A Sociology of Commercial Flight Crew

There are numerous psychological studies of pilots and piloting, but little has been done in the way of sociological examination. Commercial aviation is one of the world's biggest industries. In Britain hundreds of thousands of people work in aviation and millions use its services. Yet there are few studies of pilots as social beings and of their place of work, the flight-deck.The commercial aviation sector is expanding at around 4-5% per annum. Much of this growth is attributable to 'low-cost' carriers (LCCs). It has been suggested that both the privatised and state-owned 'flag-carriers' will eventually be relegated to operating long-haul intercontinental flights only. Given the commercial ascendancy of LCCs and their vulnerability to accusations of corner-cutting it is important that their modus-operandi is understood. Developing a sociological understanding of their front-line staff and of pilots' working environment is an important step to developing a more detailed understanding of this increasingly important sector. This book also adds to our understanding of pilots in general, from those who work for flag carriers to those who fly for regional or corporate jet operators. It will inform legislators' decisions and the activities of bodies like the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), replacing the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA)) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the USA with its mature, successful and innovative low-cost sector.The readership includes the general public, industry legislators, regulators, managements, employees, trainers, journalists academics and students of (general) sociology, psychology, organisation theory and business management. While the book would focus on the pilots of a UK-registered LCC, it would appeal to LCCs around the globe. The book's appeal would transcend national borders and aviation sectors. It would appeal to workers within and students of both LCCs and 'full-service' airlines.

Simon A. Bennett directs the University of Leicester's distance-learning MSc in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management.