The document contains 15 questions from students for Dr. Daniel Rust regarding his book on aviation logistics. The questions cover a range of topics discussed in the book such as the decline in air travel since 9/11, changes in passenger perceptions of flying over time, advances in aviation technology that have reduced travel times, the role of discrimination in the early aviation industry, and the rise and fall of supersonic passenger jets. The students draw on their instructor Philbert Suresh's experience in the aviation and logistics field to deeply engage with themes and historical details from Dr. Rust's publication.

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Brilliant Minds A Dialogue with Dan Redefining Logistics
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Instructor – led students questions for Dr Daniel Rust, CTS UMSL
1. How did you select the theme for the book based on the past glory of America in
aviation history?
2. How long did you take to compile the data for posters, pictures etc? Please give
us the duration od your research work n this scholarly work..
3. Our course teacher told us of his brief GUST fellowship program in UMSL CTS
between July 15 and August 15 2007. Was he anyway contributing to your
research publication on aviation logistics
4. As students at GUST we came to know that our teacher Philbert Suresh did pilot a
program on transportation and logistics for Higher Colleges of Technology
(HCT), Dubai Men’s College – an institution of higher learning under the UAE
(United Arab Emirates) Ministry of Higher Education between 1996 and 2002.
Has this experience been useful to courses and curriculum he developed for
Airport Operations, Shipping Process, Safety & Security and 21 other modules for
a higher diploma of study in this business specialization?
5. In the course on Safety and Security completed in 1997, Philbert touched upon
some of the events that match the worst aviation disaster that we often call as
9/11. It is briefly mentioned in your book on page 226. The pleasure of flying
across America became a nightmare for the passengers and several airlines closed
business. What is the situation now? Do American and other peoe still enjoy
flying?
6. From the grand old days of flying, prior to 1980 and now, there has been a change
of customer perception to flying commercial airlines? Has this made the global air
travel depressed now?
www.gust.edu.kw/lf
Philbert Suresh
FOUNDER
GUST Logistics Forum (September 2006

2. 7. We read from your book on page 11 that the flying has shrunk the time and
distance with advancement in aviation technology. From 48 hours coast-to- coast
traveling between New York and Los Angeles has been down to 4:52 hrs. This
has made traveling more business- like and passengers do appreciate the reaching
their destinations safely and in good time? The world of traveling has abruptly
changed now and this point is well brought out by you.
8. Does an American passenger still take train and road combination to reaching
their destination? Has this trend been sustained since 1927 as pointed by you
where transcontinental flight made by Will Rogers caught the nation’s
imagination and be the first pilot to do so in 52 hours? (Page 32)
9. On page 233 you have brought a fresh insight into the cruising speed and
passenger capacities of the aircraft between 1917 on Boeing 40 A with cruising
speed of 110 mph with just tw passengers and present day Boeing 787
Dreamliner 2009 with speed of 560mph and 250 passengers. Amazing aviation
technology that crowns the feat of mankind in all these years. I believe that
Airbus A380 is making headlines now with their maiden flight from Singapore to
Hong Kong with 471 passengers and flying just under 3 ½ hours ? Will Airbus
take the world air travel market for these large aircrafts than Boeing Dremliner?
10. In the Middle East and GCC Region Low Cost Carrier (LCC) is a huge success
with airlines like Al Jazeera Airways, Wataniya Airlines, Air Arabia, FlyDubai
etc Al of them have standardized for the short haul routes on use of Airbus A 320
and Boeing is not in this market segment at all? What is your opinion on
Southwest Airlines who pioneered the low-fare travel in America?
11. Your book also talks of discrimination in air travel (page 176-179) and eminent
black people esp woman like Ella Fitzgerald were forced out of the air travel
(under Lowes Law) and also segregated in the passenger seating arrangement..
Although this may not exist now under hard fought election of change of Barrack
Obama , it was indeed a pointer to the dark days of flying then.? What are your
reactions on this issue today Vice Presidential debates were held at the University
of Washington, St Louis?
12. Stretching the customer service in B 747 (Page 211) and providing Frank Sinatra
Jr to sing from Los Angeles to New York on August 1971 was an entertainment
of high order and fine taste making the lounge service complete with augmented
airline experience for customers (page 212). Is this kind of service continued
today in America?.
13. On page 213, the graphic illustration of air fares falling from US$ 350 in 1929 to
just over USD 100 in 1950 to USD 200 on the eve of Airline Deregulation(1978)
www.gust.edu.kw/lf
Philbert Suresh
FOUNDER
GUST Logistics Forum (September 2006

3. shows the forces of competition in the airline market.. Is the current recession also
putting pressure on airline fare now?
14. It is significant to note that Charles Lindberg flow across the Atlantic Ocean
flight from New York to Paris in 1927 and create an unique airspace for
Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) This was a rerunner for the SST
( Supersonic Transportation) such as Concorde and others. But the SST was
shortlived and can you tell us why??
15. 15. Women as passengers (page 58-4e-65) highlights the first hand experiences of
Marcia Davenport who should have earned the most frequent flyer in 1932. hat is
the percentage of women now lying regularly I America? Do have any such
information now?
www.gust.edu.kw/lf
Philbert Suresh
FOUNDER
GUST Logistics Forum (September 2006