Jet Airways Essay Example for Free

Jet Airways Essay Naresh Goyal, who already owned JetAir (Private) Limited (which provided sales and marketing for foreign airlines in India) took advantage of this opportunity by setting up Jet Airways as a fullservice scheduled airline that would give competition to state-owned Indian Airlines. Indian Airlines had enjoyed a monopoly in the domestic market between 1953, when all major Indian air transport providers were nationalised under the Air Corporations Act (1953), and January 1994, when the Air Corporations Act was repealed, following which Jet Airways received scheduled airline status. Jet Airways’ 45 destinations include most of the big cities in India. International destinations include Kathmandu, Colombo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Londons Heathrow Airport, Bangkok, Brussels and Newark. Jet Airways was the first private airline in India to fly to international destinations. It started international operations in March 2004 between Chennai and Colombo after it had been cleared by the Government of India to operate scheduled services to international destinations. MACRO ENVIRONMENT FACTORS: Economic Economic environment of India and world affects the airline industry to a great extent. Factors like fluctuations in global fuel prices, exchange rates, slowdown etc have varying impact on the way Jet Airways has been operating in this sector. One of the most important aspect that has greatly affected the worlds transportation system is the high fuel price. Besides high taxes, jet fuel prices have become costlier than crude oil prices which have greatly affected the bottom-line for many airlines including Jet Airways. State taxes on ATF available through government agencies vary between 4% and 30%, making the fuel 30% to 50% costlier than the global average. In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh the cess is 25% or higher. The three listed airline companies – Jet Airways, Kingfisher and SpiceJet – all of which reported losses in the quarter ending December 2011, blamed rising ATF cost for their bad financial performance. In February 2012, the Centre gave a nod to direct import of ATF on a case-to-case basis But once airlines start importing ATF, traffic at the countrys congested ports is likely to increase, making matters worse for exporters and importers. Airlines will also have to factor in the cost of transporting ATF from the various ports in the country to airports around the country, something which could eventually lead to increase in the ATF cost. Jet Airways in its financial report has also indicated the losses that it has incurred due to rupee depreciation. It has been reported that revenue from exceptional items decreased by 61% from Rs. 18,919 lakhs in Fiscal 2011 to Rs. 7,319 lakhs in Fiscal 2012 mainly on account of depreciation of the Rupee against the Dollar in the current year. Even in the past Jet Airways has experienced slowdown because of global recession. In 2008 during recession, Jet Airways was forced to discontinue the following routes: Ahmedabad–London, Amritsar–London, Bangalore–Brussels and Mumbai–Shanghai– San Francisco. It also had to put an indefinite delay on its expansion plans. Naresh Goyal, Jet Airways promoter is unable to put in more funds via his holding company due to FDI restrictions. He holds 80% in Jet Airways through Tailwinds. He claims NRI status, where 100% ownership is allowed. However, Goyal’s investment is via Tailwinds, which is considered FDI by the Indian government. Tailwinds is registered in the Isle of Man. In India, only 49% FDI investment is permissible in aviation. Airline business is a complicated one and only airlines would be interested in investing domestic carriers. The government is looking at allowing foreign airlines to invest in domestic carriers but there would be no change in FDI cap of 49%. In this 49%, currently foreign airlines are not allowed to participate. So if this change happens then there would be inflow of funds from foreign airlines. The announcement of ECB (External Commercial Borrowing) with a limit $1 billion in the Budget 2012 will also give some relief to debt ridden airline companies. Shareholding Naresh Goyal 80% FII 6. 7% DII 7% Public hold 6. 3% Social The backbone of the airline industry is people. Individuals in the management, technical and crew are responsible for undertaking the task of serving their customers with utmost care and excellence. These individuals are trained and tailored to the industrys needs before they are allowed to work. They need to meet certain standards of service and technical knowledge designed to satisfy the customers. For this reason the players invest millions of dollars to improve the knowledge of their workers. Jet Airways plans to set up a marketing services firm and launch an aviation training academy, with a total investment of Rs 1 crore. The proposal is, however, subjected to regulatory approvals, including those from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board and the Reserve Bank of India. The proposed academy would be based in Mumbai and offer certificate courses in in-flight services, ticket reservation and check-in services, according to a brochure brought out for the institute. Operations in the northeast are guided by the governments Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG) which entails that all Indian carriers fly to the northeast and other remote parts of the country, more so as a social obligation. After posting a loss of Rs 298 crore in the last quarter, Jet Airways has sought government clearance to scale down its flights to the northeastern region by about half to stem the losses. Technological Technological factors in macroenvironment are the most dramatic forces in changing the market place. They help the business to create new products and harness new opportunities. Jet Airways makes strategic use of the latest technology to interact with passengers at a global level. Its significant presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr ensures increase in awareness and reach of the company brand. The companys growth on the social media networking platform has been noteworthy registering an exponential increase in the number of followers and fans on Twitter and Facebook. In the coming year, the Company aims to introduce state-of-the-art mobile applications for Android, iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows mobile phones. These applications will provide passengers with a convenient and seamless option to book tickets, check-in, access their JetPrivilege account etc. using their mobile phones. Additionally, the Company intends to commence the use of 2D Mobile Bar-coded boarding passes for guests who have checked-in for their flights, thus providing a paperless travel experience. Political In India, one can never over-look the political factors which influence each and every industry existing in the country. Like it or not, the political interference has to be present everywhere. Given below are a few of the political factors with respect to the airline industry: The airline industry is very susceptible to changes in the political environment. One instance of Government Policy resulting in great uncertainty is the fact that the Indian Government has not allowed foreign airlines to participate in FDI in aviation as yet. So the airline industry, which is currently facing draught of funds can still not expect foreign players to chip in. International airlines are greatly affected by trade relations that their country has with others. Unless governments of the two countries trade with each other, there could be restrictions of flying into particular area leading to a loss of potential air traffic (e. g. Pakistan India) Political factors can also affect the day-to-day working of the airline industry. For instance, in 2009, Jet Airways announced plans to lay-off 1800 employees that were undergoing probation with the Company. What happened was a PR disaster for the Airline. First the laid off employees suddenly became socialist in their approach and later went a step further managing to politicize the whole matter by seeking support from MNSs Raj Thackeray. Other parties and sundry ministers then followed the suit and jumped into the bandwagon, until the Jet Management had to revert the decision and ask laid off employees to join the duty back. Legal and Regulatory Operating in a cross border network of alliances and partnerships, multinational companies like Jet airways are subject to international and national regulations in terms of assignment of routes and destinations; international aviation regulations; partners legal standing as well as local laws. These constraints not only leave little room for airlines to operate but are also the sources for its highly efficient value chain. Another aspect is industrial relations. Personnel in the airlines industry from pilots to cabin crew to technicians everyone work in the capacity and provisions given by the laws prevalent globally. For this reason, everyone is cognizant of their rights to legal aid if required. Since most of the airline personnel in the world have associations and unions they tend to have an upper hand over management. The management therefore has to comply with their demands if it is within the capacity of the law Not only is this but the airlines also subject to strict safety, hygiene and efficient regulations. Airlines that do not deliver services according to international standards do not only lose out in the competition but are also subjected to aviation penalties. The principal regulatory authority that regulates the civil aviation sector in India is the Director General of Civil Aviation, or DGCA. To operate scheduled services in India, an airline requires an operating permit from the DGCA. This permit is required to be renewed on a year-to-year basis. An airline incorporated in India and operating scheduled services is also required to register all its aircraft with the DGCA, save and except aircraft which are wet leased. On July 10 2012 aviation regulator E K Bharat Bhushan was abruptly removed from his key position in the backdrop of his tough stance against debt-ridden Kingfisher Airlines over its failure to pay salaries to its employees. Newly-appointed chief of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation Prashant Sukul on 13th July 2012 asked all airlines to strictly adhere to prescribed safety standards. Demographics Indian aviation industry promises huge growth potential due to large and growing middle class population, favorable demographics, rapid economic growth, higher disposable incomes, rising aspirations of the middle class, and overall low penetration levels (less than 3%). Few prominent factors we need to look at from demographics perspective: Working age population India is blessed with a young and growing population. India has amongst the best demographic ratio globally and this would continue to improve over next three to four decades. As compared to children and elderly, a relatively higher percentage of the earning population travels by air to save working hours and for business. The rising proportion of people of working age also implies higher disposable income as pressure on household for the needs of dependent children elderly comes down. Both the above factors along with a growing working age population would lead to higher demand for air travel. Exploding Middle Class McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) predicts that the India’s middle class will reach 583 million from the current 50 million by 2025. With this exploding middle class the demand for air travel is bound to go up in a unidirectional way. Nuclear families increase Increasing VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) Travel The traditional ‘joint-family’ system in India is rapidly breaking up. With increasing expenses and with more people migrating to cities for work, people are increasingly opting for nuclear and small families. This trend of smaller families has also bought a change to their lifestyles, with friends relatives visiting more frequently and families taking more vacations – implying greater frequency of travel. Air travel is finding a growing proportion of this additional travel, with smaller families making air travel for the entire family more affordable. Increasing Employment Growing employment means higher disposable income, more business travel and higher opportunity cost of travel time. All these contribute to higher demand for air travel. Increasing Leisure Travel Tourism accounts only for 2. 5% of India’s GDP, versus 6% in Asia Pacific and 5. 3% in China. However this ratio is fast changing with India emerging amongst the fast growing tourism destinations in the world.

The Paleolithic and Neolithic Stone Ages Essay -- Essays Papers

The Paleolithic and Neolithic Stone Ages The first scholars that existed named the whole period of human devolvement the â€Å"Stone Age.† The stone age is divided into three periods which are Paleolithic which means the old Greek age, Mesolithic and Neolithic which is the new Greek age. The Paleolithic and Neolithic stone ages have many great differences and has changed greatly between the two periods. The Paleolithic is divided into three phases which are Lower, Middle, and Upper. The upper stone age began about 42,000-37,000 years ago and has continued up until the ice age ended. Their ways of forms of communication are much different of the way we communicate now. Their forms of communication is visual arts which consists of sculpture, architecture, painting and other arts we just haven't figured out. Animals and the women in the nude were very popular form of art in the upper phase. They also believe because of the many women figures during that period that women dominated during this time. Their forms of shelter were by living in the mouth of a cave or building a hut or tent next to a protective cliff. Building these structures weren't quiet easy. The huts were made of light branches or hides that accommodated about 6 people. Most of the activities were inside the fire pit, where food and tools were prepared, making clothing, sleeping and working on stone was also taking place there. Most of their art work was made of cave work and cave painting. As...

Stop Smoking Right Now

Diamanta Stop Smoking Right Now Do you know every 10 seconds someone dies from smoking related diseases? There are many people who have smoking habit nowadays, and the age of first time smokers is getting lower in Taiwan. People start smoking for many different reasons, some think smoking lets them feel relaxed, some think smoking looks cool, and others may just want to try. However, when people start smoking, it will be hard to stop because cigarette contains tobacco which makes them become addicted.These smokers enjoy smoking every day, but they seem to not know that smoking causes so many problems which not only concern themselves, but also other non-smokers. In my opinion, people should give up smoking right now because smoking affects their interpersonal relationship, does harm to human health, and brings secondhand smoke. For one thing, smoking concerns smokers’ interpersonal relationship. When people are smoking, most non-smokers dislike the smell of cigarette. In fact, this irritant smell will cling to smokers for a long time, including their hair, body, and clothes.Moreover, smokers’ breath always reeks of cigarettes, and it is also hard to be removed. Actually, it is very impolite and offensive to talk with others with the stale cigarette smoke. On the other hand, smokers’ teeth will become yellow if they smoke too much. Expect the smell of cigarettes; unclean teeth also give others a bad impression. In short, smokers should try to be considerate to others’ feeling, especially when they are in public. Second, smoking influences on human health. Smoking can seriously damage human body, and it is considered to a health killer.Actually, the most serious problem is studies have confirmed that smoking causes various kinds of cancer, including cancers of nose, mouth, throat, and lung. The more cigarettes a person smoked each day, the more risk of cancer increases. However, heart disease also relative to smoking. Heart disease is the leading cause of death today, and there are a large number of people who die from heart problems because they smoke heavily. Another bad effect of smoking is aging of the skin. Smoking consumes Vitamin A in the skin and cause wrinkles, especially around the lips and the eyes.On the other hand, pregnant women also should not smoke. A pregnant woman who has smoking habit also influences on the  unborn baby, and it may cause her baby born too early or with low birth weight. To sum up, smoking really causes a variety of bad effects on human body. Finally, smoking makes secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is also called environmental tobacco smoke. In fact, Secondhand smoke is the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke exhaled out by the smoker. When people stand near a smoker, they breathe secondhand smoke. However, many people still do not realize the dangers of secondhand smoke.Actually, secondhand smoke also affects non-smokers, and it is very harmful to human body. Secondhand smoke has more than 50 chemicals that cause lung and breathing problems, including coughing, hard to breathe, moreover, it is possible that it causes lung cancer even people do not smoke. In addition, according to the researches, secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease by 15 to 20 percent. In Taiwan, secondhand smoke cause about 20,000 of the deaths of heart disease each year. As a result, everyone should keep away from smokers because secondhand smoke is dangerous.In conclusion, smoking is against social politeness, causes damage to both smokers’ and non-smokers’ health, and makes terrible secondhand smoke. Smoking really does not bring any benefit, so people should not smoke or buy cigarettes anymore. I think smokers must realize that not just their health will be affected; everyone around them is also influenced by their bad habit. For staying in good physical condition, smokers should consider to take steps towards quitting s moking from now. Staying smoke free let people keep healthy, get more energy, and live a better life.

Classroom observation Essay

I have been observing several elementary teachers during the past eight weeks. All instructors bring into the classroom their individual teaching styles. Within that style there are various and assorted behaviors and actions they performed in their instruction. Most of the teachers observed presented the topic they were teaching. The instructors used teaching aids such as overhead and PowerPoint slides. It helped to keep students on track in the presentation of information. Teachers encouraged class participation in the subject to be taught by asking questions related to the topic. The students connected easily with the material when they could relate it to prior knowledge. Teachers were very organize and interested in communicate with their students. They periodically asked question and made sure students were understanding the concept presented. Students seem to be enjoying the instructional time with their teachers. They seem relaxed, attentive, on task, and actively participating in the subject. I could see that there were hardly any behavioral problems. When students were beginning to lose track of subject, there was one teacher that use humor to bring them back. I run into one exemption when observing a 1st grade teacher. His classroom was not well organized. You could see stacks of papers on different tables. Wall signs were falling down, trash on the floor. Students were the same way. Their desks were full of trash. Their books and supplies under their desk were all over the place. The instructor asked the students to take their language art book out and wrote the page number where they were going to start reading. He had another student controlling the a CD player to star reading along with the CD. It was chotic in that classroom I believe that instructor was not prepare enough to teach this subject and he needs classroom management.

Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action

Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action Developing software that controls the autopilot system on a prototype of a commercial airplane is highly recommendable for safety reasons. Testing the system suitably is equally imperative. Hurrying up the testing to meet the publicly announced testing deadline may lead to compromising the reliability and safety of the entire aircraft system.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Various theories recommend different methods of handling the moral dilemma.  The managers, travelers and professional bodies have the right to obtain trustworthy information about the security system installed in the aircraft. Bodies such as the Global Agenda Council on Space Security and Department of Defense Space Management have legal and moral responsibilities for ensuring space safety. An engineer also has the responsibility to model an autopilot that recei ves data from the Global Positioning System software installed in the aircraft. The GPS receiver should be able to calculate the aircraft’s position in space. Equipped with such positioning information devices, an autopilot helps keep the plane straight. Moreover, it helps efficiently execute the flight plans. Performing the right task is essential. It would be morally challenging to decide whether to implement the universal professional demands or those of the boss or not. There are two alternative actions for solving the dilemma. The first possible action is implementing the demands.The other option is objecting to implement them. Objecting to implement the unprofessional demands is the best course of action to take since it would guarantee the safety of those on-board. The decision to object to the demands obeys the rules of Kantianism theory. The theory states that what an individual desires to accomplish and what he/she should accomplish are often incompatible. This mean s that an individual may make decisions that result to immediate discomfort and unhappiness. However, the decision should ultimately lead to satisfaction. The entire rationale of morality is taking the right course of action just for the sake of it. The manager’s appreciation of the intention to test the aircraft appropriately should have no impact on the decision to turn down his/her request. The short-lived feeling of displeasure should not also have an impact on the decision made. Therefore, I would take the decision to comply with the correct rules and procedures and save lives of people and the aircraft.  Certain groups of people may disagree with the decision. This may be due to their inability to determine independently what is either wrong or right.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kant states that an individual determines his/her behavior by making use of the l aw of autonomy. Therefore, a decision is either wrong or right depending on the intention of the action. In addition, morality is never relative. An individual is either morally upright or not. This happens because morality is not determined by the outcome of the decision but by the intention of the action. Since it is impractical to predict accurately the consequences of human actions, I would adopt the Kantianism theory in order to save the situation. This means that the task is accomplished professionally. The action would ensure that the stakeholders incur no losses. However, if they incur losses due to the decision, I would remain contented that the intention was non-malicious and the consequences were beyond my control. Alternatively, one would prefer to act based on the theory of Consequentialism. The accuracy of this theory is determined by two ethical principles. The first principle states that the consequences of an act establish whether an action is morally right or not. The other principle affirms that the degree of superiority of the results determines the scale for measuring the morality of the action. The problem with this theory is that it is difficult to accurately predict the outcome of an action. A person who adopts this theory can choose to comply with the demands of the boss and keep details of their action secret. They may comply with unprofessional requests and hope that no evil would befall the stakeholders. Another group of people may prefer to adopt the theory of Virtue Ethics. The hypothesis deemphasizes rules, consequences, and particular acts. It greatly focuses on the personality of the actor. The important factor, according to this hypothesis, is whether the person who is acting is articulating excellent personality or not. Therefore, an act is considered to be right when performing this act, the individual exercises, demonstrates or builds up an ethically virtuous character. Any one undergoing through similar challenges can rely on the theory, evaluate the moral character of the boss, and comply with the demands, particularly if he/she is convinced that the boss is morally upright. Conclusively, the right decision should not be based on general assumptions. The character of the boss has no direct influence on the consequences of the decision. Similarly, the theory of Consequentialism may be irrelevant since outcomes of decisions are influenced by a myriad of factors. Some of the factors are beyond human control. I, therefore, prefer the Kantianism theory because it requires an individual to take control over his/her decisions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Meteorological Hazards in Aviation

Meteorological Hazards in Aviation Introduction Throughout its history, the aviation industry has had a close but unpleasant relationship with the vagrancies of weather (Vickers et al., 2001). Indeed, it has been proved that weather is the single largest contributor to delays and a foremost factor in aircraft disasters and incidents, implying that real-time weather information is substantially critical for hazardous weather avoidance in aviation operations (Witiw, Lanier Crooks, 2003).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Meteorological Hazards in Aviation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Weather continues to exact its toll on the aviation sector, particularly when this argument is viewed in the context of past accidents that have been reported in mainstream media as caused by either meteorological hazards or a combination of human factors and weather elements (Broc et al., 2005; World Meteorological Association, 2007). The present paper critically discus ses some of the well known meteorological hazards in the aviation industry. Concept Definition Meteorology has been described as â€Å"†¦the science of the atmosphere, a sea of air that is in a constant state of flux† (Vickers et al., 2001, p. ix). Within this science exists a wide allay of weather/climatic conditions arising from natural interactions with other factors, products and byproducts, but which triggers a set of hazards that may prove disastrous to the aviator who must operate within the precincts of the atmosphere (Simpson et al., 2002). It is reported in the literature that no one is immune to the everyday oscillations of these meteorological hazards as they sweep across huge sections of the globe before dissipating (Vickers et al., 2001). Meteorological Hazards in Aviation Available literature demonstrates that there exists a multiplicity of weather conditions that qualify as hazards in aviation due to the scope and context of the dangers they present to th e industry (Broc et al., 2005). Some of the most predominant ones include icing, volcanic ash, poor visibility, windshear, heavy rains, lee waves, fronts, thunderstorms, cold weather and deformation zone (World Meteorological Association, 2007). This section samples a few of these meteorological hazards in aviation. Windshear Witiw et al (2003) describe the windshear as â€Å"†¦a sudden shift in wind direction, velocity, or both† (p. 131). These authors also report that the most aggressive expression of the condition occurs in a microburst, which is an intense downburst of cool air generated by, or released from, a large convective cloud. The World Meteorological Organization (2007) defines windshear as â€Å"†¦layers or columns of air, flowing with different velocities (i.e. speed and/or direction) to adjacent layers or columns† (p. 1). Windshear is a foremost hazard for low, slow flying aircraft in either the approach or departure phases due to the complica ted wind patterns occasioned by the downdrafts. As the aircraft glides through the microburst it stumbles upon intense headwinds accompanied by a substantial increase in aerodynamic drift and successive severe downdrafts, ultimately causing it to experience a rapid loss of lift and crash into the ground (Witiw et al., 2003).Advertising Looking for essay on aviation? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consequently, some of the detrimental hazards caused by windshear include: 1) loss of aerodynamic lift and airspeed, making the aircraft to plunge into the ground before corrective action is taken by the flight crew, 2) turbulence especially in light aircraft, and 3) structural damage to the aircraft (Witiw et al., 2003; World Meteorological Organization, 2007). In the United States, the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) database reveals that nearly 250 accidents involving U.S. aircrafts have been attributed to windshe ar, with 30 of them reported as major (Witiw et al., 2003). Thunderstorms Although one of the most beautiful atmospheric phenomenon (Harding, 2011), extant literature demonstrates that â€Å"†¦no other weather encountered by a pilot can be as violent or threatening as a thunderstorm† (Vickers et al., 2001, p.34). Indeed, thunderstorms generate more threats to the aviation industry and it is always important for the flight crew, air transport safety agencies, meteorologists and other interested stakeholders to not only understand their scope and context, but also how to deal with them effectively. Thunderstorms are generated by the coming together of several ingredients, including: 1) unbalanced air mass, 2) atmospheric moisture in the low levels, 3) some triggering mechanism, e.g. daytime heating or upper level cooling, and 4) other related meteorological vagrancies such as windshear (Vickers et al., 2001). These ingredients interact through a process called convection ( transport of heat energy) to produce thunderstorms that basically attempt to correct the imbalance generated when the atmosphere becomes heated unevenly (Harding, 2011). It is important to note that there exist different types of thunderstorms that affect the aviation industry. Some of the most common types of include: 1) air mass thunderstorms – form within a worm, moist air mass and are non-frontal in character, 2) frontal thunderstorms – form either as a result of a frontal surface lifting an unbalanced air mass or a stable air mass becoming unbalanced due to the lifting, 3) squall line thunderstorms – aggressive combinations of strong winds, hail, rain and lighting, 4) orographic thunderstorms – occur when moist, unbalanced air is forced up a mountain slope at high pressure, and 5) nocturnal thunderstorms – develop during or persist all night (Vickers et al., 2001). Thunderstorms have the capability to generate hazards that can cause untold suf fering in the aviation industry. For instance, â€Å"†¦all thunderstorms can produce severe turbulence, low level windshear, low ceilings and visibilities, hail and lighting† (Harding, 2011, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Meteorological Hazards in Aviation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is not uncommon to hear news of aircraft that get lost in severe thunderstorms or helicopters that get struck by lightning, implying that each of these conditions can be potentially catastrophic (Broc et al., 2005). Other hazards generated by thunderstorms include ruthless clear icing, extremely profound precipitation, and dangerous electrical releases within and near the thunderstorm cell (Vickers et al., 2001; World Meteorological Organization, 2007). Visibility It is reported in the literature that reduced visibility is the meteorological element which impacts aviation operations the most through cancelled flights, accidents as well as incidents (Vickers et al., 2001). These authors posit that the aviation industry uses various types of visibility, which include: 1) horizontal visibility – the furthest visibility achieved horizontally in a particular direction by referencing objects or lights at known distances, 2) prevailing visibility – the ground level visibility which is common to one-half or more of the horizon loop, 3) vertical visibility – the maximum visibility achieved by looking vertically upwards into a surface-based impediment such as mist or snow, 4) slant visibility – visibility achieved by looking forward and downwards from the cockpit of the aircraft, and 5) flight visibility – the standard range of visibility at any given time forward form the cockpit of an aircraft in flight. Reduced visibility is caused by a multiplicity of factors, including lithometers (dry particles suspended in the atmosphere, such as haze, smoke, sand and dus t), precipitation, fog (radiation fog, frontal fog, steam fog, advection fog and ice fog), as well as snow squalls and streamers (Vickers et al., 2001). As already mentioned, low visibility leads to flight cancellations, fuel wastage as aircraft is unable to land in designated destination, aircraft damage in midair collisions, and deaths resulting from aircraft accidents (Watson, Ramirez Salud, 2009). Volcanic Ash The 2011 massive flight cancellations in Europe that were triggered by airborne volcanic ash from the Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland prove that volcanic ash is a major hazard to aviation safety at all levels. Indeed, â€Å"†¦like fine-grained mineral dust, volcanic ash affects radiative forcing and climate, public health, vegetation, and can cause property damage and disruption to community infrastructure† (Hadley, Hufford Simpson, 2004, p. 829). The major problem with volcanic ash emanates from the fact that onboard aircraft radars are unable to detect concent rated ash within or near eruption plumes, leading to life-threatening encounters, huge losses in flight cancellations, and aircraft damage (Simpson et al., 2002).Advertising Looking for essay on aviation? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The damage caused by volcanic ash often calls for expensive repairs or total equipment replacement, thus it is of outmost importance for flight crew to ensure total avoidance of the ash for flight safety. What’s more, the pumice material contained in volcanic dust acts to abrade the aircraft’s leading edges (i.e. wings, struts, and turbine blades) to a point where the aircraft can cause a fatal accident if no replacement is done (Vickers et al., 2001). Icing or Icy Weather Schreiner (2007) acknowledges that â€Å"†¦icy weather, including ice pellets and cloud droplets that freeze on contact, affects air travel all over the world, especially during colder months† (p. 152). Aircraft icing takes place when supercooled water droplets from the atmosphere hit an aircraft whose body temperature is colder than 0oC, crystallizing into ice and occasioning serious detrimental effects that often expose an aviator to the real probability of causing an accident (World Me teorological Association, 2007). The two most important meteorological factors that affect icing include liquid water content of the cloud and temperature structure in the cloud. Some of the detrimental effects caused by icing include: 1) restriction of visibility as windshear glazes over, 2) disturbance of the smooth laminar air flow over the aircraft wings, occasioning a decrease in lift and an increase in the stall speed, 3) increase in aircraft weight and drug, hence decreasing fuel efficiency, and 4) incomplete or absolute blockage of pitot heads and static ports, thereby allowing erroneous instrument readings (Vickers et al., 2001). A study conducted by the NTSB demonstrates that approximately 819 people lost their lives in accidents linked to in-flight icing between 1982 and 2000 (Schreiner, 2007). Heavy Rain Although there is no agreed upon definition regarding rainfall intensity, heavy rainfall is defined in the literature as rates in excess of 4 mm per hours, while heavy s howers are perceived as rates in excess of 10 mm per hour (World Meteorological Association, 2007). Heavy showers, which are often associated with thunderstorms, qualify to be seen in the context of a meteorological hazard to aircraft due to their capacity to not only reduce physical and canopy/windscreen visibility, but also permit water ingestion into the cabin/cockpit/engine partitions of light, non pressurized aircraft, thereby endangering the effective and efficient operations of electronic equipment within the aircraft. There exists a possibility for aircraft turbine engines to ‘flame out’ and cause destructive effects under conditions of extreme rainfall and subsequent water ingestion (World Meteorological Association, 2007). Additionally, it has been reported that intense rainfall affects aircraft braking mechanism and may cause the aircraft to skid off the runway during takeoff and landing (Vickers et al., 2001). Duststorms/Sandstorms Duststorms and sandstorms, according to the World Meteorological Association (2007), are regions of raised dust and sand due to intense wind activity. The particles are propelled to different altitudes depending on the speed, instability and resolution of the wind flow, in line with the principle that smaller and lighter elements are lifted more readily and to much more elevated altitudes than weighty elements. Duststorms and sandstorms bring potentially destructive outcomes in aviation, such as reduced visibility, reduction of engine power in the event of dust and sand ingestion into aircraft engines, costly repairs, and aircraft crash in the event of a complete engine lockdown (Hadley et al., 2004; World Meteorological Association, 2007). Conclusion The paper set out to critically discuss some of the well known meteorological hazards in the aviation industry. It has been sufficiently demonstrated how normal meteorological processes, such as windshear, thunderstorms, visibility, volcanic ash, icing, heavy r ain, as well as duststorms and sandstorms, operate to become potential hazards in aviation. The potentially destructive outcomes arising from the different meteorological processes have been discussed at length, with the results demonstrating that many meteorological hazards lead to loss of life through aircraft accidents, loss of profits through frequent flight cancellations and rescheduling, loss of aircraft through structural damages, as well as costly repairs. It should therefore be the task of meteorology experts to conduct intense awareness campaigns in the aviation industry regarding the serious issues posed by meteorological vulnerabilities. Reference List Broc, A., Delannoy, A., Montreuil, E., Lalande, P., Laroche, P. (2005). Lighting strike to helicopters during winter thunderstorms over North Sea. Aerospace Science Technology, 9(8), 686-691. Hadley, D., Hufford, G.L., Simpson, J.J. (2004). Resuspension of relic volcanic ash and dust from Katmai: Still an aviation hazar d. Weather Forecasting, 19(5), 829-840. Harding, K. (2011). Thunderstorm formation and aviation hazards. National Weather Service. Retrieved from https://aviationweather.gov/general/pubs/front/docs/jul-11.pdf Schreiner, P. (2007). Enhanced icing product to guide aircraft around hazards. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 88(2), 152-154. Simpson, J.J., Hufford, G.L., Pieri, D., Servranckx, R., Berg, J.S., Baver, C. (2002). The February 2001 eruption of Mount Cleveland, Alaska: A case study of an aviation hazard. Weather Forecasting, 17(4) 691-704. Vickers, G., Buzza, S., Schimidt, A., Mullock, J. (2001). The weather of the Canadian Prairies. Ottawa, Ontario: NAV Canada. Watson, A., Ramirez, C.V., Salud, E. (2009). Predicting visibility of aircraft. PLoS ONE, 4(5), 1-16. Witiw, M.R., Lanier, R.C., Crooks, K.A. (2003). Integrating human factors into the human-computer interface: How best to display meteorological information for critical aviation decision-making and performance. Journal of Air Transportation, 8(2), 129-138. World Meteorological Organization. (2007). Aviation Hazards. WMO/TD-No. 1390. Web.

Hrotsvitha von Gandersheimâ€Dramatist, Poet and Historian

Hrotsvitha von Gandersheim- Dramatist, Poet and Historian Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim wrote the first plays known to be written by a woman, and she is the first known European woman poet after Sappho. She was a canoness, poet, dramatist, and historian. Surmised from internal evidence of the writings that she was born about 930 or 935, and died after 973, perhaps as late as 1002 The German Dramatist is also known as Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim, Hrotsvitha von Gandersheim, Hrotsuit, Hrosvitha, Hrosvit, Hroswitha, Hrosvitha, Hrostsvit, Hrotsvithae, Roswita, Roswitha Hrotsvitha von Gandersheim Biography Of Saxon background, Hrotsvitha became canoness of a convent in Gandersheim, near Gà ¶ttingen. The convent was self-sufficient, known in its time for being a cultural and educational center.  It had been established in the 9th century by Duke Liudolf and his wife and her mother as a free abbey, not connected to the hierarchy of the church but to the local ruler.  In 947, Otto I freed the abbey completely so that it was also not subject to a secular rule.  The abbess in Hrotsvithas time, Gerberga, was a niece of the Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I the Great.  There is no evidence that Hrotsvitha was herself a royal relative, though some have guessed that she might have been. Although Hrotsvitha is referred to as a nun, she was a canoness, meaning that she did not follow the vow of poverty, though she still took the vows of obedience and chastity that the nuns did. Richarda (or Rikkarda) was responsible for the novices at Gerberga, and was a teacher of Hrotsvitha, of great intellect according to Hrotsvithas writing.  She later became an abbess. At the convent, and encouraged by the abbess, Hrotsvitha wrote plays on Christian themes. She also wrote poems and prose. In her lives of the saints and in a life in verse of Emperor Otto I, Hrostvitha chronicled history and legend. She wrote in Latin as was usual for the time; most educated Europeans were conversant in Latin and it was the standard language for scholarly writing.  Because of allusions in the writing to Ovid, Terence, Virgil, and Horace, we can conclude  that the convent included a library with these works.  Because of mention of events of the day, we know that she was writing sometime after 968. The plays and poems were shared only with others at the abbey, and possibly, with the abbess connections, at the royal court. Hrotsvithas plays were not rediscovered until 1500, and parts of her works are missing.  They were first published in Latin in 1502, edited by Conrad Celtes, and in English in 1920. From evidence within the work, Hrostvitha is credited with writing six plays, eight poems, a poem honoring Otto I and the history of the abbey community. The poems are written to honor saints individually, including Agnes and the Virgin Mary as well as Basil, Dionysus, Gongolfus, Pelagius and Theophilus.  Poems available are: PelagiusTheophilusPassio Gongolphi The plays are unlike morality plays that Europe favored a few centuries later, and there are few other plays extant from her between the Classical era and those. She was obviously familiar with the classical playwright Terence and uses some of his same forms, including satirical and even slapstick comedy, and may have intended to produce more chaste entertainment than Terences works for the cloistered women. Whether the plays were read aloud or actually performed, is unknown. The plays include two long passages which seem out of place, one on mathematics and one on the cosmos. The plays are known in translation by different titles: Abraham, also known as The Fall and Repentance of Mary.Callimachus, also known as The Resurrection of Drusiana.Dulcitis, also known as The Martyrdom of the Holy Virgins Irene, Agape and Chionia or The Martyrdom of the Holy Virgins Agape, Chionia, and Hirena.Gallicanus, also known as The Conversion of General Gallicanus.Paphnutius, also known as The Conversion of the Thais, the Harlot, in Plays, or The Conversion of the Harlot Thais.Sapienta, also known as The Martyrdom of the Holy Virgins Faith, Hope, and Charity or The Martyrdom of the Holy Virgins Fides, Spes, and Karitas. The plots of her plays are either about the martyrdom of a Christian woman in pagan Rome or about a pious Christian man rescuing a fallen woman. Her Panagyric Oddonum is a tribute in verse to Otto I, the abbess relative.  She also wrote a work about the abbeys founding, Primordia Coenobii Gandershemensis.