A longtime educator discusses getting an aviation education. In the news, companies partner to address corporate aviation safety and security, an A321 engine shutdown after a birdstrike, a proposal to remove ATC from the FAA, and when pigs fly. Also, notable flybys, AI flight controls, taking care of business on long flights, and an aircraft incident investigation on another planet.

Guest

Dr. Stanley Harriman is the Department Head of Aviation Science at Orange Coast College (OCC) in Costa Mesa, California. OCC focuses on getting students certificates that allow them to move into the workforce. The College partners with flight schools for those who want to become pilots and with Southern Illinois University to earn a bachelor's degree in Aviation Management. In our conversation with Stanley, we looked at aviation education, what students should look for in a school, and a tip for getting into the industry.

Degrees and Certificates offered by OCC:

Aircraft Dispatcher, Certificate of Achievement

Airline Transport Pilot, Certificate of Specialization

Aviation Science, Associate in Science Degree

Aviation Science, Certificate of Achievement

Commercial Pilot, Certificate of Specialization

Flight Operations, Certificate of Achievement

Instrument Pilot, Certificate of Specialization

Private Pilot, Certificate of Specialization

Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Certificate of Achievement

Stanley earned a Master’s in Aviation Safety and a Doctorate in Aviation Education from Purdue University. During his time at Purdue, his research focused on cognitive learning styles, scenario-based training, and aviation human factors. 

Following his graduate studies at Purdue, Stanley joined the Aviation Department at Lewis University near Chicago, Illinois. He continued his aviation safety research by investigating nano-particle coatings and their application on aircraft windshields to minimize environmental effects on pilots. He also led a team to design infrared warning systems to prevent airport runway incursions. 

Along with his research, Stanley's teaching experience involved many facets of aviation. He taught courses in the Professional Pilot program, Aviation Maintenance program, and the Master’s program as the Director of Graduate Research. 

Stanley sits on national aviation committees providing aviation curriculum ideas and reform, aviation scholarships, and aviation safety research. He has been a safety research consultant and has traveled the country implementing these organizational and cultural changes within various aviation institutions, airlines, and maintenance facilities. 

Aviation News

Aviation Safety Solutions and Corporate Aviation Security International Join Forces to Fill Needed Gap in Aviation Safety and Security

Aviation Safety Solutions is a Safety Management Systems (SMS) consultant, and Corporate Aviation Security International (CASI) provides specialized security services for business aviation. The two companies have created a strategic partnership to address security shortfalls in the corporate aviation industry by integrating advanced safety and security services.

Bird strike disables a jetliner engine and forces an emergency landing at JFK airport

American Airlines flight AA-1722 departing from New York La Guardia to Charlotte, NC, an Airbus A321-200 (N133AN), experienced a bird strike that disabled one of the engines. The Aviation Herald reports the plane “was in the initial climb out of La Guardia's runway 31 when the right-hand engine (V2533) ingested a bird and suffered stalls. The crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet, shut the engine down, and diverted to New York JFK Airport for a safe landing on runway 31L about 20 minutes after departure.”

See Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United States 1990 - 2023 from DOT/FAA and U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services. The report presents an analysis of data from the National Wildlife ...