Corporate Aviation

   In the past couple years; there has been a disagreement regarding corporate aviation and the necessity for their departments. Back in January of 2009, the Big Three Bailout occurred. However, the part that was in question was when the members of the Big Three arrived to meet with congress on their corporate jets. This move by the Big Three angered people. However, what people do not understand is how much a corporate aviation department can help a company. Before doing some research, I was angered by this as well, and wondered why they would need bailed out if they were able to fly these types of aircrafts. However, after researching about corporate aviation, I found that aviation departments are beneficial. “Time equals money, and when you add up all of those lost hours on commercial airline flights, it can make the cost of flying on a private jet more financially feasible” (Dermody, 2013). Companies that have their own aviation department, have the opportunity to save time, and in business, time means money. I think that it is important for companies to establish their own aviation department, not only to save time, but also to project their image of success.

         A corporate aviation department that is currently on the rise is Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola’s aviation department is located in Atlanta, Georgia. With Coke’s aviation department, they are able to operate in over 200 countries.  On the Coca-Cola website, the positions that you are able to apply for are; Pilots, First Officers, Flight Attendants, and Aviation Dispatchers (The Coca-Cola Company, n.d.). Coke Did not have any of the hiring requirements for the aviation department listed, but after doing a little searching, I found some requirements for a Captain position. They require a bachelor degree, but would prefer a master degree. They also require roughly 12 years of Captain experience. As for management jobs, corporate aviation departments offer many of the same jobs that commercial aviation offers. However, there are likely fewer jobs available, but that could change with the continuous growth of corporate aviation departments.

References

Amadeo, Kimberly. "Auto Industry Bailout (GM, Ford, Chrysler)." US Economy. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2015.

"Careers at The Coca-Cola Company." The Coca-Cola Company. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

Dermody, K.C. "Comparing Private Jets to Commercial Airlines." - Jets & Planes. N.p., 13 May 2013. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.