The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) announced today that Mr. Wayne DaCosta, Chief Airport Operations Officer Designate, has recently received his Master’s Degree (MSc.) in Airport Planning & Management. He received the award in person at a graduation ceremony held on 29 June 2018 at Cranfield University in Bedforshire in the United Kingdom.
Mr. DaCosta completed his studies for a Master’s of Science Degree at Cranfield University in the UK on a fully-funded basis by the CIAA. He began his studies in September 2016, persevering with an intensive academic workload that included an extensive battery of courses, a group project and a Thesis during the year-long course of study, culminating with a successful completion in September 2017.
Courses completed included Air Transport Market Analysis and Forecasting, Airport Design, Airport Environmental Planning, Airport Operations, Airport Finance & Business Management, Airport Strategic Planning, Regulatory Policy and Air Law, Fundamentals of the Air Transport Industry, and Research Methods and Statistics.
“I am very grateful to the Cayman Islands Airports Authority for affording me the opportunity to study a full-time Master’s degree and at such a well-recognised University in the field of aviation. It has been an intense, challenging and rewarding year of academic and practical studies that has enabled me to gain many varied perspectives on airport planning and management,” said Mr. DaCosta.
As a subsequent part of an overall plan to further develop Mr. DaCosta for the post of Chief Airport Operations Officer at the CIAA, he was afforded the opportunity to gain insights and exposure into how international airports in the United Kingdom and the USA conduct the business of operating and managing complex airport systems in today’s volatile and stringently regulated aviation environments.
In the period from October to December 2017, after completing his Master’s degree at Cranfield, Mr. DaCosta was attached to Southampton International Airport, Aberdeen International Airport and Glasgow International Airport in the UK for customised job-shadowing stints. There he gained extensive exposure and experience at all levels of these organisations in the areas of security, airside operations, landside operations, terminal operations, safety management and air traffic management.
Whilst in the UK, he visited with the Air Safety Support International (ASSI), the regulatory body “…responsible for supporting the Overseas Territories' existing authorities in the safety regulation of all aspects of civil aviation”. He also accompanied Aerodrome Inspectors and observed a four-day airport audit at the Edinburgh Airport in Scotland, which was conducted by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
After returning to the Cayman Islands in December 2017, other developmental opportunities were afforded to Mr. DaCosta. These included two occasions to accompany Federal Aviation Administration Aerodrome Inspectors during FAA Part 139 audit inspections of Fort Myers and Palm Beach International Airports in Florida. Also, he attended Airport Emergency Planning training at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Aviation is a very exciting and dynamic field, and airports worldwide are emerging from the days of providing a utilitarian type of service towards becoming a customer centric commercial enterprise. This is a great time to be involved in aviation, with so many changes and exciting things happening. I am very excited and looking forward to continue being instrumental in helping the Airports Authority and the Cayman Islands to realize modern and dynamic airports that will instill pride whilst providing service excellence beyond the travelling public’s expectations,” added Mr. DaCosta.
The CIAA’s Chief Human Resources Officer Mr. Mario Ebanks noted that Mr. DaCosta was selected to undertake this academic and professional development programme following his success in an in-house and transparent competition application and assessment exercise, which resulted in him being named the CAOO Nominee as he began his studies.
Mr. Albert Anderson, CIAA CEO, commented on this milestone, “The CIAA Board of and Directors and I are very happy that we were able to commence a holistic Caymanian succession plan for this important position within the CIAA. We welcome Wayne to the Senior Leadership Team of the Authority and wish him well as he continues to make a solid contribution.”
Mr. DaCosta first joined the CIAA in April 2007 as Manager of Telecommunications and Electronic Engineering and has held various roles within the Authority, including Senior Manager of Information Communication Services for several years. Prior to leaving for Cranfield, Mr. DaCosta held the post of Manager of Communication, Navigation & Surveillance (CNS).
The CIAA owns and operates the Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA) and the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport (CKIA).
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