At the Cygnus Aviation Expo in Las Vegas ...

... a pre-show, full-day seminar focuses on line personnel – be it employees at an FBO, a ground support operation, or technicians from a repair station or corporate flight department – who have been promoted to supervisory positions. Bob Hobbi, who heads up Phoenix-based Service Elements – a presenting company at the session – tells me that management training for line folks who have been promoted is in demand. The seminar was put on by J.D. McHenry, president of Global Jet Services, Inc. of Weatogue, CT and Christine Hill and Dr. Mario Martinez of Service Elements. The give-and-take between instructors and participants reminded me of the vibrant dialog that takes place at a typical NATA Line Service Supervisor Training course, also being held in conjunction with the Expo (formerly Aviation Industry Expo). Comments former National Transportation Safety Board member John Goglia, an attendee and himself a lifelong A&P technician: “This type of training is crucial to our industry. Once the airlines start ramping up capacity again and bringing more aircraft online, the industry could be in trouble. We could have a shortage of maintenance technicians and the people who lead them.” A pending shortage of technicians – be it for airlines or corporates – has been a concern for some years for many. Meanwhile, regarding the airlines and air taxi operations, Congress is in the mood to put further restrictions on flight & duty time following the Colgan Air disaster in Buffalo, and the airlines currently are clamoring the changes will create undue economic hardship – or, unintended consequences. It’s often said today that the U.S. airline industry is a changing industry. One has to wonder what increased costs brought on by new flight & duty time regs and a shortage of aircraft technicians could mean to the airlines. If they can’t afford to put captains in the left seat and are unable to find enough people to maintain the aircraft, the airlines could be faced with a whole new paradigm with which to deal. The reality of a new cost structure has led to the carriers essentially passing off much of the caring for passengers to airports, who are willing to fill the void. They can’t pass off flight & duty time restrictions, nor can they hire just anyone off the street to maintain the fleets. One has to wonder if on the horizon there may be a new model that needs to be developed, not only economically for the carriers but also for finding and training the necessary personnel to keep the industry aloft. Thanks for reading. jfi [Full disclosure: Cygnus Aviation Expo is put on by Cygnus Business Media, Inc., parent of airport business magazine.]