Helicopter Pilot Training

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Base de La Royal Air Force: Raf North Witham, Raf Coningsby, Aérodrome de Shek Kong, Raf Lakenheath, Base Aérienne de Butterworth (French Edition) $14.14 Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l’essai gratuite au club de livres de l’éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d’un million d’ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d’articles Wikipedia sur : Raf North Witham, Raf Coningsby, Aérodrome de Shek Kong, Raf Lakenheath, Base Aérienne de Butterworth, Raf Alconbury, Aérodrome de Sha Tin, Raf Bentwaters, Rattlesden, Raf Sek Kong, …

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Mildenhall is a market town that is rich in history and packed full of tourist attractions and amenities. The town is near the A11, standing on the River Lark and on the edge of the Fens. The town is conveniently placed close to Bury St Edmunds, Lakenheath, Brandon, Lavenham and Newmarket – making it ideally located for visitors who wish to visit other villages and historical towns in the north-west of Suffolk. Thetford Forest is only a short drive away, as is Cambridge, and Suffolk’s county town, Ipswich, is just 37 miles from Mildenhall.

Mildenhall is renowned for its market place that features a 15th century Market Cross and town pump. The market takes place every Friday, and the construction of the Market Cross commemorates confirmation of the importance of the Friday market by the Royal Charter in 1412. The town pump acts as a reminder that piped water was not available until the 1940’s.

The parish church of St. Mary’s stands off the market place and is considered to be the finest in West Suffolk, with features dating back to 12th and 13th Centuries. The church is particularly well known for its angel roof, wide aisles, aisled ceiling with carved hammer beams, and the 112 feet tall square tower with its ornate East window provides the perfect opportunity to view the surrounding countryside, which includes the River Lark.

The Mildenhall airbase, formerly a wartime bomber base for the RAF, is nearby just North of the town. As is the Lakenheath airbase, making Mildenhall a great spot for aviation enthusiasts – however, both airbases are far away enough not to disturb the town.

One of Mildenhall’s claims to fame was the unearthing in January 1943 of the Mildenhall Treasure. This is a major collection of 34 of the finest surviving examples of Roman silversmith work, believed to have been buried in the 4th Century. The hoard was discovered by a Suffolk ploughman, Gordon Butcher, who removed it from the ground without recognising the objects for what they truly were, and handed them over to his friend, Sydney Butcher, for safe-keeping. Some time later, an archeologist recognised the treasure at Ford’s house and urged him to report it to the police.

Years later, Roald Dahl wrote a non-fiction account of this great discovery called “The Mildenhall Treasure”, in which Ford was actually fully aware of the value of the treasure when deciding to keep it at his home! Whatever the case, the discovery was made public in 1946, and the hoard was acquired by the British Museum in London. The Mildenhall Treasure came in at number 7 in the list of British archaeological finds selected by experts at the British Museum for the 2003 BBC Television documentary ‘Our Top Ten Treasures’.

Amongst the discovered objects was a mid-4th century Great Dish which glorifies Bacchus (the Roman deity of agriculture and theater, who plays a prime role in Roman mythology) and is decorated with a wide band showing a Bacchic revel, at the heart of which is a drinking contest between Bacchus and Hercules, who is shown dead drunk and having to be supported.

Visitors will be delighted to know that there are replicas of the Mildenhall Treasure on display at the Mildenhall Museum. The museum also has displays involving RAF Mildenhall down the years. It’s housed in a flint house, and admission hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 14:30 to 16:30, and Fri from 11:00 to 14:30. Admission is free, but donations are always gratefully accepted. You can call them on 01638 716970.

When visiting Mildenhall, you have two wonderful accommodation options to choose from, depending on your needs and budgets:

At one end of the scale is the Bird in Hand Motel. This delightful pub, popular with tourists and locals alike, offers delicious food and a wide selection of drinks, as well as 57 bedrooms in the chalet block at the rear of the building. The motel was built in 1935, shortly after neighbouring Mildenhall Air Base opened – making it the ideal spot for exploring the air base on an overnight stay, or to pop in for a meal or some refreshment at the end of an exciting daytrip, all at a cost that won’t break the bank. All rooms come fully equipped with colour television and tea & coffee making facilities, as well as an en suite shower and toilet.

At the other end of the scale is the Riverside Hotel. This is an 18th Century building located alongside the picturesque River Lark. Originally built in 1720, this hotel has retained much of its historical charm. There are 22 en suite rooms with all mod cons. The award-winning Terrace Restaurant, with wonderful views across the lawns and of the river, serves delicious home-cooked food, and guests can enjoy a drink – or two! – in the warm and relaxing bars. The hotel caters for civil ceremonies (such as weddings, christenings etc) and corporate events, holding up to 100 guests and 75 delegates respectively. The Riverside staff are on hand to help, and can also organise boat hire for guests.

Suffolk Tourist Guide is the best place for information, tourism, and culture in Suffolk, UK.

Welcome to RAF Lakenheath, UK

army helicopter pilot qualifications


army helicopter pilot qualifications

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flying a helicopter?

Im restless at my job, I need something else. I’ve always been curious about flying a chopper…sounds funny I know..say what you will, ..I can do it….someone elighten me please…do you need any other qualifications to take pilot lessons and how easy is it to get a job doing this…I don’t want to go to the army and fly or anything like that…..any body have any thoughts?

Rotorwingflight (another answer guy on here) can answer this best but in order to do it for a living, you will have to obtain a Commercial rotorwing certificate with an Instrument Rating. That being out of the way, you must then build up a good number of hours before you will be employable by most companies, primarily due to insurance qualifications. The only way to do this is to obtain your Instructor’s certificate as well and build up your hours teaching. It is quite expensive. Costs usually run up to about $65-75,000 for all the ratings. You can of course obtain student loans.

Female Pilots Apache Helicopter!!

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The McDonnell-Douglas MD-80

I

Fuselage stretchability, inherently incorporated in the basic DC-9 design, had characterized its program, resulting in four dimensionally divergent, higher-capacity versions, including the initially-elongated DC-9-30 over the baseline series –10/14/15, the subsequent DC-9-40, and the final DC-9-50, the latter accommodating 49 more passengers than the twin-jet’s original maximum.

The DC-9 itself, founded upon the four design tenets of ruggedness, simplicity, reliability, and low-cost, had been McDonnell-Douglas’s best-selling commercial aircraft—so much so, in fact, that it took off or landed somewhere in the world every seven seconds, serving more than 570 cities with some 6,050 daily flights, and by 1979, the collective fleet had carried more than one billion passengers and logged more than 18 million hours with an almost 99-percent dispatch reliability rate.

Its Pratt and Whitney JT8D engine, the most widely used powerplant and numbering in excess of 12,000 units, had not only provided propulsive thrust for all versions of the DC-9, but had also powered the Boeing 727, the Sud-Aviation SE.210 Super Caravelle, the Boeing 737, and the Dassault-Breguet Mercure 100.

Both the DC-9’s basic design and its JT8D turbofan therefore offered the most optimum, cost-effective platform on which to base a larger-capacity successor, which needed to equal the DC-9-30’s range capability, yet exceed the DC-9-50’s economics.

Its fuselage, not having reached its limit of stretchability, lent itself to still higher-capacity accommodation, but its obstacle had been a powerplant of sufficient thrust to maintain acceptable payload, range, and performance parameters for its operators.

Based upon the earlier, two-stage JT3D, which had powered both the 707 and the DC-8, the JT8D, a low, one-to-one bypass ratio turbofan, had first run on April 7, 1961, taking to the skies for the first time on May 1 of the following year mounted to a 707.  Receiving FAA certification on February 9, 1963, as the 14,000 thrust-pound JT8D-1, it had powered the 727-100 before being employed by the DC-9-10 and was subsequently offered in several successively higher-thrust versions, the last of which had been the 17,400 thrust-pound JT8D-17R.

A new-generation variant, providing application for an ultimate DC-9 stretch and designated JT8D-109, had been one of six demonstration powerplants incorporating larger, single-stage fans developed for NASA’s Quiet Engine Program, which had run between 1972 and 1975, and two of its versions had logged more than 50 hours retrofitted to a modified DC-9-32.  Design of a further development, the 18,500 thrust-pound JT8D-209, began in 1974 and first ran two years later, test flown on a McDonnell-Douglas Advanced Medium STOL Transport (AMST) in March of 1977.

Although a new, supercritical wing had also initially been considered, the aircraft, intended for short- to medium-range sectors which entailed higher ratios of climb-and-descent to actual cruise profiles, could not fully exploit such a new design, its benefits resultantly unable to justify its higher development costs.  The existing DC-9 wing, incorporating root and tip extensions and modified high-lift devices, would provide the required performance, economy, and range parameters.

Several initial iterations, mostly based upon the DC-9-50 and all featuring fuselage stretches for higher capacities, larger-area wings, and two refanned turbofans, had included the refan-stretched DC-9-50RS, the refan-super stretched DC-9-50RSS, the DC-9-55, and the DC-9-60, while a DC-9QSF, intended for Japanese operators as an NAMC YS-11 twin turboprop replacement, mated a DC-9-40 airframe with two 18,000 thrust-pound JT8D-209 engines and a two-foot larger wing, enabling the 114,000-pound aircraft to operate from 4,000-foot runways with 120 passengers.

However, cost constraints and design complexities dictated a simpler, more straightforward version which incorporated the longer fuselage, increased-area wings, and JT8D-209 turbofans, yet retained cockpit commonality with all previous DC-9 variants.  Skipping both the DC-9-60 and DC-9-70 sequences, the definitive aircraft, designated DC-9-80—or DC-9 Super 80, to more accurately reflect the intended year of service inauguration—had been launched on October 20, 1977 with the receipt of 27 firm and 13 optioned orders from Swissair, Austrian Airlines, and Southern Airways, along with a letter of intent from LAV Lineas Aeropostal Venezolanas, all of which had been previous DC-9 operators.  Envisioned as a higher-capacity complement to its DC-9 airframe and a replacement for higher-cost tri-jets, it intended to provide service in maturing markets whose environmental and noise restrictions had precluded larger-capacity equipment substitution, the aircraft offering a significantly smaller noise footprint, greater range and capacity, and the lowest seat-mile costs of any comparable twin-jet.

According to then-President of the Douglas Aircraft Company, John C. Brizendine, “In recent years…we have become acutely aware of the need to conserve energy, to protect the environment, and to produce more and more economically efficient aircraft.  (The DC-9 Super 80) is specifically designed to meet the requirements of our industry for years to come.  These include environmental compatibility, energy efficiency, economical operation, and a spacious, comfortable interior.”

McDonnell-Douglas boasted of the aircraft, “The DC-9 Super 80 is a blend of proven design with available low-risk technology for enhanced effectiveness, (but) the remarkable DC-9 reliability and lower operating costs are maintained.”

Although it had been based upon this earlier-generation twin, it nevertheless introduced several advanced features.

A fuselage stretch, attained by means of an eight-frame plug forward of the wing and a single-frame insertion aft of it, resulted in a 147.10-foot overall length, increasing maximum capacity to 172, or 33 more than the DC-9-50 and a staggering 82 more than the initial DC-9-10, and producing the most massively stretched commercial airliner up to that time.  The forward, left, and aft, ventral, exits, both equipped with extendible airstairs, had been retained, but an aft, left servicing door, located only feet from the engine, had been introduced.  Aeritalia of Naples, Italy, manufactured its fuselage panels.

A new, 10.6-foot center section and two-foot parallel-chord tip extensions, resulting in the third dimensionally divergent DC-9 wing, yielded a 28-percent area, 57-percent fuel capacity, and 11-percent efficiency increase.  Measuring 107 feet, 10 1/4 inches, the airfoil, with a 24-degree sweepback at its quarter chord, a 9.62 aspect ratio, three degrees of dihedral, and a 1,239 square-foot area, had been comprised of four per-wing precision-machined skin panels which had been transformed from 14,000-pound ingots measuring 60 inches wide, 15 inches long, and 30 inches thick by the Reynolds Metal Company of McCook, Illinois.  The all-metal, two-spar structure, with riveted spanwise stringers, featured full-span, three-position leading edge slats with a new, intermediate setting to decrease take off drag and improve climb performance at higher gross weights; larger, doubled-slotted, trailing edge flaps which covered 67 percent of the span and lowered the aircraft’s stalling speed; three spoiler panels, the outer two of which were employable as both flight and ground lift dumpers; and ailerons.  All but the latter were hydraulically actuated, while the ailerons themselves were manually operated.  An underwing vortillon fence ensured proper airflow.  Providing 1,520 US gallons of additional fuel tankage, it also offered an increased-area main undercarriage bay.

The variable-incidence, electrically-actuated horizontal tail, spanning 40.2 feet, or 3.6 feet more than that of the DC-9-50, retained the design’s characteristic t-tail configuration and sported assister tab-equipped elevators, while the vertical fin, rendering an overall aircraft height of 30.2 feet, featured a hydraulically-actuated rudder.  It had been 1.4 feet higher than the DC-9-50’s.

Its Pratt and Whitney JT8D-209 turbofan, mounted on either side of the aft fuselage and retaining the original target-type thrust reversers, was based upon the core of the earlier JT8D-9, but introduced a 49-inch wider fan and an advanced, low-pressure compressor, producing 18,500 pounds of thrust along with an additional 750 pounds of automatic power reserve (APR), generated during engine-loss conditions.  The larger-diameter, single-stage fan, driving a larger mass of hot core section-bypassing air, coupled with more efficient hot and cold exit duct intermixing air, and increased sound absorption material in its nacelle and surrounding casing, yielded numerous improvements, inclusive of increased thrust capability; a higher bypass ratio—of 1:1.78 as opposed to the earlier JT8D’s 1:1; a lower exit velocity; an 11-percent decrease in specific fuel consumption; and a significantly smaller noise footprint than that of the medium-range tri-jets it had been intended to replace.

Employing weight-reducing Kevlar-reinforced aluminum honeycomb stiffeners with graphite tape caps in the outer barrel of its nose cowl and its upper and two lower cowl doors, the nacelle, 21.1 feet long, was 4.5 feet longer than the JT8D-9’s and therefore presented engineering challenges relative to its mounting on the DC-9’s, albeit longer, body.

The DC-9 Super 80 retained the hydraulically-retractable, tricycle, dual-wheeled, Cleveland Pneumatic undercarriage, fitted with Goodyear wheels, tires, and disc brakes; Hydro-Aire Mk IIIA antiskid units; and Douglas ran air brake cooling.  The nose wheel was steerable to 27 degrees to either side.

Although the Super 80 retained a common pilot type rating with the DC-9, it nevertheless offered several cockpit advancements, including a digital and flight guidance control system designed by the Sperry Flight Systems Division of Sperry Rand Corporation, which integrated the performance of seven flight control subsystems into two identical digital computers; cathode ray tube (CRT) displays; a digital fuel quantity gauge system; a dial-a-flap system; and Category IIIA autoland capability of 50-foot decision height (DH) and 700 feet of runway visual range (RVR).  A later introduced Electronic Performance Management System provided automatic pitch and thrust to effectuate optimum speed and fuel burn during the aircraft’s climb, cruise, and descent profiles.

The 101-foot-long, “wide look” cabin, featured a broad, contoured, and sculpted acoustically-treated ceiling which blended in with the enclosable overhead storage compartments; aluminum sidewall panels sculpted round the windows; fluorescent lighting; a 19-inch aisle; and five-abreast, two-three or three-two, configured economy class seating, which reduced by half the number of middle seats traditionally associated with six-abreast arrangements.

Interior décor, which varied from conservative, business-oriented appointment to bold patterns and bright colors, was determined by the operator and custom-designed by McDonnell-Douglas whose interior design teams often made trips to airline home countries in order to absorb local culture and customs and then convert that experience into area- or country-reflective motifs.  Wool and wool synthetic blends were standardly used for seat covers and carpets.

Class and seating configuration equally varied according to operator.  A 137-passenger, dual-class arrangement, for instance, entailed 12 four-abreast first class seats at a 38-inch pitch and 125  five-abreast economy class seats at a 34-inch pitch, while single-class densities included 155 passengers at a 32/33-inch pitch, 167 charter seats at a 30-inch pitch, or a maximum of 172 high-density passengers, the latter accommodatable with a single galley installation.

Interior noise reduction was attained by means of an insulating blanket of fabric-reinforced Mylar over fiberglass.  The elongated DC-9 introduced a new pressurization and air circulation system, which replaced cabin air at greater frequencies, and its potable water system featured in-line heaters in all of its water lines.  An increased-capacity auxiliary power unit (APU) ran its environmental control system on the ground.

The aircraft’s longer fuselage significantly increased its lower-deck baggage and cargo compartment volume, whose forward, center, and aft holds respectively encompassed 434, 376, and 443 cubic feet.

The DC-9-80 retained 80 percent of the DC-9-50’s key maintenance features.

Like all of its earlier, shorter-fuselage predecessors, the aircraft had been designed for short-sector, rapid-turnaround, self-sufficient operations from short, limited-facility airfields, with its increased thrust, larger-area wings, self-contained airstairs, auxiliary power unit for environmental conditioning and engine starts, low-to-ground profile to facilitate servicing, loading, and maintenance, and ability to operate two or more sectors without the need for refueling.  Most turnarounds required little more than baggage carts.

With a maximum structural payload of 40,112 pounds, the DC-9-81, as designated in its initial variant, had a 147,000-pound gross weight, although this had been later increased to 149,500 pounds with uprated engines, and a maximum landing weight of 128,000 pounds.  Its normal and maximum cruise speeds were, respectively, Mach 0.76 and 0.80.  Range, with 155 single-class passengers and domestic reserves, was 1,564 nautical miles.

Piloted by Douglas Chief Engineering Pilot H. H. “Knick” Knickerbocker, Project Pilot John P. Laine, and Flight Test Engineer Virginia “Ginny” A. Claire, the first DC-9 Super 80 and the 909th twin-jet to roll off the Long Beach assembly line, made its maiden flight from Long Beach Municipal Airport’s Runway 30 on October 18, 1979 with call sign DACO 80—for “Douglas Aircraft Company 80.”  Following a 25-mile circular, overwater pattern, the long, slender-fuselage aircraft, accommodating 13,100 pounds of test equipment, completed a successful two-hour, 50-minute basic-maneuvers test sortie before landing at McDonnell-Douglas’s Flight Operations Facility in Yuma, Arizona, where the Chief Engineering Pilot concluded, “The ground handling of the Super 80 is even better than the other DC-9s.  It also seemed quite stable in flight…The new engines were faultless, and the reverse thrust was very effective on landing…I believe the Super 80 is a great airplane and will live up to all our expectations.”

The 1,085-hour, $36 million, three-aircraft flight test program, which entailed first flights of prototype N1002G on December 6, 1979 and N1002W on February 29, 1980, led to FAA certification seven months later, on August 26, under an amendment to the DC-9’s original type certificate.

First delivered to launch customer Swissair on September 12, which had operated earlier DC-9-15, -30, and –50 series, it was inaugurated into scheduled service on October 5 from Zurich to Frankfurt, becoming the quietest commercial pure-jet.  Co-launch customer Austrian Airlines, which had equally operated a fleet of DC-9-30s and –50s, inaugurated its first revenue service 21 days later, on October 26, from Vienna to Zurich.

In order to adopt the McDonnell-Douglas designation scheme, the DC-9-80, or DC-9 Super 80, was rebranded the “MD-80″ in 1983, its initial version dubbed “MD-81.”

II

Development of the baseline Pratt and Whitney JT8D-209 engine, resulting in the uprated, 20,000 thrust-pound –217, augmented additional versions, the origin of which had been the 1979 requirement for a short take off and landing (STOL) aircraft to operate within the Japanese domestic market.  A then-projected iteration, designated DC-9 Super 80SF, would have mated the DC-9-40’s fuselage with the DC-9-80’s wing and engines, but the higher-thrust JT8D-217, applied to existing fuselage dimensions, would have provided most of the desired performance.  Resultantly, a second variant, designated MD-82 and first announced on April 16, 1979, featured the uprated, 20,000 thrust-pound turbofans with 850 pounds of automatic power reserve, a 44,024-pound payload, and a 2,050-mile range with 155 passengers.  First flying on January 8, 1981, it received its FAA type certification six months later, on July 31, at an initial 147,000-pound maximum take off weight, although the 1982 option of JT8D-217A engines further increased this to 149,500 pounds, resulting in still-higher payload and range capabilities.

Republic Airlines, the July 1, 1978 amalgamation of North Central and Southern Airways, had been the version’s launch customer, having been the world’s largest DC-9 operator with series –10s, -30s, and -50s, to which its eight MD-82s were eventually added.

The variant had been involved in two unique programs.  The first of these, occurring in October of 1982, entailed the innovative lease of 20 MD-82s to American Airlines, for which McDonnell-Douglas agreed to bear the maintenance and training costs.  This let to the February 1984 purchase of 67 aircraft, at attractive prices and with low cancellation penalties, to be delivered in blocks of ten to 25 airframes, each block of which had been confirmable 24 months before the targeted delivery date.  Becoming the mainstay of American’s short- to medium-range fleet to facilitate hub connections in Chicago and Dallas, the aircraft, configured for 142 first and economy class passengers, ultimately numbered 234, the world’s largest, single-type total outside of the former USSR.

The second innovative transaction occurred on April 12, 1985, when the Shanghai Aviation Industrial Corporation agreed to license-build 25 MD-82s in the People’s Republic of China.

An extended-range successor, designated MD-83 and first announced on January 31, 1982, introduced still higher-rated engines.  The JT8D-219, rated at 21,000 pounds of thrust, featured a redesigned low-pressure turbine, a new high-pressure turbine, aerodynamically improved airfoils, a five-percent increase in thrust, and a two-percent reduction in fuel burn. 

First flying on December 17, 1984, the twin-jet, with a 160,000-pound maximum take off weight, offered a 2,502-nautical mile range, attained by means of 1,160 US gallons of additional, lower deck hold-installed supplementary fuel tanks.  Finnair, which had operated the DC-9-14/15, -40, and –50, served as the version’s launch customer, operating the longest, nonstop MD-80 flight on November 14, 1985, when it covered the 3,406-mile distance between Montreal and Helsinki in seven hours, 26 minutes.  Transwede, of Sweden, inaugurated the first revenue-earning trans-Atlantic flight from Stockholm to Ft. Lauderdale with intermediate stops in Oslo and Gander.

In order to offer a lower-capacity counterpart more suitable to reduced-demand sectors, and to more effectively compete with the 737-300 Boeing designed for this market, McDonnell-Douglas offered the first, and only, dimensionally-divergent variant, the MD-87, which had evolved from its earlier, DC-9 Super XX studies for a 100- to 120-passenger aircraft powered either by Pratt and Whitney JT8D-200 series or CFM International CFM56-3 turbofans and offering a 110,000- to 120,000-pound gross weight.  The variant, with a 16.5-foot shorter fuselage, featured a new, 130.5-foot overall length and had a 38,726-pound maximum payload, or the same as the DC-9-50’s.

Because of the decreased moment-arm of the shorter fuselage, vertical axis control required a larger-area, ten-inch taller fin, visible by the extension above its traditional t-tail mating point and resulting in a new, 31.2-foot overall height.  It also introduced low-drag flap hinges and fairings, a fillet fairing between the fuselage and the engine pylon, and a reduced-drag, blade-shaped tailcone.

Initially powered by the 20,000 thrust-pound JT8D-217B, but later retrofitted with the lower fuel consumption –217C version, the MD-87 had a 2,372-nautical mile range with 130 passengers and domestic reserves, although additional, MD-83 type fuel tankage in the lower holds increased this to 2,833 miles.

First taking to the skies on December 4, 1986, it received its FAA type certificate on October 21 of the following year, and was inaugurated into service on December 17 with Austrian Airlines from Vienna to Zagreb.

The last, and most advanced, of the five versions, the MD-88, reintroduced the original fuselage dimensions and was announced on January 23, 1986 after launch customer Delta Air Lines placed an initial order to 80 of the type.  Offered with 21,000 thrust-pound JT8D-219 turbofans, the version, most closely based on the MD-82, featured increased composite material to reduce structure weight, a new passenger cabin with a wider aisle and modernized overhead storage compartments, and an advanced, glass cockpit, the latter comprised of an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS), a flight management system (FMS), and an inertial reference system (IRS).  It retained the MD-87’s blade-shaped tailcone.

First flying on August 15, 1987 and FAA-certified four months later on December 9, the MD-88 entered scheduled service with Delta on January 5, or just over 22 years after it had operated the world’s first passenger-carrying service with the –14 series on December 8, 1965.  It had also operated the stretched DC-9-30 and the MD-82.

III

The 1,000th MD-80 had been delivered on March 29, 1992, and by December of 1997, 1,150 of the type had been in service with 60 worldwide airlines.  The design, partially succeeded by its advanced, re-engined MD-90 counterpart and Boeing’s own Next Generation 737 family after that manufacturer’s acquisition of McDonnell-Douglas, nevertheless became its best-selling pure-jet commercial airliner, exceeding sales of the DC-8, the Super DC-8, the DC-9 itself, the DC-10, the MD-11, the MD-90, and the MD-95/717, the last delivery of which had occurred on December 21, 1999, when an MD-83 had been handed over to TWA, ending two decades of production.  Combined with the 976 sales of the original, short-fuselage DC-9, it became the third best-selling twin-jet after Boeing’s 737 and Airbus Industrie’s A-320 family, with a collective 2,167 airframes having been built.

About the Author

Where in Chicago can I get a pilots license for Helicopters and/or Planes?

I want to (fly) become a Pilot !!!!! Are there any good programs in the Chicagoland area? , or maybe companies that train ?

Thank You in advance for good advice !!!!!
thanks cat! I would like to know from some one who may have some experience with pilot license schools in the area !!! if there are any good ones!!!

Hi from France ♫

Ask to Google !! It’s very smart …Try too : http://www.yellowpages.com

Have a nice day,

Cat.

Flight Attendant Helps Land Plane to Chicago

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Corporate Social Responsibility

Meaning of CSR: – Social responsibility is fundamentally a philosophy or a vision about the relationship of business and society. It is treated as an investment and not a cost. It is a process of continuous improvement, not a fad, which begins small & grows and expands overtime. It is inextricably linked to profitability, as there can be no social responsibility without profits.

Importance of CSR: – This is a time of more Turbulence for a business & accelerating change. The challenges faced by today’s business include the following.

• Globalization of markets, consumer preferences, financial flows. Globalization is having momentous effects on the economies of all countries and on corporation in most sectors.
• Increasing intensity of competition: - The Global completion today has created more challenges and instability
• Technology: – Rapid technological changes are transferring the markets, enabling greater customization of production, & contributing to high labor displacement.
• Shift from Industrial Economy to a knowledge & information based economy. Human capital has become more important resource.
• Environmental challenges caused by pollution & resources depletion, Business are called upon to play an important role in meeting these challenges.
• Life style changes, expectation on the part of employees, customers and communication as a whole changing

Hence as the world business environment changes, so do the requirements for success & complititiveness. Because of the forces at work, building deeper and more strategic relationship with customers, supplies, employees, communities and other stakeholders can become central to competitiveness & survival. Building these relationships can form the foundation of new, progressive & people centered corporate strategy. This brings us to the increased importance of CSR.

Now having understood the meaning & importance of CSR let us understand the responsibility of corporations towards its stakeholders. Hence CSR is all about how to manage these responsibilities.

 

Stakeholders

 

     Internal                                                                                                      External

 

- Shareholders                                                                                               – Consumers

- Employees                                                                                                   – Suppliers

- Management                                                                                                - Creditors

                                                                                                                       - Competitors

                                                                                                                       – Environment

INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS:

 

(i) Shareholders: – Share holders are the members of the company who help to achieve the company’s goals by investing in the business. They are entitled to the share in the profits of the company. This share of the profits is given to the shareholders in return for their investments in the form of shares. Hence the organization must honor the trust of the shareholders, therefore the responsibilities of the organization towards shareholders are:-

1. Managing company effectively in order to secure fair & competitive return on the owners’ investment.
2. Disclosing relevant information to shareholders.
3. Conserving, Protecting & increasing the shareholders asset.
4. Respecting the shareholders requests, suggestion, complaints & formal resolution.

 

Also, shareholders, also have certain obligation towards the organization which include.

 

1. Maintaining good relationship with management.
2. Exercising their voting rights.

 

(ii) Employees: – The relationship between employee and organization is considered to be important by society, because employees contribute their efforts and time towards the development of organization, which in turn improver society. In return of their work employees’ not only expect wages, but also security. Most Japanese firms provide security to their employees by offering lifetime employment.

Both business & employees have certain responsibilities towards each other. To foster a sense of belonging among all employees, organization should maintain a healthy work environment, where the employees & employee fulfill their responsibilities.

Some specific responsibilities of organization toward their employees are

1. To provide adequate compensation
2. To provide working conditions, that respect each employee’s health & dignity.
3. Open & honest communication with employees.
4. Listen & act to employees’ requests, suggestion, ideas & complaints wherever possible.
5. Generate equal treatment & opportunity regardless of gender, age, race & religion.
6. Encourage & assist employees in developing skills & knowledge that are required for accomplishing the task.

(ii) Management: – Any decision taken by the management has an impact on the stakeholders. On the one hand, management’s stakes are like that of employees, with some explicit & implicit employment contract. But, on the other hand, management are entrusted with the duty of safeguarding the welfare of the corporation. In short, the role of the management involves in balancing the multiple claims of different stakeholders.

 

EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS:

(i) Consumers: – Consumers / customers exchange resources for the products of the firm and in return receive the benefits of the products. Customers help in survival of the company. By paying attention to the customers needs, management automatically addresses the needs of suppliers & owners.

            The responsibilities of corporations towards their consumers are supplying right quality, right quantity product / service at right time, at right place and at right price.

Few responsibilities of organizations towards the consumers are

1. Producing goods / service according the needs.
2. Improving standard of living by producing goods & services of high quality.
3. Treating customers fairly in all aspect of business transactions.
4. Customers’ satisfaction in essential for the success of a corporation. Customers increase sales of a product by spreading positive “word of mouth†about the company product or brand.

(ii) Suppliers: - Often, suppliers are not included in the list of a firm’s stakeholders. But suppliers play a pivotal role in the success of any business since raw material they supply will determine the final products quality & price.

In this era of global competition, ability to control costs rather than the ability to increase sales in the key to profitability. Good relationship with suppliers can reduce costs.

In many instances, major companies have refused to use certain suppliers because of unethical act. Levi Strauss, the famous clothing firm refused to use suppliers from china because of allegations covering the use of forced child labor by Chinese suppliers.

A company’s relationship with suppliers and subcontractors must be based on mutual respect. When dealing with suppliers, organization must.

1. Seek fairness & truthfulness in all activities, including pricing & licensing.
2. Ensure that business & activities are free from coercion & unnecessary litigation.
3. Foster long-term stability in the suppliers’ relationship in return for value, quality, competition & reliability.
4. Share information with suppliers & integrate them in the planning processes.
5. Pay suppliers on time & in accordance with agreed terms & trade.
6. Seek, encourage & prefer suppliers & subcontractors whosr employment practices respect human dignity.

(iii) Creditors: - Creditors play an important role in organization. Usually organization buy goods on credit from suppliers, organization often delay in repaying credit to the creditors. The late payment of creditors has become a common problem all over the world. In Aug 1992, trade indemnity conducted a quarterly survey of 700 UK firms. The survey revealed that large firms with a turnover of 50 million pounds were paid on an average, 15 days late, while small business firms with a turnover under 25 million pounds were paid, on an average, 29 days late. It is the responsibility of the organization to make timely payment for goods that have already been delivered.

(iv) Competitors: – Business Corporations are equally obliged to other business firms as they are towards stakeholders. In this era of competition the firms compete with each other to grab a major share on all possible fronts. In this connection, the competitive practices adopted by firms can sometimes be questionable.

Therefore the responsibilities of the organization towards the competition are

1. Refrain from either seeking or participating in questionable payments or favors to secure competitive advantage.
2. Respect both tangible & intellectual property right.
3. Refuse to acquire commercial information by dishonest & unethical means.

(iv) Community: - The community gives the business the right to build or rent facilities, benefit from the tax revenues raised in the form of local services; infrastructure etc. In return for these services, the firm should act in a responsible way. The firm can’t expose the community to unreasonable hazards in the form of pollution and toxic waste.  A firm’s responsibility towards the society includes.

1. Respecting human rights.
2. Supporting public policies and practices that promote human development through harmonious relation between businesses.
3. Collaborating with such activities that aim at improving the standard of health, education, workplace safety and economic well being.
4. Promoting and stimulating sustainable development and playing a leading role in preserving and enhancing the physical environment and conserving the earth’s resources.
5. Encouraging charitable donations, educational and cultural contribution and employee participation in community & civic affairs.

Role of Business in society:

Critics of the role of business in society argue that,

1. Corporation care little for the welfare of the workers, and given the opportunity will move production to sweatshops in less regulated countries.
2. Unchecked, companies will squander scarce resources.
3. Companies don’t pay the full cost of their impact. For example, cost of cleaning pollution often fall on society in general. As a result profits of the corporations are enhanced at the expense of social or ecological welfare.
4. Regulations in the best way to ensure that companies remain socially responsible.

Present day businesses are expected to shoulder much more social responsibility. The effectiveness of the organization now a day depends on its ability to develop itself into a social organization. Corporate responsibility is considered the building block for any organization. As a result, organizations are evolved overtime to perform no of tasks in society. These are

(i) Financial tasks: – Corporations are required to assure shareholders that they are acting in their interest. Thus the organizations need to be transparent in their financial matters, so that investors can invest with confidence.

(ii) Economic & Production tasks: – The tasks related to the creation & maintenance of wealth are referred to as economic & production tasks. All businesses that make up commercial world are associated with economic & production tasks. Companies in trying to maximize returns for shareholders may monopolize markets by buyouts, mergers, & unfair practices like market manipulations. Economically responsible corporations will always refrain from monopolizing the market.

 (iii) Maintenance tasks: – The examples of such activities are educational, religious & health welfare services. These are helpful in transmitting information to society, communicating knowledge & shaping the culture of the society. For example Microsoft Corporation announces donation of more than $1.7 million to software to ten national non profit organizations.

(iv) Adaptive tasks: – It means how organization adopts to the changes in the society. Organizations create products that are useful for society and these products are designed in accordance with changes in consumer preferences.

(v) Management tasks: – Corporations are expected to support and promote human rights, not to suppress basic freedom of speech, association etc. In some countries, businesses encounter problems because of the violation of human right. Since the primary responsibility of any organization is to operate efficiently, respecting the interest of the stakeholders. Companies can achieve this by upholding local laws in which they operate & must frame policies that are towards corporate social responsibility and should be available to all the stakeholders.

(vi) Environmental tasks: – Environmental tasks are necessary to curb certain unethical practices. Most companies have none established regulations to limit pollution by their factories. These all essential to prove a company’s commitment to CSR. Most of the industry associations have also established environmental codes of conduct. Companies have to develop detailed guidelines, policies to govern their activities and behaviors. These standards have to become part of the company’s everyday practice.

The Social Challenge:

            A business is viewed as a profitable process of production, distribution & sale of goods & services. The idea of business having certain responsibilities beyond profit making gained importance in 19th century.

            Private sector organizations can’t perform effectively in all the corporate responsibility activities like social tasks, economic tasks that include creation of job etc. Not all the organizations can perform effectively in fulfilling their tasks to the community. There are shortages in certain areas & limitations on application elsewhere, but their scope can be expanded by mutually beneficial partnership between companies & non profit organization for improving the community. In fulfilling these social responsibilities companies must select projects carefully & then ensure that sustained involvement & quality management backs them.

            Clutterbuck has proposed a systematic approach for managing such activities as follows.

            A company should first audit its resources and capacity so that it can add real value to its activities. It means,

1. Set practical, clear & achievable goals.
2. Identify primary aim of the program
3. Clearly identify what not to support.
4. Have fixed budget for specific program.
5. Appoint specialist and other staff for organizing and delivering the support.
6. Install system for report evaluation, feedback & change.
7. Processed information obtained from these activities have to be updated on a regular basis.

Besides taking up specific projects for fulfilling their social responsibilities, the corporate sector is also expected to create wealth & jobs. Different stakeholders of the company have different expectations of the company.

Table shows the expectation of the major stakeholders of a company.

Stake holders

Expectations

Primary

Secondary

Owners

Financial returns

Added value

Employees

Pay

Work satisfaction

Customers

Supply of goods & services

Quality

Creditors

Credit worthiness

Security

Suppliers

Payment

Long-term relationship

Community

Safety & Security

Contribution to community

Government

Compliance

Improved competitiveness

 

Fulfilling these expectations is a challenge for the organization. In Britain the success of the organization is based on how well it is accepted by the local community. Sometimes aim of the industry and community doesn’t match. This can result in hostility from the local community. To avoid hostility and to gain the support of the local groups companies can undertake activities that promote the welfare of the local community. The body shop owned by Anita Roddick won the goodwill of customers around the world by convincing them that the products were natural & that no animals have been used for testing their products.

Enterprises also have to face political pressure. Today there are many consumers groups that all building awareness among the general public about the responsibilities of corporation.

Standards & Values:

            Business operating with social responsibility should have standard rules & regulations for efficient functioning. There are various examples where organization have undergone ethical dilemmas for e.g. When CFC was introduced for the usage in refrigeration, it had no knowledge of the long-term environmental impact.

            Another example is in recent days the coca-cola has been criticised for having pesticides in the bottles, & also it was criticized for on other two major courts, the use of environmentally harmful hydroflurocarbons (HFCS) in Coca-Cola refrigerator & the one of environmentally harm caused by discarded coke bottles. In response to these, Coca-Cola announced it was committed to phasing out HFC refrigerators by 2004. These examples illustrator that, organization may not always be aware of the consequences of using a particular component in manufacturing a product. As implications and consequences of this decision become more evident manager are faced with challenge of ethical dilemmas. By establishing clear value systems organization can internalize responsibility.

To avoid ethical dilemmas manager can follow the approaches and mentioned:

1. Set a clear example
2. Publish code of ethics
3. Use reward and punishment mechanism
4. Include thick in all activities.
5. Reinforce policies through training & development
6. Establish openness & transparency into decision making process

To become a sum full with this, organizations have to liberalize behavior and at the same time ensure that employees behave responsibility

Through leadership at all levels, sustain a culture where ethical conduct is recognized valued and exemplified by all employees.

Example:

GE code of conduct  

1. Obey the applicable law and regulations governing our business conduct worldwide.
2. Be honest, fair and trustworthy in all yours GE activities and relationships.
3. Avoid all conflicts of interest between work and personal affairs.
4. Foster an atmosphere in which fair employment practices extend to every member of the diverse GE community
5. Strive to create a safe work place and to protect the environment.

The Accountable business: The later 1990s have seen a massive growth of interest in corporate responsibility both among major corporations and across society. Concern about the social and ethical implications of organizations perceived as performing unusually well or badly.

Corporate performance on social and ethical, as well as financial, accounts can’t be hidden at least the large corporations. Demands for transparency, accountability & public reporting are steady increasing.  As royal Dutch/ Shell have recognized, business has moved from a “trust me†world to “tell me†and increasingly “show me†world.

For the poor performers, especially the big ones, there is no place to hide, hence accountability looks at how business develop a corporate strategy that responds to stakeholders expectation, while ensuring long term profitability.

A process model for managing corporate responsibility and accountability

1. Identity company values & aspirations : This involves understanding what the company’s foundation values and missions are, understanding how the vision differs from the current reality, and making top level commitment and leadership visible throughout  the organizations
2. Identifying shareholders & issues on which to focus : There are clearly far too many stakeholders and far too many issues to handle in detail. Hence it is necessary to identify the key stakeholders & the most important issues so that attention can be focused on these. This selection process be clearly identified & it should be documented for selecting a particular issue.
3. Select indicator & targets: This means select what to measure. Clearly it is also important to select targets so that performance can be measured & improved with time.
4. Data collections & analysis: For the purpose of an external report, it is helpful to balance quantitative data and stakeholder’s testimony. Existing information can be combined into a suitable audit framework & methods from other fields, such as environmental assessment, can be used to gather information on social issues.
5. Disclosure, performance appraisal & reporting: If a report is to make impact, it is important to be prepared to address controversial topics and to discuss the “undiscussable†– It is possible to take outside stakeholder by surprise by the honesty & openness of the published report.
6. Verification & review : External verification adds considerable value to a request & ultimately might be combined with a verification of financial environmental report. It provides and opportunity for comparison with external good practice and helps to give assurance to stakeholders that consultation procedures & other process are reliable. In addition to enhancing external credibility it allows recommendation on strength and weakness and areas for management action to be identified and appropriate changes put in place so that performance can be improved next time around.

 

Examples:

CSR initiative at INTEL

Overview: – Intel, challenge the status quo in everything they do. Over the past years Intel has worked to be more clear about what corporate responsibility means to them, By being clear about their priorities and the way they communicate them.

2005 highlights

Towards Education

1. Trained more than 800,000 teachers as part of INTEL teach to the future development program – for a total of more than 3 million trained worldwide since 2000.
2. Strengthened professional developments with several new Intel teach to the future program offerings.
3. Reached 1, 35,000 learners through Intel learn program.  Intel’s after school program in government funded community technology centers.
4. Opened the 100th Intel computer clubhouse in Washington DC
5. Celebrated achievement of more than 1,400 young scientists from record 45 countries the ninth annual Intel International Science engineering fair.

Towards Environment:

1. Began to publish quarterly environmental health & safety (EHS) performance indicator
2. Announced that, energy efficiency will be key focus in product development. For Ex. The INTEL core Due processor is 35% more energy efficient that Pentium M Processor
3. Worked with industry peers to reduce energy consumption of note book LCD screens by approx 40%.
4. Reduced energy consumptions by 15% per production unit from 2004.
5. Further reduced hazardous materials such as lead in products, and recycled 57% of chemical waste & 75% of solid waste.

Towards Community:

          Set new records for employee volunteerism and coordinated more than 35 projects involving thousands of Intel employees to support global earth day at INTEL sites around the world.

1. Launched the Digital transformation initiative for the Middle East.  A comprehensive multi years  program expanding economic education & technology related support throughout  the region
2. Piloted the community PC & farmer PC, which are designed to meet the specific needs of rural remote & agrarian based communities in developing geographies.
3. Provides digital health care technology to village resource centers and mobile clinics  in India & china
4. Provided substantial financial,  employee & technology support for disaster  relief

Intel comments:

             As a part of our effort to be leader in corporate responsibilities, we believe in providing our stakeholders with accurate and thorough information regarding our performance on key social & environment issues. We are proud of the work we do in support of the environment, education & our communities. Our goal is to be an open & transparent company.

ITC’s  E-Choupal Initiative:

             ITC has come-up with a path breaking e-choupal intervention to provide information power to millions of farmer & rural folks in their vernacular languages. Information on weather forecasts, expert knowledge on best farming practices, agricultural input etc, are provided to the farmers. ITC’s e-choupal initiative has recently won the first world business award instituted by the international chamber of commerce at  UNDP & HRH prince of Wales international business leaders forum.

           ITC has also invested in rain water harvesting to bring the much required irrigation to the parched dry lands.

           ITC has been empowering rural women & helping them to evolve as entrepreneurs.

           ITC has also invested money for improving condition of village schools & make them more interesting for rural kids.

       Hence, ITC has been able to create a major impact in terms of its image among rural folks, which is slowly building the faith of rural consumers in its products & services.

 Conclusion:

           As the world business environment is changing, the requirement for staying & succeeding in business is also changing. As a result large corporations are emphasizing the maintenance of strategic relationship with different section of the society. Hence the corporate social responsibility embraces multiple stakeholders. In today’s world corporations can’t isolate themselves from society in which they are operating, rather they are linked to the social, ecological & human fabric & therefore they are responsible in varying degree to all stakeholders. Companies with good social & environmental records perform better in the long run than those that don’t behave responsibility.

            The article discussed about the various tasks of the organization. The social challenges of the organization have been discussed also the stanadard & values that an organization have to follow have been discussed.

            Finally it is discussed about how to measure the social responsibility. What are the different steps which can be used to measure performance.Lastly the paper discussed the 2 success stories.

About the Author

Anand D. Malaji
BE(Mech),MBA(operations)

My First Flight With My Private Pilot License

Drunk $17.48 Harry is a homeless drunk. One night, to avoid freezing on the streets, he links up with Roland, a young Navajo drag queen. Roland takes Harry in because he is reminded how his alcoholic father died of exposure. Harry works his way into Roland’s life, first out of a desire to stay in the comfortable apartment, but later out of desire for Roland. Harry quits drinking and gets a job as a janitor. Slowly, Harry and Roland build a life together. However, a secret from Harry’s past haunts them.

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Prom Night could be one of the most unforgettable moments of your life. This is one evening that you will remember for the rest of your life. However, Prom Night is not only about dressing the best, but it is also about driving safely. You do not want to ruin your plans just because something happens to your vehicle, right?

You may plan everything for weeks just to perform the best on Prom Night. You search for a partner, the best outfit, the best hairdo, the nicest shoes, or just anything to make you fabulous. Your vehicle could be the last to prepare, but do you realize that it is the most important thing you need to succeed your night? Read these following tips to catch the idea.

Renting a limo will be good, as this is a dream car for some people. Coming to a party with a limo will be so fabulous. You can talk to your parents to get a limo just for one night. Your parents will have a peaceful mind as a professional limo driver will keep things controlled.

If your parents do not allow you to rent a limo, you can use your family car and ask a family friend to drive. You do not want your father drive it for you, right? A prom night and a father is a big no! By taking a driver, you will have much time to prepare yourself while you are on the road, such as taking photos or applying lipstick.

Being with friends is nice, but it does not mean that you can take too many passengers in your vehicle. Just limit them to five for your five-seat car, or do not let a few extras sneak on if you ride a limo. Remember that a vehicle has limited seatbelts that cannot protect all your friends! The crowd made by too many people in the car can also make the driver less concentrate.

Be sure to hear the “click” from your seatbelt! You may say that wearing seatbelt will ruin your dress or tuxedo, but this reason does not make sense. Hey, those celebrities wear their Prada, and they wear seatbelt as well!

To prevent speeding, just prepare yourself earlier. Leaving home 15 or 20 minutes earlier is not a sin, especially if you have to pick up your friends. It will give you extra time to do anything well, without speeding. Remember that this is your big day, so coming on time safely is a priority.

Although Prom Night is your big day, it does not mean that you can let your friends bring cocktails before you all arrive at the party spot. Getting drunk when arriving at a party will make a history, a bad history. You will look messy, and the alcohol in your breath can ruin your night. You do not want to be remembered that way, right?

If you come to the party by riding a motorcycle and are “stubborn” enough to speed up, you may need a Escort 8500 x50 radar detector. To get any information about this, visit http://motorcycleradardetector.org/.

How do I get Prince William or Prince Harry to marry me?

I prefer Harry even though he has red hair I like his naughtiness. I should mention that I am almost old enough to be their older, attractive Aunt and I have no royal blood, and I don’t know which fork to use. But I can totally drink tea with my pinky out.

thank you. if you help me i will invite you to my castle.

if you marry me, you can be the queen of trailer park.

Prince William & Prince Harry: Booze Brothers