Putnam and Aviation

Putnam's ideas on human capital, physical capital, and social capital all play a key role in aviation. If you are trying to learn how to fly, it is much easier if you have a plane of your own, i.e. physical capital. This saves the trouble of having to rent a plane when you begin to charter flight lessons. Next, in order to make a career in flight, you must know individuals who are already in the system. This social capital can make or break your career in aviation. On a more fundamental note, individuals must have the capacity to grasp, understand, and learn aviation. This human capital aspect is vital for the industry to take flight.

Although Putnam's ideas focus primarily on how the internet acts on these different forms of capital, the aviation industry also requires these different factors in order for someone to pursue a career.