Aviation Project

[AvGeek1]

I need your help! I am about to start my Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) which is a 5,000 word report and my topic is how the UK commercial aviation industry (airlines, airports, aircraft & routes) have changed since the 1990's to present day, I have been looking for some information as I need research for my report but I am really struggling to find more than 5 and really don't want to change my topic. Anything that is related to my title including a link would be really helpful!


Some sub-topics I would like to touch on:

- Airport Infrasturcure
- Low cost airlines
- Full service airlines
- New aircraft over the years since 1990's, how this has affected airline performance.

Thanks

-AvGeek1

[SilverCityKid]

Your project on the surface seems very interesting, however you have ruled out a very wide range of topics.

It may help you to get a response if you were to list the topics you did want to cover in your project.

[LGS6753]

I would have thought the biggest changes were the rise of the Low Coat Carriers and their impact on Airport economics.

[AvGeek1]

Your project on the surface seems very interesting, however you have ruled out a very wide range of topics.

It may help you to get a response if you were to list the topics you did want to cover in your project.

My mistake it was a typo on my part, they were all the topics that I would like to go over!

[Heathrow Harry]

Wikipedia is your friend - at least it will list a number of sources and you can go from there

[EI-A330-300]

You should get loads out thos topics:

1 - How LCC have changed industry in terms of routes l and cost
2 - How full service are adapting to take them on and how many have gone bankrupt
3 - Airlines want world class airports but not prepared to foot the bill. Also a bit about how the UK cannot or will not deliver a solution to some problems but splash out millions putting it on the long finger.

5,000 will look like nothing once you are started.

[ZOOKER]

That's a very wide remit for just 5000 words.

[Cyrano]

I suggest you start by getting Flying Off Course (https://books.google.ie/books?id=2u9juAAACAAJ&source=gbs_book_other_versions) by Doganis from your library. This is the best overview I know of the evolution of airline economics from the 80s to the present day.

I would concur with other posters' comments that your planned scope is very broad for 5,000 words. You could easily take 5,000 words to address just one of your sub-topics in a reasonable level of detail.

Good luck!

[AvGeek1]

I suggest you start by getting Flying Off Course (https://books.google.ie/books?id=2u9juAAACAAJ&source=gbs_book_other_versions) by Doganis from your library. This is the best overview I know of the evolution of airline economics from the 80s to the present day.

I would concur with other posters' comments that your planned scope is very broad for 5,000 words. You could easily take 5,000 words to address just one of your sub-topics in a reasonable level of detail.

Good luck!

Thank you very much for your contribution and advice! I will definitely be purchasing the book you recommend!

A few people have said that 5,000 is not a lot for my topic, I can write much more this is just the minimum. Although, does anyone have any suggestions as to what question would be good to answer around 5,000 to 7,000 words. I have mostly interested with airlines if this helps. Thank you for all your contributions! :)

[Expatrick]

Agree, check your PMS!

Supposed to read Avgeek!

[kwee]

You should get loads out thos topics:

1 - How LCC have changed industry in terms of routes l and cost
2 - How full service are adapting to take them on and how many have gone bankrupt
3 - Airlines want world class airports but not prepared to foot the bill. Also a bit about how the UK cannot or will not deliver a solution to some problems but splash out millions putting it on the long finger.

5,000 will look like nothing once you are started.
It may narrow your research area and save word count if you select one or two airline as case study in your report.

[AvGeek1]

I have been thinking about my question for my project and doing some research and I found that there is lots of information about the new London runway. So I created this potential question for my project: Does Heathrow deserve the new runway over Gatwick and how will this decision affect other UK airports? What does everyone think and any advice about research on this topic.

[racedo]

Economic effects of LCC on an area.

Posted on this before but many many places across Europe has airports which were chronically underused pre LCC

LCC has opened up these areas to Tourism and Economic development.

I have come across many Small businesses across Europe who could never hope to trade outside of local area. This was because few if any flights to anywhere other than Capital city, cost of travelling in time and money was prohibitive.

Tourism into an area is a big economic multiplier in jobs and cash.

Ax example was a small engineering manufacturer in Southern France who kept it small, when flights opened up to Carcasonne he was able to get to UK and back quickly and cheaply. As a result he started offering products in UK, so could get there and back in a day at a small cost. Able to take on 2-3 people locally as a result.

I know Astra Zeneca adored the Ryanair flights when they went from Stansted to Kristianstad in Sweden as their HQ in UK was Luton and Lund in Sweden.

A friend trasnferred across there and reckoned on a weekly basis Astra Zeneca had minimum of 100 (200 legs) people flying back and forward.
As turns out she was single met a lad from Cambridgeshire when she on a conference in Portugal, he on holidays. A holiday fling turned out a lot more because they travelled back and forward for 2 years before marrying.................. now live in Southern Hemisphere.
Pre LCC it was impossible both logictically and financially.

Phillips in Eindhoven I believe were supporters of flights to certain places in UK as well over the years.

[Andy_S]

Does Heathrow deserve the new runway over Gatwick and how will this decision affect other UK airports?

I would suggest that the word "deserve" is inappropriate in this context. It makes it sound as if a new runway is a prize for good behaviour. Also (and maybe I'm being picky) no final decision has actually been made.

The Davies Commission clearly recommended a 3rd runway at Heathrow. Perhaps a better way of phrasing the question would be "Should The Government Accept The Recommendation Of The Airports Commission To Build A 3rd Runway At Heathrow?". You could then discuss the potential economic benefits of a new runway, the political difficulties of agreeing to it, the merits of LGW as an alternative, how that new runway might be best utilised (e.g. regional connections, new routes to fast growing economies) and what the impact of continuing to postpone a decision might be.

Obviously you'll find a wealth of opinion on the LHR and LGW threads here on PPRuNe. Do make sure that you acknowledge any sources you use.

[PAXboy]

Does Heathrow deserve the new runway over Gatwick THAT is a hornet's nest and, frankly, I'd say keep it as a point to the future - since it may not ever happen. The more interesting story is why extra capacity in the South East has not been provided in the last 40 years. To ask if it SHOULD be or WHY it should be is a million word project! :=

What little I know about Dissertations is that you need to be able to illustrate your topic and reference your information. The London runway debate just goes round in circles for 40 years and all the action happened in SOU, BRS, BRX, MAN, EDI, GLA, LPL and more. Use your first topic to discuss LHR/LGW and how the lack of capacity has driven the expansion of the regional airports and, consequently, the LCCs. Tackling LHR/LGW will send you crazy :ugh:

In this forum there are many historical threads about it if you use the Advanced Seach function carefully. Nowadays the debate/arguments have gone into the main LGW+LHR threads. I'd agree with others that the topics you have indicated are more than enough to cover and, they all have a long history of action - one way or another. The story of LHR-R3 or LGW-R2 is a history of inaction!! :hmm:

In particular, I think you have a really interesting point on the New Aircraft and how they have affected the business - for everyone. This thread: http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/241775-happy-birthday-146-a.html
starts with the 146 but goes on to discuss the other new types that helped to unseat it and that will give you some good pointers to where action has happened. :ok:

Your four points all have history and many companies involved, making the task easier. (Not that students should have it easy, of course. Now go back to your attic and start writing) :p

[Angeltransportpjcts]

Stage or Chapter III Noise Regulations within the EC came into force on March 31st 2002. The effective cull this created of aircraft types which were allowed to be operated into or within the EU was enormous.

In the 1990s SSTO not only stood for Single Stage To Orbit rockets but also Supersonic Transport Operations. For these disaster struck on July 28th 2000 when the Air France Concorde F-BTSC operating Charter Flight AF4590 fell onto a hotel in Gonesse near Paris. Concorde having been a sensation for many was torn from the skies overnight but re-entered service on a limited basis during 2003. But on October 28th 2003 the final Concordes were pulled from revenue-earning service.

In the 1990s FLA or Future Large Aircraft was a concept: The stretched Boeing 747 and Airbus A3XX became reality during the following decade - Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380-800 respectively.

McDonnell Douglas was subsumed by Boeing on November 11th 1996 having been a major manufacturer of the 1990s.

Finally a couple of miscellaneous statistics: Flying over the Atlantic Ocean has become a bumpier experience on the whole since the 90s. Also with regard to Air Rage 1999 was the worst year on record for Disruptive Passenger incidents followed by 2001. Both have since been surpassed by 2015 and this year is not looking too clever either.

Best of luck with your project :)

[AvGeek1]

Due to recent decision by the Government about the new London runway by project question can no longer be used. So I am at a dead end again. I need to specific question and I need to be able to find and use at least 30-40 sources to gain information to help with answering this question.

As I have said before I am interested in commercial airlines and routes so does any have any suggestions as I hit a brick wall and I really worried about my project now :ugh:

[DaveReidUK]

my topic is how the UK commercial aviation industry (airlines, airports, aircraft & routes) have changed since the 1990's to present day

So I created this potential question for my project: Does Heathrow deserve the new runway over Gatwick and how will this decision affect other UK airports?

Due to recent decision by the Government about the new London runway by project question can no longer be used

I'd be fascinated to know how last week's announcement renders your topic invalid. Did you not expect the news ?

[dc9-32]

You could always ask your local MP or the Government but no doubt you'll have to wait over 10 years, several public enquiries and many debates and arguments before you get a reply let alone answers.........

[Aero Mad]

Stick with your question. It will be an aeon before a runway appears at either; besides, you are perfectly entitled to write an essay critiquing the government's position or the basis of the Commission recommendations.

[EI-BUD]

Avgeek,

I can understand your predicament, I had similar when I was don't my MSc.

I think an excellent topic or question to pose is ; what value do airports actuallt bring to the local economies??

We'd all age that airports are a driving force in ecomonic terms, figures are bandied about but particularly in the case regional airports, particular small or marginal ones how do we ascertain what they deliver to the regions that they serve. You could look at a range of tourism data on tourism spend, collect data on direct and indirect employment for the chosen airports, and I think that the airport management people are quite accessible. If you need help in same, give me a pm.

EI-BUD