flight attendant school

FLIGHT ATTENDANT SCHOOL

2009-02-26T14:03:00.016+08:00

Flight Attendant School Intersky Study is a training school for Indonesian Flight Attendant and Airline Staffs, and Flight Attendant School Intersky Study is the first and the biggest Flight Attendant and Airline Management Training in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan Indonesia.

Being Flight Attendant is a dream for many people. Traveling abroad, staying at luxurious hotels, and having good income are what many young people want when they have their career at airlines.

To get this, the candidates should work hard in their study, have good knowledge, skill, attitudes and good performance in order to be professional in their carrier. Therefore Intersky Provides them with characters building and other courses which are useful to take them to be qualified professional airliners.

The Instructor of courses are from airlines, hotels and other professionals such as Personality Development Expert, English instructor and other foreign language instructors

The Program consist of theory and practice which are conducted in the classroom and industry. Theory consist of 40% and the practice is 60%.
In conducting the practice or on the job training, the students are sent to airline company for three till six months.

With the program courses they got, the graduates of Flight Attendant School and airline staff are hope to be Professional in their jobs, have good hospitality and could develop the company’s brand image.

They are also hoped to be qualified and professional in serving the customers and could adjust in whatever situation they face and.
They are also hoped to be qualified and professional in serving the customers and could adjust in whatever situation they face and.

They are wide range career opportunities for graduates of INTERSKY. The Careers are among others

Flight Attendant
Ticketing and Reservation Staff at Airlines
Ticketing and Reservation Staff at Travel Agents
Ticketing and Reservation Staff at Hotels
Customer Service Staff at Airline Offices
Customer Service Staff at Airport
Customer Service Staff at Travel Agents

Intersky Study doesn’t only provide the training for the candidates but also facilitates them to contacts the airline company for candidates’ recruitment. The Partners of the domestic airlines are Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Air Asia, Batavia Air, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Pelita Air Sevice, and Sriwijaya Air.

To Conduct Recruitment, Intersky Contacts the airlines whether there is recruitment for Flight Attendant or airline Staffs.

If There is recruitment, Airline Company will conduct recruitment, selection and interview at Intersky’s Office, or Intersky sends the candidate to the towns/cities in Indonesia where the company airline have representatives. If candidate are successful, the candidate sign a contract with airline company.

For further information, please contact our Customer Service at :

Sekolah Pramugari INTERSKY STUDY Balikpapan, Telp 0542-440942 or by SMS at

0852.4756.8888

INDONESIA VERSION

AIRLINE FLIGHT ATTENDANT JOBS

2009-02-26T13:50:00.008+08:00

General Information
A flight attendants first and foremost responsibility is the safety of the aircraft cabin and its passengers. Flight attendants must comply with Federal Aviation Regulations. FAR's require flight attendants to be on aircraft for the sole purpose of performing safety-related duties. However, duties also include a wide range of passenger service functions. Flight attendants must be prepared for the unexpected and able to change from their passenger service role to their critical safety role at a moments notice.

Position Description
The flight attendant is the most highly visible employee to passengers of an aircraft. Flight attendants spend more time with passengers than any other airline employee, and tend to a wide variety of needs and requests. The flight attendant must offer the most personalized service possible to each and every passenger for the duration of flights.

While the flight crew in the cockpit is responsible for getting the passengers to their destination safely and comfortably, the flight attendants are in charge of the cabin, and they too, are responsible for the safety and comfort of the passengers.

Working Conditions
A flight attendants primary objective is the safety of the aircraft cabin and the comfort of its passengers in-flight. Flight attendants spend most of their time in the passenger cabin of an airliner. In addition to passenger safety, flight attendants provide either elaborate service to a small number of first-class passengers or, less elaborate service to a large number of passengers. Service includes tending to a wide variety of needs and requests. The flight attendant must offer the most personalized service possible to each and every passenger in the time allotted.

In-flight service to passengers and the operation of cabin equipment requires the flight attendant to stand, walk, kneel, bend, stoop, reach, lift heavy objects from the floor to above shoulder-level heights, and push and pull equipment. In-flight duties keep flight attendants on their feet most of the time. To accomplish all tasks during the few hours in the air, flight attendants frequently must work at top speed. At times, they must serve meals and pour beverages under rough and uncomfortable flying conditions. (No hot beverages are served in turbulent air.) While passengers can be annoying and demanding, it is the flight attendants responsibility to remain pleasant, and provide quality service.

Most flight attendant duties are performed onboard an aircraft, although you may be asked to assist station agents during boarding, or assist passengers to connecting flights. All of these duties are very important since passengers commonly choose their airline based on the quality of service and comfort throughout the duration of their flight.

The uniform is made to measure and is designed by top names in the fashion world to look like a coordinated high-style ensemble rather than a workday uniform. Airlines may provide flight attendants a small monthly allowance to cover cleaning and mending.

Schedules/Hours: Schedules and hours vary greatly since most airlines operate 24 hours. Hours are irregular, determined by the flight assignment and vary per day. Flight attendants may be away from home for several days in a row including weekends and holidays and therefore must be flexible. The maximum number of flying hours per day is set by union agreement, and on-duty time is usually limited to 12 hours per day, with a daily maximum of 14 hours. Generally, flight attendants fly from 65 to 85 hours per month. Some days you may fly as few as one leg, although it is not uncommon to fly between 7-8 legs in one day. In most cases, agreements between the airline and the union determine the total monthly working time.

Flight attendants must be present for check-in to crew scheduling and briefing at least one hour before flight time. If the flight leaves at 5 A.M., the flight attendant is expected to report to the captain by 4 A.M.

In addition to flight time, about 35-50 hours a month duty time between flights are required.

When flight assignments require overnight stays in cities away from home base, hotel accommodations and travel allowances for meal expenses and transportation are provided. This expense money is paid in the form of per diem (Latin for, "by the day"). Per diem is tax free, and can amount to $200-400 per month. Flight attendants receive an amount set by the airline for each hour they are away from their home domicile.

New flight attendants have to clock up time, filling in for other flight attendants who are ill or on vacation. This means working less popular routes and working on short notice.

Flight attendants frequently have between 12 and 18 days off per month and over a years time, average about 156 days off. (The average office worker has 96 days off and, works eight-hour days.) Of course, days off are not necessarily at home, buy many flight attendants use these days as mini vacations.

Depending upon seniority, the flight attendant may be directed by a senior flight attendant or may direct the work of a junior flight attendant. You may bid for flights, but the final assignment is determined by seniority. The longer the flight attendant has been employed, the more likely he or she is to work on chosen flights. Domiciles and routes worked are bid for on a seniority basis, and almost all flight attendants work on a reserve status (on call) at one point in their career.

In addition to performing flight duties, flight attendants sometimes make public relations appearances for the airlines during career days at high schools, fund raising campaigns, sales meetings, open house and interview sessions, conventions, and other goodwill occasions.

Reserve After finishing initial training, flight attendants are assigned to a base or domicile of the airlines choice. New flight attendants are placed on reserve status and are called on either to staff extra flights or fill in for attendants who are sick or on vacation. Reserve flight attendants on duty must be able to report for flight on short notice. Flight attendants usually remain on reserve for at least one year; at some cities it may take five years or longer to advance from reserve to permanent status. Domiciles and routes worked are bid for on a seniority basis, and almost all flight attendants work on a reserve status (on call) at one point in their career. Reserve means that you are on call. New hire flight attendants are put on reserve for up to one year.

Ready Reserve: Ready reserve means that you are required to work standby at the airport. If operational and staffing needs require, an airport ready reserve?s standby time may be extended to ten (10) hours or until the last flight departs, whichever is earlier. Other names or slang terms for ready reserve include Airport Alert and Flying the Couch.

Routine Duties Are as Follows

Pre-flight Duties Take part in a pre-flight briefing by the captain with the entire flight crew to learn about expected weather conditions, special passenger problems, etc. Check seat belts, seat backs and tray tables Screening passengers for carry-on limitations Verify destination and direct passengers to seat assignments Ensure that carry-on luggage is stored in accordance with compliance regulations Ensure passengers are fully compliant with all Federal Aviation Regulations Check supplies, safety equipment and the public address system Assist the handicapped, elderly and children pre-board planes Check passenger cabin and galleys before passengers board to see that all supplies, safety equipment, and food are on board and in place Greet passengers Help passengers stow carry-on luggage and coats Check that passenger seat belts are fastened Ensure that passengers are in observance of "No Smoking" signs Make announcements over public address system regarding weather, altitude, estimated flight time, etc. Demonstrate use of safety equipment In-flight Duties In-flight duties keep flight attendants on their feet most of the time.

The chief responsibility of a flight attendant is to ensure safety of passengers and their evacuation in case of emergency Abide by and ensure all passengers abide by all Federal Aviation Regulations Perform emergency and evacuation procedures when necessary Ensure passengers are seated properly Maintain cabin safety under severe turbulence Communicate with the captain Explain and demonstrate safety features Distribute reading materials, pillows, and blankets to passengers who request them Serve refreshments and meals to passengers and crew during flight Give first aid assistance and help uncomfortable, ill or nervous passengers Answer passenger questions and reassure apprehensive travelers Take special care of unaccompanied children Safety demonstration and announcements Assist passengers with disabilities Operate mechanical and safety equipment Monitor cabin lighting and temperature Answer a wide variety of questions Distribute customs forms Maintain a friendly and helpful service during flights Make landing announcements Check that cabin is secure for landing Thank passengers for choosing your airline at the end of flights Post-flight Duties Write reports on minor medication given to passengers, lost and found articles, cabin and equipment needing attention and numerous other matters that may need to be reported. If required by the airline, perform tidying chores such as folding blankets, wiping off the buffets, straightening curtains/shades etc.

Typical Requirements and/or Experience
These are typical requirements and may vary per airline. Requirements are set high to maintain a high quality of service.

Age: Typically, applicants must be at least 18 to 21 years of age. Some carriers may have higher minimum age requirements.

Physical: Flight attendants must maintain excellent health including an attractive, well groomed, conservative appearance, weight in proportion to height (Refer to the General Height / Weight Requirements chart below.), and good personal hygiene. Minimum heights are required to reach overhead bins and vary per airline. Vision correctable to 20/30 or better (uncorrected no worse than 20/200). Vision may be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Men must have their hair cut above the collar and be clean shaven. Women can have short or long hair. If hair is long, it is usually required that it is pulled back off of the face. Both men and women should have well manicured hands. Airlines generally will not hire, or allow any applicants and employees to have visible tattoos, bizarre hairstyles or makeup, or body piercing. Every airline administers a pre-employment physical by an appointed physician to verify that you are an acceptable candidate and that you meet their physical requirements. The physical will include a drug screening.

Language: Excellent language and communication skills are essential. Applicants must use good grammar and speak clearly with a pleasant voice. Often during the interview process, applicants are asked to demonstrate basic abilities. Languages spoken will vary depending on the airline. US airlines require that you speak English fluently. Languages include but are not limited to: English, French, German, Spanish, Cantonese, Hindi, Chinese, and Japanese. Applicants who desire to fly internationally generally must be fluent in a foreign language such as French, Spanish, German or Japanese. Bilingual applicants are desired and, may help increase chances of initial employment with domestic carriers, and may be required by some airlines.

Citizenship: All United States airlines require that you are a US Citizen or registered alien with legal right to obtain employment in the United States. Also, you will be required to have a social security card.

Personality: Applicants must be poised, mature, emotionally stable, confident, outgoing and good conversationalists. Interpersonal skills and professionalism are very important.

Experience: Applicants should have previous experience in a position with public contact, customer service or in the hospitality industry. Some airlines will overlook a lack of customer service experience if you have a college education.

Relocation: Applicants must be willing to relocate to the base the airline is hiring for. After a certain period of service, flight attendants may have an opportunity to request a transfer.

Work Hours: Flexibility and reliability are usually the most paramount qualities of all applicants. Once hired, flight attendants must be able to work flexible hours. Flight schedules and flying assignments may include nights, weekends, holidays, extended hours, overnights and layovers.

Miscellaneous: Must successfully complete a 10 year security background check as required by the FAA. Other employment must be scheduled around reserve or flying assignments. Applicants are sometime asked to show and maintain a valid passport and have the right to travel freely in and out of the US without restriction. Employment with another airline is prohibited. Must be able to work in confined spaces of the aircraft and galley. Must be able to stand for long periods of time in order to cater to the needs of passengers.

Background Check: Airlines conduct a thorough background check required by the FAA which goes back as many as ten years. Virtually everything about you is investigated including your date of birth, place of birth, criminal records, school records, previous employment and gaps in employment. Employment is absolutely contingent upon a successful background check. You will not be offered a position or, you will be immediately dismissed if your background check shows any discrepancies.

Education
Education: Applicants must hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Today, many airlines prefer a college degree. Advanced degrees are often helpful when pursuing a management or supervisory position. Some schools and colleges offer flight attendant training that may give a candidate some advantage over other applicants. However, these graduates are usually required to complete an airlines own training program. Therefore, it is advisable for the candidate to check with the airlines for their policies regarding prior training.

Marital Status
Married and unmarried men and women, with or without children are eligible. Persons who are widowed or divorced, also are eligible.

It is the policy of most aviation companies to provide equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Most aviation companies are strongly committed to this policy, and believe in the concept and spirit of the United States law.

Most aviation companies are committed to assuring that:
All recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, and other employment related programs are provided fairly to all persons on an equal opportunity basis without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law;

Employment decisions are based on the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action;
All personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, training, and participation in social and recreational programs are administered without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law, and;

Employees and applicants will not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have exercised any right protected by law.

Most aviation companies believe in and practice equal opportunity and affirmative action. All employees are responsible for supporting the concept of equal opportunity and affirmative action and assisting the company in meeting its objectives.

Most aviation companies maintain Affirmative Action Plans for minorities, women, disabled persons and veterans.

EEOC has jurisdiction of the prohibitions against employment discrimination codified in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Titles I and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. These laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age and disability.

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) enforce the prohibitions against federal employment discrimination codified in the CSRA. The OSC will defer those bases of discrimination under EEOC's jurisdiction to the respective federal agency and its EEO process. The CSRA also prohibits employment discrimination in the federal government based on marital status, political affiliation and conduct which does not adversely affect the performance of the employee, none of which are within EEOC's jurisdiction. Moreover, the law defines ten other prohibited personnel practices in the federal government, all of which fall under the jurisdiction of the OSC and the MSPB. See Prohibited Personnel Practices at http://www.osc.gov/ppp.htm.

Additional information may also be found on the the EEOC web site located at http://www.eeoc.gov/

Wages and Benefits
Generally, all flight attendants begin at the same pay rate, and receive pay increases at the same time, regardless of performance. Depending upon union agreements, usually a guaranteed monthly salary is paid for a minimum number of hours ranging from 65 to 85. For example, a base salary is paid for a certain number of minimum hours per month. This salary is paid regardless if you actually work or not. Any hours worked above your minimum hours are paid at an hourly rate.

According to data from the Association of Flight Attendants, beginning flight attendants earned about $14,847 per year in 2000. However, beginning pay scales for flight attendants vary by carrier. The Occupational Outlook Handbook says median annual earnings of flight attendants were $38,820 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $28,200 and $56,610. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,090, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,630. Flight attendants on international flights or over water flights customarily earn higher salaries than those that fly domestic.

For every hour flown above the minimum guarantee, extra incentive compensation is provided for overtime, and international flights. Attendants generally work 80 hours of scheduled flying time and an additional 35-50 hours duty time on the ground each month.

Although flight attendant salaries start out low, airlines usually offer excellent benefits packages. Free or discounted travel privileges are extended to spouses, dependant children, and parents. Some airlines require that you have been with the company for three to six months before you can take advantage of this. With the time and low air fares at their disposal, flight attendants can afford to vacation almost anywhere in the world. Other benefits may include, medical, dental and life insurance, Flexible Benefits Account, 401K or other retirement plan, credit union membership, paid holidays, stock options, pension plan, paid vacation, tuition reimbursement, paid uniforms and sick leave. Over a years time, flight attendants can average about 156 days off, not counting partial days off before and after trips. Another great benefit is the fun people you get to work with and the friendships you develop.

The majority of flight attendants are represented by one of the following unions: Association of Flight Attendants, Teamsters (IBT), or Air Transport Division of the Transport Workers Union of America. Several airlines have company unions such as the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. Most, if not all of the major airlines are members of the Air Transport Association. Salaries and benefits can vary.

Opportunities for Advancement
Upon successful completion of the training course, new flight attendants begin work on a probation basis for approximately six months. During this time, flight attendants are on call to work extra flights or as replacements for flight attendants who are ill or on vacation. During probation, work is periodically observed by the airlines management staff. If the probation period review is favorable, the new flight attendant can advance in time to become a senior flight attendant, supervising flight attendant, or an instructor.

Flight attendants also may be considered for positions with the airline including reservations or ticket sales, public relations, or personnel recruiting depending upon qualifications for such positions. Experience qualifies flight attendants for numerous jobs involving contact with the public. However, once hired, very few flight attendants leave or change jobs. The average tenure is now more than seven years and increasing. Today, flight attendant jobs are viewed as a profession for career-minded individuals.

Outlook for the Future
FAA regulations require one flight attendant for every 50 seats on board an aircraft.

Competition for flight attendant positions will forever remain strong. The perceived glamour of the airline industry and the opportunity to travel will continue to attract job applicants.

Deregulation of the airline industry, which began in the mid-1970's, resulted in the expansion of many carriers, particularly the regional airlines. A side effect, however, has been a certain amount of instability. Some airlines have prospered while others have failed or merged with other carriers. This has caused some dislocation of airline flight attendants.

Individuals considering a career as a flight attendant should consider the possibility of downturns in the economy. When fewer people travel, flight attendants with low seniority could be put on part-time schedules or laid off.

Job growth through the year 2006 is expected to grow faster than average, or increase by 21 to 35 percent.

Training
Just because you have been selected for training does not guarantee you a position with the airline. Training must be completed successfully before a position is offered to you. Training is intense and conducted in a way to "weed out" candidates that are not cut out for the position. Airlines operate flight attendant training programs on a continuing basis or as needed. Training classes are usually made up of 25-100 trainees. Airlines often invite more candidates to training to compensate for typical failure rates.

Large airlines have schools with campus-like facilities for training flight attendants. Training periods typically range from three to eight weeks and training hours vary. Methods of instruction differ from airline to airline, however, much of the training is provided in a classroom with some homework.

Successful completion of training is essential for employment. Trainees typically learn about the following subjects: Federal Aviation Regulations, (FAR's), the theory of flight, components of an airliner and their functions, airline terminology, air traffic control, airport codes, first aid and CPR, evacuation drills and commands, airline routes and regulations, serving methods, time calculations-adding and subtracting hours and minutes using the 24 hour clock, cabin service, meal and beverage service procedures, company history, policy and procedures, Federal Aviation Administration safety, emergency, and evacuation procedures, aircraft equipment familiarization, personal grooming, oral presentations and announcements. Training is provided on the various types of aircraft the airline operates. Customer service experience is generally required, and therefore, briefly touched on in training. Today, airlines also focus on security and bomb threat procedures.

Grooming regulations will be provided at training and must be strictly adhered to while employed. Trainees are often evaluated on appearance reliability throughout the training course.

Trainees that will fly international routes receive additional instruction in passport and customs regulations, as well as methods of dealing with terrorism. Progress is often observed by written and practical evaluation.

Trainees are drilled on all aspects of future duties including emergency evacuation procedures, first aid, CPR, hijackings, FAA regulations, food and beverage service, assisting unaccompanied minors and handicapped passengers, company policies etc. Trainees must perform many drills and duties alone, in front of the training staff. Tests are given throughout training to weed out any unsuccessful applicants. Scoring standards are usually 90% and are kept high to allow only the best candidates to continue with training. At the end of training, students must pass an FAA emergency procedures test successfully. Trainees may be allowed to retake one test, with the exception of the final exam. Some airlines allow retakes, some do not. Airlines want only the best candidates.

Each year flight attendants are also required to go through recurrent training and pass an FAA safety examination in order to continue flying.

Training is often not paid. Room and board, room and school supplies are provided free, as well as air transportation from the trainees' homes to the school. The value of the airlines' flight attendant training program amounts to several thousand dollars per student.

After finishing initial training, flight attendants are assigned to a base chosen by the airline. New attendants are placed in reserve status and are called on either to staff extra flights or fill in for attendants who are sick or on vacation. Reserve attendants on duty must be available on short notice. Attendants usually remain on reserve for at least one year; at some cities it may take five years or longer to advance from reserve to permanent status.

Miscellaneous
Everything in the aviation industry is based on seniority including bidding for schedules, vacations, length of reserve, and transfers. Depending upon seniority, the flight attendant may be directed by a senior flight attendant or may direct the work of a junior flight attendant. Flight attendants frequently work nights, weekends and holidays. They may bid for flights, but the final assignment is determined by seniority. The longer the flight attendant has been employed, the more likely he or she is to work on chosen flights.

Marianne Moore is a flight attendant with US Air. She has had more than 16 years of service as a flight attendant.

"Very intensive training is necessary to become a flight attendant. First of all, over the years, it's become a lot more popular job, and the airline companies go through a big screening process in selecting the applicants who will go through training school.

"Different airlines have different educational requirements. Their physical requirements are not as strict as they used to be, mostly due to legal battles and union representation. We now have mothers who can fly, and weight restrictions are much more lenient.

"The training schools are run by the airlines according to FAA requirements. You spend most of your time studying, learning the Federal Aviation Regulations inside and out. You must know the aircraft that you're going to be flying. You have to know how to evacuate an airplane under many different conditions, and you go through all the scenarios that might be countered in an emergency. We are taught first aid.

"Once a year we have to go through recurrent training and learn anything new that's come out. It's sad to say, but every time an airplane crashes we learn a lot from it. Also, we have to practice emergency procedures, including a mock exercise in evacuating an airplane. You get into the simulator and go to your exit and sometimes the exit will be blocked by fire and you have to know what to do in that situation.

"After the TWA incident in Beirut, we were required to go through eight hours of hijack training because the government and the airlines felt the crews needed more background in that area.

"In order to make an informed choice as to an airline career, I would most definitely research the airline that I was giving my application to. The airlines can be selective, but you can be selective, too. Contact the FAA or the Department of Transportation and try to find out if the airline of your choice is financially stable and has a good operating record.

"Apply to several airlines; don't put all your eggs into one basket. I think it's very important to realize that it's a transient job, especially with mergers and acquisitions and the way that the airline industry is growing. But you have to be flexible. That's the name of the game. You might be told one day-or you might just pick up a newspaper and find out-that your airline was bought by somebody else, which more than likely means you'll have a move on your hands. You have to go to where the flying is.

"You have to realize that it's not all a glamour job. You do get to work with the public and you can get a lot of fulfillment by the things you do for your passengers, but it's hard and tedious work, and it's very uncertain these days."

Source: www.avjobs.com

FLIGHT ATTENDANT CAREER

2009-02-26T12:34:00.030+08:00

CATHAY PACIFIC

At Cathay Pacific, our primary focus is on safety and customer service. We operate one of the youngest fleets in the airline industry – over 90 aircraft, including the most advanced models made by Boeing and Airbus.

In order to become completely conversant with all aircraft technical and safety procedures, new Flight Attendants will begin by undertaking an intensive 5-week training programme. Practical sessions take place in an aircraft mock-up. Each team of flight attendants must not only perform numerous routine technical and safety procedures before every take-off, but also review all passenger-service related tasks, and ensure that all necessary items for the flight are on board and properly stowed. Flight Attendants practise dealing with all kinds of passenger-service situations, including every possible emergency contingency. After joining our team, you will learn how to think on your feet, be sensitive to the needs of others, and to quickly turn problems into opportunities.

More importantly, the demands of the job and the multicultural team environment contribute significantly to your personal growth. You will also make long-lasting friendships with colleagues from all over the world. In addition, the skills you develop in problem-solving and building teamwork will make you even more mature and independent. This kind of personal development is truly invaluable.

To provide "Service Straight From the Heart" means always responding to passengers in a warm, friendly and professional manner. Can you keep smiling and appear professional at 3am? Are you eager to go to work when everyone else is going to bed? Can you remain calm when you encounter difficult situations and demanding passengers? Are you prepared to work on public holidays, during weekends and special occasions? If you answered "Yes" to all of the above questions, this could be the perfect job for you.

A Career that Goes a Long Way
At Cathay Pacific, every flight is an international route, and your roster will include exciting destinations each month. Schedules are calculated in flying hours instead of the number of flights you fly. You will get a mix of long-haul and short-haul flights once you start flying with us, and we provide flying pay and outport allowances as well.

Since 1996, all new Flight Attendants are given a three-year contract. Why? We want to reward you more fairly in view of global market trends. We also want to allow you to reinforce your career decision after three years.
After gaining experience in working in Economy Class, Flight Attendants move on to serve in Business and First Class. Promotion is based on individual performance. Your career follows this path:

Flight attendant – Flight Purser – Senior Flight Purser – Inflight Services Manager
As soon as your career as a Flight Attendant takes off, you become entitled to a range of benefits, including competitive pay based on flying hours and 21 days of annual leave. You also become eligible for discounted travel, medical coverage, retirement benefits and participating in comprehensive insurance schemes. Plus, you get to explore a world of amazing sights and experiences when you fly with us!

Click Here for Cathay Pacific FLIGHT ATTENDANT Position

Click Here for Cathay Pacific OTHER Position

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Singaporean/ Malaysian Cabin Crew. (Residing in Singapore)
We will be conducting a recruitment exercise for Flight Stewardess/ Steward in Singapore. If you meet the following standards, we will be pleased to receive your application.

Requirements

Singapore or Malaysian citizenship
Females who are at least 1.58m; Males who are at least 1.65m in height
Degree/ Diploma
OR
At least 2 GCE ‘A’-level credits and 2 ‘AO’-level credits including General Paper in the GCE ‘A’-level examination
OR
At least 5 GCE ‘O’-level credits including English and working experience
For Malaysian qualifications at SPM level, at least 5 credits including a minimum grade of B4 in English and working experience is required
Completed, are exempted from, or are not liable for National Service. Those in the process of completing NS may also apply.

Training
For those who pass our rigorous selection process, you will undergo about 4 months of training.
Our comprehensive training program will cover topics such as:

Product Knowledge including Food & Beverage
Service Procedures
Passenger Handling
Deportment & Grooming
Language & Communication Skills
Safety Equipment Procedures
First Aid

On successful completion of training you will commence flying duties.

Remuneration and Service Benefits
A monthly allowance will be provided during training. Upon graduation, you can look forward to a basic salary and various allowances amounting to about SGD3,500 a month. In addition, there will be an annual wage supplement of one month’s basic salary and profit-sharing bonus. You will also be entitled to free travel to any SIA destination once a year and enjoy discounted travel at other times.

Please click here for SINGAPORE AIRLINES Career

EMIRATES AIRLINES

Award-winning Emirates operates an ultra modern and fast growing fleet of wide bodied Airbus and Boeing long haul aircraft. We are proud of the service delivered by our multi-cultural team of over 145 nationalities, all trained to the highest standards. Combine all these elements and you have the ingredients for more than 400 awards for excellence. With our rapid growth, both in fleet size and network, we are always on the lookout for exceptional people to build their careers with us. We currently employ people from over 150 different nationalities who speak over 80 different languages to cater for the truly multicultural clientele on our network of over 100 destinations. The diversity and mix of nationalities, cultures, religions and ethnic backgrounds recruited into Emirates has contributed positively to the success we have achieved as an international Airline. Our recruitment team interviews candidates in many countries across the globe, with a focus on selecting those who have the natural ability to provide excellent service within a multicultural team environment. As Emirates expands its destinations the recruitment of candidates from other nationalities and backgrounds will continue. For a list of destinations we are planning to visit, please click HERE.

Package
We offer a superb package of benefits including:

A three year renewable contract
A tax-free starting salary of AED 3, 915 (approx. US$ 1,070) plus flying pay of approximately US$ 1,300 per month
High quality furnished shared accommodation (own bedroom)
Comprehensive medical coverage
Free duty transport
End-of-service benefits
A bonus is also payable on completion of the first three year contract
Emirates will provide you annually with a confirmed ticket to your home country
Generous travel concessions on Emirates and other airlines

Requirement

Every new cabin crew will be provided with comprehensive training in our state-of-the-art training college. However to qualify for this opportunity, you will need to meet the following criteria:

Minimum age 21 years at the time of application
Minimum arm reach of 212 cms (on tip toes), which will enable you to reach emergency equipment on all aircraft types
Educated to at least high school standard
Medically fit to meet aircrew requirements
Fluent in written and spoken English (fluency in another language is an asset)
Previous experience in the service/hospitality industry is an advantage

Finally, you will be the sort of person who has the natural ability to provide excellent service within a team environment.

If you are successful, you will be located in Dubai, the most modern and cosmopolitan of the Gulf cities, which is becoming renowned for its high-class tourist facilities and its high standard of living.

If you meet the above requirements and wish to apply, please click HERE for our on-line application form

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

The Etihad Airways philosophy is built around the needs of our guests. To achieve this, the attitude of the team within Etihad Airways needs to be one of a desire to rise to the challenge of providing a level of service that consistently meets and exceeds our guests' expectations. Service excellence does not happen on its own -- our people make it happen. Therefore, the people who would look to join Etihad would be flexible, adaptable and innovative, with the aspiration to be high achievers. In return, Etihad offers the opportunity to be part of a new airline of the 21st Century.

Etihad Airways believes in the fair and equal treatment for all candidates aspiring to join the Company. Our carefully designed recruitment process involves a series of steps that are explained below to give you insight into our process and some of our expectations from a perspective candidate.

Online Application
You can apply online for suitable vacancies listed on this website (maximum of 4 active jobs at a time). Only completed applications shall be considered for shortlisting.

Shortlist
The shortlisting process involves a detailed review of your CV. Our recruitment experts shall take into account your qualification, overall experience, your current employer and other such relevant factors. Your CV is subject to shortlist only if you meet the position’s minimum requirements

Interview
Shortlisted candidates will undergo a personal interview. This may be conducted by telephone, on a one-to-one basis or as part of an assessment center. The Company conducts suitable skills and personality tests as part of the process for selected positions. After the successful completion of the personal interview, candidates will have to undergo an administrative clearance process

Clearance
Security and medical clearance is required for all UAE based positions. For positions based outside of the UAE the Company follows any statutory employment requirements that may be necessary.

An offer of employment is only finalized after the successful completion of all clearance formalities

Offer of Employment
An offer letter is dispatched to successful candidates following confirmation of clearance. The duly signed offer letter must be returned to us by the date specified by uploading the scanned copy of the Document in your own Ehire workspace

Please Click Here for CURRENT VACANCIES at ETIHAD

ROYAL BRUNEI

Royal Brunei Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, was established on 18 November 1974 as an independent corporation wholly owned by the government of Brunei Darussalam.
The airline’s chairman is Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister of Foreign Affairs Two at the Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Acting Chief Executive Officer is Pengiran Haji Alihashim Pengiran Haji Yussof while other Brunei citizens hold the senior management posts within the departments of Aircraft Operations, Commercial, Corporate Services, Finance & MIS and Engineering.

Please Click Here for CURRENT VACANCIES at ROYAL BRUNEI

MALAYSIA AIRLINES

Join us and make excellence your philosophy

Our hallmark has always been about people satisfaction – our clients, customers and our staff.

We are home to over 22,000 talented people, dedicated to excellence in all things revolving around air travel, and always on the look out for more to share in our passion.

Latest Vacancies

Flight steward or stewardess

If you love traveling and dream of experiencing the world, join us as a flight steward or stewardess. We offer an attractive salary package with allowances, travel, medical and other fringe benefits.

Basic Requirements:
1. Malaysian citizen aged between Academic qualifications: Passed SPM orn 18 and 30 years
2. an equivalent qualification recognized by the Malaysian Government with credits in Bahasa Malaysia and English and passed in any other 4 subjects including Mathematic taken in one sitting
3. Fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and English (fluency in other languages is an advantage)
4. Minimum height: Male – 165cm Female – 157cm (with weight in proportion)
5. Excellent health and good eyesight (not colour blind)
6. Pleasant personality and genuine passion in customer service

Please Click Here for CURRENT VACANCIES at MALAYSIA AIRLINES

QANTAS

Qantas Careers

Find out what it's like to work for Qantas.
View current employment opportunities.
Apply for a position.
Register your details for future vacancies.

Note: Pilot and Flight Attendant positions are currently not listed on the Qantas Careers website. To find out about opportunities in these areas visit the Working for Qantas section below.

For employment opportunities with Jetstar visit the Jetstar Website.

Working for Qantas
Applications are currently being taken for the following positions

Flights Attendants

Note: Australian-based positions are open to permanent residents of Australia only.

We regret that applications cannot be accepted from overseas residents who do not fulfill the Australian residency requirements at the time of application. Overseas residents should check the local employment opportunities at the Qantas office nearest to them.

Positions in other countries will be advertised locally.

Information on migration to Australia can be obtained from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

TIGER AIRWAYS

Tiger Airways is Asia-Pacific's true low fare airline. It consistently strives to offer passengers the lowest airfares on safe and convenient point-to-point air travel. Tiger Airways took to the skies from Singapore in September 2004 with two aircraft in its fleet and three routes in its network.

Within four years of operation, Tiger Airways operates from its Singapore and Melbourne bases, with a third base in Adelaide to commence operations in early 2009. Tiger Airways now flies to more than 25 destinations across 9 countries in Asia and Australia on a fleet of brand new Airbus A320 aircraft.

Please Click Here for CURRENT VACANCIES at TIGER AIRWAYS

PHILIPPINE AIRLINE

Please Click Here for CURRENT VACANCIES at PHILIPPINE AIRLINE

FLIGHT ATTENDANT SCHOOL - II

2009-02-26T12:19:00.008+08:00

How to Choosen Flight Attendant School

What is a Flight Attendant?
There is much more to being a flight attendant than just serving beverages on a plane.

Flight Attendants are trained in a wide variety of skills including:

Airport and aircraft security;
self defense;
emergency first aid and recognition of medical problems;
passenger handling procedures during emergencies;
emergency egress on land and water;
aircraft technical knowledge, including how to fly an airplane;
airline operations; reservation and ticketing procedures;
wilderness, desert and sea survival training;
physical fitness;
meteorology;
customer service;
foreign languages;
special material handling;
radio communication, navigation, and of course, hospitality training.

Flight attendants also lead an exciting life of travel, both as part of their day-to-day work, and travel as a free benefit for their personal use. A flight attendant's lifestyle is demanding in terms of work schedules, especially during odd hours such as early mornings, holidays and weekends. This is an ideal career for a single person, or a married person who does not yet have family and child-rearing responsibilities.

Need for Flight Attendants
Despite the recent news media attention that focuses on airlines in financial trouble, there are many more airlines that are prosperous and growing.

The demand for flight attendants is very high, for two reasons:

The number of passengers is growing rapidly, and there is a high rate of turnover in flight attendant numbers.
The number of passengers now flying is much higher than pre-911.

Some passengers have shifted to smaller national airlines, and regional carriers. Although their business is very strong, it is not exciting news, and you don't hear about it in the media. As a result of this increased traffic, the need for flight attendants is growing steadily. Another reason for the high demand is that some leave the career field after only a short time. In some cases, the person discovers that the flight schedules are too demanding in terms of odd hours and frequent layovers. In many other cases, young flight attendants who are still single quickly find an attractive partner, and decide to stay home to begin a marriage. Many of these flight attendants return to the profession later in life.

Becoming a Flight Attendant
It is possible to be accepted into the flight attendant training programs of some airlines directly after graduating from high school.

The competition is very intense, and a low percentage survive beyond the initial screening process. A candidate who spends some time preparing for flight attendant school stands a much better chance of being accepted.

An Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree, or higher, especially if the degree is focused specifically on flight attendant training, can substantially increase the chances of being chosen. However, there are no guarantees.

In order to succeed a candidate must be:

reasonably intelligent,
able to speak confidently and well,
physically fit.

The two most common reasons for candidates not being accepted, or dropped during an airline training program, are because of underdeveloped speaking skills, and poor physical fitness. Once accepted into an airline flight attendant training program, a candidate will graduate in one to three months, depending upon the airline's training practices.

Career Opportunities
The number of different types of flight attendant careers is vast. They range from small regional airlines flying commuter planes with only one attendant to very large intercontinental airlines flying jumbo jets having 20 or more attendants. Generally speaking, the small commuter airlines having only one or two attendants on their flights may have higher starting salaries, but the opportunity for advancement is lower.

Regional airlines using 2 to 4 attendants per plane start at lower salaries, but have higher ending pay rates. The very large international airlines pay the top salaries for their most experienced flight attendants, particularly those who speak foreign languages. There is also a growing demand for high quality flight attendants for corporate and private aircraft.

These pay the highest salaries, because the need for good hospitality skills is very important. The demand for flight attendants is now very high. And even though there will always be peaks and valleys in the demand rates, the need for flight attendants over the long term will not disappear. People will continue to fly in ever growing numbers, and flight attends are needed to host them.

Choosing a Program
When choosing a flight attendant education program, a candidate should choose a school that has a solid reputation in the aviation industry.

A school that also has a high quality flight program, and other aviation programs such as maintenance, aviation business, etc., are better known by the aviation industry, and their graduates are assumed to be better qualified than those from a school that has no other aviation programs.

A candidate should also choose a school that opens an educational pathway to higher levels of training such as access to bachelor and masters programs. A two year associates degree is a good starting point. A two-year school that partners with higher level colleges and universities can be very helpful. Often, an associates degree is all that is necessary to gain a candidate's entrance into an airline flight attendant training program.

Training and Earning

2009-02-26T12:17:00.013+08:00

Flight attendants must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In Indonesia we called Dinas Sertifikasi Kelaikan Udara (DSKU). A high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement, but airlines increasingly prefer applicants who have a college degree. Experience in dealing with the public is important because flight attendants must be able to interact comfortably with strangers and remain calm under duress.

Education and training.
A high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement. However, airlines increasingly prefer applicants with a college degree and with experience in dealing with the public. Applicants who attend schools and colleges that offer flight attendant training may have an advantage over other applicants. Highly desirable areas of concentration include people-oriented disciplines such as psychology, communications, sociology, nursing, anthropology, police or fire science, travel and tourism, hospitality and education.

Flight attendants for international airlines generally must speak a foreign language fluently. For their international flights, some of the major airlines prefer candidates who can speak two major foreign languages. Once hired, all candidates must undergo a period of formal training. The length of training, ranging from 3 to 8 weeks, depends on the size and type of carrier and takes place at the airline’s flight training center.

Airlines that do not operate training centers generally send new employees to the center of another airline. Some airlines may provide transportation to the training centers and an allowance for room, board, and school supplies, while other airlines charge individuals for training. New trainees are not considered employees of the airline until they successfully complete the training program.

Trainees learn emergency procedures such as evacuating an airplane, operating emergency systems and equipment, administering first aid, and surviving in the water. In addition, trainees are taught how to deal with disruptive passengers and with hijacking and terrorist situations. New hires learn flight regulations and duties, gain knowledge of company operations and policies, and receive instruction on personal grooming and weight control.

Trainees for the international routes get additional instruction in passport and customs regulations. Trainees must perform many drills and duties unaided, in front of the training staff. Throughout training, they also take tests designed to eliminate unsuccessful trainees. Toward the end of their training, students go on practice flights. Upon successful completion of training, flight attendants receive the FAA’s Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency. Flight attendants also are required to go through periodic retraining and pass an FAA or DSKU safety examination to continue flying.

Licensure and Certification.
All flight attendants must be certified by the FAA or DSKU in Indonesia. In order to be certified, flight attendants are required to successfully complete training requirements, such as evacuation, fire fighting, medical emergency, and security procedures established by the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration. They also must perform the assigned duties of a cabin crew member and complete an approved proficiency check. Flight attendants are certified for specific types of aircraft, regardless of the carrier. Therefore, only 1-day or 2-day recurrent training, with the new carrier, is needed for those flight attendants who change airlines, as long as the type of aircraft remains the same.

Other Qualifications.
Airlines prefer to hire poised, tactful, and resourceful people who can interact comfortably with strangers and remain calm under duress. Flight attendants must be in excellent health, and have the ability to speak clearly. Airlines usually have age, physical, and appearance requirements. Applicants usually must be at least 18 to 21 years old, although some carriers may have higher minimum-age requirements.

Applicants must meet height requirements for reaching overhead bins, which often contain emergency equipment, and most airlines want candidates with weight proportionate to height. Vision is required to be correctable to 20/30 or better with glasses or contact lenses (uncorrected no worse than 20/200). Men must have their hair cut above the collar and be clean shaven. Airlines prefer applicants with no visible tattoos, body piercing, or unusual hairstyles or makeup.

In addition to education and training, airlines conduct a thorough background check as required by the FAA, which goes back as many as 10 years. Everything about an applicant is investigated, including date of birth, employment history, criminal record, school records, and gaps in employment. Employment is contingent on a successful background check. An applicant will not be offered a job or will be immediately dismissed if his or her background check shows any discrepancies. All U.S. airlines require that applicants be citizens of the United States or registered aliens with legal rights to obtain employment in the United States.

Advancement.
After completing initial training, flight attendants are assigned to one of their airline’s bases. New flight attendants are placed on reserve status and are called either to staff extra flights or to fill in for crewmembers who are sick, on vacation, or rerouted. When they are not on duty, reserve flight attendants must be available to report for flights on short notice. They usually remain on reserve for at least 1 year but, in some cities, it may take 5 to 10 years or longer to advance from reserve status.

Flight attendants who no longer are on reserve bid monthly for regular assignments. Because assignments are based on seniority, usually only the most experienced attendants get their choice of assignments. Advancement takes longer today than in the past because experienced flight attendants are remaining in this career longer than in the past.

Some flight attendants become supervisors, moving from senior or lead flight attendant, to check flight attendant, to flight attendant supervisor, then on to base manager, and finally to manager or vice president of in-flight operations. They may take on additional duties such as recruiting, instructing, or developing in-flight products. Their experience also may qualify them for numerous airline-related jobs involving contact with the public, such as reservation ticket agent or public relations specialist.

Flight attendants who do not want to travel often for various reasons may move to a position as an administrative assistant. With additional education, some flight attendants may decide to transfer to other areas of the airline for which they work, such as risk management or human resources.

Job Outlook and Earnings

Competition for jobs is expected to remain keen because the opportunity for travel attracts more applicants than there are jobs.

Employment change.
Employment of flight attendants is expected to grow 11 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations over the 2006-16 projection period. Population growth and an improving economy are expected to boost the number of airline passengers. As airlines expand their capacity to meet rising demand by increasing the number and size of planes in operation, more flight attendants will be needed.

Job prospects.
Despite growing demand for flight attendants, competition is expected to be keen because this job usually attracts more applicants than there are jobs, with only the most qualified eventually being hired. College graduates who have experience dealing with the public should have the best chance of being hired.

Job opportunities may be better with the faster growing regional and commuter, low-cost, and charter airlines. There also are job opportunities for professionally trained flight attendants to work for companies operating private aircraft for their executives. The majority of job opportunities through the year 2016 will arise from the need to replace flight attendants who leave the labor force or transfer to other occupations, often for higher earnings or a more stable lifestyle.

With the job now viewed increasingly as a profession, however, fewer flight attendants leave their jobs, and job turnover is not as high as in the past. The average job tenure of attendants is currently more than 14 years and is increasing.

In the long run, opportunities for persons seeking flight attendant jobs should improve as the airline industry expands. Over the next decade, however, demand for flight attendants will fluctuate with the demand for air travel, which is highly sensitive to swings in the economy. During downturns, as air traffic declines, the hiring of flight attendants declines, and some experienced attendants may be laid off until traffic recovers.

According to data from the Association of Flight Attendants, beginning attendants had median earnings of $15,849 a year in 2006. Beginning pay scales for flight attendants vary by carrier, however. New hires usually begin at the same pay scale regardless of experience, and all flight attendants receive the same future pay increases based on an established pay scale.

WHAT DO YOU RECEIVE
Some of airline offer to their Flight Attendant as follows:

Medical, dental, and life insurance;
401K or other retirement plan;
Sick leave;
Paid holidays;
Stock options;
Paid vacations;
Tuition reimbursement.
Flight attendants also receive a “per diem” allowance for meal expenses while on duty away from home.
Flight attendants and their immediate families are entitled to free or discounted fares on their own airline and reduced fares on most other airlines. Some airlines require that the flight attendant be with an airline for 3 to 6 months before taking advantage of this benefit.
Some airlines offer incentive pay for working holidays, night and international flights, or taking positions that require additional responsibility or paperwork.

Flight attendants are required to purchase uniforms and wear them while on duty. The airlines usually pay for uniform replacement items, and may provide a small allowance to cover cleaning and upkeep of the uniforms.

The majority of flight attendants hold union membership, primarily with the Association of Flight Attendants. Other unions that represent flight attendants include the Transport Workers Union of America and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

OUR FLIGHT ATTENDANT

2009-02-26T12:16:00.014+08:00

Welcome to the Intersky Study Flight Attendant Class.

The following Intersky Study Graduates are employed as International and Domestic Flight Attendants:

The Flight Attendant option are designed to introduce you to the role of the flight attendant for both international and domestic flights. We take you through the application process, the interview and selection criteria and into the training programme itself. We will show you how to prepare an aircraft cabin for embarking and disembarking passengers, cabin crew standard emergency procedures and equipment, and the passenger inflight safety demonstration. Presentations will be given by professional flight attendants and airline personnel.

Please phone Vina on 0852 4756 8888 or 0542 440942 for further details.

Story of Flight Attendant

2009-02-26T11:57:00.011+08:00

HOW I BECAME A FLIGHT ATTENDANT

My story starts at age four. I was watching a kiddie TV show, and suddenly, there on the screen appeared the most beautiful creature I had ever seen! She wore an elegant navy blue uniform with golden wings on her chest, and she got to fly in airplanes EVER DAY! Well – that was enough for me! I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, and have never deviated from that dream!

From that day on, I lined up chairs in the living room and filled them with dolls and teddy bears, making them my passengers. I talked my brother into being the pilot; he flew the “plane” and I served everyone coffee for hours on end.

When I graduated from high school, I went on to college in Texas, but all I could think about was flying. I would be walking to class, look up in the sky and see an airplane and longingly dream of what would one day be my “office” in the air. I started applying to airlines and flew to several interviews while in school, once getting stranded an entire weekend in Houston! But that didn’t discourage me – I just kept applying, hoping that one day I would be successful in my diligent pursuit.

Finally my chance came. I had just turned 19 (I was finally old enough!) and I heard that Eastern Airlines was having interviews in the Washington, D.C. area – my home. It was to be held on the following Saturday at a hotel in McLean, Virginia. So I made my plans.

I awakened that morning to ten inches of snow, still heavily falling. I wondered if the recruiter would still be there to interview me today. Oh, well, there was no way to find out but to go. And if there was a way to get there, I was determined to do it!

I had snow chains on my tire and an ice scraper in my gloved hand. Dressed in Eskimo attire, out the door I went, headed for my lifetime adventure. Knowing that the interview was about ten miles away and the inclement weather would probably slow me down, I left an hour early. Nothing was going to stop me, even though I experienced a quite a bit of difficulty driving. I skidded a couple of times, stalled out at one point, and my heater went out. But I was undeterred. As I plowed through the thick blanket of falling snow, I had only one thing on my mind. All I could see through the blinding white was a vision of myself strutting through airports, dressed in my finest airline livery, gleaming golden wings pinned to my chest. Faraway lands awaited me, and I was trying my best to get there!

After driving slowly and carefully, I arrived at my destination. With no thought as to how I would get back home in the deepening powder, I forged ahead with my interview, and gave it my all. I developed an immediate chemistry with Mrs. Burton, the recruiter. She must have felt compassion for me, observing that I had driven through a raging blizzard. Sensing how determined and serious I was, she closed the interview with the assurance that I would hear something within one week.

A week came and went. And another week. I could hardly contain myself. Finally, I could stand the suspense no longer - I called the recruiter! She reassured me that I had been recommended for employment, and couldn’t figure out why I was not contacted. “However”, she said, “it is not customary to inform an applicant why he or she was not hired”. She regretted that she could do no more to encourage me, but I pressed on. I told her that if there was anything that needed to be changed and it was in my power to change it, I wanted to be given a chance to do so. Maybe I could take steps to improve or clarify whatever was holding me back. She protested at first, but I persisted in my crusade and was able to convince her to investigate. She said she would get back with me.

I waited by the phone in agony another three weeks. What in the world was happening? Why didn’t they notify me? What went wrong? Finally the jangling of the phone shook me out of my despair – it was Mrs. Burton! My heart pounded; my hands became moist and shaky – this was the big moment!

“Wendy”, she murmured, “I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected to begin flight attendant training in two weeks!” I had finally received the answer I wanted to hear – I got the job! She said that my application had been set aside, waiting for my physical report. It got placed on the wrong desk – the desk of someone who no longer worked there! Mrs. Burton found it, and the rest is history!

I never, ever became daunted in the quest of achieving my goal. I am an active participant in shaping my fate. After this tumultuous interviewing experience, I went on to enjoy six wonderful years of flying, which led to other positions in a supervisory capacity. I am more sensitive to the plight of the applicant who really wants an airline job, and this experience has had a major part in influencing many of my decisions as a recruiter. Determination is a valuable thing – just think how my life might have been had I not relentlessly pursued my goal!

WHY WE want to be FLIGHT ATTENDANTS

There are many good reasons to become a flight attendant. There are several reasons why we pursue this sometimes elusive career path.

In the beginning days of air travel, “stewardesses”, as they were called then, had to be registered nurses who swatted flies in the cabin, lifted mailbags and distributed gum and served passengers box lunches and water served in thermos jugs. Things have come a long way, however, as “passengers” are now referred to as “customers”; “stewardesses” are now called “flight attendants”, they bid their trips by computer, and flights that used to take 10 hours can now be navigated in 3. And now, there are some very good reasons for becoming a flight attendant.

You will probably never get rich being a flight attendant; monetarily rich, anyway. The average salary is in the $45K range; however, flight attendants flying lead, internationally, with seniority, have been known to make upwards of $90K. But you don’t do this just for the money – you have to have a passion for it to make it as a flight attendant. Because being a flight attendant is just SO MUCH FUN!

When I went to my first airline interview, I went through a raging blizzard to get to the recruiting office. The recruiter was impressed that I came out into the frozen tundra, that I wanted the job so badly that I would endure scraping the windshield and hazardous driving conditions and bitter cold just to meet with her. What makes this job so coveted that people will do brave these kinds of conditions in order to get a job in the sky?

Let’s start with environment. Few jobs offer the chance to work in a different environment every day, with different scenery, surrounded by different faces. One day you may fly with a rock star, the next day with a sweet, kindly grandmother that wants to show you pictures of all her grandchildren and shower you with compliments; you may meet people who are noted scientists, politicians, celebrities, military personnel or world-famous athletes. Our flight attendants flew military charters to Desert Storm and received medals from the military. I have met poets, movie stars and all the above, plus the plain-old, down-to-earth boy-next-door college guy who just thought I was the “bees knees” getting paid to fly around every day! We sat and talked and he gave me all the information I needed to explore the sights of Maui.

Ah, adventure - the ability to see the world! I have experienced the turquoise of the Caribbean Sea, the black sands of Hawaii, the excitement of London’s Piccadilly Circus, the Emerald Isles of Ireland, the ancient wonders of Egypt, the splendor of the Rockies, the grandeur of the grand canyon, and so much more, while still young enough to appreciate it.

One of the wonderful things about being an airline employee is the benefit of mobility. I could go see my best friend in New Jersey who just had her baby and visit my cousins in North Carolina; I was able to hop a quick flight to Virginia for a family emergency, fly to California to see a rock star I met at a concert, and hop a flight to Philadelphia for an exciting date. I once woke up on my day off and decided to take a spur-of-the-moment jaunt to St. Thomas for a day of shopping, bought a watch and some shoes, had a great time, then flew back home.

I have met other airline employees whom I will never forget; a pilot who took me flying in his Cessna and taught me to roll and do loops; a customer service agent who went on vacation to Thailand and brought me jewelry from his trip; another flight attendant based in New York who invited me up to do lunch, shopping and a play, and many other memorable people. I met lifetime friends while I was flying, and no other job enjoys the incredible camaraderie as that of flight crewmembers.

There is nothing routine about the job of a flight attendant. Schedules are so varied – I have flown early morning flights, afternoon flights, evening flights and midnight flights. Sometimes I worked for 3 hours, sometimes for 14. The humdrum routine of 9 to 5 is virtually nonexistent in the aviation world; around every turn there is a surprise! Your schedule changes sometimes daily, especially in the beginning, when most airlines start new flight attendants on “reserve”, or on-call status. Being on call can be advantageous – you can have opportunities to fly some really good trips that you normally have to have a lot of seniority in order to fly. As a new reserve, I once flew a trip from Atlanta to Los Angeles. While in LA, we took a tour of the telescope at the Mt. Palomar Tower. I had a long layover in Portland once, where all the crew went snow skiing! Ah, the good life.

And then there’s the time off, one of the great perks of being a flight attendant. My flight attendant roommate and I used to sit on our balcony and watch the nine-to-fivers trudge home from work, briefcases and umbrellas in hand, weary of their daily trek to and from their boring existences. We were off at least 10 scheduled days a month, not to mention the days on reserve where we were never called out for a trip. We would simply go to have fun somewhere or go see a friend and take the pager or cell phone. Most people have the same 8 days off every month; we had a lot more.

As you can see, this is an exciting job, none other even remotely like it. By virtue of the fact that you are one of the few chosen out of hundreds enhances the job appeal, and nothing equals the feeling of walking through an airport terminal in your uniform, wings proudly displayed on your chest. If you want to pursue an outstanding career, become a flight attendant!

Type of FLIGHT ATTENDANT and Job Description

2009-02-26T11:48:00.013+08:00

For those of you who are interested in a career as a flight attendant, jobs with the major airlines are not the only option and may not be the right fit for some job seekers. There is a smorgasbord of jobs available, offering different advantages for the diverse types of people interested in flying.

The most popular and well-known type of flight attendant is Flight Attendant for a major airline, such as US Airways, Continental, Delta, United, Southwest, TWA, American, Northwest or America West. These airlines, with the exception of Southwest, are global carriers.

As a flight attendant with these airlines you will be able to fly all over the world, although it may require several years’ seniority in order to do so on a regular basis. They fly a variety of aircraft, which may include medium size jets such as the Boeing 737 to jumbo-jets such as the DC 10. These airlines have a number of bases nationwide and sometimes worldwide, and the reserve system varies from several months to several years.

The pay scale is generally higher with the major carriers, with a full range of benefits available, such as paid time off, medical, dental and life insurance, credit unions, 401K’s, profit sharing, and pass benefits. And the older, more established airlines generally have more reciprocal flight benefits with other airlines than newer start-up airlines do.

The second most popular type is the Flight Attendant for the national airline. Nationals usually go shorter distances. They service the smaller cities that are not frequented by as many passengers as the ones served by major airlines but still require service. These airlines include AirTran, Spirit, Midway, Midwest Express, Frontier and National Airlines and may serve cities such as Greensboro, NC, Ft. Walton Beach, FL or Chicago’s Midway Airport. They most often use only one type of aircraft such as the B-737 or MD-80.

The benefits for these airlines are similar to the majors, with perhaps not quite as many perks. Time spent on reserve varies, and is not usually as long as those of the major airlines. Layover time is also shorter most of the time, since these airlines are generally lower fare carriers and have quick turns with their aircraft.

Flight attendants for another class of airlines, called regionals, fly on smaller aircraft, usually turboprops or small jets called Regional Jets (RJ’s). For the most part, these flights carry commuters and passengers connecting to the mainstream airlines. Most of their aircraft seat fewer than 50 passengers and require only one flight attendant.

If you like working without anyone looking over your shoulder, this type of flying might be for you. These airlines fly shorter distances, usually within one state or a small region, such as the northeast. Some of these airlines are Comair, Sky West, US Airways Express, United Express and American Eagle. Benefits with these airlines are still comparable with larger ones, as well as having flight discounts with the larger carriers.

Another kind of airline that uses flight attendants is the charter airline. This type of airline does not have many scheduled flights but is chartered by tour groups. The flight schedules may change from month-to-month, as well as cities served. Some of these airlines go all over the world for most of their flights, and it is not unusual for a new flight attendant to find him or herself on a trip to Europe the first month out of training! These airlines usually have fewer employees, but the flying is more specialized. Most flights for charter airlines travel to vacation spots and exotic locations, but can also involve military transport.

Benefits are comparable in most cases, with the possible exception of reciprocal passes from scheduled airlines. Some well-known charter airlines are American Trans Air, Miami Air, Sun Country and World Airways. Some of these airlines do not have continuous reserve, but only require it one day per month, for all their flight attendants.

There is also a type of flight attendant known as the corporate flight attendant. Flying corporate involves working for a corporation or an individual instead of an established airline. The airplanes they use are usually small ones such as Falcons or Challengers, but may even be smaller, private aircraft or large ones, such as Boeing 737’s. The flight attendants fly to wherever they are needed, and sometimes they must be available at a moment’s notice. The crew may be gone for weeks at a time, but due to the fact that these personnel must be available so frequently, this type of flying can command quite a lucrative salary.

A corporate flight attendant can expect to make anywhere from $30,000/yr. to $60,000, and this can even go higher, depending on the policy of the corporation or individual. The service offered on corporate flights is exemplary, in order to pamper their customers. Usually specialized training is required prior to applying, which the company rarely provides.

And it’s best to know someone within the company who can put in a good word for you, as these jobs are seldom advertised. Some examples of people who use corporate flight attendants are athletic teams such as the Orlando Magic, celebrities, private companies and wealthy, private individuals who travel frequently.

No matter what kind of flying you choose, it is nice to know there are options other than the obvious ones for which most people apply. Each type of airline has its own character, so if a major airline is a Roadrunner and you are a Donald Duck, you may be happier working for a regional or a charter. A lot of these jobs can be quite satisfying, and afford some advantages not provided by the majors, such as short reserve and seniority time, immediate international travel, and a closer-knit camaraderie not always obtained within large companies. Taking the time to carefully weigh your decision may make the difference between being in the right job with the wrong company or having just the “right fit” based on your needs!

Detailed Job Awareness / Job Description
It is important for a flight attendant to understand all about the job duties, salaries, responsibilities and lifestyle of a flight attendant. While this job is not for everyone, the rewards are great. We tell you what to expect in training, the downside of the job as well as the perks such as flight benefits and profit sharing.

Airline Abbreviations and Definitions
Flight attendant training can be like learning another language, but after learning the aviation terminology and abbreviations that all flight attendants need to know no matter what airline they work for, you will be much more knowledgeable about the industry and greatly increase your chances of success in flight attendant training.

Federal Aviation Regulations (F.A.R.’s)
Become familiar with rules all flight attendants must know well, and are standard to the industry. This section is the backbone of the flight attendant job and is a must for applicants new to the industry.

24-Hour Clock (Military Time) and Time Calculation
All flight attendants must be proficient in military time to the point that it is automatic. Calculating and understanding military time doesn’t have to be difficult; we teach you the easy way to learn military time and calculation, which is imperative for keeping track of your flight hours.

150 Predominant City Codes
Airlines typically give you many city codes to learn in a very limited period of time. The city codes for the most common destinations, both domestic and international, are taught in our program. The airline you work for will more than likely use many of these city codes, so by already knowing them when you go in, you will have a heads-up on the memorization process.

Decompression & First Aid
Decompressions and medical emergencies are among the most serious situations a flight attendant can encounter. We will give you insight on first aid procedures for the most common inflight injuries and illnesses and emergencies.

Security Issues
Security is a very important issue in today’s aviation world. Learn about aviation security issues every flight attendant must know and how to insure the safest and most secure conditions for passengers and crew.

Evacuation Procedures
Learn how flight attendants can evacuate an aircraft in the FAA required 90 seconds, in the dark, with half the exits working. Most inflight emergencies are survivable. Learn about planned and unplanned emergencies and what to do if things go wrong.

Safety Demos
All flight attendants must demonstrate the location and operation of safety equipment during each and every flight. You will have a chance to practice oxygen mask, safety card, seat belt and life vest demonstrations in class and learn the proper forms of presenting the information.

Preflight Checking and Operation of Emergency Equipment
Emergency equipment checks are a vital part of the flight attendant safety protocol. Learn how to operate equipment such as the oxygen bottles, fire extinguishers, smoke hood and more.

Aircraft Nomenclature Diagrams
Aircraft exits are labeled and referred to in a specific way. All flight attendants must learn the proper way of designating these exits.

Emergency Procedures
In any inflight emergency, it is the primary duty of the flight attendant to put basic procedures into practice in a rapid and efficient manner, so as to be able to direct passengers off the aircraft safely to prevent further injury and to save lives. These are procedures which flight attendants must know like the back of their hands and become automatic with extensive drilling during training.

Comprehensive Customer Service Proficiency
As experienced flight attendants, we strive to increase the applicant’s awareness of customer service skills through the use of role-playing techniques. The flight attendant is the front line for the company’s corporate image and the reason many people return for repeat business. This issue is finally being given the important attention it demands in today’s aviation venue!

F/A Interviewing and resume skills
We don’t want you to be alone in the interview process! We will teach you how to effectively showcase your qualifications to recruiters to get you noticed and hired! Learn about the preferred dress code, how to create an airline specific resume, how to market yourself effectively in your presentation and how to answer the most commonly asked airline questions, bringing your background into your answers. We practice with you through role-playing exercises and video-tape you so you can see how you conduct yourself in the interview.

Placement Assistance
As a successful candidate, you will have us work with you hand-in-hand to refer you to airlines; we will contact them for you and help you to set-up your interviews, giving the airlines a glowing recommendation. Give us a chance to help you “take-off” with your career!

AIRPORT

2009-02-11T18:56:00.007+08:00

An airport is a location where aircraft such as airplanes, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may also be stored or maintained at an airport. An airport consists of at least one surface such as a runway, a helipad, or water for takeoffs and landings, and often includes buildings such as hangars and terminal buildings.

Larger airports may have fixed base operator services, seaplane docks and ramps, air traffic control, passenger facilities such as restaurants and lounges, and emergency services.

A military airport is known as an airbase or air station. The terms airfield, airstrip, and aerodrome may also be used to refer to airports, and the terms heliport, seaplane base, and STOLport refer to airports dedicated exclusively to helicopters, seaplanes, or short takeoff and landing aircraft.

In some jurisdictions, the term airport is used where the facility is licensed as such by the relevant government organization (e.g. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transport Canada). Elsewhere the distinction is merely one of general appearance. Yet other areas define an airport by its having the necessary customs offices etc expected of a port,[citation needed] though the more general term is airport of entry.

Airports are divided into landside and airside areas.

Landside areas include parking lots, public transportation train stations, tank farms and access roads.
Airside areas include all areas accessible to aircraft, including runways, taxiways, ramps commercial flights access airside areas through terminals, where they can purchase tickets, clear security, check or claim luggage and board aircraft through gates.

The waiting areas which provide passenger access to aircraft are typically called concourses, although this term is often used interchangeably with terminal. Access from landside areas to airside areas is tightly controlled at most airports.

The area where aircraft park next to a terminal to load passengers and baggage is known as a ramp (or "the tarmac"). Parking areas for aircraft away from terminals are called approns. Airports can be towered or non-towered, depending on air traffic density and available funds. Due to their high capacity and busy airspace, many international airports have air traffic control located on site.

Airports with international flights have customs and immigration facilities. However, as some countries have agreements that allow travel between them without customs and immigrations, such facilities are not a definitive need for an international airport. International flights often require a higher level of physical security, although in recent years, many countries have adopted the same level of security for international and domestic travel.

Modern engineers and architects are developing "floating airports" which could be located several miles at sea and which would use designs such as pneumatic stabilized platform technology.

Premium and VIP services

Airports may also contain Premium and VIP services. The premium and VIP services may include express check in, dedicated check in counters, separate departures and/or arrivals lounge, priority boarding, separate air bridges, and priority baggage handling.

These services are usually reserved for First and Business class passengers, premium frequent flyers, and members of the airlines clubs, however each airline has its own set of rules as to what constitutes a premium passenger and what additional services and benefits are offered.

Premium services may sometimes be open to passengers who are members of a different airlines frequent flyer program. This can sometimes be part of a reciprocal deal, usually due to both airlines been part of the same alliance, or as a ploy to attract premium customers away from rival airlines.

Sometimes these premium services will be offered to a non premium passenger if the airline has made a mistake in handling of the passenger, for instance the passenger is unduly delay, or has their baggage mishandled. However this is up to the discretion of the operating airline.

Airline lounges may include free or reduced rate food, both non alcoholic drinks and alcoholic drinks. Lounges themselves typically have better seating, showers, quite areas, TV’s, computer and internet access, as well as power points which passengers are permitted to use to power laptops or other electronic devices. They will also sometimes employ barista’s, bar persons and high quality chefs.

A certain lounges may restrict the services it provides depending on the time of day, for example they may not serve alcoholic drinks before a certain time of day. They may also only serve certain foods such as breakfast cereals only at certain times of the day.

Airlines sometimes operate multiple lounges within the one airport terminal allowing ultra premium customers, such as first class customers, additional services, which are not available to other premium customers.

Cargo and freight services

In addition to people, airports are responsible for moving large volumes of cargo around the clock. Cargo airlines often have their own on-site and adjacent infrastructure to rapidly transfer parcels between ground and air modes of transportation.

Support services

Aircraft maintenance, pilot services, aircraft rental, and hangar rental are most often performed by a fixed base operator (FBO). At major airports, particularly those used as hubs, airlines may operate their own support facilities.

Some airports, typically military airbases, have long runways used as emergency landing sites. Many airbases have arresting equipment for fast aircraft, known as arresting gear – a strong cable suspended just above the runway and attached to a hydraulic reduction gear mechanism. Together with the landing aircraft's arresting hook, it is used in situations where the brakes would have little or no effect.

Airport Security

Baggage is scanned using X-ray machines, passengers walk through metal detectors
Airport security normally requires baggage checks, metal screenings of individual persons, and rules against any object that could be used as a weapon. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, airport security has been dramatically increased.

Airport operations

Air traffic control
The majority of the world's airports are non-towered, with no air traffic control presence. However, at particularly busy airports, or airports with other special requirements, there is an air traffic control (ATC) system whereby controllers (usually ground-based) direct aircraft movements via radio or other communications links. This coordinated oversight facilitates safety and speed in complex operations where traffic moves in all three dimensions. Air traffic control responsibilities at airports are usually divided into at least two main areas: ground and tower, though a single controller may work both stations. The busiest airports also have clearance delivery, apron control, and other specialized ATC stations.

Ground Control is responsible for directing all ground traffic in designated "movement areas", except the traffic on runways. This includes planes, baggage trains, snowplows, grass cutters, fuel trucks, and a wide array of other vehicles. Ground Control will instruct these vehicles on which taxiways to use, which runway they will use (in the case of planes), where they will park, and when it is safe to cross runways. When a plane is ready to take off it will stop short of the runway, at which point it will be turned over to Tower Control. After a plane has landed, it will depart the runway and be returned to Ground Control.

Tower Control controls aircraft on the runway and in the controlled airspace immediately surrounding the airport. Tower controllers may use radar to locate an aircraft's position in three-dimensional space, or they may rely on pilot position reports and visual observation. They coordinate the sequencing of aircraft in the traffic pattern and direct aircraft on how to safely join and leave the circuit. Aircraft which are only passing through the airspace must also contact Tower Control in order to be sure that they remain clear of other traffic.

All airports use a traffic pattern (often called a traffic circuit outside the U.S.) to assure smooth traffic flow between departing and arriving aircraft. Generally, this pattern is a circuit consisting of five "legs" that form a rectangle (two legs and the runway form one side, with the remaining legs forming three more sides). Each leg is named (see diagram), and ATC directs pilots on how to join and leave the circuit. Traffic patterns are flown at one specific altitude, usually 800 or 1,000 ft (244 m or 305 m) above ground level (AGL). Standard traffic patterns are left-handed, meaning all turns are made to the left. Right-handed patterns do exist, usually because of obstacles such as a mountain, or to reduce noise for local residents. The predetermined circuit helps traffic flow smoothly because all pilots know what to expect, and helps reduce the chance of a mid-air collision.

At extremely large airports, a circuit is in place but not usually used. Rather, aircraft (usually only commercial with long routes) request approach clearance while they are still hours away from the airport, often before they even take off from their departure point. Large airports have a frequency called Clearance Delivery which is used by departing aircraft specifically for this purpose. This then allows airplanes to take the most direct approach path to the runway and land without worrying about interference from other aircraft. While this system keeps the airspace free and is simpler for pilots, it requires detailed knowledge of how aircraft are planning to use the airport ahead of time and is therefore only possible with large commercial airliners on pre-scheduled flights. The system has recently become so advanced that controllers can predict whether an aircraft will be delayed on landing before it even takes off; that aircraft can then be delayed on the ground, rather than wasting expensive fuel waiting in the air.

Navigational aids
There are a number of aids available to pilots, though not all airports are equipped with them. A Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) helps pilots fly the approach for landing. Some airports are equipped with a VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) to help pilots find the direction to the airport. VORs are often accompanied by a distance measuring equipment (DME) to determine the distance to the VOR. VORs are also located off airports, where they serve to provide airways for aircraft to navigate upon. In poor weather, pilots will use an instrument landing system (ILS) to find the runway and fly the correct approach, even if they cannot see the ground. The number of instrument approaches based on the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) is rapidly increasing and may eventually be the primary means for instrument landings.

Larger airports sometimes offer precision approach radar (PAR), but these systems are more common at military air bases than civilian airports. The aircraft's horizontal and vertical movement is tracked via radar, and the controller tells the pilot his position relative to the approach slope. Once the pilots can see the runway lights, they may continue with a visual landing.

Airport ground crew

Most airports have ground crew handling the loading and unloading of passengers, crew, baggage and other services.[citation needed] Some ground crew are linked to specific airlines operating at the airport.

Environmental concerns

Aircraft noise is major cause of noise disturance to residents living near airports. Sleep can be affected if the airports operate night and early morning flights. Aircraft noise not only occurs from take-off and landings, but ground operations including maintenance and testing of aircraft. Noise can have other noise health effects. Other noise and environmental concern are vehicle traffic causing noise and pollution on road leading the airport.

The construction of new airports, or addition of runways to existing airports, is often resisted by local residents because of the effect on the countryside, historical sites, local flora and fauna. Due to the risk of collision between birds and airplanes, large airports undertake population control programs where they frighten or shoot birds.

The construction of airports has been known to change local weather patterns. For example, because they often flatten out large areas, they can be susceptible to fog in areas where fog rarely forms. In addition, because they generally replace trees and grass with pavement, they often change drainage patterns in agricultural areas, leading to more flooding, run-off and erosion in the surrounding land.

Some of the airport administrations prepare and publish annual environmental reports in order to show how they consider these environmental concerns in airport management issues and how they protect environment from airport operations. These reports contains all environmental protection measures performed by airport administration in terms of water, air, soil and noise pollution, resource conservation and protection of natural life around the airport.

Source From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

AIRCRAFT

2009-02-11T18:54:00.004+08:00

An aircraft is a vehicle which is able to fly through the Earth's atmosphere or through any other atmosphere. Rocket vehicles are not aircraft if they are not supported by the surrounding air. All the human activity which surrounds aircraft is called aviation.

Manned aircraft are flown by a pilot. Until the 1960s, unmanned aircraft were called drones. During the 1960s, the U.S. military brought the term remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) into use. More recently the term unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has become common

Kinds of aircraft

Lighter than air—aerostats

Aerostats use buoyancy to float in the air in much the same way that ships float on the water. They are characterized by one or more large gasbags or canopies, filled with a relatively low density gas such as helium, hydrogen or hot air, which is less dense than the surrounding air. When the weight of this is added to the weight of the aircraft structure, it adds up to the same weight as the air that the craft displaces.

Small hot air balloons called sky lanterns date back to the 3rd century BC and were only the second type of aircraft to fly, the first being kites.

Originally a balloon was any aerostat, while the term airship was used for large powered aircraft designs—usually fixed-wing—though none had yet been built. The advent of powered balloons, called dirigible balloons, and later of rigid hulls allowing a great increase in size, began to change the way these words were used. Huge powered aerostats, characterized by a rigid outer framework and separate aerodynamic skin surrounding the gas bags, were produced, the Zeppelins being the largest and most famous. There were still no aeroplanes or non-rigid balloons large enough to be called airships, so "airship" came to be synonymous with these monsters. Then several accidents, such as the Hindenburg disaster in 1937, led to the demise of these airships. Nowadays a "balloon" is an unpowered aerostat, whilst an "airship" is a powered one.

A powered, steerable aerostat is called a dirigible. Sometimes this term is applied only to non-rigid balloons, and sometimes dirigible balloon is regarded as the definition of an airship (which may then be rigid or non-rigid). Non-rigid dirigibles are characterized by a moderately aerodynamic gasbag with stabilizing fins at the back. These soon became known as blimps During the Second World War, this shape was widely adopted for tethered balloons; in windy weather this both reduces the strain on the tether and stabilizes the balloon. The nickname blimp was adopted along with the shape. In modern times any small dirigible or airship is called a blimp, though a blimp may be unpowered as well as powered.

Heavier than air—aerodynes

Heavier-than-air aircraft must find some way to push air or gas downwards, so that a reaction occurs (by Newton's laws of motion) to push the aircraft upwards. This dynamic movement through the air is the origin of the term aerodyne. There are two ways to produce dynamic upthrust: aerodynamic lift, and powered lift in the form of engine thrust.

Aerodynamic lift is the most common, with aeroplanes being kept in the air by the forward movement of wings, and rotorcraft by spinning wing-shaped rotors sometimes called rotary wings. A wing is a flat, horizontal surface, usually shaped in cross-section as an aerofoil. To fly, the wing must move forwards through the air; this movement of air over the aerofoil shape deflects air downward to create an equal and opposite upward force, called lift, according to Newton's third law of motion. A flexible wing is a wing made of fabric or thin sheet material, often stretched over a rigid frame. A kite is tethered to the ground and relies on the speed of the wind over its wings, which may be flexible or rigid, fixed or rotary.

With powered lift, the aircraft directs its engine thrust vertically downwards.

The initialism VTOL (vertical take off and landing) is applied to aircraft that can take off and land vertically. Most are rotorcraft. Others, such as the Hawker Siddeley Harrier, take off and land vertically using powered lift and transfer to aerodynamic lift in steady flight. Similarly, STOL stands for short take off and landing. Some VTOL aircraft often operate in a short take off/vertical landing regime known as STOVL.

A pure rocket is not usually regarded as an aerodyne, because it does not depend on the air for its lift (and can even fly into space), however many aerodynamic lift vehicles have been powered or assisted by rocket motors. Rocket-powered missiles which obtain aerodynamic lift at very high speed due to airflow over their bodies, are a marginal case

Fixed-wing aircraft

A size comparison of some of the largest aeroplanes. The Airbus A380-800 (largest airliner), the Boeing 747-8, the Antonov An-225 (aircraft with the greatest payload) and the Hughes H-4 "Spruce Goose" (aircraft with greatest wingspan).

Aeroplanes or airplanes are technically called fixed-wing aircraft.

The forerunner of the aeroplane is the kite. Whereas an aeroplane relies on its forward speed to create airflow over the wings, a kite is tethered to the ground and relies on the wind blowing over its wings to provide lift. Kites were the first kind of aircraft to fly, and were invented in China around 500 BC. Much aerodynamic research was done with kites before test aircraft, wind tunnels and computer modelling programs became available.

The first heavier-than-air craft capable of controlled free flight were unpowered aeroplanes or gliders. A glider designed by Cayley carried out the first true manned, controlled flight in 1853.
Besides the method of propulsion, aeroplanes are generally characterized by their wing configuration.

The most important wing characteristics are:

Number of planes - Monoplane, biplane, etc.
Wing support - Braced or cantilever, rigid or flexible.
Wing planform - including aspect ratio, angle of sweep and any variations along the span.Includes the important class of delta wings.
Location of the horizontal stabiliser, if any.
Dihedral angle - positive, zero or negative (anhedral).

A variable geometry aircraft can change its wing configuration during flight.

A flying wing has no fuselage, though it may have small blisters or pods. The opposite of this is a lifting body which has no wings, though it may have small stabilising and control surfaces.

Seaplanes are aircraft that land on water, and they differ in that some have the bottom of its fuselage shaped hydrodynamically and sits directly on the water when at rest (the flying boat while others have two or more floats attached below the rest of the aircraft so that the fuselage remains clear of the water at all times (floatplanes).

Some people consider wing-in-ground-effect vehicles to be aeroplanes, others do not. These craft "fly" close to the surface of the ground or water. An example is the Russian ekranoplan (nicknamed the "Caspian Sea Monster"). Man-powered aircraft also rely on ground effect to remain airborne, but this is only because they are so underpowered - the airframe is theoretically capable of flying much higher. (Hovercraft are not considered to be aircraft, since they rely wholly on the pressure of air on the ground beneath, and have no other lift mechanism).

Rotorcraft

Rotorcraft, or rotary-wing aircraft, use a spinning rotor with aerofoil section blades (a rotary wing) to provide lift. Types include helicopters, autogyros and various hybrids such as gyrodynes and compound rotorcraft.
Helicopters have powered rotors. The rotor is driven (directly or indirectly) by an engine and pushes air downwards to create lift. By tilting the rotor forwards, the downwards flow is tilted backwards, producing thrust for forward flight.

Autogyros or gyroplanes have unpowered rotors, with a separate power plant to provide thrust. The rotor is tilted backwards. As the autogyro moves forward, air blows upwards through it, making it spin.(cf. Autorotation)
This spinning dramatically increases the speed of airflow over the rotor, to provide lift. Juan de la Cierva (a Spanish civil engineer) used the product name autogiro, and Bensen used gyrocopter. Rotor kites, such as the Focke Achgelis Fa 330 are unpowered autogyros, which must be towed by a tether to give them forward ground speed or else be tether-anchored to a static anchor in a high-wind situation for kited flight.

Gyrodynes are a form of helicopter, where forward thrust is obtained from a separate propulsion device rather than from tilting the rotor. The definition of a 'gyrodyne' has changed over the years, sometimes including equivalent autogyro designs. The most important characteristic is that in forward flight air does not flow significantly either up or down through the rotor disc but primarily across it. The Heliplane is a similar idea.

Compound rotorcraft have wings which provide some or all of the lift in forward flight. Compound helicopters and compound autogyros have been built, and some forms of gyroplane may be referred to as compound gyroplanes. Tiltrotor aircraft (such as the V-22 Osprey) have their rotors horizontal for vertical flight, and pivot the rotors vertically like a propeller for forward flight. The Coleopter had a cylindrical wing forming a duct around the rotor. On the ground it sat on its tail, and took off and landed vertically like a helicopter. The whole aircraft would then have tilted forward to fly as a propeller-driven aeroplane using the duct as a wing (though this transition was never achieved in practice.)

Some rotorcraft have reaction-powered rotors with gas jets at the tips, but most have one or more lift rotors powered from engine-driven shafts.

Other methods of lift

A lifting body is the opposite of a flying wing. In this configuration the aircraft body is shaped to produce lift. If there are any wings, they are too small to provide significant lift and are used only for stability and control. Lifting bodies are not efficient: they suffer from high drag and must also travel at high speed to generate enough lift to fly. Many of the research prototypes, such as the Martin-Marietta X-24, which led up to the Space Shuttle were lifting bodies (though the shuttle itself is not), and some supersonic missiles obtain lift from the airflow over a tubular body.
Powered lifts rely entirely on engine thrust to hold them up in the air. There are few practical applications. Experimental designs have been built for personal fan-lift hover platforms and jetpacks or for VTOL research (for example the flying bedstead). VTOL jet aircraft such as the Harrier jump-jet take off and land vertically in powered-lift configuration, then transition to conventional configuration for forward flight.
The FanWing is a recent innovation and represents a completely new class of aircraft. This uses a fixed wing with a cylindrical fan mounted spanwise just above. As the fan spins, it creates an airflow backwards over the upper surface of the wing, creating lift. The fan wing is (2005) in development in the United Kingdom.

Propulsion

Unpowered

Some types of aircraft, such as balloons, kites and gliders, do not have any propulsion.
Balloons drift with the wind, though normally the pilot can control the altitude either by heating the air or by releasing ballast, giving some directional control (since the wind direction changes with altitude). A wing-shaped hybrid balloon can glide directionally when rising or falling; but a spherically-shaped balloon does not have such directional control.

Kites are tethered to the ground or other object (fixed or mobile) or other means that maintains tension in the kite line; and rely on virtual or real wind blowing over and under them to generate lift and drag. Kytoons are balloon kites that are shaped and tethered to obtain kiting deflections, and can be lighter-than-air, neutrally buoyant, or heavier-than air.

Gliders gain their initial flying speed from some launch mechanism, and then gain additional energy from gravity and from updrafts such as thermal currents. Takeoff may be by launching forwards and downwards from a high location, or by pulling into the air on a towline, by a ground-based winch or vehicle, or by a powered "tug" aircraft. For a glider to maintain its forward air speed and lift, it must descend in relation to the air (but not necessarily in relation to the ground). The first practical, controllable example was designed and built by the British scientist and pioneer George Cayley who is universally recognised as the first aeronautical engineer.

Powered

A propeller comprises a set of small, wing-like aerofoils set around a central hub which spins on an axis aligned in the direction of travel. Spinning the propeller creates aerodynamic lift, or thrust, in a forward direction. A contra-prop arrangement has a second propeller close behind the first one on the same axis, which rotates in the opposite direction.

A tractor design mounts the propeller in front of the power source, and a pusher design mounts it behind. Although the pusher design allows cleaner airflow over the wing, tractor configuration is more common because it allows cleaner airflow to the propeller and provides a better weight distribution.

A variation on the propeller is to use many broad blades to create a fan. Such fans are traditionally surrounded by a ring-shaped fairing or duct, as ducted fans.

Many kinds of power plant have been used to drive propellers.

The earliest designs used man power to give dirigible balloons some degree of control, and go back to Jean-Pierre Blanchard in 1784. Attempts to achieve heavier-than-air manpowered flight did not succeed until Paul MacCready's Gossamer Condor in 1977.

The first powered flight was made in a steam-powered dirigible by Henri Giffard in 1852. Attempts to marry a practical lightweight steam engine to a practical fixed-wing airframe did not succeed until much later, by which time the internal combustion engine was already dominant.
From the first powered aeroplane flight by the Wright brothers until World War II, propellers turned by the internal combustion piston engine were virtually the only type of propulsion system in use. (See also: Aircraft engine.) The piston engine is still used in the majority of smaller aircraft produced, since it is efficient at the lower altitudes and slower speeds suited to propellers.

Turbine engines need not be used as jets (see below), but may be geared to drive a propeller in the form of a turboprop. Modern helicopters also typically use turbine engines to power the rotor. Turbines provide more power for less weight than piston engines, and are better suited to small-to-medium size aircraft or larger, slow-flying types. Some turboprop designs (see below) mount the propeller directly on an engine shaft, and are called propfans.

Since the 1940s, propellers and propfans with swept tips or curved "scimitar-shaped" blades have been studied for use in high-speed applications so as to delay the onset of shockwaves, in similar manner to wing sweepback, where the blade tips approach the speed of sound. The Airbus A400M turboprop transport aircraft is expected to provide the first production example: note that it is not a propfan because the propellers are not mounted direct on the engine shaft but are driven through reduction gearing.

Other less common power sources include:

Electric motors, often linked to solar panels to create a solar-powered aircraft.
Rubber bands, wound many times to store energy, are mostly used for flying models.

Jet propulsion

Air-breathing jet engines provide thrust by taking in air, burning it with fuel in a combustion chamber, and accelerating the exhaust rearwards so that it ejects at high speed. The reaction against this acceleration provides the engine thrust.

Jet engines can provide much higher thrust than propellers, and are naturally efficient at higher altitudes, being able to operate above 40,000 ft (12,000 m). They are also much more fuel-efficient than rockets. Consequently, nearly all high-speed and high-altitude aircraft use jet engines.
The early turbojet and modern turbofan use a spinning turbine to create airflow for takeoff and to provide thrust. Many, mostly in military aviation, use afterburners which inject extra fuel into the exhaust.

Use of a turbine is not absolutely necessary: other designs include the crude pulse jet, high-speed ramjet and the still-experimental supersonic-combustion ramjet or scramjet. These designs require an existing airflow to work and cannot work when stationary, so they must be launched by a catapult or rocket booster, or dropped from a mother ship. The bypass turbofan engines of the Lockheed SR-71 were a hybrid design - the aircraft took off and landed in jet turbine configuration, and for high-speed flight the turbine was bypassed and the afterburners used to create a ramjet.

The motorjet was a very early design which used a piston engine in place of the combustion chamber, similar to a turbocharged piston engine except that the thrust is derived from the turbine rather than the crankshaft. It was soon superseded by the turbojet and remained a curiosity.

Helicopters

The rotor of a Helicopter may, like a propeller, be powered by a variety of methods such as an internal-combustion engine or jet turbine. Tip jets, fed by gases passing along hollow rotor blades from a centrally-mounted engine, have been experimented with. Attempts have even been made to mount engines directly on the rotor tips.

Helicopters obtain forward propulsion by angling the rotor disc so that a proportion of its lift is directed forwards to provide thrust.

Other forms of propulsion

Rocket-powered aircraft have occasionally been experimented with, and the Messerschmitt Komet fighter even saw action in the Second World War. Since then they have been restricted to rather specialised niches, such as the Bell X-1 which broke the sound barrier or the North American X-15 which travelled up into space where no oxygen is available for combustion (rockets carry their own oxidant). Rockets have more often been used as a supplement to the main powerplant, typically to assist takeoff of heavily-loaded aircraft, but also in a few experimental designs such as the Saunders-Roe SR.53 to provide a high-speed dash capability.
The flapping-wing ornithopter is a category of its own. These designs may have potential, but no practical device has been created beyond research prototypes, simple toys, and a model hawk used to freeze prey into stillness so that it can be captured.

Classification by use

The major distinction in aircraft types is between military aircraft which includes not just combat types but many types of supporting aircraft, and civil aircraft, which include all non-military types.

Military aircraft
Combat aircraft divide broadly into fighters and bombers, with several in-between types such as fighter-bombers and ground-attack aircraft (including attack helicopters).

Other supporting roles are carried out by specialist patrol, search and rescue, reconnaissance, observation, transport, training and Tanker aircraft among others.

Many civil aircraft, both fixed wing and rotary, have been produced in separate models for military use, such as the civil Douglas DC-3 airliner, which became the military C-47/C-53/R4D transport in the U.S. military and the "Dakota" in the UK and the Commonwealth. Even the small fabric-covered two-seater Piper J3 Cub had a military version, the L-4 liaison, observation and trainer aircraft. Gliders and balloons have also been used as military aircraft; for example, balloons were used for observation during the American Civil War and World War I, and cargo gliders were used during World War II to land troops.

Civil aircraft

Civil aircraft divide into commercial and general types, however in practice there is some overlap.

Commercial aircraft

Commercial aircraft include types designed for scheduled and charter airline flights, carrying both passengers and cargo. The larger passenger-carrying types are often referred to as airliners. Some of the smaller types are also used in general aviation.

General aviation

General aviation is a catch-all covering other kinds of private and commercial use, and involving a wide range of aircraft types such as business jets (bizjets), trainers, homebuilt, aerobatic types, racers, firefighters, medical transports (medevac), and cargo transports, to name a few. The vast majority of aircraft today are general aviation types.

Within general aviation, there is a further distinction between private aircraft (where the pilot is not paid for time or expenses) and commercial aircraft (where the pilot is paid by a client or employer). Private aircraft are usually light passenger, business, or recreational types. Usually the pilot owns or rents the aircraft. Commercial types in general aviation may be put to a wide range of tasks, such as flight training, pipeline surveying, passenger and freight transport, policing, crop dusting, and medevac flights.

Piston-powered propeller aircraft (single-engine or twin-engine) are especially common for both private and commercial general aviation, but even private pilots occasionally own and operate helicopters like the Bell JetRanger or turboprops like the Beechcraft King Air. Business jets are typically flown by commercial pilots, although there is a new generation of small jets arriving soon for private pilots. Another small but important class of private aircraft are the historical warbirds.

Experimental aircraft

Experimental aircraft are one-off specials, built to explore some aspect of aircraft design and with no other useful purpose. The Bell X-1 rocket plane, which first broke the sound barrier in level flight, is a famous example.

The formal designation of "experimental aircraft" also includes other types which are "not certified for commercial applications", including one-off modifications of existing aircraft such as the modified Boeing 747 which NASA uses to ferry the space shuttle from landing site to launch site, and aircraft homebuilt by amateurs for their own personal use.

Model aircraft

A model aircraft is a small unmanned type made to fly for fun, for static display, for aerodynamic research (cf Reynolds number) or for other purposes. A scale model is a replica of some larger design.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Definition of FLIGHT ATTENDANT

2009-02-11T18:48:00.008+08:00

Flight attendants or cabin crew (historically known as stewards, air hosts/hostesses, or stewardesses) are members of an aircrew employed by airlines to ensure the safety and comfort of the passengers aboard commercial flights as well as on select business jet aircraft.

History
The role of a flight attendant ultimately derives from that of similar positions on passenger ships or passenger trains, but it has more direct involvement with passengers because of the confined quarters and often shorter travel times on aircraft. Additionally, the job of a flight attendant revolves around safety to a much greater extent than those of similar staff on other forms of transportation. Flight attendants on board a flight collectively form a cabin crew, as distinguished from pilots and engineers in the cockpit.

The first flight attendant, a steward, was reportedly a man on the German Zeppelin LZ10 Schwaben in 1911.

Origins of the word "steward" in transportation are reflected in the term "steward" as used in maritime transport terminology. The term purser and chief steward are often used interchangeably describing personnel with similar duties among seafaring occupations. This lingual derivation results from the international British maritime tradition dating back to the 14th century and the civilian United States Merchant Marine which U.S aviation is somewhat modeled. Due to international conventions and agreements, in which all ships' personnel who sail internationally are similarly documented by their respective countries, the U.S. Merchant Marine assigns such duties to the chief steward in the overall rank and command structure of which pursers are not positional represented or roistered.

Imperial Airways of the United Kingdom had "cabin boys" or "stewards"; in the 1920s. In the USA, Stout Airways was the first to employ stewards in 1926, working on Ford Trimotor planes between Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Western Airlines (1928) and Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) (1929) were the first US carriers to employ stewards to serve food. Ten-passenger Fokker aircraft used in the Caribbean had stewards in the era of gambling trips to Havana, Cuba from Key West, Florida. Lead flight attendants would in many instances also perform the role of pursor, steward, or chief steward in modern aviation terminology.

The first female flight attendant was a 25-year-old registered nurse named Ellen Church. Hired by United Airlines in 1930, she also first envisioned nurses on aircraft. Other airlines followed suit, hiring nurses to serve as "stewardesses" on most of their flights. The requirement to be a registered nurse was relaxed at the start of World War II, as so many nurses enlisted into the armed forces.

Overview
The primary and overriding responsibility of flight attendants is passenger safety They are often tasked with the secondary function of seeing to the care and comfort of the passengers, insofar as this does not interfere with their safety responsibilities. They are often perceived by the flying public as waiting staff or servants because there is not a full understanding of the career, the majority of their regular and rare duties are safety related and are the priority above customer service

Safety Responsibilities
The majority of a flight attendant's duties are safety related. Prior to each flight, flight attendants attend a safety briefing with the pilots & purser. During this briefing they go over safety and emergency checklists, the locations and amounts of emergency equipment and other features specific to that aircraft type. Boarding particulars are verified, such as special needs passengers, small children travelling as unaccompanied minors or VIP's. Weather conditions are discussed including anticipated turbulence. Prior to each flight a safety check is conducted to ensure all equipment such as lifevests, flashlights and firefighting equipment are on board, in the right quantity, and in proper condition. Any unserviceable or missing items must be reported and rectified prior to takeoff. They must monitor the cabin for any unusual smells or situations and maintain certain precautions such as keeping doors disarmed or open during fueling on the ground. They assist with the loading of carry-on baggage, checking for weight, size and dangerous goods. They then must do a safety demonstration or monitor passengers as they watch a safety video demonstrating the safety features of the aircraft. They then must "secure the cabin" ensuring tray tables are stowed, seats are in their upright positions, armrests down and carry ons stowed correctly and seatbelts fastened prior to takeoff.

Flight attendants must conduct cabin checks every 20-30 minutes, especially during night flights to check on the passengers, and listen for any unusual noises or situations. Checks must also be done on the lavatory to ensure the smoke detector hasn't been deactivated, there are no issues with the equipment, nobody having trouble in there or smoking, and to restock supplies as needed. Regular cockpit checks must be done to ensure the pilot's health and safety. They must respond immediately to call lights dealing with special requests and smaller emergencies including a wide variety of in-flight emergencies that do happen from time to time and special requests. During turbulence crosschecks must be conducted and during severe turbulence all service equipment must also be stowed. Prior to landing all loose items, trays and garbage must be collected and secured along with service and galley equipment. All hot liquids must be disposed of. A final crosscheck must then be completed prior to landing. They must remain aware as the majority of mechanical emergencies occur during takeoff and landing. Upon landing, flight attendants must remain stationed at exits and monitor the airplane and cabin as passengers disembark the plane. They also assist any special needs passengers and small children off the airplane and escort children, while following the proper paperwork and ID process to escort them to the designated person picking them up.

Flight attendants are highly trained for a wide variety of emergencies and how to respond. More frequent situations may include a bleeding nose, illness, small injuries, intoxicated passengers, aggressive and anxiety stricken passengers. Emergency training includes rejected takeoffs, emergency landings, cardiac and inflight medical situations, smoke in the cabin, fires, depressurization, onboard births and deaths, dangerous goods and spills in the cabin as well as land and water landings including the preparation of passengers and the cabin, the evacuation with slides or rafts and then the follow up survival skills which include environments as open water, jungle, water, tropical and Arctic climates, along with a variety of emergency equipment.

Many regions mandate the presence of flight attendants on commercial aircraft, based on the passenger capacity of the aircraft and other factors. This mandate generally relates only to their function as safety technicians.

Passenger Care Responsibilities
The main and always primary duty of a flight attendant is for safety but they do also provide a caregiving and customer service role on board commercial flights. Customer service duties include the preparation and serving or selling of onboard food and beverage. Flight attendants also offer comfort items including blankets, pillows, hot towel service, handing out headsets, magazines, newspapers, amenity kits, games and on certain airlines hand out pyjamas and set up and make the lie flat beds. They also distribute customs forms on international flights and assist passengers with their proper completion prior to landing.

Cabin Service Director
The Cabin Service Director (CSD), Cabin Service Manager (CSM). The title associating with this crew member differs from airline to airline. These crew are mainly found on larger aircraft types and are in charge of the running of the cabin. They report when the cabin is secure for takeoff and landing, deliver on-board announcements, and any broken or missing emergency equipment items to the pilots after the preflight check. They generally operate the doors during routine flights as well as hold the manifest and account for all money and required paperwork and reports for each flight. 2-4 Senior Crew Members may also be on board the larger aircraft types. Cabin Service Directors are flight attendants that have been promoted through the ranks flight attendant> senior crew member> purser> Cabin Service Director. To reach this position the crew member must have had a mandatory amount of service years within the airline or airlines prior to changing airline. Further training to become a Cabin Service Manager is mandatory, and typically earn a higher salary than flight attendants because of the added responsibility.

Purser
The purser, or the flight attendant that assist the Cabin Service Director (CSD) are on board larger aircraft with multiple flight attendants on board. They assist the CSD in informing the safety and service duties of the flight attendants inflight. On short haul flights the Pursers are in charge and they report when the cabin is secure for takeoff and landing, and any broken or missing emergency equipment items to the pilots after the preflight check. They generally operate the doors during routine flights as well as hold the manifest and account for all money and required paperwork and reports for each flight. 2-4 Senior Crew Members may also be on board the larger aircraft types. Pursers are flight attendants or a related job with an airline for several years typically prior to application for and further training to become a purser, and typically earn a higher salary than flight attendants because of the added responsibility.

Qualifications
Training
Flight attendants are normally trained in the hub or headquarters city of an airline over a period that may run from six weeks to six months, depending on the country and airline. The main focus of training is safety. One flight attendant is required for every 50 passenger seats on board in the United States, but many airlines have chosen to increase that number. One of the most elaborate training facilities was Breech Academy which Trans World Airlines (TWA) opened in 1969 in Overland Park, Kansas, U.S. Other airlines were to also send their attendants to the school. However, during the fare wars the school's viability declined and it closed around 1988.

Safety training includes, but is not limited to: emergency passenger evacuation management, use of evacuation slides / life rafts, in-flight fire fighting, survival in the jungle, sea, desert, ice, first aid, CPR, defibrillation, ditching/emergency landing procedures, decompression emergencies, crew resource management and security.

In the United States the Federal Aviation Administration requires flight attendants on aircraft with 20 or more seats to hold a Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency. This is not considered to be the equivalent of an airman certificate (license), although it is issued on the same card stock. It shows that a level of required training has been met. It is not limited to the airline at which the attendant is employed (although some initial documents showed where the holder was working), and is the attendant's personal property. It does have two ratings, called Group I and II. Either or both of these may be earned depending upon the type of aircraft (propeller or turbojet) on which the holder has trained.

Language
Multilingual flight attendants are often in demand to accommodate international travelers. The languages most in demand, other than English, are Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Hindi, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino, Indonesian and Italian.

Height and weight
Some airlines, such as EVA Air, have height requirements for purely aesthetic purposes. Horizon Air and other regional carriers have height restrictions because their aircraft have low ceilings.
Flight attendants are also subject to weight requirements as well. Weight must usually be in proportion to height; persons outside the normal range may not be qualified to act as flight attendants.

Uniforms and presentation
The first stewardess uniforms were designed to be durable, practical, and inspire confidence in passengers. The first stewardesses for United Airlines wore green berets, green capes and nurse's shoes. Other airlines, such as Eastern Air Lines, actually dressed stewardesses in nurses' uniforms.

Perhaps reflecting the military aviation background of many commercial aviation pioneers, many early uniforms had a strongly military appearance; hats, jackets, and skirts showed simple straight lines and military details like epaulettes and brass buttons. Many uniforms had a summer and winter version, differentiated by colours and fabrics appropriate to the season: navy blue for winter, for example, khaki for summer. But as the role of women in the air grew, and airline companies began to realize the publicity value of their stewardesses, more feminine lines and colours began to appear in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Some airlines began to commission designs from high-end department stores and still others called in noted designers or even milliners to create distinctive and attractive apparel.

Flight attendants are generally expected to show a high level of personal grooming. Female attendants are expected to use appropriate cosmetics, and all attendants must have very high levels of personal hygiene.

The Basics:

A well-groomed, professional image
Weight in proportion to height
A mature, positive attitude, flexibility and pleasing personality
Ability to relate to people of diverse cultures
A high school diploma or GED
Two year’s customer service experience or 2 years of college
Able to speak fluent English; a second language is desirable
At least 18 years old
Vision correctable to 20/40 or better
Clean background; airlines perform 10-year background check
Valid passport

Sources: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CORPORATE FLIGHT ATTENDANT JOBS

2008-11-28T14:12:00.020+08:00

General Information
Corporate aviation was established and had a profound mark in aviation shortly after World War II. At the end of the war, a large supply of military transport aircraft and veteran pilots became available to the civilian market. This environment required that aircraft interiors support the business person by providing anonymity, total comfort and office-like amenities.

In the early days of business aviation, chief pilots and aviation managers usually had a male flight mechanic/technician in the back of the aircraft. This person provided the dual role of the mechanic and service person who could meet the needs of passengers during the mission. During this time, there was no real emphasis on elaborate "specialized" food services and culinary experiences. As the aircraft interiors became increasingly detail oriented so did the need to have a third crewmember that could accommodate and support the customer/client needs and special requests. By the 1980's, it was apparent that the corporate flight attendant/third crewmember needed to be "corporate specific" trained for emergency and first aid incidents as well as have culinary and food service experience.

Position Description
A corporate/business aviation flight attendant works on private, non commercial aircraft.

Working Conditions
While full-time flight attendants who fly for major carriers find themselves in the same environment each time they fly, the corporate flight attendant is always acclimating and adjusting to a new workplace environment. On a day-to-day basis, a corporate flight attendant may find themselves interacting with many corporate cultures and personalities of a corporation. Corporate aviation gives the passenger the ability to operate within a non structured time frame that can be changed at any given moment. It is a world of total flexibility, function, and organizational methods implemented to accommodate any business traveler. Because of this work environment, the corporate/business flight attendant must possess a number of personal and professional qualities.

While a corporate flight attendants main objective is passenger safety, other responsibilities typically include: pre-flight and boarding duties, interacting with the flight deck crewmembers to ensure safety, galley and food safety, wine, champagne and hors d'oeurve presentation, plating and garnishing food, napkin folding, table setting and very personalized first class service.

A flight attendants responsibilities are not limited to in-flight duties. Pre-flight preparation may include: acquire information about the upcoming flight, what type of aircraft will you be working and what amenities are on board, where are you traveling, who are your passengers and their likes and dislikes, would your female passengers like a bouquet of fresh flowers, know what they like to eat and order and receive catering, should alcohol beverages be served and what brands? This is just a sampling of what your research should consist of. It is important to do your research prior to each flight because the circumstances may change.

Typical Requirements and/or Experience
Today, many corporate/business flight attendants should have prior training in the following areas: safety and emergency including CPR, AED and first aid, inflight cabin service, food catering, and FACTS Training.

Qualities a corporate/business aviation flight attendant need to possess include: high degree of safety and service, flexibility, organizational skills, creativity, personal accountability, integrity, interpersonal skills, taking direction, resolution skills, confidentiality/discretion, constant professionalism, attention to detail, thinking "out of the box" and good manners.

It is mandatory for today's corporate/business flight attendants to respect and protect the privacy, confidentiality and security of your elite passenger(s).

Education
Applicants must hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Today, many companies also prefer that applicants hold a college degree. Training in the following areas is also helpful: safety and emergency including CPR, AED and first aid, inflight cabin service, food catering, and FACTS Training

Marital Status
Married and unmarried men and women, with or without children are eligible. Persons who are widowed or divorced, also are eligible.

It is the policy of most aviation companies to provide equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. Most aviation companies are strongly committed to this policy, and believe in the concept and spirit of the United States law.

Most aviation companies are committed to assuring that:
All recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, and other employment related programs are provided fairly to all persons on an equal opportunity basis without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law;

Employment decisions are based on the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action;
All personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, training, and participation in social and recreational programs are administered without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law, and;

Employees and applicants will not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have exercised any right protected by law.

Most aviation companies believe in and practice equal opportunity and affirmative action. All employees are responsible for supporting the concept of equal opportunity and affirmative action and assisting the company in meeting its objectives.

Most aviation companies maintain Affirmative Action Plans for minorities, women, disabled persons and veterans.

EEOC has jurisdiction of the prohibitions against employment discrimination codified in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Titles I and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. These laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age and disability.

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) enforce the prohibitions against federal employment discrimination codified in the CSRA. The OSC will defer those bases of discrimination under EEOC's jurisdiction to the respective federal agency and its EEO process. The CSRA also prohibits employment discrimination in the federal government based on marital status, political affiliation and conduct which does not adversely affect the performance of the employee, none of which are within EEOC's jurisdiction. Moreover, the law defines ten other prohibited personnel practices in the federal government, all of which fall under the jurisdiction of the OSC and the MSPB. See Prohibited Personnel Practices at http://www.osc.gov/ppp.htm.

Additional information may also be found on the the EEOC web site located at http://www.eeoc.gov/

Opportunities for Advancement
Aviation plays a prominent role in our economy. With corporate travel on the rise, new opportunities will be available. Today, smaller "reliever" airports are being upgraded to serve general aviation traffic being relocated from congested airports.

Miscellaneous
A corporate/business aviation flight attendant works on private, noncommercial aircraft. As corporate air travel increases, so does the demand for a more business-oriented environment. While full-time flight attendants who fly for major carriers find themselves in the same environment each time they fly, the corporate flight attendant is always acclimating and adjusting to a new workplace environment. On a day-to-day basis, a corporate flight attendant may find themselves interacting with many corporate cultures and personalities of a corporation. Corporate aviation gives the passenger the ability to operate within a non structured time frame that can be changed at any given moment. It is a world of total flexibility, function, and organizational methods implemented to accommodate any business traveler. Because of this work environment, the corporate/business flight attendant must possess a number of personal and professional qualities.

Why would a business aviation flight department use a corporate flight attendant?

Their full-time flight attendant is either on vacation, over crew duty limits, ill, on personal leave, or in emergency/first-aid training class. Their aviation department only uses corporate contract flight attendants. Their department is flying on a Part 91 certificate without a flight attendant but also has a Part 135 certificate, and they must have a third crewmember in the cabin. They only use a flight attendant onboard for international trips or just for customer trips. Their department uses a corporate contract flight attendant as part of an international crew change point as an augmented crew operation. Their company only uses a corporate contract flight attendant when the passenger count is over a specifically stated amount.

What are some of the questions an aviation manager/chief pilot should ask a corporate flight attendant prior to utilizing his or her service? When were you last through emergency and first aid/defibrillator training? (Obtain copies of all training certificates.) Are you experienced on our type aircraft? Do you have culinary skills and are you good with food presentation? What is your daily rate for international, domestic and stand-by days? Do you have a cancellation policy? Do you have a daily rate for extensive aircraft shopping/stocking prior to a trip of great length (international/road show)? Do you do aircraft consulting work for newly delivered equipment and what is your daily/weekly rate for this work? Do you have a current passport? Are your immunizations current for specific travel? Do you carry a paging device/cellular telephone? Do you have a current aviation ID card, such as Universal, Air Routing, or IBAC? Do you have reliable transportation to and from our facility? Do you have a "to go galley kit" equipped with galley amenities (if the company has just had its aircraft delivered)? Do you speak a foreign language (if applicable to the company's operation)? Do you have a credit card for travel expenses until reimbursement? Other recommended requests or discussion topics during an interview include:

Ask what the flight attendant feels his or her primary responsibility is as a third crewmember, and see if it is compatible with your aviation department's mission. Have the flight attendant go onboard your aircraft with you and give you an emergency briefing, pointing out the operation and usage of all emergency equipment, doors, window exits, etc. Request three to four references from the flight attendant's past employers in the aviation industry (flight departments for which he or she has worked). Discuss your department's in-flight dress code and preference.

Source: www.avjobs.com