Transportation Managers
Special Requirements
Certification is not required, however it is available.
There are two certifications available, the Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.) program and the International Airport Certified Employee-Operations (IACE) program.
ACCREDITED AIRPORT EXECUTIVE
Since 1928, the American Association of Airport Executives has been devoted to the interests of the individual in airport management, as well as the advancement of the profession for the benefit of aviation. In 1954, executive members became the nucleus of the present association. Since then, subsequent admissions to executive status have been by examination only. This requirement was founded on the concept that knowledge, and the ability to handle the responsibilities of airport management, can truly be tested only by examination.
The process for the AAE certification is as follows:
1. Submit your application We accept online application along with the $250 program fee. Please note that this is a registration fee for enrolling in the accreditation program, not to be confused with AAAE membership dues. We will process your application as quickly as possible and send your study materials to you. If you are in the certification program and wish to upgrade your status from a Certified Member candidate to an Executive Candidate, the fee is $50. If you are a Certified Member (C.M.) and wish to upgrade your enrollment status to that of an Executive Candidate, the fee is also $50. Applicants must meet a set of requirements. See the A.A.E. FAQ for specifics.
2. Study AAAE provides all the study materials you will need to complete the program.
3. Pass the written examination The first two steps in the accreditation process--passing the written examination and completing the management research paper--may be done in any order, although most candidates choose to complete their written examination first and then write the management research paper. Written Exam FAQ.
The written examination consists of 180 multiple-choice questions. It is usually administered at one of the following sites: A local airport, a professional testing center, and some AAAE conferences--mainly the Annual Conference in May and the National Airports Conference in September. The proctor of the written examination may be one of the following professionals:(1) an active accredited airport executive (A.A.E.), (2) a college/university professor, (3) a high school principal, or (4) an AAAE staff member who is not enrolled in either the accreditation program or the certification program. The written examination may also be taken on the Internet (a proctor is still required).
Candidates who fail the examination may retake it as many times as it is necessary. A $75 administrative fee will apply for each retest.
The examination is identical to the one designed for the Certified Member program. Thus, a certified member already credited with a passing exam may or may not need to retake it upon enrollment in the accreditation program.
To prepare, many candidates choose to attend the a week-long intensive review class offered by the SCC-AAAE Accreditation and Certification Academy in Dallas, TX. For detailed information, contact Cindy DeWitt at cindy.dewitt@aaae.org. More questions? Read our
4. Write your Management Research Paper This research paper is 30-50 double-spaced pages of original text on a topic in airport management. The topic may be one with which you have personal expertise. Or it may be a topic you would simply like to learn more about.
Please note that case studies or any airport- specific papers will not be accepted by the Board of Examiners. Here’’s what the BOE approved as a distinction between a case study and a broadly applicable management research paper: A case study is essentially a report in which the candidate recounts the steps taken by a specific airport or airport system (same ownership) in implementing a project or managing a problem. It is essentially a “how-we-did-it” kind of process analysis, complete with data used by the airport or airport system for the project. A management research paper, by contrast, is one in which the candidate proposes a set of guidelines for managing a problem or sets forth an argument for implementing a project or using a methodology. Focusing on a topic that is broadly applicable to many airports, the candidate brings his/her experience and research findings to bear on his/her analysis. Both the examples cited and the research data (including personal interviews and surveys) used to support his/her analysis come from more than a few sources. After your proposed topic has been approved, you should do all necessary research and write the first draft of your paper.
Your management research paper will be edited by AAAE’’s Accreditation Program manager, Dr. Wheat, and evaluated by AAAE’’s
If accepted, your paper becomes part of AAAE’’s information library, where it is available as a valuable resource to other members.
5. Pass your Final Interview A candidate must have three years of experience. The experience does not have to be consecutive. If at anytime during the pursuit of A.A.E. the candidate is not working at a public use airport, he/she must notify AAAE and remove him/herself from the program.
All A.A.E. program candidates are interviewed by a panel of at least three active accredited airport executives. In this informal but structured interview, a candidate’’s practical knowledge of airport operations and administration is tested.
The session will be conducted much like an interview for a high-level management position at a medium-hub airport. If a candidate is unsuccessful, he or she may be required to repeat all or part of this component. Before sitting for the interview, a candidate must meet the following requirements: (1) complete both the management research paper and the written exam, (2) accrue three full years of experience in full-time public-use airport management, (3) sign a code-of-ethics form to be kept on record at the AAAE offices.
The code-of-ethics form can be viewed
Questions about the final interview are answered in the Final Interview FAQ.
6. Maintain your professional status with Continuing Education Units As an accredited airport executive, you will have earned the respect of your professional peers and the privilege of using the A.A.E. designation after your name. You will also need to maintain your title by accumulating CEU credits, which demonstrate that your knowledge is keeping pace with changes in the industry.
For more information contact http://www.aaae.org
Required Fees:
- Affiliate Membership - $225/yearly (new members only)
- Accreditation Program Fee - $250 (one-time fee)
- Accreditation Program Upgrade Fee - $50 (one-time fee)
The data sources for the information displayed here include: Virginia Career VIEW Research.
