Model Airplanes

Senator Johnny Isakson, Senator David Perdue, Congressman Rob Woodall,

First and foremost my family appreciates all you do to represent us in the great state of Georgia. Congressman Woodall, you have personally been to my shop in Cumming, GA, and have seen what we are accomplishing in the technology and education arenas.

Today, I am writing the three of you as a small business entrepreneur who puts everything on the line each and every day in the hobby industry, as my company strives to educate kids on aviation, electronics and more. With all of the technological advances, society has changed. We are no longer forced to learn simple tasks as basic as how to use a screwdriver or change a tire, much less knowledge of electronics or flight.

Do you remember your days in school when you had that one class that excited you? That one class you wanted to attend each day? Model aircraft is a great way to teach the next generation science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and to do so in a way that is exciting for them.

There is a move afoot by large corporations and the FAA to destroy our next generations dreams. I strongly urge you to preserve Section 336 of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act, also known as the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, in the upcoming reauthorization bill for

Article source: http://www.uavexpertnews.com/2018/04/regulating-an-industry-out-of-existence/

How airlines can best align functions across a broad organisation, and why this is a good idea are two issues that Tom Bacon is pondering this April

The challenge of functional silos exists in many industries but it can be a particular problem for airlines. More specifically, how can airline schedules, fleet planning, revenue management and merchandising all better align their efforts?

Traditionally, organisations use a variety of tools to improve alignment across functions:

• Organisational structure
• Employee transfers between departments
• Shared metrics and incentives
• Regular cross-functional meetings

But in a world of big data analytics, there is another key integrating mechanism: the model.

As models drive more decision-making, it makes sense to consider how they can be used to better align functions and promote collaboration. And, how having different models for each function can lead to inevitable conflicts and impair or slow decision-making.

Historically, each function builds models that work specifically for them. Or, each function purchases analytical models from function-specific industry experts. Usually, ‘best in class’ means a different model for everything from fleet planning, schedules and revenue management to ancillary purchases, e-merchandising, marketing, sales, and CRM. Even suppliers that offer models for more than one, typically use function-specific legacy platforms that do not use the same inputs or assumptions across functional models. Models often reinforce the ‘silo’ed’ nature of departments. 

Customer choice is the underlying driver behind many of these functions. What makes a customer purchase a $500

Article source: http://www.eyefortravel.com/revenue-and-data-management/why-functional-alignment-model-approach-airlines