Hawaii12 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 101 posts, RR: 0 Posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 6081 times:
G'day all,
Does anyone know where I can find a list of consulting firms who specialize in aviation...
I would love to work for such a company and would like to get my resume out.
On a similar note, do any A.neters work for such a company? If so, what qualifications are necessary? Do you enjoy it?
LatinAviation From Ireland, joined Nov 2003, 1276 posts, RR: 17 Reply 1, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 6074 times:
Hi Edward,
I have worked in strictly airline consulting and now do borader strategy and management consulting. Drop me a line privately, via the contact form, and let me know how I can help.
It is pretty inclusive, save for the Seabury Group which is growing. Being in New York alone should help you a lot, but there isn't too much airline consulting work out there right now.
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 6063 times:
The future of aviation-related consulting lies in niche specialists (either independant or loosely aligned) who have the ability to provide expertise-for-hire on specific issues over the short term. I think you'll find that the bigger firms are seeing considerable drop in business (and definitely in profitability) as airlines tighten up their pocketbooks. Things are bouncing back after an extremely dismal 2002, but we still aren't back to the halycon days quite yet.
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 6024 times:
Legal services and consulting with airlines is up significantly over the last three years--furnaced mostly by bankruptcy related issues.
Pretty much all the work coming around today is focussed on cost-cutting, streamlining or restructuring in some way or the other. There is very little focus on innovation and product development. Not that I'm complaining of course. I'll take whatever work they want to give me...
Greg From United Kingdom, joined May 2005, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 5957 times:
Depends on which side your bread is buttered!
Legal consulting in the transportation industry works in both directions...growth..and recession. You just cash the check first in latter situation!
And don't think that restructing billions in debt isn't innovative...it takes a lot of sharp folks and some creative minds. It's very rewarding for a different set of reasons.
CactusA319 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 2918 posts, RR: 29 Reply 7, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 5939 times:
You could always try the airport side of things and apply at an airport planning/consulting firm. Services include developing airport master plans, design work for terminal facilities and runways, environmental impact studies, airport finance consulting, and forecasting among others. It's a pretty interesting gig altough it is very much a niche industry. Also, airport consulting work has been down somewhat across the board thanks to the ripple effect of the recession and the poor financial state of the major airlines. Despite that, business has seen a moderate upswing this year that is expected to continue. It's not all the way back, but its getting better. I don't know of any firms that are hiring for entry-level positions but it wouldn't hurt to try.
Tom in NO From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 7194 posts, RR: 40 Reply 8, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 5917 times:
Edward,
Cactus beat me to the airport consulting side of the house. A good many of my fellow airport management compatriots have moved away from airport management and into the airport consulting profession. The pay is usually quite a bit better, travel opportunities do exist, and consultants will usually have offices in many different cities and countries.
Airport consultants specialize in many different areas including architects/engineers/planners, envornmental, facility management, financial/business management, marketing, public relations, etc to list a few.
Some of the more well-known airport consulting firms in the architectural and planning side would include Burns & McDonnell, Coffman Associates, DMJM Aviation, Gensler, Gresham Smith & Partners, HNTB Corp., Mead and Hunt, Michael Baker Jr Inc., Reynolds Smith and Hills, Stantec, URS Corp.
On the facility management side of the house is Airport Corp of America, for one.
Financial consultants include Airport Consulting Inc. and Parsons-Brinckerhoff.
One of the better known marketing firms is Vesta Rea and Associates.
Most airports that have capital projects underway will have a project managing consultant, as well. Parsons and URS also perform those services. Parsons does some of our airside project management.
Hopefully we've given you some ideas.
Tom at MSY
"The criminal ineptitude makes you furious"-Bruce Springsteen, after seeing firsthand the damage from Hurricane Katrina
WestIndian425 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 1008 posts, RR: 2 Reply 9, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 5900 times:
Hey, Guys!
Aviation Consulting firms isn't an area I'm too knowledgeable about, but I do know that SH&E is a pretty respectable firm, and they do have a location in New York. Check out their website at http://www.sh-e.com
Hope this helps.
Neil
God did not create aircraft pilots to be on the ground
Hawaii12 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 101 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 5888 times:
Everyone, many thanks for your input. I am what you can say at a cross roads right now. As I am a novice to the airline/airport/aviation consulting world, I have an exciting and pressure filled job in another industry I thoroughly enjoy... but the aviation industry has always been a passion I have for years dreamed of joining. I am not 100% sure if it is the time to take a chance like this (as I'm getting married in Oct) but I know it will always linger in my frontal lobes as long I don't do anything about it.
All the above is outstanding and helpful information and I am quite grateful for the advice.
Caetravlr From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 898 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (8 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 5853 times:
Thank you guys as well. Definitely something I might look into when I complete my MBA in a year and a half. Not sure that the MBA I am getting will get me the ultimate airline consulting job, but I would love to get my foot in the door.
A woman drove me to drink and I didn't have the decency to thank her. - W.C. Fields
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