gw
 

Courses at a Glance

  • Sessions offered in the fall and spring of each year
  • Two-day courses
  • Courses offered in a two-week period
  • Option: Enroll in either individual courses or the full certificate.
  • Convenient location near Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C
  • Enrollment limited to ensure quality interaction with the faculty and participants
  • Participants can design a customized program

Core Courses:

Introduction to Aviation Safety and Security (1.0 credits)
Case Study (individual independent-study) (6.0 credits)
Safety Data Management and Analysis (1.0 credits)


Electives:

Air Traffic Control Management (1.0 credits)
Airline Operations (1.0 credits)
Airline Safety Certification - Fundamentals and Process (1.0 credits)
Airplane Occupant Protection and Crashworthiness (1.0 credits)
Airport Planning and Operations (1.0 credits)
Airport Security Design (1.0 credits)
Aviation Accident Investigation (1.0 credits)
Aviation Law (1.0 credits)
Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Cargo (1.0 credits)
Human Factors (1.0 credits)
International Aviation Security System (1.0 credits)
Response to Aviation Disasters (1.0 credits)

Courses will be offered in one and two-day formats over a two-week concentrated period of instruction in the Fall and Spring of each year, except for the case study, which is an independently scheduled course. It is expected that any participant may be able to complete the courses for the Certificate Program in the two-week period and complete the case study at her/his own pace. The schedule has been designed so that a participant may begin the program in either Fall or Spring semester. Participants can design a customized program and complete the course of study based on individual needs and time constraints.

Core Courses

Introduction to Aviation Safety and Security - This course takes a unique approach to the integration of aviation safety and security issues and examines the fundamentals of safety and security as applied to aviation. Emphasis is placed on establishing, organizing, leading and managing the operation of an airline safety and security department. This course is required and the faculty recommends that all participants enroll in this course first as it provides a thorough foundation for all future coursework. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • Need for establishing a safety organization
  • Integration of safety and security
  • Overview of airport security issues
  • Overview of air traffic management
  • Economics of safety and security
  • Managing risks

Case Study - This independent study allows each participant to apply their specific area of interest and the knowledge they have gained through the courses in the Certificate Program to a customized application. Each participant will work with mentor advisors who possess expertise in their areas of interest. Participants may nominate their mentor. The mentors will work with the participant to develop the case through a problem definition phase, which becomes a roadmap to solution and final analysis. A brief case study proposal must be prepared by each participant and approved by their mentor and the program director. Each case study will result in a brief written paper, which will be evaluated by the mentor and program director. Each participant is encouraged to initiate the development of the case at the beginning of the program so that adequate time can be allowed to make a mentor match. (6.0 credits)

Safety Data Management and Analysis - This course covers the basics of airline safety and security data management. Topics include data collection, interpretation of the data, trend analysis, and problems associated with data collection and measurement. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

* Establish effective safety measures
* Efficient and concise interpretation of the safety data
* Measure the current level of safety and trends
* Determine what is working and isolate the major problems
* Hands-on data analysis
* Measure safety with voluntary confidential reports
* Measure safety with flight data

 

Elective Courses

Air Traffic Control Management - This course covers the fundamentals of air traffic control and its relationship to airline safety. Topics include levels of air traffic control, control systems, the national airspace system and international airspace systems. The role of "free-flight" and potential future modifications to the current system will be discussed. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • Free flight and future of ATC
  • Mixed civilian and military air-space issues
  • Cultural and communication barriers

Airline Operations - This course covers the fundamentals of managing an airline operations department. Topics include scheduling and monitoring operations related to point-to-point and hub-and-spoke strategies, fleet and crew scheduling, passenger scheduling, aircraft maintenance plans and pricing as well as technical operations and a brief overview of airline security (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • Economics of airline operations
  • Controlling parameters or optimization of airline operations
  • System operation models and flight operation planning


Airline Safety Certification - Fundamentals and Process -The historical background and development of the current "system safety" model in the US and the underlying fundamentals of the process are covered in this course. The process of the "safety" certification of a new airline in the United States is the main focus of the course, which is designed to be a training tool. Attendees will receive practical guidance that is critical to persons considering the start-up of a new airline. Managers of all aviation organizations that must interface with the Federal Aviation Administration will find this course very applicable to their job functions. International attendees, especially those from developing nations, would greatly benefit from an understanding of the safety certification process and rationale as applied by a mature civil aviation authority. (1.0 Credit, 2-Days)

Airplane Occupant Protection and Crashworthiness - This course covers protective measures to improve airplane occupant protection during emergencies. Topics include principles of occupant protection in survivable crashes, injuries in turbulence, fire safety measures, post-crash fire mitigation excluding fire rescue, plane crashworthiness and current regulations. Brief overview of injury mechanisms and structures of planes will be provided. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • Overview of injury criteria
  • Principles of airplane crashworthiness
  • Design considerations for airplane crashworthiness
  • Bulkhead protection for passengers
  • Factors influencing emergency evacuation
  • Fire hazards and protection measures
  • In-flight occupant protection during turbulence

Airport Planning and Operations- This course covers the basics of airport planning and operations management of its facilities, taking related safety and security considerations in its planning and management. Topics include the evolution of airports as part of the air transportation system; elements and interactions of the airport planning framework; airport demand forecasts as the backbone of long-range planning; airport planning concepts vis-à-vis compatibility with aircraft, demand markets and the environment; balancing demand and capacity over the airport development timeframe; airport airside and landside operations management; environmental and financial-economic challenges to airport development; and technologies for integrated airport operations (airside and landside) implemented to enhance airport performance while improving safety and security. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

Airport Security Design-This course is designed for airport managers, airport operations specialists, and airport security officials who are or may be involved in designing or planning various parts of an airport to meet international,
national, or local security requirements. The course will not address sensitive or restricted information of how aviation security procedures are to be applied. The course will provide recommendations and best international practices on how airport officials can design the airport infrastructure to best accommodate security requirements while maintaining the highest possible standards of passenger facilitation and airline operations. The presentations will apply to both international and U.S.
airports. (1.0credits, 2-Days)

Aviation Accident Investigation - This course will discuss trends in civil aviation accident investigations and the implications for future investigative protocols. It will provide an overview of major accident investigations as they are conducted in the United States, as well as international issues in civil aviation accident investigations. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • United States law governing the conduct of civil aviation accident investigations
  • International considerations in civil aviation accident investigation
  • The role of technical groups in investigations
  • Parties to the investigations
  • Needs of the individual investigator
  • Structural evidence documentation
  • The role of human error in aviation accidents
  • Investigation human error accidents and incidents

Aviation Law -This course provides an overview of various subjects in aviation law with an emphasis on those related to safety, security, and economic regulation. Both U.S. domestic and international legal issues will be addressed. The course will examine the roles of Congress, the DOT, and ICAO in the development and implementation of standards governing civil aviation. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • The Federal Aviation Act and related legislation
  • Safety and economic regulation, certification, and enforcement
  • The application of federal and state criminal laws
  • ICAO and international treaties governing civil aviation
  • Legal aspects of aviation security

Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Cargo - This course examines the ever-increasing challenges facing the airlines in handling cargo and passenger baggage that can create potentially hazardous outcomes. Often, seemingly benign material in the cargo hold can become extremely hazardous in the case of an in-flight fire. With the requirements of smoke detectors in more cargo holds, false alarms emanating from improper handling of cargo is an additional economic burden. Many airlines are forced to develop internal training programs to deal with regulations in this area. Approaches by larger airline companies to meet these challenges will be discussed in this course. (1.0 credits, 2-day)

Human Factors - This course investigates the interface and interaction between man and machines. It includes examination of "human error" induced accidents and methods for overcoming and preventing them. The topic of crew resource management will be covered and related to the reduction of human errors. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • Role of "human error" in accidents
  • System complexities and effect on human response
  • Risk management approaches to reducing human errors
  • Crew resource management tools

International Aviation Security System - This course addresses the civil aviation security structure required of all airports and airlines engaged in international civil aviation operations. The focus of the course is on the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), specifically on ICAO Annex 17 (Security) to the Chicago Convention. Selected specific security requirements are addressed in detail, including a review of available technologies pertinent to civil aviation security operations. (1.0 credits, 2 days)Some of the specific topics to be covered include:

  • The international civil aviation security framework
  • The ICAO security concept (programs and plans)
  • Critical elements of civil aviation security oversight
  • Risk assessment in civil aviation security operations
  • Introductions to civil aviation security technologies (X-ray, metal detector, explosives detection technologies, and biometrics)

Response to Aviation Disasters - This course covers organizing for, planning, leadership and management before, during and after an aviation disaster. Topics will include risk and vulnerability assessment and analysis, establishing a response team, contingency planning, disaster communications, managing a response effort, compliance with the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996, and organizational continuity. (1.0 credits, 2-days)

  • Developing an inter- and intra-organizational response team
  • Dealing with the human tragedies and victims' families
  • Establishing of rules and procedures and exercising the response