_Blog #10: The End: Tuesday Dec 13th

This is one of my least favorite times of the year. As my WLE comes to a close, I feel disappointed knowing I can't help out at work during the week. This internship has broadened immensely over last year. Prior to this WLE, I was taught the foundation of my job responsibilities yet I never became heavily involved in the operations of the business. These past ten weeks have provided me with a full understanding of how the aviation business works, the costs involved in it, and the hard work necessary to succeed in such a volatile field. Many of my Tuesdays were spent repairing computers and simulators, and this provided me with the opportunity to develop and master some extremely lucrative skills. In the near future, I can foresee myself continuing the work which I have done here at the flight school.

_Blog #9: Life at my WLE: Tuesday Dec 6th   

At my WLE this morning, Keith gave me the task of fixing our VFR flight simulator. In order to convert the manual motion of the flight controls into a digital signal, the usage of potentiometers is necessary. After about a few months, these pots start to wear out and break down. I've never replaced the pitch potentiometer, so this was a newer experience in fixing the flight simulator. The repair took several hours since I had to remove many parts before getting to the potentiometer. Once I fixed the simulator, it ran smoothly just as it was supposed to. As an intern, I have improved greatly on my repair skills. California Airways is a very technology dependent company. Computers at the office are often bound for upgrades and fixes, as many people use them. Slowly but surely, we are starting to change all of our computers at the office in place of newer and faster equipment. Working here is always a pleasure due to my work perks as well as fun responsibilities. I thoroughly enjoy being a flight operations manager because I have to maintain a schedule track so that all of our flights will depart and arrive on time. Work perks such as unlimited simulator time as well as flying after work make this a very enjoyable internship/job.    

_Blog #8: Professionalism: Tuesday Nov 29th   

_In order to find my first WLE placement, I started by calling various flight schools and computer repair companies in the Bay Area. Locations extended from Hayward, to San Francisco, and even to Walnut Creek. Calling and introducing one's self is the most advantageous way of obtaining an internship. While on the phone, talking about who you are, your various skills, and a background of yourself. My internship from last year had eventually led to a job, which I am truly grateful for. From my experience, an internship provides the basis of how a workplace functions and allows an employee of a company generate the skills needed to be hired and join a team. As a result of my WLE, I've learned about professionalism in the world of aviation. Employers take backgrounds extremely seriously, as a pilot's responsibility is not only making a flight from point A to point B, but also the lives of everyone onboard. Certain things which airline interviewers look for is flight time, driving records (zero tolerance for DUIs), tattoos, and various civil misdemeanors. Much of the pertaining information has been taken into account into my everyday life. I've created standards for which I live by, assuring that the criterion of what airlines look for in a candidate will never be thrown away.

_Blog #7: What I learned, Reflection: Tuesday Nov 22nd

From my experience here at California Airways, I have come to learn that I am extremely capable working with IT support and improvement. A challenge I faced during this internship was brainstorming the scheme for new computer infrastructure at the office, and making sure that the networking of all the computers worked. This project provided me with a great deal of realization that I am very talented with handling IT work, as all of my tasks were carried out fluidly and without any difficulty. Aside from the benefit of new computers in the office, the upgraded simulator in San Carlos will provide a plethora pilots with a better understanding of how the Garmin G1000 system works, due to new features that improve the user interface and ease of access. A very important skill which I improved on during this project was computer networking. I solved many errors in the configuration of the network, and taught myself how to resolve these issues so that the local network would not be a nuisance. If someone were to ask why I carried out my project at the workplace, my answer would be that the new computers offer California Airways with a much quicker access time when searching invoices, dispatching flights, and handling customer databases. This is beneficial to the company, because it allows customers to be processed quickly, keeping wait times near zero. My expectations at work have overall made me a much more responsible person, because I have a large stake in how the schedule flows every day that I work.

Blog #6: Leadership Skills: Tuesday Nov 15th

Since I have started my internship here, I've been using the leadership skill of Thinking Critically. Day to day, I have to handle tasks which take an immense amount of concentration and problem solving. During weekends, solving these tasks become part of my workflow. I am using this leadership skill to the fullest extent while I am at my WLE. Handling customers and ensuring that our schedule is precisely carried out is essential to my success at work. I never quite thought that my responsibilities here at California Airways would demand critical thinking because everything seemed very integrated into the tasks which I was expected to do. The skills that I learned here make me overall a much harder worker than others. The responsibilities here are very demanding, however I am able to work without difficulty. Keith, my mentor, uses powerful communication in order to complete projects with customers and other flight schools. He also has to think critically every day, as all of my responsibilities are his as well.

Blog #5: Progress on my WLE Project: Tuesday Nov 8th

Today at my WLE, I was responsible for handling the front desk. I answered calls, scheduled flights, dispatched flights, and checked in customers. I also started working on the first step of my WLE project, which was to research and create a list of components for two new simulator computers. I spoke with my mentor about what components he would like to see in the final build, and took that into consideration during my research. So far, I've selected a motherboard, CPU and hard drive. I am still looking for the best graphics card to use, and I will also need to find a suitable power supply that will deliver enough wattage to keep the system continuously running. Keith and I also spoke about deadlines, and how the success of his simulator relies on a quick turnaround time. So far with my project, I have nearly finalized my component list. Once it is complete, I will start to purchase the parts needed for the final build.

Blog #4: Project Brainstorm: Tuesday Nov 1st

I've been brainstorming about my WLE project for quite some time now. California Airways owns and leases a Garmin G1000 simulator in San Carlos Airport, and it is in need of an upgrade. I am planning on building two new computers that will run the simulator. Keith and I have been thinking about this for quite some time now. He knew an update to the hardware inevitable, and that I was the person to carry it out. I'll start with piecing together a list of parts that are compatible, purchasing the components, and building the systems overnight. I'm excited to start this project because I love building computers. I also want to see California Airways grow and find new ways to generate revenue. With a newly improved simulator in place, this would be the perfect way to do so. I've been researching components for the build, however I have not created a specific list of what should be in the final build. This week, I plan on researching computer components that would be an ideal match for how the simulator should run. Once my list is complete, I will present it to Keith and describe the changes and benefits of the new hardware. After the list has been approved, I will purchase the finalized components and being the assembly. This process should take no longer than two weeks.

Blog #3: My Role: Tuesday Oct 25th

I play a critical role at the office. I've been given the title of Flight Operations Manager. I am responsible for dispatching flights, charging customers, and making sure our schedule runs smoothly. The biggest responsibility I have to uphold is keeping a fluid schedule. If customers are waiting, I am not doing my job. During the week, I am often teaching students Private Pilot curriculum and instructing in the simulators. A regular workday starts with opening up the office, the front doors downstairs, and turning on the simulators to prepare them for pilots to use. I pull out the work laptop, and begin to enter engine time into a maintenance spreadsheet in order to keep track of due dates for inspections and regulatory maintenance. At around 5 or 6 each day, I bring the office to a close. I turn off all the simulators, put away the work laptop, and check the final revenues for the day.

Blog #2: My Mentor: Tuesday Oct 18th

My mentor and flight instructor's name is Keith Amaro. He is the owner of California Airways and is the Chief Flight Instructor. Keith usually arrives at 8:30 AM every day, and prepares the office for customers. He is oftentimes seen at the ramp where aircraft are parked, taking care of them and making sure the airplanes have adequate oil and fuel supplies. He became interested in the field of aviation at an early age, and began his flight training at the age of sixteen. As his flight training progressed, it demanded a wider array of knowledge which led him to his career in the airlines. Keith attended college and obtained a degree in Aviation Business, which served as a backup for the low times in the airline industry.

Blog #1: My Workplace: Tuesday October 11th 

California Airways is a medium sized flight school which trains pilots, and allows customers to rent aircraft. The workplace is part of Hayward Executive Airport, overlooking the approach ends of runways 28L and 28R. About 9-12 people work here, however there are 5 employees commonly seen here almost every day. California Airways employs contract pilots with CFI (certificated flight instructor) ratings. All of the pilots here have gone to a four-year university or college, as it is now a requirement for US airline jobs. All the pilots that work here are also flight instructors, which took a very high amount of determination to achieve such a rating. My workplace serves the public; aspiring pilots, those who want to try flying, and aircraft renters. California Airways is one of the most profitable flight schools in the Bay Area, which has grown immensely over the past 50 years. The biggest weakness currently is the location. California Airways is expanding however the current placement is slightly hindering its growth, due to the size of the building.