Aviation is a fascinating subject, and it’s no secret that I love discussing it. Having the privilege of sharing three hours on Friday afternoons with anywhere from 25 to 60 students is an amazing experience I’ve come to enjoy.

Each semester starts the same way: there are those who come because they’re in the Aviation Program and need to be there or want to be there; there are those who come because a fellow student recommended the class; and there are those who come simply because it fits their schedule. The latter group of students is often a little anxious, too. What can I contribute to this class? they ask themselves. The young pilots think we are going to talk about flying, airplanes, and highly specific aviation jargon. 

Both groups are wrong. 

We all go on a journey together that takes the pilots into the perhaps unfamiliar world of business and the non-pilots into the foreign world of aviation. It’s fun.

Preconceptions are dispelled. For example, air travel is generally a thin-margin business, and projections are often rapidly influenced by geopolitical events. Aviation accounts for slightly more than 2% of global CO2 emissions and, despite significant technical challenges, has made major strides in decarbonization. Another notable point recognizes just how much goes into a flight; it is truly in line with movie production and demands the precision of an accomplished orchestra.

The real moments of delight for me come when someone “gets it” and learns not necessarily something about aviation, but more often about themselves. This often comes up in the team component of the class when an assignment doesn’t go as planned. They learn from it, become better for it, and then produce great work.

Then there’s the challenge of using AI responsibly as a tool, not as a shortcut.

It must be getting through, as each semester the class slowly fills at 1:30 p.m. on the first Friday afternoon, and they come back for more the next week. 

This year, of course, was capped off by the truly humbling experience of being the graduating class's 'Last Lecturer.' I feel more like a Mountie than I ever did before, and certainly more than a part-time, once-a-week lecturer should. Yet, I think I have a few more lectures left in me. How can Friday afternoons be so much fun?!