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After completing this module, students can:
Overall
- Describe the structure and dynamics of the commercial aerospace industry, the roles and interests of its players;
- Explain the interplay between technological developments, social factors, and business models in the aerospace industry;
- Evaluate the behavior and performance of (departments of) airlines and airports on the basis of an assessment of their roles, interests, and relevant business aspects;
- Develop a strategic plan for an airline and an airport and derive relevant business decisions from it;
- Reflect on scientific and popular publications about the aerospace industry, identify and analyse problems addressed in these;
- Collaborate and discuss in project groups of different sizes while solving a multi-disciplinary task;
- Report and reflect on findings and actions by means of oral presentations and a written report;
Aerospace Industry
- Summarize the historical development of the commercial aerospace industry in conjunction with technological, social, and political aspects;
- Describe the most prominent types of airlines, the products that they offer, their business models, and route structures;
- Explain the economic and financial trade-offs of an airline and the factors that drive its demand;
- Evaluate, reflect on, and discuss about real-world strategic and operational decisions of airlines;
Airline Management Game
- Analyse the business case of a simulated airline;
- Develop a strategic plan for a simulated airline;
- Combine the knowledge obtained in “Aerospace Industry” to derive operational decisions for a simulated airline;
- Assume a role in a management team of a simulated airline, discuss, decide, and report on actions within and outside the team;
Airport Management
- Summarize the role of the airport in the aerospace industry, its relationship with airlines, and interplay with aircraft developments;
- Describe the different types of airports, their operations, economics and the competition between them;
- Reflect on the economic, social, and environmental impact of airports;
- Evaluate, reflect on, and discuss about the performance of real airports and develop a vision on how this can be improved;
Revenue Management
- Summarize the role and principles of revenue management for an airline;
- Apply basic methods for seat inventory control and overbooking;
- Derive revenue management decisions for a simulated airline;
Maintenance
- Understand the role of maintenance and maintenance strategies in airline operations;
- Model maintenance processes, systems reliability, and failure rates;
- Analytically optimize maintenance decisions;
- Understand the role of service logistics in managing resources required for maintenance;
- Analytically optimize spare parts inventories;
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The module introduces the various actors of the aerospace industry, their strategic choices and business models, and connections with technological advances in aircraft development. Moreover, students will become acquainted with the operational decisions that airlines and airports face. The lecture and tutorial series on Aerospace Industry serve to first gain a macro-level view of the industry and its developments, and then obtain micro-level knowledge about airline business models and operations and develop the skills to make management decisions. Dedicated module components exist for Revenue Management and Maintenance, where quantitative models and methods are applied to optimize these particularly important parts of airline operations. Throughout the module, this knowledge is used in a hands-on airline management simulation game, where in a team decisions are taken about issues like route choices, ticket prices, aircraft allocation, and marketing.
The lecture and tutorial series on Airport Management mirror the didactical build-up of Aerospace Industry by first discussing the macro-level structure and stakeholders in the airport industry, and then zooming in on airport economics, performance benchmarking, operations, marketing, and the relationship between airports and airlines. Finally, we zoom out again and exhibit the economic, social, and environmental impact of airports. Throughout this module component, students will analyse (in teams) the performance of a self-chosen, real airport, and create a recommendation report to improve it.
In team challenges, students will discuss about currently relevant topics from the perspectives of different actors (such as airlines, airports, manufacturers, and the government), gather knowledge from popular or scientific sources in guided assignments, and solve small operations assignments. Several guest speakers will talk about e.g. business models and decisions of real airlines and airports, cargo logistics, and the role of air traffic control.
The module is concluded with two written exams, one about Aerospace Industry and one about Airport Management, Revenue Management, and Maintenance. A pass result on the team challenges of Aerospace Industry is prerequisite for participating in the written exam. The Airport Analysis Assignment is concluded with a graded report and presentation. For the Airline Simulation Game, an initial, written strategic plan and final presentation are graded with a pass or a fail. Also the group assignments on Revenue Management and Maintenance are graded with a pass or a fail.
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Mandatory: 5 modules of B1 and B2 completed (university) or 3 years of HBO completed (Kies Op Maat).
Recommended: B1 and B2 completed (university).
Students must have basic knowledge of calculus (e.g. integration and differentiation) and probability theory. For the latter, supplementary self-study material is available on Canvas. |
| | Required materialsBook| Cook, G.N., and Billig, B.G. (2017): Airline operations and management. Abingdon: Routledge (1st ed.). ISBN: 978-1-138-23753-7 |
| Course material| Materials/license for simulation game |
| Course material| Handouts and materials shared via Canvas |
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Recommended materials-Instructional modesAssessment| Presence duty | | Yes |
| Lecture
| Practical| Presence duty | | Yes |
| Presentation(s)| Presence duty | | Yes |
| Project supervised| Presence duty | | Yes |
| Project unsupervised
| Self study with assistance
| Self study without assistance
| Seminar
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TestsAerospace Industry
| Maintenance, Airport Management, Revenue Management
| Assignment Maintenance
| Assignment Revenue Management
| Assignment Airport Management
| Running a Virtual Airline
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