Noteworthy is a compilation of interesting news items presented in summary form.
In this issue:
Airbus Targets Chinese Demand For Storage And Recycling 1 Aviation industry jobs have not only rebounded from the pandemic slump, but they have also soared 30 percent from pre-Covid levels 2 Over 70% of workers regret quitting their jobs 3 The number of working Americans testing positive in drug tests hit a two-decade high in 2021 8 Hybrid work isn't working for many 9 Business Aviation is red hot 4 Joby Aviation close to achieving Part 135 Air Carrier Certification 5 EASA issues world’s first design specifications for vertiports 6 What are the Global Top 10 International and Domestic Routes? 7 Royboy’s comments are in italics.
Airbus Targets Chinese Demand For Storage And Recycling
‘To capture the emerging demand for aircraft storage, transition and dismantling in China, Airbus is joining forces with specialist Tarmac Aerosave and the city of Chengdu.” “Between leasing contracts, a commercial aircraft may have to be stored. It may also have to undergo maintenance and upgrade work in that transition phase, such as receiving a new cabin layout and livery. “Chinese lessors store two-thirds of their aircraft outside the country, whereas they tell us they are looking for a solution in China,” says Wolfgang Kortas, head of Airbus’ life-cycle solutions development.’
Aviation industry jobs have not only rebounded from the pandemic slump, but they have also soared 30 percent from pre-Covid levels
‘Aviation industry jobs have not only rebounded from the pandemic slump, but they have also soared 30 percent from pre-Covid levels, according to employment service JSFirm. “Companies are scrambling and competing with each other to attract and retain qualified candidates,” said JSFirm’s executive director Abbey Hutter. “The current job market is candidate-driven and they have plenty of job opportunities in front of them.”’ ‘Pilots, airframe-and-powerplant mechanics, sheet metal technicians, avionics specialists, engineers, flight instructors, dispatchers, line service personnel, and sales managers are in high demand, according to JSFirm.com.’
On the other hand…
Over 70% of workers regret quitting their jobs
‘The majority of U.S. workers who changed jobs during the "Great Resignation" actually regret quitting and even feel a sense of buyer's remorse, according to a new survey. Seven out of ten workers — about 72% — admitted that they were surprised to learn that their new roles or companies were different from what they were led to believe during the interview process, according to the survey of more than 2,500 millennial and Gen Z job seekers by The Muse. The Muse CEO Kathryn Minshew described the trend as "shift shock." "They'll join a new company thinking it's their dream job and then there's a reality check," Minshew told FOX Business… As a result, Minshew said, more people are quitting rather than sticking it out.
"It used to be that if you started a new job and didn't like it, you needed to stay for one or two years to avoid a black mark on your resume," she said. "But we've seen this really interesting shift in perceptions."
About 80% of millennials and Generation Z workers say it's OK to leave a new job in six months if it's not as advertised, according to Minshew.
Related, a high on highs…
The number of working Americans testing positive in drug tests hit a two-decade high in 2021
‘The number of working Americans testing positive in drug tests hit a two-decade high in 2021, according to The Wall Street Journal. Yet, as more states loosened their drug laws, fewer companies tested their employees for THC (one of the main ingredients in marijuana) and other substances. The shortage of workers looking for jobs in the last two years has also meant some companies relaxed their testing requirements. Despite this, the proportion of U.S. workers in 2021 who tested positive for the various drugs screened for rose to 4.6% — the highest level since 2001 — per drug-testing laboratory Quest Diagnostics.
That percentage is over 31% higher than the low of 3.5% ten years ago, in the early days of a resurgent heroin epidemic in the U.S., said the Journal.’
Hybrid work isn't working for many
‘Many businesses have pitched a hybrid work schedule as the “best of both worlds” for employees, with benefits that include escaping the commute on work-from-home days and enjoying in-person collaborations on office days. Yet, as Alison Green notes in Slate, many workers who return to the office for part of the week are finding that they are the only ones there, or that the colleagues who are present aren’t mingling, with most communication still happening over Zoom and Slack. This "worst of both worlds" scenario risks souring many on hybrid work.
With WFH becoming a permanent feature of the economy, office vacancy rates in major cities keep climbing and signs of distress in commercial real estate loans are growing, per Axios.’
Business Aviation is red hot
‘Business aviation is red hot, thanks to the COVID-19 crisis. U.S. business jet departures were up 51% year over year in November, led by fractionals and charter operators. Just 3.8% of the pre-owned business jet fleet is for sale, a historical low. Demand is so strong that NetJets, Executive Jet Management and Jets.com recently suspended jet card sales. While it is difficult to gauge accurately, business aviation captured tens of thousands of new customers since 2020, industry insiders estimate.’
Joby Aviation close to achieving Part 135 Air Carrier Certification
This is fascinating given that certification issues regarding manufacturing and operations of eVTOL aircraft are just being established. Having a Part 135 for scheduled or on-demand eVTOL passenger flights seems to make sense.
‘A Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate is required for Joby to operate its revolutionary electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as an air taxi service in cities and communities around the United States. Alongside a Type Certificate and Production Certificate, this is one of three regulatory approvals critical to the planned launch of Joby’s all-electric aerial ridesharing service in 2024.’
EASA issues world’s first design specifications for vertiports
As with the previous Joby article, this too is an example of emerging guidance to address the nascent eVTOL industry.
‘The European Union Aviation Safety Agency published the world’s first guidance for the design of vertiports, the ground infrastructure needed for the safe operation of Urban Air Mobility services such as air taxis in locations across Europe, including in urban areas.
The Prototype Technical Design Specifications for Vertiports offers guidance to urban planners and local decision-makers as well as industry to enable the safe design of vertiports that will serve these new types of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which are already at an advanced stage of development.
“Urban air mobility is a completely new field of aviation and we therefore have a unique opportunity to develop a set of infrastructure requirements from scratch,” Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA said. “With the world’s first guidance for safe vertiport operations, EASA’s ambition is to provide our stakeholders with the ‘gold standard’ when it comes to safe vertiport design and operational frameworks. By harmonising design and operational standards for vertiports we will support European industry, who are already starting to embark on exciting projects in Europe and around the world to make new urban air mobility a reality.”’
What are the Global Top 10 International and Domestic Routes?
This list, which was a snapshot of operations at the time, likely changes seasonably and is influenced by global events. Nonetheless these are likely to surprise you…
Over ‘n out https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/maintenance-training/airbus-targets-chinese-demand-storage-recycling https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2022-03-08/jsfirm-everyone-hiring-aviation https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/aircraft-propulsion/opinion-business-aviation-growth-structural-or-temporary https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/workers-regret-quitting-great-resignation https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-nears-completion-part-135-air-carrier-certification/?msclkid=716b9312a91c11ecb1a1a34094692162 https://www.easa.europa.eu/new... https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/lots-of-us-workers-are-getting-high-4734825/ https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/hybrid-work-isnt-working-for-many-4727857
CAVU Café: Royboy’s Prose & Cons Feed