The management placement is an integral part of the course on the management option. It gives you a broad view of airline and airport operations.
I actually did an Aerospace engineering degree because I wanted to become a pilot and seemed the most relevant degree at the time. For me this was a mistake (it certainly tought me that I do not want to be an engineer), and because I wasnt very interested in the engineering side I struggled with the degree. It was actually partly my experience ( and the experience of some others I know) that helped lead to the new degree at Leeds as we wanted to creat a degree that was not only aimed at giving people some pilot training but also perpare them for a wide range of careers in the aviation industry.