Course Modules

AIM: To provide a systematic understanding of aviation national and international laws and regulations, allowing participants to define their impact on management and operations.

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with aviation regulations at international, EU, and domestic levels 

• Master the relationships among authorities, private organizations, and citizens 

• Identify key challenges for the reconciliation of the aviation industry with environmental and societal legislation.  

AIM: To provide participants the foundational principles and business models, and business strategies for the delivery of aviation goods and  services.

The Module SCM is organized in two sub-modules: 

Aviation business management (1 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to:  

• Get familiarized with the market environment of the aviation industry 

• Recognize different aviation business models (B2B, B2C) typical of airport operators, air operators, ANSPs, manufacturers, MRO, handlers 

• Develop commercial strategies and techniques to cultivate more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers. 

Aviation supply chain management (2 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to:  

• Get familiarized with logistics and supply chain management in multi-echelon logistic networks, including the possible roles of diverse logistic providers 

• Appraise different direct and reverse logistics approaches for repairable and consumable goods linked to aviation supply chains 

• Apply process mapping techniques to analyse supply chain operations and identify strengths and weaknesses. 

AIM: To demonstrate the role of Project and Portfolio Management in translating strategies into results and to equip participants with the methodologies for establishing a project, building a business case, managing portfolio risks, and analyse market requests and investments.

The Module PMF is organized into five sub-modules: 

Market analysis and forecasting (1 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with strategic planning and strategic management techniques   

• Identify the requirements for aviation forecasting to reduce the uncertainty in the air transport business   

• Apply strategic planning and management techniques to help identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to airline business competition of project planning, under uncertainty in forecasts. 

Finance and investments (2 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with the foundations of the analysis of financial statements, engineering economics, and finance  

• Identify the tools for implementing project evaluation, benefit-to-cost analysis, break-even analysis, and risk and reward measuring in the aviation industry  

• Adopt systemic investment analysis methodologies to increase business value in the aviation industry. 

Project management (2 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to 

• Get familiarized with relevant international project management standards  

• Get familiarized with program management models   

• Plan a project starting from the quality, time, and cost objectives set by the internal or external customers  

• Manage the project execution through accurate monitoring and control  

• Evaluate the project benefits on the basis of the expectations of key stakeholders and critically analyze an ongoing project  

• Select and apply appropriate project management methodologies.   

Project portfolio management (1,5 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to 

• Get familiarized with relevant international project portfolio management standards  

• Get familiarized with project portfolio management models   

• Establish a set of criteria for the selection and prioritization of projects and programs to be included in the company portfolio base   

• Evaluate the project portfolio performances on the basis of the expectations of key stakeholders   

• Select and apply appropriate project portfolio management methodologies.  

Organizational change management (1,5 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with the fundamentals of change management at the organizational, team, and individual levels   

• Understanding the role of soft skills and capabilities (e.g. leadership, team working, etc.) 

• Establish a set of criteria for selection and prioritization of projects for the change of governance processes 

• Design a process of organizational change.   

AIM: To provide principles for designing data warehouses, and for developing and deploying advanced Business Intelligence systems to facilitate data mining and knowledge discovery, including AI solutions.

The Module ABI is organized in three sub-modules: 

Data management and datalakehouses (2 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to 

• Get familiarized with relevant approaches and techniques for data management and data lakehousing concerning aviation management and operations 

• Identify the requirements for an effective data management approach 

• Design effective data lakehouses by applying state-of-the-art methods and techniques. 

AI-based techniques for data analytics (2 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to 

• Get familiarized with AI techniques relevant to data management in the aviation industry 

• Identify the features of relevant techniques and to able to match them with requirements for implementing and executing data management, learning from different domains (aviation, maritime, railway) 

• Prototype such techniques in aviation-relevant applications. 

Human factors, visualization, and dashboarding (2 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to 

• Get familiarized with diverse definitions of human factors for data visualization and dashboarding 

• Identify the best approaches based on the data to be visualized and analyzed 

• Adopt a UCD – User Centred Design approach to the design of dashboard and visual analysis tools 

• Monitor the development of suitable dashboards, according to agile approaches. 

AIM: To provide knowledge and tools for compliance management as a means for managing certification and airworthiness processes and to be capable of implementing regulations in different operational settings.

The Module AWC is organized into 2 sub-modules. 

Certification and Airworthiness management (4 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to

• Get familiarized on how certification, including initial, continued and continuing airworthiness, ensure safe operations

• Identify the role of type certification

• Design and apply a certification process for aviation goods and services

Management systems in aviation (2 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to:  

• Get familiarized with the evolution from the quality systems to the management systems

• Understand the impact of the management of regulatory compliance to ensure effective operations and to maintain reliable relationships with the stakeholders

• Design and apply a management system for the aviation industry

• Audit systems to identify gaps and to prioritize remedial actions

AIM: To explore the structure of aviation safety management systems, equipping participants with the various methods for socio-technical safety and resilience assessment, including just culture programmes and human resource management.

The Module RSM is organized in three sub-modules.  

Safety Management System in modern safety management (3 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with relevant standards and regulations concerning aviation safety management  

• Identify the requirements for an effective SMS in line with modern Standards of Excellence  

• Explain the safety implications of decision-making from a systemic perspective  

• Apply systemic methodologies for assessing risks in aviation operations in a socio-technical dimension.  

Safety culture and Just culture (1 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with Safety Culture and Just Culture standards, distinguishing between first and second stories for aviation safety  

• Identify the requirements for implementing and executing a Safety Culture and Just Culture program, learning from different domains (aviation, maritime, railway)  

• Adopt systemic methodologies for measuring Safety Culture to facilitate organizational learning.  

Human factors and CRM (2 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with diverse definitions of human factors in line with the Human Performance Manual by ICAO  

• Distinguish between Human Factors and Human Performance to sustain aviation operations  

• Understand the strategic and operational challenges of Company Resource Management in everyday work  

• Recognise the role of fatigue in human operations and apply proper strategies to reduce its impact on aviation operations  

• Adopt a human-centric vision to manage aviation operations.  

AIM: To provide an understanding of the relationships and coordination among aviation stakeholders and to apply data-driven digital solutions for optimizing flight, ground, air traffic (including collaboration between Air Traffic Management, ATM, and Uncrewed Traffic Management, UTM) and maintenance operations to ensure safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

The Module AOM is organized into four sub-modules (1. Air operations, 2. Airport operations, 3. ATM operations, 4. UAS/UAM operations), where Maintenance operations cut across the areas indicated above.  Participants are introduced to frameworks, requirements, and tools to mitigate risks and improve value creation in aviation operations. Knowledge and skills developed in previous modules in the areas of process awareness, problem-solving, and decision-making will be applied.   

Air operations (1.5 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with relevant standards and regulations concerning fixed and rotary-wing aircraft operations  

• Identify the main operational problems of an air operator  

• Explain implications of airline planning and project management: planning of routes and services, fare structures and fleet development, safety, environmental issue  

• Formulate and solve flight operations problems using data-driven solutions: dispatch, flight planning, flight watch, weather data provision, operations control, schedules  

• Select and apply appropriate methodologies for managing fleet maintenance and logistics.  

Airport operations (2 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with relevant standards and regulations   

• Identify the main operational problems of an airport operator  

• Explain the implications of airport planning and project management: airside operations, ground operations, policy changes, economics, safety, environmental issues  

• Formulate and solve airport operations problems using data-driven solutions: airport capacity, terminal capacity, emergency management, ground handling, multi-modal transport, weather  

• Select and apply appropriate methodologies for managing the maintenance and logistics of airport systems and processes.  

ATM operations (1.5 ECTS) 

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with relevant standards and regulations   

• Identify the main operational problems of an Air Navigation Service Provider  

• Explain implications of ATM decisions: airspace architecture, aeronautical information services (AIS) and aeronautical information management (AIM), System Wide Information Management (SWIM), investments, safety, environmental issues  

• Formulate and solve air traffic operations problems using data-driven solutions: sector capacity, delay, frequency congestion, automation and digitalization, human-machine interaction, weather   

• Select and apply appropriate methodologies for managing maintenance and logistics of air traffic management systems and processes.  

UAS/UAM operations (1 ECTS)  

At the end of the sub-module, the participants will be able to  

• Get familiarized with the UAS/UAM operational environment with respect to regulatory, safety, and capacity of the air traffic and airport systems  

• Formulate and solve UAS/UAM operations problems: airspace and multi-modal transport integration, safety, affordability, relationships with local authorities, social acceptance   

• Understand and develop a Safety Management System for UAS/UAM operations.