75th and Final Post

Hi everyone!

These past two weeks have been very busy in Daytona Beach. After my last final on Tuesday, I only had a few days to pack everything in my apartment since I was moving out.  I needed to put all my stuff in my car and that was a challenge. I sold the larger furniture or else it would have been impossible to bring it all back to Canada.

Monday was the big day for myself and 702 other students from the Daytona Beach Campus. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Business Administration in three years!

The next day after graduation, I was already on my way to Canada. I had done this route very many times so I knew what to expect. I also knew that traffic in the Baltimore/Washington and New York City area can be really bad. This time, I decided to take a different route that was a bit more inland. Instead of following the East Coast and passing through large metropolitan areas, I would go through  smaller cities such as Columbia, Charlotte, Harrisburg and Syracuse. The trip was slightly longer in distance, but I saved time without being stuck in traffic for hours.

Long journey ahead!

I arrived in Montreal a few days ago and now I am preparing myself to start my journey at Air Canada at the end of May as Manager, Planning and Scheduling. I will work with the North American Network Planning team. I will plan and schedule flights more than one year ahead of the schedule is actually flown. I am excited because the new Boeing 737 MAX will enter service in October! Air Canada has ordered 61 of the type to replace its current aging narrow-body fleet.

As you saw in the title, this is my 75th and final blog post as a student blogger. Whether I was sharing with you my study tips for finals or I was talking about my numerous trips around the world, I hope you enjoyed reading my blogs for these past two years! This is my last entry as an official blogger, but you might find me in the Alumni section from time to time.

Have a great summer!

Nicolas

Network Planning Internship Wrap-Up

Today is my last day as a Network Planning Intern at Air Canada. I started the internship at the beginning of May after my spring semester at Embry-Riddle. I will give a brief summary of my amazing experience.

Boeing 787-9 (Photo Credits: Air Canada)

Boeing 787-9 taking off at Toronto-Pearson International Airport (Credits: Air Canada)

Aircraft Programs
I began my first two weeks with the Aircraft Programs group. For the first week, I shadowed an aircraft program manager while he was performing his duties of post-delivery activities at an MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) close to Montreal. The airline had just received a brand new Boeing 777-300ER (77W). I tested the seats, tray tables, IFE (inflight entertainment), reading lights, and various galley compartments. The aircraft entered into commercial service a few weeks after.

Economy section of an Air Canada B777-300ER

Economy section of an Air Canada B777-300ER

The second week was very exciting as it was my first business trip. I travelled all the way to Seattle because Air Canada was going to take delivery of its 19th and last 77W. I met with the same aircraft program manager at the Boeing Everett Factory. During the first few days, we tested the systems in the aircraft, a bit similar to what we did the previous week in Montreal. We were looking for any defect the plane had before it would be handed off to Air Canada.

Chicken or pasta was served as the main course on the flight to Seattle.

Chicken or pasta was served as the main course on the flight to Seattle (Credits: Author)

My last day in the state of Washington was probably the best. I had the opportunity to fly on the jump seat of the aircraft that was going to be delivered to us the next day. The flight had a duration of about 2h45 and included a touch-and-go and a go-around at Moses Lake (KMWH). Many tests were performed by the flight crew and by mechanics and engineers throughout the flight. The pilots extended the flaps and the slats during the flight. The speed brakes were also deployed for a short period.

Flight path of the aircraft (C-FKAU) via FlightRadar24

Flight path of the aircraft (C-FKAU) via FlightRadar24.

I really enjoyed my week at Boeing Everett Factory. I would like to come back to Seattle soon as I did not have the time to truly visit the Emerald City. I learned a lot about Aircraft Programs in the short two weeks I spent with them.

Network Planning
Right after I returned from my trip to the West Coast, I started working in Network Planning. I was part of the long-range team that planned the flight schedule about a year before it is actually flown. I assisted in planning the schedule for North America, which includes Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Network Planning works closely with other departments such as Intermediate Scheduling, Aircraft Programs, and Revenue Management.

Route Map from Air Canada's largest hub, Toronto-Pearson.

Route Map from Air Canada’s largest hub, Toronto-Pearson.

Before I started my internship, I did not know all the items that are taken into account when scheduling a flight. We need to take into consideration aircraft maintenance, turnaround times, flight connectivity at hubs, ideal departure times, flight crew duty time and aircraft types. Our team also analyzes past performance to see if we should add frequencies or put a larger aircraft on a route.

Besides planning future flights, Network Planning consists of expanding the airline’s route network. I had the chance to sit with a few co-workers as they explained me how an airlines evaluate new route opportunities. In one month this summer, we introduced 10 new international routes to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Since May, Air Canada launched 11 routes to the United States.

IMG_7929

On June 3, Air Canada launched non-stop service between Montreal and Casablanca (Credits: Air Canada)

I really enjoyed the time I spent this summer in Network Planning. Air Canada has a great team of passionate and energetic aviation enthusiasts. I am proud and honored to have been able to play a small role in planning the schedule for the upcoming seasons.

Summary
I am proud and happy I got the opportunity to get a summer internship at an airline in the aircraft programs and network planning department. This is my second summer in a row doing an internship. Last summer, I worked as an intern in the finance department at Aéroports de Montréal, the authority that manages the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. So far, I got to experience both the airport industry and the airline industry. After experiencing both, I can definitely say that I belong to the airlines.

Last year on this same day, August 3, I said in my blog: “Now that I have experienced a job in an airport, I would like to go work at an airline in the near future. We’ll see what happens next!” My wish has come true this summer! Next year after I graduate from Embry-Riddle with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Business Administration, I wish to go work full-time at an airline. In about nine months, we will see if my dream can be fulfilled for a second time!

Until next time!

Nicolas


Contact the author at berniern@my.erau.edu

Summer Internship: What is Network Planning?

Hello everyone!

I hope you guys are enjoying your summer. It has now been three weeks since I have been working Air Canada in Network Planning as a summer intern. I will take this time to explain a bit more on what I do at work. I am part of the team that plans the flight schedule about a year before departure. We are currently planning the schedule for 2017. Below is an overview of how the schedule is handled from the time it is built to the time the flights occur for real.

IMG_7918

  1. Network Planning (9 months and more)
  2. Intermediate Scheduling (9 months to 3 months)
  3. Current Scheduling (3 months to 48 hours)
  4. System Operations Control (48 hours to time of departure)

Network Planning makes the schedule about a year before the flight. The schedule will then be handed off to Intermediate Scheduling where they will make the flight schedule more operational. They take more components into account such as airport slots, gate availability, and much more. The schedule is then given to current scheduling around 3 months before the flight will takeoff. SOC or System Operations Control manages the schedule in real time. For example, if your flight is delayed because of a maintenance issue that cannot be fixed in a reasonable amount of time, they will be the one who will try to find an aircraft in the fleet as a replacement so the passengers can get to their final destination.

I work in Network Planning and my main job is to build the schedule for North America. We have three groups in Network Planning: North America, International, and Profitability. We closely work with other groups like Intermediate Scheduling, Aircraft Programs, and Revenue Management. When we schedule a flight, our team needs to take into consideration aircraft maintenance, aircraft turnaround time, flight connectivity at major hubs, ideal departure times, flight crew duty time, aircraft types, passenger load factor, yields, etc. These will be described in my next blog!

Route Map from Air Canada's largest hub, Toronto-Pearson.

Route Map from Air Canada’s largest hub, Toronto-Pearson.

We fly to 205 destinations including 64 in Canada, 55 in the United States, and 86 in Europe, Africa, the Middle-East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Air Canada and its regional partners fly an average of 1,500 daily flights and operate a fleet of more than 380 mainline and regional aircraft.

Our Boeing 777-300ER seats 450 seats.

Our largest aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER (77W) has up to 450 seats. (Photo Credits: Jen Schulz)

Our smallest aircraft, the Beechcraft 1900D seats a maximum of 18 guests. (Photo Credits: Author)

Our smallest aircraft, the Beechcraft 1900D (BEH) seats a maximum of 18 guests. (Photo Credits: Author)

There is a lot of complexity in trying to build the best schedule we can for 1,500 daily departures. Flights do not have the same pattern for a whole year. We operate flights that are daily and some that we only fly a few times a week. Some flights operate year-round while others are only winter or summer seasonal.

We also look at past performance of the schedule to see if we should increase frequencies on certain routes or even pull back completely. We identify new markets where we could potentially grow in the future. Some of the new routes we are currently looking at are… You will have to wait until we announce new destinations!

I am proud and honored to be part of a family of 28,000 men and women who work together to bring our guests safely and on-time to their final destination.

Until next time!

Nicolas


Contact the author at berniern@my.erau.edu

Aircraft Programs: Post-Delivery of a B777

Last week, I started my internship at Air Canada. I am working with the Aircraft Programs team until the end of this week. Next week, I will head to the Network Planning department for the remaining of the summer.

IMG_7733

Economy cabin of Air Canada’s Boeing 777-300ER (77W) in a high density configuration of 450 passengers, which includes 28 Business, 21 Premium Economy, and 398 Economy class seats.

I spent most of my first days in the cabin of a Boeing 777-300ER. This aircraft was just delivered from Boeing a few weeks ago. It is now sitting outside on the tarmac at a maintenance facility in Mirabel, Canada, about 30 miles from the Montreal Airport. I was shadowing an Aircraft Program Manager while he was performing his duties of post delivery. The aircraft needs to be ready soon because it will enter fly its first revenue flight next week from Toronto to Vancouver.

Flight deck of the Boeing 777.

Flight deck of the Boeing 777.

The manager has to make sure the aircraft gets ready before entry into service (EIS). Many tests had to be completed to ensure all the systems work perfectly. All oxygen masks should drop from the overhead panel. Most of the resting was related to the inflight entertainment system (IFE). We played movies as well as the safety video. All the functions of the business class seat such as reclining were tested.

IMG_7771

My favorite features of this aircraft are the meal order and text messaging functionality. Passengers can order drinks and meals from their own seat. There is even an option to add ice and a lemon in your glass/cup. They can also buy duty-free products aboard the airplane. Customers are also able to message their friends and relatives or any other passenger on the flight.

Passengers can order refreshments, meals, and duty free items from their personal seat.

Passengers can order refreshments, meals, and duty free items from their personal seat.

I had the chance to pretty much explore the whole aircraft! I saw a crew rest for the first time. On the Boeing 777 there are two beds and two seats at the front of the cabin on the second floor. For the flight attendants, there are eight beds at the rear of the aircraft on the second floor.

IMG_7766

Door to enter the rear flight attendant rest area.

Rear flight attendant rest area.

Rear flight attendant rest area.

I am really happy and blessed to have the opportunity to do this. What can an Embry-Riddle student ask more than spending entire afternoons aboard an aircraft!?

Until next time!

Nicolas


Contact the author at berniern@my.erau.edu

My Journey to Chicago

Two weeks ago I was able to travel to Chicago, IL for an interview with United Airlines. I was interviewing for a Network Planning and Scheduling Intern position. The whole process started at the ERAU Career Fair, where I turned in my resume to a recruiter. I was then called for an interview that night. I interviewed at ERAU for about an hour. It was very different from an interview I had done before, which was a challenge. Luckily, I was able to make it to the next round!

I was contacted about a month later, and invited to come for an interview in Chicago! I was ecstatic when I got the call. They scheduled me on a flight from MCO to ORD early on Thursday morning. I went down to Orlando the night before to stay the night. Thursday morning I woke up and headed for the airport at 4AM. Luckily, there was room on the flight, so I got a seat!

Approach into ORD with the Chicago skyline

Approach into ORD with the Chicago skyline

After about a 2.5 hour flight to Chicago, I made it. The next challenge was to find the train. I had never rode a train before, and I had never had to navigate ORD by myself before, either. It took me awhile to actually find the train, but once I got on, all stress was relieved. It was about an hour train ride to downtown Chicago, so I used the time to prepare for my interview. Once I got off the train downtown, I was greeted with the chill of cold air. I was freezing! I did not come prepared for 30 degree weather, that’s for sure.

Statue right after I got out of the train station

Statue right above the train station

My next task was to walk to Willis Tower, United Airlines’ headquarters. They provided me with a map, however I was not very good at reading it. It took me awhile to even figure out what direction I was facing. I rushed into Starbucks to get warm, and to try and find directions. After a short coffee break, I hit the streets again, frantically trying to find the tower. Thankfully, I had been to Chicago years ago, so I remembered what the street looked like where Willis Tower is located.

After I got to the Tower, I checked in and headed upstairs to United Airlines. There, I was greeted by two fellow ERAU students, who also had interviews that day. We all ate lunch, and then started our interviews. I thought the interview process was wonderful. I really enjoyed my experience at United Airlines, and hope that it all works out for me.

Coincidentally, my dad was on a work trip in Chicago, so he met me after my interview. We rushed to the train station, and got on the train headed to ORD. I only had about an hour until my flight boarded, so I was in a huge rush. Of course, the train had mechanical issues, so we were stalled for an extra ten minutes. However, it was nice to talk to my dad the whole train ride. Once I got to the airport, my flight had already started boarding. The security lines were packed, so I had to beg TSA to let me go to the front of the line. Thankfully, they did! After making it through security, I ran to my gate. Of course, my gate was all the way across the airport. I don’t know how, but I somehow made it just before the door closed. I was so lucky.

I am so thankful for my experience in Chicago. Whether I get the internship or not, I think it was a valuable experience. It was fun traveling alone to a big city. Although, it was a very long day. I will update you on the status of the internship, as I hear back.

Until next time,

Lindsey