Commercial

Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success

Twenty-five years ago, Herb Kelleher reinvented air travel when he founded Southwest Airlines, where the planes are painted like killer whales, a typical company maxim is "Hire people with a sense of humor," and in-flight meals are never served--just sixty million bags of peanuts a year. By sidestepping "reengineering," "total quality management," and other management philosophies and employing its own brand of business success, Kelleher's airline has turned a profit for twenty-four consecutive years and seen its stock soar 300 percent since 1990.

Today, Southwest is the safest airline in the world and ranks number one in the industry for service, on-time performance, and lowest employee turnover rate; and Fortune magazine has twice ranked Southwest one of the ten best companies to work for in America. How do they do it?

With unlimited access to the people and inside documents of Southwest Airlines, authors Kevin and Jackie Freiberg share the secrets behind the greatest success story in commercial aviation. Read it and discover how to transfer the Southwest inspiration to your own business and personal life.

Ace the Technical Pilot Interview

* A comprehensive study guide providing pilots the answers they need to excel on their technical interview
* Features nearly 1000 potential questions (and answers) that may be asked during the technical interview for pilot positions
* Wide scope--ranges from light aircraft through heavy jet operations
* Culled from interviewing practices of leading airlines worldwide
* Includes interviewing tips and techniques

A dynamic tool for acing the technical pilot interview with one thousand exam-style questions and answers.

TERMINAL CHAOS: Why U.S. Air Travel Is Broken and How to Fix It (Library of Flight Series)

In total passenger miles, air travel has never been more popular. But as any frequent flyer knows, air travel problems are growing even faster long lines, lost luggage, overbooking, flight delays, and serious safety issues. And instead of doing something about it, the traveling public seems simply to be sitting down, buckling in, and allowing itself to be treated like sheep.

But it doesn't have to be this way. There are solutions to our air travel problems, real solutions that can make real differences. And they don t require 15 years to implement.

With decades of experience in civil aviation and policy, Drs. George Donohue and Russell Shaver are well qualified to assess the problems in the system and to offer responsible, workable solutions. Dr. Donohue, the current Director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research and a Professor of Systems Engineering at George Mason University (GMU), has extensive high-level experience at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Shaver, formerly a senior RAND Corporation research analyst and now a visiting research fellow at GMU, served as chief scientist for policy analysis at the MITRE Center for Advanced Aviation System Development.

The stories they tell are compelling. They are high-profile horror stories passengers stranded for hours on the tarmac, flights canceled for bad weather when there s not a drop of rain anywhere near the flight path, and an overall sense of apathy and obstructionism among those responsible for managing the industry. Interestingly, these problems are not the inevitable result of the size or complexity of the U.S. system. Air transportation in Europe, with almost identical air traffic control systems and safety standards, is far better. Amsterdam moves 30% more passengers than Newark, but the average flight delay is an order of magnitude lower. In addition, a European Passenger s Bill of Rights giving distressed passengers the right to substantial and immediate compensation has been a powerful incentive for non-U.S. airlines to maintain their schedules.

The Causes

So just how did we get where we are in the U.S. system today? Donohue and Shaver cite multiple reasons for the chaos we now face. These causes include airline deregulation, multiple governmental agencies with no central oversight or responsibility, multiple corporate entities with conflicting agendas, and a technologically outdated air traffic control system. Even more importantly, there seems to be a complete absence of advocacy for the customer the passengers. The authors also explain that our air travel problems, if left unaddressed, are on a direct course to greatly impact the overall U.S. economy and harm our global competitiveness. In 2006 alone, the delays and cancellations cost U.S. travelers an estimated $3.2 billion. And in 2004 and 2005, the U.S. tourism industry is estimated to have lost $98 billion in revenue due to our air travel mess.

The Cures

Fortunately, Donohue and Shaver don t leave us in this state of chaos. Their provocative analysis not only identifies the causes and extent of the problems, but also provides us with a course heading that will put us on the path to recovery. The solutions they propose include holding the government decision-makers responsible, expanding the capacity of airports and airplanes, modernizing the air traffic control system, and implementing what the authors call the 30% solution to significantly reduce congestion.

In short, this book should be read by every airline passenger traveling in or through the United States. As a country,

Commercial Aviation Safety

*An overview of airline industry safety statistics, standards, and mandates
*Covers FAA regulatory structure, development of technologies, management roles, air transport safety measurement methods - and more
*Includes tables relating to commercial aviation accident statistics
*New chapter on Aviation Security

Rapidly increasing air traffic around the globe, soaring numbers of passengers, security concerns on the ground and in the air, changes in the Air Traffic System, new maintenance and flight technologies, recent accidents, and intensified media focus--all point up the need for greater attention to commercial aviation safety in the third millennium. Built upon the 5-M model--Man, Machine, Medium, Mission, and Management--this text by aviation author Alexander T. Wells integrates the latest research on human factors, technologies, systems, operations, and management strategies into the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and systematic reference on commercial aviation safety in the world.

Ask the Pilot

Salon.com's most popular columnist tells why airline travel is still the safest way to get from here to there-and lots of other flight facts.

Even frequent fliers, probably don't have a clue how their plane gets from New York to Los Angeles in 5 hours. And many people probably think flying is more dangerous now than ever-even though it's still the safest means of transportation.

In Ask the Pilot, Patrick Smith-a commercial airline pilot and author of Salon.com's popular column-explains in frank and very funny language what fears are grounded in reality and which ones are airborne urban myths. He stacks up the facts, anecdotes, and advice to every flying question imaginable: * Just how safe it is to fly?
* What is the safest airline?
* Do airlines reduce cabin oxygen flow to save fuel and keep passengers docile?
* Can turbulence cause a crash?
* What's windshear - and can it really rip the wings off a plane?
* How does a plane get off the ground?
* Why does the plane sometimes bump, jig, and turn at a high angle during climbout?
* Has anyone ever survived a water landing by donning a vest or using a raft?
* Why are tray tables stowed before landing?

Frequent flier or neurotic aerophobe, this is the one book that will wise people up - and calm fliers down.

"More than ever, air travel is a focus of curiosity, intrigue and anxiety. This year, some half a billion passengers will ride aboard the ten largest US airlines alone. Fair to say each one has a question, a doubt, and a lingering fear in the back of his or her mind. We take to the air routinely, yet few of us understand the how and why of jetting from New York to London in six hours. Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of Salon.com's popular air travel column, unravels the secrets and tells you all there is to know about the strange and fascinating world of commercial flight. * Insights into safety, security, and the nuts and bolts of how planes fly * Straight talk on turbulence, air traffic control, windshear and accidents * The history, color and controversy of the world's airlines * The awe and oddity of being a pilot * The poetry and drama of airplanes, airports, and travelling abroad Patrick speaks eloquently to our fears and curiosities, incorporating anecdotes, memoir, and a life's passion for flight. He tackles your toughest concerns, debunks conspiracies and urban myths, and in a rarely heard voice dares to return a dash of romance and glamour to air travel."

From Worst to First: Behind the Scenes of Continental's Remarkable Comeback

What do you do if you're running the worst airline in the country,one that customers hate and that's been through Chapter 11 twice in the last 10 years? If you're lucky, you'll call Gordon Bethune. Before Bethune arrived, Continental had been ravaged by the likes of Frank Lorenzo and airline deregulation--it was considered the laughingstock of the airline industry in the United States. Under Bethune's leadership, Continental turned itself around to become one of the most respected and reliable airlines in the industry. From Worst to First describes how Bethune, with a lot of luck and the right combination of people, was able to transform Continental from an also-ran into an award-winning company. --Harry C. Edwards

The numerous anecdotes alone are worth the price of the book . . . most readers will find themselves asking why everyone doesn't run a business as preached by the chief executive of Continental Airlines.-The Washington Post Book World

. . . in an age where managing seems increasingly complicated, some of Bethune's prescriptions are refreshingly straightforward.-Business Week

From Worst to First outlines Gordon Bethune's triumphs . . . about the turnaround he's led at Continental, a perennial basket case that's become an industry darling.-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

From Worst to First is [Gordon Bethune's] story of Continental Airlines' turnaround under his command . . . The blueprint has worked . . . Fortune magazine named Continental the company that has 'raised its overall marks more than any other in the 1990s.'-The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

All of Gordon Bethune's proceeds from this book will be donated to the We Care Trust, a nonprofit organization that assists Continental Airlines' employees and their families in times of need.

Airport Systems: Planning, Design, and Management

* The new standard on airport systems planning,design, and management
* Provides solutions to the most pressing airport concerns: expansion, traffic, environment, additions, etc.
* Full coverage of computer-based tools and methodology
* Additional reports and updates available via authors' website

Airline Marketing and Management

Aircraft Accident Analysis: Final Reports

Fascinating and factual accounts of the world’s most recent and compelling crashes

Industry insiders James Walters and Robert Sumwalt, trained aviation accident investigators and commercial airline pilots, offer expert analyses of notable and recent aircraft accidents in this eye-opening, lesson-filled case file. Culled from final reports issued by military and foreign government investigations, as well as additional research and resources, Aircraft Accident Analysis tells the final and full tales of doomed flights that stopped the world cold in their wake.

Technical accuracy and details, presented in layman’s language, help to clarify:

• Major accidents from commercial, military, and general aviation flights
• Pilot backgrounds and flight histories
• Chronology of events leading to each accident
• Description of aviation investigation process
• Insight into NTSB, military, and foreign government findings
• Resulting recommendations, requirements, and policy changes
• Preview summaries of accidents too recent for final reports are also highlighted.

Readable, authoritative, and complete, Aircraft Accident Analysis: Final Reports is at once an important reference tool and a riveting, what-went-wrong look at air safety for everyone who flies.

Featured final and preview reports include:

U.S. Air Force, U.S Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Jessica Dubroff, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Valujet Airlines 592, Everglades, Florida
American Airlines 955, Cali, Columbia
John Denver, Pacific Grove, California
Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Carrollton, Georgia
US Air 427, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TWA 800, Long Island, New York
Delta Air Lines, LaGuardia Airport, New York
John F. Kennedy, Jr., Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Industry insiders James Walters and Robert Sumwalt, trained aviation accident investigators and commercial airline pilots, offer expert analyses of notable and recent aircraft accidents in this eye-opening, lesson-filled case file. Culled from final reports issued by military and foreign government investigations, as well as additional research and resources, Aircraft Accident Analysis tells the final and full tales of doomed flights that stopped the world cold in their wake.

Emergency! Crisis on the Flight Deck, Second Edition