The U.S Ex-Im Bank

The Export-Import bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) assists in financing the exports of U.S goods and services to international markets. The Ex-Im Bank enables U.S companies to maintain and create U.S jobs and contribute to a stronger national economy by turning export opportunities into real sales. It provides export-financing products that fill gaps in trade financing. They assume credit and country risks that private sectors are unable or unwilling to accept. The Ex-Im Bank also matches the financing that other government provides to their exporters. The services that the Ex-Im Bank provides include: Working capital guarantees (pre-export financing), export credit insurance, and loan guarantees and direct loans (buyer financing).  More than 85% of transactions directly benefit U.S small businesses.

            Marion C. Blakey, President & CEO of Gulfstream supports the Ex-Im Bank by saying that it is “an essential partner for American job creating manufacturers, and for many supply chain companies that support them.”  The Ex-Im Bank has made a strong commitment to supporting not only GA, but also space systems and commercial aviation. The Ex-Im Bank actually returned more than $1.1 billion last year to the treasury.

            The Ex-Im Bank is under criticism for allegedly favoring special interests ahead of that of the U.S. taxpayer. Aside from the criticism I find that the Ex-Im Bank is more good than it is bad. The Ex-Im Bank support is the only way many U.S aerospace manufacturers have a fair fight. The biggest beneficiaries of these sales are small and mid-sized companies that supply major manufacturers with parts, systems and equipment. Also that fact that it actually returned $1.1 billion to the U.S treasury heavily supports its existence.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

            When you think Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) you are generally thinking about military or special ops applications, but they have more uses then just military. The civilian applications for UAVs consists of remote sensing, commercial aerial surveillance, commercial and motion picture filmmaking, domestic policing, oil and gas exploration and production, disaster relief, scientific research, search and rescue, conservation, maritime patrol, and archaeology. The only way those civil operators of UAVs are obtaining an experimental airworthiness certificate. The certificate regulations preclude carrying passengers and property for hire, but do allow operations for research and development, flight and sales demonstrations and crew training.

 The FAA is currently working with operators to collect information to develop a future path for safe integration of civil UAVs into the NAS. The problems I foresee in civil UAVs is the potential for terrorism through hacking the aircraft. Amazon has already released that the company plans on using UAVs to deliver packages from their warehouses to the customer’s front door and plane on doing this potentially in less than 30 minutes. Although I find it a good idea there are some problems I see in the choice in delivery. There is potential for possible thievery, as in someone might shoot down the UAV and steal the packages.

I support the military application of UAVs because of the dangerous situations that pilots or soldiers could be put in. I find it much safer to send in a UAV over a pilot in some cases to be beneficial because of potential loss of life. In 2012, the United States air force actually trained more UAV pilots then actual fighter jet pilots.

In my research I found multiple job postings for UAV pilots. On of the jobs I found was for a Sensor Operator in palmdale California.

Aviation Organizations

            As I progress toward my professional future I find it important to join organizations to further my knowledge and networking in the aviation field. Some of those organizations that would be beneficial are Aircraft Owner and Pilot Association (AOPA) and Nation Business AviationAssociation (NBAA).

            The AOPA is “a tax-exempt charitable, educational, and scientific organization, educates the public on the value of general aviation. The AOPA Foundation works to improve aviation safety through the Air Safety Institute, preserve community airports, and encourage learning to fly for career and personal benefit -- all in the interest of ensuring the future of general aviation in America.” They accomplish this mission by improving safety on general aviation, growing and nurturing the pilot population, preserving and improving community airports, and improving general aviation’s image.

            NBAA’s mission is to foster an environment that allows business aviation to thrive in the United States and around the world.  The NBAA helps students who are in aviation by offering over $100,000 in scholarships each year.  They also helps students by providing opportunities to further network in the aviation community. NBAA also provides opportunities for exclusive exhibiting around the world to its members.  The business aviation community has looked to NBAA as a leader in enhancing safety and security, shaping public policy, providing world-renowned industry events and advancing the business goals of 10,000 Member Companies worldwide.

Flying Cheap and Professionalism

            If I had to choose where and what I wanted to do in aviation, I would have to say I want to be a corporate pilot for a company with a flight department like MASCO.

            Masco is a company which headquarters is in Taylor, Michigan and located right down the street from me. Masco Corporation is a manufacturer of products for the home improvement and new home construction markets. Masco is also a provider of a variety of installed products and services, including insulation for homebuilders. My job as a corporate pilot would be flying aircraft owned by Masco transporting executives to branch plants and business conferences.

            Being in aviation there are always things to consider like safety and liability. I understand that we have come a long way in regards to safety in the field of aviation but you are never free of risk. Some risks that apply to corporate aviation would definitely be the pressures of management to fly or get the airplane and costumers where they need to be. This becomes a huge deal in a corporate aviation, when you have executives in the back of the plane that control your salary (life) it becomes hard to say no.

Professionalism is represented by your skills and the way you talk, write, act, and looking on and off the job. In the documentary “Cheap Flight” there was a definite lack of professionalism by the pilots and management of Colgan Air. There was a lack of professionalism by management due to pressures being applied on the pilots to take unnecessary risks and be overall unsafe. There was also a lack of professionalism by the pilots for not recognizing and standing up to management to point out these blatantly disregards of safety. There are two ways I plan on being or improving my professionalism; one is to know when to be professional and when to be a friend. Another way to expand my professionalism is to notice if or when I may be forced in to a situation of being unsafe and to be able to make the right decision when the time comes.