May 13th, 2013

Fresh Air Matters... with Capt. Yaw

Recently I was honoured to be a part of the team visiting Airbus in Hamburg, Germany, regarding their ‘Dual System’ Vocational Training Programme. Apart from being impressed by the enormity of the A380 in production (the rear passenger and tail cone areas with a massive carbon fibre pressure dome) and the A320/321 from fuselage to final assembly line, the site carried more impressive exposure than just aeroplanes.

Bicycles. Yes, bicycles. Lots of them. Everywhere. Company bikes! Each one with a company logo and a registration number, used to move between locations on the massive dockside and airfield site that is home to the A380/A320/A321 build and delivery centre. On the one hand you have the unlikely, magnificent yet ‘visually-conceptually-unable-to-fly’ Beluga aircraft, flying aircraft sections inside its cavernous belly, between Toulouse and Hamburg, hanging in the sky like a whale, beached upon the clouds; on the other hand, the people that make it happen are pedalling their way around the site on company bikes! Appropriate transport, meeting needs, being efficient and fitting into the bigger scheme of things. In fact the slogan everywhere is ‘A380 – see the bigger picture.’

Then there was the company ‘pool-car’ parking area. Apparently, made up entirely of Mercedes Benz automobiles. From the boxy A-class to the luxury limousine classes, and all the models in-between; the parking area for the cars must have covered a couple of acres - at least. When a car is needed, the employee makes a request and the most appropriate vehicle is designated to them. Not the one that goes with their status, but the one that goes with their need. I am only left presuming that there is a lack of ‘snob-status’ in the company and a unified, corporate belief in the overall purpose of their mission.

The young people showing us around were full of energy, enthusiasm and competence. They were apprentices, learning about aircraft engineering, with a guaranteed job if they completed their three and a half year course. They were surprised at the questions coming from the Ghanaian group. ‘How many rivets in that section?’; ‘How many kilometres of wire on that aircraft?’; ‘How much electrical cable is required on the A380?’; ‘How many people are there involved in building this aircraft?’; ‘How many aircraft do you deliver per day?’ and my favourite, ‘Who is responsible for the learning for the Apprentices?’

The answers were not always available, but the notable point is that Airbus has a full order book, and if you wanted one, you would be at the back of a NINE year order book! Yes, NINE years. With practically one aircraft per day being delivered, it is clear that the organisation is busy! 

Just as in our part of the world, they have a challenge with personnel. With around sixty thousand employees, and many thousands more employed in the annexed industries, they still have a constant, rolling, head-count of around one thousand apprentices! Planning for future growth, ensuring that they have suitable people available, guaranteeing the human collateral needed for sustainability.

We were shown an advertisement. A group of girls sitting in a coffee shop, chatting, laughing and smiling. One of them shows a picture on her mobile phone of an aircraft. The girls gather around. After a few seconds, the door opens and a man enters with what appears to be a number of shoe boxes. The girls go wild and rip open the boxes, eyes wide, smiles wider, squeals abounding in all directions. The boxes contain tools, safety equipment and work clothes… the girls are thrilled. Finally, the girls (who really are apprentices at Airbus) join hands as they walk the production line. Impressive. Very impressive.

The advert is part of an Airbus campaign to increase the intake of young women into aircraft engineering! 

In fact, the young apprentices that we spoke to were all full of the thrills of being in the industry. Whether in the mechanical build, electrical or other areas, they embraced their jobs, and the security that goes with it.

The young men informed us that ‘girls are tidier’ and ‘are less aggressive’. Interesting admissions from the well-built German men. Of course, the education system in Germany is part of the reason for the success of their programme.

 At the age of eleven students are streamed into three school strands. Stand 1 is aimed at completion of schooling by 16 years old, and entering the workplace. Strand 2 is aimed at completion by 18 and having options open. Strand 3 is aimed at those who would normally go through to university. It was interesting to see just how much practical working experience, such as apprenticeships, has a high value in Germany!

The Airbus programme takes students from all three schooling systems, from the age of sixteen to those in their early twenties. Each of them given the opportunity to reach their personal full-potential. One of the youngsters we spoke to had been working on a building site, and realised that he had more potential than his position allowed. In Airbus he has blossomed – from ‘brickie’ to aircraft engineer. (over 3,000 applicants apply annually for just a few hundred places!)

The young women who we spoke to had so much confidence, it rather took us aback. Then we realised that they had been enabled, in more ways than one, by their apprenticeships, they had been given the opportunity to do something that had probably never entered their minds before chancing across this option. 

I must admit that it reassured me that the programme here in Ghana for young women is on the right track, following the same reasoning as the Airbus programme, albeit on a smaller scale. Young women need to be given more opportunities in engineering and aviation – and it begins today.

The Ghanaian AvTech Academy team are currently recruiting for the August intake of Vocademic Aviation and Technology Apprentices. Admittedly, it is not Airbus, but it is the very same set of skills and personal realisation opportunity that is offered in by the European giant, right here on our doorstep. 

With 80% of the time spent on the ‘shop floor’ and 20% in ‘classroom and classroom like’ situations, the AvTech programme is designed for young women from the rural areas. It is targeted at those girls post JSS (16-19 years old) who have the potential, but have lacked opportunity.

For those interested in finding out more about the opportunities for young women to enter light aviation, engineering and the associated industries, and how the Vocademic Apprenticeships work, you can find out more at www.avtechacademy.org – you will be surprised at what is on offer here in Ghana.  

Perhaps in the near future we will see the support for such apprenticeships across the region, and when you do, please remember, you read about it here first!

Oh, and the answer to that question ‘Who is responsible for the learning for the Apprentices?’ - the answer was very clear;

‘As apprentices we must drive our own learning programme – we must take responsibility to learn and achieve – success lies in our own hands’.

I guess the slogan ‘A380 – see the bigger picture.’ has more meaning that we might at first perceive.

Capt. Yaw is Chief Flying Instructor and Chief Engineer at WAASPS, and lead Pilot with Medicine on the Move, Humanitarian Aviation Logistics (www.waasps.com www.medicineonthemove.org e-mail capt.yaw@gmail.com )

Photo of the week May 8th, 2013

In 1952 Ghana sent its first student pilots to the Island of Juist, off the coast of Germany, to learn to fly. There they were taught by, amongst others, Hans Kolde (left). Last week Patricia Mawuli (right), a flying instructor at Kpong, flew to the island with two of her student pilots, and together were seeped in the history of Ghana's aviation heritage, whilst learning new skills. Patricia and Hans shared stories about the challenges of flight training as the 87 year old paused on his bicycle tour of the islands busy airfield. As he recounted his tales, the fond memories of training Ghanaians over 50 years ago were pristine, and surrounded by pride of being a part of the development of an aviation infrastructure, that today is growing sustainably. Last year George Manu from Ghana and Joerg Bohn from the island of Juist, flew a four seat aircraft from Juist to Ghana to celebrate the 50th anniversary of those very students. It was clear from the visit to Juist that every Ghanaian is an ambassador and those from our history did a great job in making the nation proud. Photo Courtesy of the AvTech Academy (providing Vocademic Apprenticeships in Aviation and Engineering for rural girls). www.avtechacademy.org

May 6th, 2013

Fresh Air Matters... with Capt. Yaw

Personally, I am not a great fan of international travel. It all starts with that seemingly interminable set of procedures that are the prelude to the main event. The pre-leaving home moments of ‘do I have my passport, ticket, etc?’; the hectic journey to the airport watching the clock; checking the passport and ticket details; the hassles of ‘trolley boys’; the ‘bouncers’ at the door to the departures area; the stress of leaving your home to visit somebody else’s.

Why is the queue for your airline longer than all the others. You stand in the queue - worrying… Will my bag be overweight? Will they let me take my laptop? Where did I put my passport? Such concerns are punctuated by observations: ‘Wow, does he really think that they will let him on with THAT amount of hand luggage?’; ‘What is SHE wearing for travelling?’; ‘Do they know how cold it will be at our destination?’; ‘What did SHE do to her hair?’ and ‘Awww, that poor child, he is so tired already, let him sleep.’

Before you realise, the ‘passport checker’ is asking you questions. ‘When will you return?’ to which the answer is ‘on the date my ticket says’, however, you cannot say that, since you are expected to remember everything. ‘Where will you stay?’ is demanded in the flattest of tones. The response to which is generally ‘none of your business!’, but you oblige with the details of a hotel. In the back of your mind you are thinking ‘what if I don’t like the hotel, or when I get there it is overbooked?’ Of course, most of our thoughts are prevented from reaching our mouths. Sadly, not all of them! Our occasional attempts at comedy fall onto the stony ground of the ‘passport checkers’ ears, who appear to be selected for their inherent lack of humour.

Finally, your are at the check in counter.

At last you find a smile. A pleasant discussion about your seat and then the precious ensemble is loaded onto an oversized supermarket conveyor belt. Silently benedictions to your beloved belongings are offered, as they clank and crash along the suitcase-highway towards the plane. You wonder quietly, ‘will I ever see you again?’

Immigration is waiting for you, and so you proceed to the next queue, hunting for a pen to fill out the card with even more details, wondering ‘why do I have to fill out my name and passport details when they are going to scan it all anyway? Where is the point in filling in flight details when it is already in the computer and they can see my boarding card?’ Many of the procedures we are subjected to appear to lack logic, and yet we all comply, unaware of why the man in immigration wants to know whether we are going for ‘business’ or ‘medical’ or ‘family’ or ‘conference’. You look at the form and wonder if you should tick just one or several, realising that your trip is a combination. Should you tick them all, just in case? Then you choose one, hoping that it might win some lottery, knowing that it won’t!

The immigration officer asks you for a picture with a ‘please look at the camera’ and he takes the first of your holiday snaps.

The checklist of things to do seems interminable. As you hear the announcement of your aircraft ‘boarding’, you wish that the queue for security checks were shorter. The lady in front of you looks you straight in the face and addresses you with ‘Alitalia?’, you want to respond with ‘No, my parents had more forethought than to name me after an airline’ but you respond instead with ‘Lufthansa’, assuming that this is some sort of ‘passenger game’ called ‘name your favourite airline’. She looks worried and starts scanning the hall for another security line. Finally, you realise that she is worried that she may be in the wrong queue, and you reassure her that ‘all airlines passengers go through security here’. Her lack of understanding makes you wish you had not said anything, but you smile, and use hand gestures to indicate ‘remain-in-queue’.

As you get closer to the ‘search and scan team’ you realise that you have to take off your shoes, remove your belt, get your computer out of its bag, take your coins out of your pockets and also remove your glasses. The queue that had been moving so slowly speeds up as you prepare. You pull your belt off so quickly that you whip the arm of the person next to you, and as you bend down to take off your shoes you hope to contain the sudden desire to pass wind. Your glasses fall to the floor, but before you can pick them up, ‘you are next’. You load the trays, tying not to forget anything before going through the scanner. BEEEEEEP… you forgot the coins in your pocket. Embarrassed, you return and drop a few coins in a tray and try again. Silence. Smiling, you step forward, only to be patted down by the next man without a smile. As he taps your chest, you wonder if he is trained not to smile, or if it comes naturally. He touches a spot that tickles and you must not flinch, you try not to allow your humour out, for you know that humour is not appropriate. You do not always succeed, and your quip gets you in trouble… again.

As they call the flights ‘final call’, you struggle to get your shoes on, and realise your trousers are falling down. You try to rethread your belt, but it is not in a complying mood. As you try to take a step forwards you realise that your foot is trapped. You cannot move! The realisation of ‘I need to tie my shoelaces and not to stand on them’ hits you, and you bend down, too quickly. That gaseous tummy has found its moment of relief and trumpets its release.

Time is running and you must catch that plane. The very thought of ‘catching the plane’ seems silly, for you cannot put it in a net or a cage – the plane is not able to be ‘caught’ in a trap – in fact, you are about to be ‘caught inside the plane’!

Pulling your hand baggage along, you double and triple check you have your documents, and wonder if you put that computer back in the bag. You did, didn’t you?

Finally, the bus ride across the apron, and the long climb up the stairs in the night heat. The seeking of the seat, the packing of the overhead lockers, the tightening of the seatbelt, and then…

‘I am too worn out BEFORE I start this trip. Why do I travel?’ It seems that the wonder and magnificence of international travel has lost its attraction and glamour, it has become a ‘battle’, one that seems to take more and more energy every time we head out to that place called the Airport.

Capt. Yaw is Chief Flying Instructor and Chief Engineer at WAASPS, and lead Pilot with Medicine on the Move, Humanitarian Aviation Logistics (www.waasps.com www.medicineonthemove.org e-mail capt.yaw@gmail.com )

Photo of the week May 1, 2013

Meet Lydia Wetsi, Ghana's only student pilot with a disability, shown here flying a Zenith CH701 aircraft at Kpong in the Eastern Region. Lydia suffered from an arm contracture after inappropriate health care from a simple wound, as a child. Today, she is learning to fly and build aircraft at the AvTech Academy. Lydia is an inspiration to many at home and abroad. Last week she spoke boldly in forums at AERO Friedrichshafen, in Germany. Disabled pilots are common in Europe and the USA where access to the magnificent liberty of flight is used as a therapy and a release - including for people in wheelchairs and those with amputations. Lydia's journey is the topic of new Red Bull media documentary 'Spirit of Africa' being released this month. Lydia's ambition is to use her flying to inspire and encourage others, and to be able to reach the rural communities where she hopes to provide positive health education to prevent others suffering the same challenges as she has. Photo courtesy of Medicine on the Move www.medicineonthemove.org