : Aeronautics--Vocational guidance.
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Taking Flight
Education and Training
for Aviation Careers
Janet S. Hansen and Clinton V. Oster, Jr., Editors
Committee on Education and Training for Civilian Aviation Careers
Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
National Research Council
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, DC 1997

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NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS · 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW · Washington, DC 20418
NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National
Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National
Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report
were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report
Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of
Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.
This work is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and funded under contract no. EA9409001. The
content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education,
nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Taking flight: education and training for aviation careers / Janet S. Hansen and Clinton V. Oster, editors; Committee
on Education and Training for Civilian Aviation Careers, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and
Education, National Research Council.
p. cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. AeronauticsVocational guidance. I. Hansen, Janet S. II. Oster, Clinton V. III. National Research Council (U.S.).
Committee on Education and Training for Civilian Aviation Careers.
TL561.T35 1997
629.13'0023dc21
97-1965
CIP
Additional copies of this report are available from:
National Academy Press
2101 Constitution Avenue NW
Box 285
Washington, DC 20418
800-624-6242 or 202-334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area). http://www.nap.edu
Copyright 1997 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America

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Page iii
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR
CIVILIAN AVIATION CAREERS
CLINTON V. OSTER, JR. (Chair), School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University
MARGARET BATY, International Women's Air and Space Museum, Dayton, Ohio
SANDY BAUM, Department of Economics, Skidmore College
DOUGLAS C. BIRDSALL, Northwest Airlines, Stamford, Connecticut
CAPTAIN I.J. DUNCAN, Airbus Service Company, Inc., Miami Springs, Florida
JACQUELINE FLEMING, Barnard College and Motivation Research Corporation, New York
CAPTAIN PERRY JONES, Delta Airlines, Montclair, New Jersey
JOHN R. MEYER, Center for Business and Government, Harvard University
ISAAC R. NETTEY, School of Technology, Texas Southern University
JUDITH ORASANU, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
WILLIE PEARSON, JR., Department of Sociology, Wake Forest University
STEVEN SLIWA, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
HARRY THIE, RAND Corporation, Washington, D.C.
JAMES C. WILLIAMS, GE Aircraft Engines, Cincinnati, Ohio
FRED WORKLEY, National Air Transport Association, Alexandria, Virginia
JANET S. HANSEN, Study Director
GARY W. BALDWIN, Research Associate
THERESA NOONAN, Project Assistant

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The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars
engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their
use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has
a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts
is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of
Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the
selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal
government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national
needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. William A.
Wulf is interim president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of
eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the
public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional
charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care,
research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad
community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the
federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has
become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of
Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities.
The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr.
William A. Wulf are chairman and interim vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.

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Page v
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
1 INTRODUCTION 13
2 THE AVIATION INDUSTRY AND ITS WORKFORCE 18
The Aviation Industry 18
The Aviation Workforce 30
Worker Supply and Demand in the Aviation Industry 50
Recapitulation 52
3 THE IMPACT OF MILITARY DOWNSIZING 53
The Military as a Supplier of Pilots and Technicians 54
The Military Drawdown: Implications for Minorities and Women 61
4 CIVILIAN TRAINING FOR AVIATION CAREERS 76
Training Pathways for Specialized Aviation Occupations 77
Challenges for a Civilian Training System 98
5 DIVERSIFYING THE AVIATION WORKFORCE 114
A Historical Perspective 115
Developing Interest 120
Basic Academic Competencies 128
Barriers 139
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Page vi
REFERENCES 152
APPENDIX: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 163
INDEX 169

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Page vii
Acknowledgments
The Committee on Education and Training for Civilian Aviation Careers is deeply indebted to a number of
individuals who made significant contributions to its work. First and foremost are the staff at the National Research
Council. Gary Baldwin served as research associate throughout the project. He undertook special responsibility for
tracking down frequently elusive literature and data; he also wrote invaluable background materials that assisted the
committee in elucidating the issues, identifying the relevant evidence, and drawing appropriate conclusions. Senior
Project Assistant Theresa Noonan coordinated the committee's meetings with great efficiency and prepared
successive drafts of the manuscript. Alexandra Wigdor, as always, provided wisdom and guidance throughout.
Christine McShane's editing added greatly to the clarity of the report. Elsa Riemer prepared the final version of the
manuscript for publication with skill and care. Consultant Nancy Kober gave important assistance with writing in
the late stages of the committee's deliberations.
The committee is also grateful for the willingness of literally dozens of individuals from government agencies,
aviation trade and interest groups, colleges and schools, research organizations, industry, and the aviation press to
help the committee accumulate essential information and evidence. A few of these individuals deserve special
thanks for their good-natured and helpful responses to numerous requests throughout the study:
R. Gregg Carr, FAPA
Dr. Gary Eiff, Purdue University
Zee Ferris, Defense Manpower Data Center

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