There exists no predefined framework for aviation policy making and development. While aviation policy planning in most developed countries comes as a result of institutional and industry coordination and is embedded within other national policies addressing the welfare and growth of the country, it is found that in many cases in less developed countries (LDCs), aviation policy planning is often influenced by political pressures and the interests of fund donors. The complexity of this situation in the developing countries results in aviation plans that represent stand alone studies and attempt to find solutions to specific problems rather than comprehensive aviation plans which fit well the country‘s competitiveness profile and are properly coordinated with other national policies for achieving medium and long-term objectives. This study provides a three-stage policy development framework for aviation strategic planning based on situational analysis and performance benchmarking practices in order to assemble policy elements and produce a best-fit aviation strategy. The framework builds on study results that indicate an association between air transport sector performance and aviation policy strategies, arguing that it is not sufficient to simply describe performance but also to be able to assess it and understand how policymakers can use strategic planning tools to affect the air transport industry efficiency levels. This can be achieved by recognizing the level of the country‘s stage of development and working on enhancing the policy elements that produce better output and induce more contributions by aviation to the national economic development and connectivity levels. The proposed aviation policy development framework is systematic and continuous. It helps policymakers in LDC to manage uncertainty in complex situations by allowing them to defend, correct and re-examine the policy actions based on a forward thinking approach which incorporates the contingency elements of the policy and tracks the developments that can affect the odds of its success. The framework‘s elements and its flow of process are explained by providing an illustrative example applied to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

There exists no predefined framework for aviation policy making and development. While aviation policy planning in most developed countries comes as a result of institutional and industry coordination and is embedded within other national policies addressing the welfare and growth of the country, it is found that in many cases in less developed countries (LDCs), aviation policy planning is often influenced by political pressures and the interests of fund donors. The complexity of this situation in the developing countries results in aviation plans that represent stand alone studies and attempt to find solutions to specific problems rather than comprehensive aviation plans which fit well the country‘s competitiveness profile and are properly coordinated with other national policies for achieving medium and long-term objectives. This study provides a three-stage policy development framework for aviation strategic planning based on situational analysis and performance benchmarking practices in order to assemble policy elements and produce a best-fit aviation strategy. The framework builds on study results that indicate an association between air transport sector performance and aviation policy strategies, arguing that it is not sufficient to simply describe performance but also to be able to assess it and understand how policymakers can use strategic planning tools to affect the air transport industry efficiency levels. This can be achieved by recognizing the level of the country‘s stage of development and working on enhancing the policy elements that produce better output and induce more contributions by aviation to the national economic development and connectivity levels. The proposed aviation policy development framework is systematic and continuous. It helps policymakers in LDC to manage uncertainty in complex situations by allowing them to defend, correct and re-examine the policy actions based on a forward thinking approach which incorporates the contingency elements of the policy and tracks the developments that can affect the odds of its success. The framework‘s elements and its flow of process are explained by providing an illustrative example applied to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Development of new aircraft and the increasing number of passengers goes logically hand-in-hand with the improvement of airport facilities and equipment of airport fire departments so passengers and all airport staff are as safe as possible. The submitted diploma thesis deals with the equipment of the fire department of Jihočeské letiště České Budějovice a.s. and staffing for the service at this airport. Its goals are, first, to assess the current level of this equipment and, second, to propose optimization of this equipment. The Airport in Planá u Českých Budějovic is one of a few airports disposing of own fire department. Apart from České Budějovice, there are fire departments at the airports in Brno, Karlovy Vary, Ostrava, Pardubice and Praha Ruzyně. Airports in terms of general issues and their technical equipment are dealt with, and public international airports and public domestic/non-public international airports in the Czech Republic are listed in the theoretical part of the thesis. History of airport fire departments is examined, too. The analysis of the Aviation Regulation L14 is an important area in the theoretical part. Further, individual selected airports in the Czech Republic, especially their history and current characteristics are described and air accidents of both Czech and foreign machines in the territory of the Czech Republic between 2008 and 2012 are mentioned in the theoretical part of the thesis. A hypothesis has been defined for the diploma thesis: "The current equipment of the fire department and staffing for the service is sufficient for the airport RFFS Category 4C". In order to confirm or disprove this hypothesis, the equipment of the airport in České Budějovice was compared in terms of equipment of other selected airports in the Czech Republic and evaluated on the basis of studying the regulations, Aviation Regulation L14 in particular, in the practical part of the thesis. Detailed information on equipment of these airports comprises a separate chapter in the practical part and sufficiency of this equipment discussed is assessed on the basis of comparison with the aviation regulations. As I failed to get the needed information on the equipment of the fire department at the airport in Pardubice and as the Václav Havel Airport in Prague is not comparable as for the equipment, size, arrival and departure rate etc., the airport in Brno, Karlovy Vary and Ostrava were selected for the final comparison of assessment of the level of the technical means and staffing at the airport in České Budějovice. Despite the hypothesis "The current equipment of the fire department and staffing of the service is sufficient for the airport Category 4C" has been confirmed, optimization of the equipment of the fire department at the airport in České Budějovice has been proposed on the basis of the results of this thesis in order to provide sufficient preparedness of the airport for extraordinary events at the airport and in its surrounding and the main emphasis is put on saving human lives mainly. The optimization was carried out using the methods of operation analysis while taking the current equipment of the Airport in České Budějovice into account. When selecting new vehicles for purchase, the price of a vehicle was not the only criterion but also its equipment. The outcome of the optimization is a recommendation to purchase a modern vehicle fully equipped and it is possible to choose one of the three vehicles placed first to third in the analysis. These are the vehicles Panther HRET 6x6 KHA62, Panther 6x6 CA5 ECE and Mercedes - Benz Actross 3360 A42 6x6. To conclude, confirmation of the above-mentioned hypothesis is stated and particular vehicles recommended to be purchased by the South-Bohemian airport and its fire fighters are listed.