Oct
22
2010

Posted on October 22,2010 in Aviation and Aerospace Leadership

Aviation and Aerospace Leadership

An article by Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Robert E. Mansfield, Jr.

In WWII Fleet Admiral Ernest King is reported to have said, “I don’t know what the hell this logistics is that Marshall keeps talking about, but I want some of it!” The same may be said about leadership and particularly in aviation and aerospace. One may say today, with all due respect to one of our great naval leaders, “I don’t know what this leadership thing is everyone keeps talking about, but we need some of it!

I am honored and a bit humbled to open the web-log (Blog) for the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide’s (ERAU-W) Center of Aviation and Aerospace Leadership (CAAL). There is little doubt that leadership has been identified over human history as one of the most important abilities for teams, organizations, institutions, societies and governments to be successful. Technologies change, as does our understanding of our physical surroundings, and our attitudes about one another. But, leadership, while recognized as a constant attribute of success, seems elusive to fully understand and apply in all its variations and its application. Every circumstance, time and location seems to call for selective leadership skills built on experience, observation and personal traits.

The CAAL opened its doors in December 2008, and to my knowledge, is the first of its type to take on the study and understanding of leadership in aviation and aerospace. The center’s mission is to explore and provide the most comprehensive and authoritative knowledge, sources and insights into the multiple dimensions of leadership in aviation and aerospace. This not only includes academic research and educational programs, but also the integral parts of aviation and aerospace. The latter includes the fundamentals of aviation (engineering and flight), the infrastructure that supports it (airports, safety and the workforce) as well as the economics and business (manufacturing and services) of the aerospace industry; and of course, government policy and regulations. The interest of CAAL covers general, commercial and military aviation. Aviation and aerospace is global, and so is CAAL’s interest in understanding leadership on a global scale.

The CAAL has established a Master’s Degree program in Aerospace Leadership. It also has established a Leadership Development Program. Of particular interest to me is the initiative to explore leadership in aerospace manufacturing and to focus on assisting small to medium size manufacturers to become more globally competitive. A number of actions are underway. A comprehensive report to help aerospace businesses better understand the economic environment that has been produced. The first “Aerospace Economic Report and Outlook (AERO)” was published in 2010 and the 2011 edition is underway. Three “Aerospace Market Intelligence” seminars have been held in Fort Worth, TX; Long Beach, CA and Hartford, CT in the past year. A number of presentations on the economic outlook have been made to professional organizations, conferences, and academic institutions. The CAAL, as a member of the Aerospace States Association (ASA), supports the ASA Manufacturing Committee (I am the chair), and the CAAL is in the process of preparing several state specific aerospace business reports for ASA. The CAAL held the first Aerospace Manufacturing Summit in February 2010 and the planning for the second in February 2011 is underway.

Again, I’m pleased to open this Blog. Those entries that follow will describe CAAL’s activities further and discuss aspects of aviation and aerospace leadership. CAAL invites your comments.

About the Author: Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Robert E. Mansfield, Jr.

19 comments on “Aviation and Aerospace Leadership”

Mark Jones Jr on October 27, 2010 at 6:00 am said:

It took a long time to open this blog (Dec 08 until now), and it’s already been 5 days since an update has been posted. What’s next?! I think aerospace is STARVING for leadership development…give us more!!!!
- RyanGragg on October 28, 2010 at 6:09 am said:
  
  Thank you for your response. You will be pleased to know that a new topic will be posted every two weeks. Be sure to check back in and share with your colleagues!
diabetes diet on November 1, 2010 at 11:23 am said:

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Sarah on December 12, 2010 at 8:23 pm said:

Can you provide more information or a link to the Masters Degree in Aerospace Leadership you mentioned?

Love the blog series!

Sarah
- Kees Rietsema on December 14, 2010 at 11:15 am said:
  
  Hello Sarah,
  
  Glad you asked!
  
  The MSLD will be offered starting in Fall of 2011. It will be offered in select campuses but online as well. If you are interested, campuses will be receiving information this Spring relative to courses and course content.
  
  The Program Chair is Dr. Larry Carlton. He is at work now, developing courses and so forth.For specific questions feel free to contact him at:cartola@erau.edu
  
  If I can do anything, feel free to contact me as well at rietsd37@erau.edu or 602 750 0685.
  
  Cheers, Kees Rietsema
  Chair, Department of Business Administration
pozycjonowanie stron on February 14, 2011 at 7:14 am said:

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Jim on February 15, 2011 at 8:14 am said:

Great post. The success of modern aerospace brings to mind Keir Stahlsmith, aerospace operations specialist, and his widely recognized military contribution that is part of the enduring historical record of air and space operations.
Knole49 on February 23, 2011 at 12:51 am said:

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