BabaksMBA

Back in England

2006-09-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

Once I returned to the UK, I was browsing the internet when I thought, why don't I do a search on Google about how to become a pilot.

I came across lots of interesting information and learned all about the routes to become a pilot whether it be aeroplane or helicopter.

The usual advice is to take a test flight at a flight club to see if you like it. Then you can start taking regular lessons. You need to accumulate 40 hours flying experience before you can achieve the PPL (Private Pilot's License).

Ground School.
I also learned that you have to take written exams too.
So, I read some forums about what books to use to prepare for the exams. The most respected series of books are known as Thorn's. I'll get you the full name later.
I found a university in London offering Ground School training over a 30 week duration at a cost of about £280 GBP (not including exams at £30 GBP each).
I contacted the university to find out if I could just attend the exams without attending the course. They told me to contact the instructor and ask him, so I did... What a nice man he turned out to be, his email writing was extremely polite and very welcoming. He sent me a schedule of the course and exam timetable and said I am welcome to attend the exams without the course, just pay £30 GBP. (I would love to attend the course, but as I said previously, I ain't got no money, well not enough to pay for the course).

The first exam which was to be held in 2 weeks time was Aviation Law. So I went online and bought the first book from Thorn. The book arrived in two days whereupon I read the first chapter and didn't touch the book again until a few days later. Each chapter has exercises at the back of the book where you are tested with questions very similar to the real exam.

I managed to read the first 6 or 7 chapters during that week. All of a sudden the day of the exam was approaching and I hadn't read anymore of the book. The day of the exam came and I had to read the remaining 7 chapters in a few hours. Thank God, I managed to do so and the remaining chapters were much shorter than the first seven. I actually had to read the final chapter on the underground train on my way to the university to sit the exam.

The instructor was so kind that he let me sit in on his revision session before the exam along with all the course students.
His revision session was tremendously beneficial and was almost identical to the format of the book in terms of subject matter. I was lucky to learn in the revision session that the height clearance when flying over stadiums or events with crowds was now 1000 metres, whereas my book (published in 1986) stated the height as 3000 ft.

Well I sat the exam which was a multiple choice. There were two sheets, one with questions and the second was rows with boxes. The rows were numbered 1, 2, 3 etc to correlate with the questions and each row had empty boxes, A, B, C and D. For each question I had to fill the relevant box with an X in the answer sheet.
The required mark to pass was 75%.
I also had a blank sheet of paper to scribble on, so what I did was:
If I found a question where I had no doubt about the answer I would fill the box in the answer sheet.
If I found a question where I wasn't sure which answer was correct, I would write the question number on my blank sheet with the answer or answers I thought were most likely correct. Upon going through all the questions, I would return to the ones I wasn't sure about and take time to determine which was right and proceed to fill in the answer sheet.
When I finished I handed the sheet to the instructor and remained in my seat. The instructor checked my answers the got up and started walking towards me, the look on his face was that of a man about to deliver some sad and disappointing news. I thought to myself, maybe I should have waited another week and spent more quality time studying. Anyway, I made the decision to take the exam and there's no point regretting, at least I gained some useful experience.
The instructor gave me the sheet and placed it on the table in front of me, his face with the same consoling look, and he pointed with his finger to the score box. I looked at the box and read the number he wrote which I expected to be a failing score and to my shock it read 80%.
I was overjoyed and shook the instructor's hand and he smiled.

I was so happy and I thanked Allah (God) for His help as I had prayed throught my test for Him to help me pass.

I left the university and phoned home with the good news.

Now I have to prepare for the next exam, Meteorology. This subject is also in the same Thorn book, so I don't have to buy another book yet.

In Jamaica

2006-09-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

While in Jamaica near a place called Ocho Rios by the side of the road I would see a Helicopter parked which was available for hire for flights around Jamaica and surrounding islands.

I walked in to the office one day to ask how much it costs for me and my family to be taken on a island hopping tour. I was met by the pilot who turned out to be a very intelligent, warm mannered, person who proceeded to have a very interesting conversation with me.

My dreams of flight were once again ignited.

The beginning of my dream to fly.

2006-09-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

In August this year (2006), I travelled to Jamaica. When I arrived to check-in at Heathrow Airport in London, I learned that although I had booked my flight from nearly one year earlier, Air Jamaica normally oversell tickets and it's basically whoever gets to the airport first, will be able to board the flight. I was therefore denied boarding, but they did give me a free night's stay at a nearby hotel which was nice. While waiting for the processing of the hotel tickets etc, another passenger was also denied boarding and was standing next to me and talking to the Air Jamaica staff and talking about how he recently qualified as a Transport Pilot.

Something inside me awoke.

The thought of controlling an aircraft through the sky and bringing it in to land safely became something I thought I would love to do. But realistically I'm 31 years old now, got no money, what's the chances of acheiving something like that. This pilot was young, tall, handsome and probably never embarked on any other kind of career.
So these thoughts had to be pushed to the back of my brain.

At the hotel, I was surprised to see lots of airline pilots arriving with their stewardesses following behind. This made sense because the hotel was near the airport so I guess this is where Pilots stay when they come to the UK.
The look of the pilots walking through the lobby pulling their small suitcases with them.
The idea of travelling all over the world and spending short amounts of time in nice hotels.
The previous thoughts of flying once again came to the front of my mind.

This was the beginning of my dream to fly.

Information for Management Decisions

2005-10-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

Week 1

Information for Management Decisions

Decision Making Environments

(http://www.cs.usask.ca/resources/tutorials/csconcepts/1999_6/Tutorial/index.html)

Decision Making Under Certainty

Decision Making Under Risk

EMV

Decision Making Under Uncertainty

International Marketing

2005-10-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

Introduction fo Key International Marketing Concepts.

4 Ps of Marketing:
(http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_marketing_mix.html)
Product - goods/services/brands
Price - at a price the customer will pay
Promotion - advertising, sponsorship, PR etc.
Place - location of sales/types of Distribution channels

Extended Marketing Mix (http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_booms_bitner_7Ps.html)

People
Physical evidence
Process

About the MBA

2005-10-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

2 15-Week semesters.

Semester A (Autumn)
12 teaching weeks
1 reading/consultation week (January)
2 weeks of Exams (January)

Subjects
MBA010L103A, Organisational Management
MBA010L104A, Human Resource Management
MBA010L105A, International Marketing
MBA015L102A, The Business Environment
MBA010L106A, Information for Management Decisions
MBA005L501A, Managerial and Personal Development I
MBA010L100Y, Management Research Methods

Semester S (Spring)
Exams (June)

Welcome

2005-10-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Welcome to my Weblog.

I am currently studying the MBA (Masters in Business Administration) at Roehampton University in South West London in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

I intend to use this blog as a sort of diary to keep notes of my studies. This may also be of help to others studying business as well as those who are part of my class. Please feel free to add comments and share useful information.