CURRICULAR UNITS - MASTER’S DEGREE IN AIR TRANSPORT OPERATIONS

CURRICULAR UNIT - QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN BUSINESS SCIENCES

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 1st Semester
Código UC nº 512101

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

This curricular unit aims at providing students with practical tools for data analysis, especially as a supporting mean for the decision making process. Specific objectives are:

- To Provide a formal quantitative approach to problem solving
- to Describe statistical principles
- to Apply statistical methods
- to Formulate and test hypothesis
- to Master the decision and optimization methods

Competences to be acquired:

- to Develop analytical skills;
- to apply statistical methods in different contexts
- to Develop data analysis skills
- to Use software to apply the methods
- to Compare different approaches to a problem

PROGRAM CONTENTS

Section 1- Decision and optimization methods

1. Introduction
2. linear programming
2.1. programming problems and calculation of the best solution
2.2. affectation and transport problems
3. decision theory
4. project management

Section 2- Statistical methods

1. graphical representation of data
2. measures of dispersion and location
3. some distributions functions
4. sampling and estimation
5. hypothesis testing
6. Linear simple regression and correlation
7. multiple regression

CURRICULAR UNIT - BUSINESS MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 1st Semester
Código UC nº 512102

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

It is intended that students be familiar with the main concepts of Management, providing an integrated view of the different areas of Management. In this sense, the main management concepts and the functional areas are addressed.

The course will have a theoretical-practical nature, integrating a solid theoretical component, based on the presentation and discussion of concepts and methodologies applied to case studies and an organizational study project.

Are competencies to be acquired:

1. Understand the different functional areas of Management and how they interconnect.
2. Be able to apply a set of concepts, methods and management tools.
3. Be able to apply the methods and tools of the Management to the analysis of companies and the identification of improvements.
4. Be able to apply the methods and tools of Management to the analysis and discussion of cases.
5. Be able to develop teamwork.
6. Reflect on the importance of the external environment, an indispensable condition for the survival of companies to formulate the best strategy and strategic approach to pursue.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

The main topics to be addressed and adapting their development according to the needs and interests expressed by the students are:

1. BASIC CONCEPTS: THE COMPANY AND THE MANAGEMENT

1.1. Management and the role of the Manager.
1.2. The Evolution of Management
1.3 The evolution towards a service economy
1.4 Types and classification of companies.
1.5 Market and marketing concepts.
1.6. The Management process: planning, organization, leadership and control.
1.7. Management Levels: Strategic Management and Functional Policies

2. FUNCTIONAL POLICIES

2.1. Marketing
2.2. Human Resources
2.2.1 Motivation
2.2.2 Leadership
2.3. Operations Management
2.4. Quality management
2.5. Financial management

3. OPENING THEMES

CURRICULAR UNIT - AIR TRANSPORT FUNDAMENTALS

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 1st Semester
Código UC nº 512103

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

Objectives

This course aims to provide students with knowledge in the field of Air Transport, as well as the different Stakeholders and their inter-relationship.

Specifically, at the end of the course, the student should be able to:

- Analyse the evolution of Air transport, highlighting the main contributions such as economic and business impact;
- Provide general knowledge about the Air Transport activity, its legal and regulatory framework, liberalization processes and implications for management;
- Identify the main constraints and indicators, which govern the activity and the resulting impacts on the Air Transport sector; and,
- Assess the future of the Air Transport sector, both in terms of its aspects more connected to the plane, and in terms of processes with an impact on management.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

Syllabus

1. Aeronautical Data and Aeronautical Information

a) The quality of Aeronautical data and Aeronautical Information and the importance in management and operation;
b) Future developments;
c) European regulations;

2. Regulation

a) Chicago Convention;
b) Role of ICAO and IATA;
c) The role of EASA in EUROPE;
d) The National Aeronautical Authority; and,
e) Role of regional and national civil aviation organizations.

3. Role of Airports

a) General characterization;
b) Main airport businesses;
c) Airport Services; and,
d) Other complementary services (catering, etc.).

CURRICULAR UNIT - AIRLINES MARKETING AND COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 1st Semester
Código UC nº 512104

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

This curricular unit aims to provide students with skills in marketing management and sales through the acquisition of basic knowledge and study of specific tools and practices for air transport. It also seeks to prepare students for strategies involving sales, marketing and quality of service provided, from the airline passenger's perspective.

The competencies to be acquired are:

- Understand and know how to establish relationships with key market players such as Airports, Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Hotels, consultants, etc..
- Learn to recognize the leadership styles
- Know how to tailor the message to style

PROGRAM CONTENTS

I - Analytic Marketing

- Evolution of modern marketing
- Customer Relationship Management
- Competitive Analysis
- Customer Review
- Quantitative analysis of the market

II - Strategic Marketing

- Targeting and Positioning
- Global Marketing Strategy

III - Operational Marketing

- Product Management
- Communication
- Price
- Distribution
- Sales Management

IV - Selected issues

- Sales Strategies for airlines
- Aligning the objectives of marketing and sales
- Identification of strategic sales targets
- Management and planning of the sales force in overseas markets
- Relationship with travel agents, tour operators, and airports
- Airline Marketing
- Business Strategies
- Full Service Carriers and Low Cost airline companies
- Marketing strategies and sales
- Optimizing customer value
- E-commerce
- Loyalty programs
- Revenue Management
- Segment and SWOT analysis
- Marketing Mix
- Customer
- PEST Analysis
- Marketing Strategies
- Survival strategies

CURRICULAR UNIT - AIR TRANSPORT ECONOMICS

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 1st Semester
Código UC nº 512105

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

Main objectives are:

- Analyse and evaluate air transportation, as well as the most important contributions with economic and business impact;
- Provide a general knowledge about the air passenger and cargo activity (on a business perspective);
- Provide the knowledge of the managerial methods and processes specific to the activity, in special to the extent of revenues and costs and impacts on margins;
- Allow and help to identify some of the inherent vicissitudes to air transportation activity;
- Evaluate the different business models in terms of schedule and non-scheduled airlines.

Student must get the following competencies:

- Understand the dynamic of air transportation, business models, management indicators and the most important management tools;
- Know the main aspects of business management of airlines;
- Know and characterize the different types of revenues and costs and its importance for the operational margins.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

Globally, the following areas will be evaluated:

1. Air Transport Environment
2. Revenues and Costs
3. Network Development
4. Pricing policies
5. Revenue Management
6. Distribution
7. Business Models (Low cost carriers versus charter)
8. Future Trends

CURRICULAR UNIT - PEOPLE MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIZATIONS

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 1st Semester
Código UC nº 512107

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

The curricular unit aims to address the fundamentals of the process of attraction, developing and retaining Human Resources (HR) that are essential to achieve the goals of innovative organizations. It also seeks to emphasize the importance of the HR function in creating sustainable competitive advantages. Finally, it aims to develop conceptual and analytical skills in students so that they can participate in the activities of HR management in organizations, and enable the student to diagnose and intervene in the management of HR in aviation market contexts.

At the end of this curricular unit, students should be able to:

1) identify how HR can contribute to organizational success;
2) have an overview of the HR function and its interdependencies with other functions;
3) apply in a contingent way HR management methodologies and techniques to address specific issues in aviation market;
4) understand in an integrated manner the various practices of HR management.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

Program contents:

1. What is People Management / Human Resources Management
2. The strategy of the organization and the strategic management of people
3. Analysis of the work
4. Recruitment and attraction of human capital
5. Selection: choosing human capital
6. Managing input and relationship: hosting, socialization and retention
7. Training to promote Human Capital
8. Development of management skills
9. Management processes and performance improvement
10. Skills: combining technical skills with "soft"
11. Careers: The partnership between the Organization and the Individual
12. Compensation: the Management of remuneration and benefits
13. Subcontracting and temporary work
14. Organizational Dysfunctions
15. World Aviation market analysis
16. The recruitment process in aviation

CURRICULAR UNIT - STRATEGIC AIR TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 2nd Semester
Código UC nº 512108

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

This curricular unit aims to equip students with basic concepts and principles of strategic management applied to the industry air transport as well as its foreseeable evolution, based on current trends in terms of airlines and airports.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

1. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: CONCEPTS, PRINCIPLES, EVOLUTION

Stakeholders, vision, mission;
Diagnosis - Internal and external;
Formulation - strategies and tactics;
Implementation - organizational structure and control system.

2. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN CIVIL AVIATION

Marketing Mix PLACEMENT
Supply and demand: installed capacity versus revenue optimization
Airline Business Models: national, regional and international examples
Strategic Analysis: Porter´s Five Forces Model, Ansoff Matrix, major alliances strategies
Customer Experience.

3. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: CURRENT SITUATION, TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS

For airlines
At airports

CURRICULAR UNIT - AIRWORTHINESS AND MAINTENANCE

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 2nd Semester
Código UC nº 512109

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

He objective is to introduce the concepts of management of airworthiness and aircraft maintenance services according to European regulations. During the curricular unit one goes through the stages in the life of an aircraft, describing the necessary interventions in order to keep it airworthy.

In this context, students will learn about the structure / responsibilities of various types of organizations involved in airworthiness in the European Union. Students will also acquire knowledge of the concept of generic and specific maintenance procedures in the field of reliability-centered maintenance used in aircraft maintenance, development of maintenance programs as well as techniques for planning and programming jobs. Finally, students will be faced with the financial aspects in terms of airworthiness of aircraft, components, equipment and human resources.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

1. The life of an aircraft in terms of airworthiness in the European Union:

- Design
- Certification
- Manufacturing
- Modifications / Repairs
- The necessary and mandatory "Updates"
- Certificates of Airworthiness
- Continuing Airworthiness Management
- Maintenance
- Decommissioning and staff involved in airworthiness activities

2. European Union Organizations involved in the airworthiness

- Competences
- Typical structure
- Material and human resources needed

3. The basic concepts in aviation maintenance

- The maintenance function
- Reliability
- Instructions for continued airworthiness of the manufacturer
- Maintenance programs
- Planning and scheduling

4. The costs of airworthiness

- Cost of "updates" mandatory and optional
- Costs of modifications / repairs
- Maintenance costs
- Personnel Cost

CURRICULAR UNIT - FLEET PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 2nd Semester
Código UC nº 512110

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

This curricular unit provides a complete overview of the fleet planning process within an airline company. It aims to provide sufficient background for a student to play a useful role in a fleet planning exercise, and to show how topics covered in other curricular units are very relevant to fleet planning.

After taking the curricular unit the students should be able to:

- Understand the complete fleet planning process
- Appreciate the need to evaluate alternatives against relevant selection criteria
- Appreciate the need for adaptability, flexibility and continuity
- Check the sensitivity of results to alternative business scenarios

PROGRAM CONTENTS

1. Defining the specific mission
2. The fleet selection process
3. Fleet planning methodologies
4. Evaluation of alternatives
5. Analysis of performance and cost
6. Standard specification, BFE and SFE
7. Commonality fleet
8. Aircraft used
9. Types of financing

CURRICULAR UNIT - QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 2nd Semester
Código UC nº 512111

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

It is intended that by the end of this course the students reveal skills and capabilities that will enable them to: Integrate with ease in in organizations related to aeronautics that have adopted strategic objective of total quality management; Dealing with other management systems (environment, health and safety at work, Social responsibility of organizations), in a global perspective and enterprising.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

1. Concept, definitions and characteristics of quality. Costs of quality. Evolution of total quality management (TQM).
2. Classical models of quality. Array of quality management.
3. Tools and techniques of Quality importance of quality tools and techniques in solving structured problems. Classic Quality Tools (Flowchart; Data collection sheets, histogram, Pareto chart, Ishikawa diagram, scatter plot, Cards).
4. Quality Management Systems (Aeronautical activities, reference standars, quality manuals)
5. Total quality programs
6. Evaluation of the quality

CURRICULAR UNIT - SECURITY OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 2nd Semester
Código UC nº 512112

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

The Flight Safety Course has five objectives:

1). To increase knowledge and competencies in the field of Safety, Security and Flight Operations
2). To provide expertise on issues related to the area of specialization;
3). To provide tools for hazard analysis, risk and consequences inherent in the business;
4). To allow direct contact with past events, accidents and incidents in commercial aviation;
5). To provide general knowledge on safety management systems.

Students should develop the following skills:

1). To understand the need for a safety management system in any company;
2). To identify, distinguish and analyse hazards, risks and consequences, and how to minimize/mitigate its effects;
3). To identify key stakeholders in Flight Safety.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

1 – Introduction to flight safety
2 – Analysis of accident statistics. Types of accidents. Annual statistics. Long-term trends.
3 – Major national and international laws; ICAO Annex 13; ICAO Doc. 9859; European and National legislation.
4 – Players acting in the área of flight safety GPIAAF, EASA, NTSB, and others (Airbus, Boeing,TAP, FSF, APPLA)
5 – Basics of Safety; Evolution of the concept of safety; Causes of an accident; the Reason model; The organizational accident; Human factors; the SHELL model; Organizational culture.
6 – Error, negligence and breach; Differences between disciplinary and criminal/legal treatment. Blame culture and just culture; Safety culture; Control strategies of the operational error.
7 – The organizational accident; the 2P dilema.
8 – Introduction to Safety Management; The need for Safety Management Strategies of Safety Managemet; Fundamental principles of Safety Management.
9 – Concepts of hazard, risk and consequence; Differences and definitions; Identification; Analysis; Attenuation mechanisms; Documentation.
10 – Regulation; Regulatory compliance.
11 – Flight analysis programs; Presentation, confidentiality and documentation.
12 – Brief notions of Security.

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CURRICULAR UNIT - HUMAN FACTORS AND BEHAVIOR

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 2nd Semester
Código UC nº 512113

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

The overall objective is to transmit knowledge related to human activity in order to better understand human behaviour and performance, whether in everyday situations, but particularly in extreme situations, such as those that characterize critical systems. More in detail, the objectives of this discipline can be summarized as:

- To understand the human beings as a central element of a complex /critical system;
- To identify the different mechanisms underlying information processing and decision-making process;
- To understand fundamental concepts like Attention, Perception, Memory, Human Error, Fatigue, Workload, Stress and Situation Awareness;
- To use a classification taxonomy of human error;
- To analyse, manage and mitigate the occurrence of errors that have led to near misses and accidents;
- To identify the limitations of the human performance arising from exposure to work situations, whether in everyday life, as in extreme scenarios particularly frequent in the Aviation context;
- To address case studies through the application of the fundamental concepts.

The following skills are expected to be acquired: Decision making, Problem Solving, Adaptability, Readiness, Individual performance management and team performance management.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

1. Human Factors

The Historical Perspective
Definition of human factors
Models of classification and analysis of Human Factors

2. The human error

The nature of the error
The Sources of Error
The classification of the error
The challenge of human error and how to overcome
and. Human error and aviation
Perspectives on human error
I. Cognitive
Ii. Ergonomics
Iii. Behavioral
Iv. Aerodynamics
V. Psychosocial
VI Organizational

3. Fatigue, body rhythms and sleep

The Jet lag / Shift lag
Fatigue
I. Definition
Ii. Typical Effects of Fatigue
Iii. Nature of Fatigue
Iv. Fatigue Countermeasures
w. Body rhythms
Sleep
I. Facts
II. Disorders

CURRICULAR UNIT - PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND EVALUATION

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
1st Year – 2nd Semester
Código UC nº 512114

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

The main objectives of this course will be:

- Provide general knowledge about project management;
- Assist in the interpretation of the main stages of the construction of a business plan;
- Provide knowledge of project analysis methods and processes;
- Allow and help to identify some of the inherent constrains in project management and evaluation;
- Develop a business plan.

Student must get the following competencies:

- Understand the dynamics of the analysis and evaluation of projects, both in an economic and financial environment, and in a technical area;
- Understand the main steps in the realization of a project;
- Know the various tools of project analysis and their application in decision support;
- Know the main indicators and ratios applied in the post-project evaluation.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

Globally, the following areas will be evaluated:

Brief notions of Finance
Project and Project management
Investment and financing decisions
Project indicators
Implementation and monitoring of projects

CURRICULAR UNIT - RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES IN BUSINESS SCIENCES

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
2nd Year – Annual
Código UC nº 512115

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

The subject Methods and Techniques of Research aims to introduce students of the Master on Operations of Air Transports to methods and techniques used in a scientific research project, preparing students for the preparation of a research project and its development, as well as for the drafting of the thesis.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

1. Introduction to Descriptive statistics

1.1. Population and sample, sampling techniques
1.2. Important tools for producing surveys / interviews
1.3. Measurement scales: nominal, ordinal and numeric (continuous and discrete)
1.4. Synthesis of data in tables and graphs
1.5. Measures of Central tendency, position and dispersion
1.6. Relationship between variables: correlation and linear regression
1.7. Introduction to SPSS
1.8. Application of descriptive statistics methodologies in SPSS

2. Statistical inference

2.1. Estimation and Modelling
2.2. Contingency tables. Chi-Square Test
2.3. Hypothesis, parametric and non-parametric tests
2.4. Analysis of Variance.
2.5. Methodologies of inferential statistics in SPSS

3. Introduction

3.1. The scientific method
3.2. The steps of the Research
3.3. Theories, models and paradigms
3.4. Applied research

4. Research project

4.1. Phases of the Research project
4.2. Issues and Research objectives
4.3. Research methodology

5. Research report

5.1. Structure, organization and content of the report
5.2. references

6. Ethical aspects of research awareness

CURRICULAR UNIT - SEMINARS

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
2nd Year – Annual
Código UC nº 512116

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

This curricular unit aims to expose students to a set of structuring themes in air transport, promoting the wider debate on specialized subjects. It also aims to help instil in students the need to have an overview of commercial aviation, integrating the various areas around air transport operations. It is intended to develop in students oral and writing skills to facilitate the preparation of written and oral presentations.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

The Syllabus is annually specified by the teacher, in collaboration with the course director, having in mind the most relevant topics in aviation. Guests of the airline industry with strong experience occasionally contribute to discussions and debates on pressing issues of commercial aviation, in different domains: Air Transport, Airports, Air Navigation, Handling, Safety & Security, Maintenance, and personnel training.

CURRICULAR UNIT - DISSERTATION

Academic Year: 2020 / 2021
2nd Year – Annual
Código UC nº 512117

OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCES TO BE DEVELOPED

The objective of the UC is the elaboration of a scientific dissertation or a project work.

In this UC, the student is expected to develop an individual and original applied research under the supervision of a scientific advisor, in which a specific problem related to the management and / or OSH policies, based on the knowledge acquired in several curricular units of the course. Such research should be framed in the guidelines for research and development defined by ISEC Lisboa.

The conclusion of the Dissertation should reveal the student's ability to:

- Apply the knowledge acquired in the course, integrating knowledge from several areas;
- Develop autonomously scientific research activities;
- Define a problem and execute a work plan, through a research process, methodology of data acquisition and processing, and organization of results;
- Present clearly and accurately the results and conclusions of the research.

PROGRAM CONTENTS

The object of the final work will normally be chosen by the student or suggested by the Coordination, and should reflect the future interest of the student and not necessarily his experience. If a student is worker-student with professional activity in Industry of Civil Aviation, the student is encouraged to choose a project linked to the interests of his company or organization. The essential basis of a Master's dissertation will always be a research work integrated, in principle, into the defined guidelines.