-As for the particular job I would like to end up at currently, it would be ramp management/ramp control at Delta Air Lines, preferably at DTW, ATL, or MSP.
-This job would involve managing the ramp in a hub environment, and directing ground personnel, equipment, and aircraft in order to ensure a safe, efficient, and effective operation. Such a job can involve being on the ground on the ramp, or in a ramp control tower, depending on location and specific position.
-Safety and liability concerns are a major part of any ramp job, and being in ramp management involves considering safe aircraft movement, vehicle movement, personnel activity, and numerous aspects of aircraft servicing that include risks that must be monitored and controlled. This complexity requires constant vigilance and thorough knowledge of airport operations to maintain a high level of safety.
Professionalism is having a respect for the job, the organization, the rules, and the customers you serve. It includes maintaining a level of knowledge and skill necessary to be proficient at one's job, and maintaining a respectable attitude under any circumstances.
In the "Flying Cheap" documentary, there are numerous examples of unprofessional behavior. One of these is the offer by Colgan management to alter the duty time records for a pilot in order to not delay and/or cancel a flight. This situation shows a lack of respect for rules and for safety, and is the type of thinking that undermines the safety culture of an organization. Another example found in the documentary is the tragic case of the captain of Flight 3407, who exhibited poor airmanship skills in attempting to recover from the dangerous attitude that led to the crash, itself a possible result of airline management overlooking his prior failed checkrides other warning signs.
In my career, I plan on maintaining the highest level of professionalism possible. One way I plan to achieve this is to maintain current knowledge of the aviation industry as a whole, by reading articles, publications, and news regularly; I believe this will allow me to maintain a better professional perspective in everything I do within the industry. Another method of maintaining professionalism I plan on utilizing is to set goals regularly, by evaluating my current position and activity and looking ahead as well, in order to keep my point of view current, realistic, and appropriate.
I'm hoping to bring in a guest speaker in this area. Setting goals is a great way to maintain/further professionalism. Depending on company/position, this may be formally accomplished as part of your annual work review, be regardless, it is always beneficial to set personal goals.
ReplyDeleteI too, intend to instill a high sense of professionalism and care in my profession. The only question, is how to instill that sense in others? I did like your professionalism goals of reading the latest topics and staying informed, but as I am reading in other blogs, how do we as managers and in effect "safety officers" keep our subordinates as professional as we are?
ReplyDeleteI like how you brought up the duty times, not many did. It is nice to hear a fresh perspective on how to maintain professionalism from a management perspective. And as The Aviator said in the above comment, how do you plan to keep subordinates professional?
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