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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Examining The Drivers Of C-130j Maintenance Requirements Through Multiple Regression Analysis, Andrew V. Gill Mar 2019

Examining The Drivers Of C-130j Maintenance Requirements Through Multiple Regression Analysis, Andrew V. Gill

Theses and Dissertations

As a result of increasing system complexity and cost, new aircraft acquisition, upgrade and repair timelines continue to lengthen. As a result, aircraft are kept in service longer than originally intended. Therefore, age-related wear continues to play a large part in determining mission-capable status, and therefore, aircraft availability (AA) rates. Combined with decreasing fleet sizes and manpower resource pools, each aircraft declared not mission capable (NMC) exerts an out-sized influence upon fleet AA rates. This research used multiple regression analysis to identify and quantify the effects of age, Major Command (MAJCOM) and operating location ambient weather on unscheduled not mission …


United States Air Force Applications Of Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas): A Delphi Study To Examine Current And Future Uas Autonomous Mission Capabilities, Alberto Sigala Mar 2019

United States Air Force Applications Of Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas): A Delphi Study To Examine Current And Future Uas Autonomous Mission Capabilities, Alberto Sigala

Theses and Dissertations

As UAS technology continues to grow and enable increased autonomous capabilities, acquisition and operational decision makers must determine paths to pursue for existing and emerging mission areas. The DoD has published a number of 25-year unmanned systems integration roadmaps (USIR) to describe future capabilities and challenges. However, these roadmaps have lacked distinguishable stakeholder perspectives. Following the USIRs concept, this research focused on UAS autonomy through the lens of UAS subject matter experts (SMEs). We used the Delphi method with SMEs from USAF communities performing day-to-day operations, acquisitions, and research in UAS domains to forecast mission capabilities over the next 20 …


Multi-Path Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System For Performance Limited Aircraft With Flight Tests: Project Have Medusa, Kenneth C. Gahan Mar 2019

Multi-Path Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System For Performance Limited Aircraft With Flight Tests: Project Have Medusa, Kenneth C. Gahan

Theses and Dissertations

A multi-path automatic ground collision avoidance system (Auto-GCAS) for performance limited aircraft was further developed and improved to prevent controlled flight into terrain. This research includes flight test results from the United States Test Pilot School's Test Management Project (TMP) titled Have Multi-Path Escape Decisions Using Sophisticated Algorithms (MEDUSA). Currently, the bomber and mobility air- craft communities lack an Auto-GCAS. The F-16 Auto-GCAS was proven successful for fighter-type aircraft with seven aircraft and eight lives saved from 2014 to 2018. The newly developed and tested Rapidly Selectable Escape Trajectory (RSET) sys- tem included a 5-path implementation which continuously updated at …


The Impacts Of Using Augmented Reality To Support Aircraft Maintenance, Terry R. Hebert Jr. Mar 2019

The Impacts Of Using Augmented Reality To Support Aircraft Maintenance, Terry R. Hebert Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force (USAF) expends significant resources to address the rise in aviation mishaps derived from an overworked, understaffed maintenance community, and high operational environment. Currently, paper-based technical orders (T.O.) are utilized by maintainers to accomplish aircraft inspections, servicing, and maintenance tasks. As technology advances, many civilian agencies have begun to leverage augmented reality (AR) to improve organizational proficiency. This research seeks to identify if the inclusion of AR within aircraft maintenance will positively or negatively affect maintenance task accuracy and completion time. A single variable randomized complete block design (RCBD), within-subject design of experiment (DOE) asses the …


Assessing Artificial Agent Response Time Effects On Human-Agent Teams In Variable Inter-Arrival Time Environments, David J. Canzonetta Mar 2019

Assessing Artificial Agent Response Time Effects On Human-Agent Teams In Variable Inter-Arrival Time Environments, David J. Canzonetta

Theses and Dissertations

Autonomous systems have gained an expanded presence within the Department of Defense (DoD). Furthermore, the DoD has clearly stated autonomous systems must extend the capabilities of their human operators. Thus, the exploration of strategies for effective pairing of humans and automation supports this vision. Previous research demonstrated that the time at which an automated agent assumes a task for its human teammate, or agent response time (ART), affects human-agent team performance, human engagement, and human workload. However, in this research environment, the time between subsequent tasks appearing to the human-agent team, or inter-arrival time (IAT), remained constant. Variable IAT environments …


Simulation And Piloted Simulator Study Of An Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System For Performance Limited Aircraft, James D. Carpenter Mar 2019

Simulation And Piloted Simulator Study Of An Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System For Performance Limited Aircraft, James D. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

The F-16 Automatic-Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS) has been a resounding success since implementation in Nov 2014, saving 8 pilots and 7 aircraft from Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT). However, there is no implemented Auto- GCAS for "heavy" performance limited aircraft. This research endeavors to expand on the success of F-16 Auto-GCAS to other aircraft in the Air Force inventory such as the C-130, C-17, and B-1. MIL-STD-1797 classifies performance limited aircraft as large, heavy, and low to medium maneuverability. Using a stitched Learjet-25D model (LJ-25D), an Auto-GCAS algorithm was developed to predict multiple escape-maneuver trajectories, compare these paths to …


Exploratory Analysis Of The Potential Use Of Augmented Reality In Aircraft Maintenance, Richard B. Keesling Mar 2019

Exploratory Analysis Of The Potential Use Of Augmented Reality In Aircraft Maintenance, Richard B. Keesling

Theses and Dissertations

During the last decade manpower constraints and an aging fleet, along with sustained war time operating tempo, have combined to place a significant strain on the Air Force maintenance community. Recent technological advances have enabled Immersive Technology to be applied to industrial applications in the commercial sector. This has sparked interest within the Air Force and generated various initiatives seeking to enhance readiness through the application of Immersive Technology. This research explores how Immersive Technology can be applied within the maintenance community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to determine where the maintenance community shortfalls exist, if the available technology has the …


Product Development Process For Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, Jonathan D. Poole Mar 2019

Product Development Process For Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, Jonathan D. Poole

Theses and Dissertations

The DoD has recognized the need for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) over the last two decades. Recent developments with commercial drones have changed the market structure; there is now a thriving and extensive market base for drone based remote sensing. This research provides system engineering methods to support the DoD use of this burgeoning market to meet operational ISR needs. The three contributions of this research are: a process to support Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) design, tools to support the design process, and tools to support risk assessment and reduction for both design and operations. The process …


Evaluation Of Unmanned Aircraft Flying Qualities Using A Stitched Learjet Model, Patrick M. Callaghan Feb 2019

Evaluation Of Unmanned Aircraft Flying Qualities Using A Stitched Learjet Model, Patrick M. Callaghan

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, military UAVs have taken over missions that were too dull, dirty, or dangerous for manned aircraft. The increased demand has led to a build-fly-fix-fly development mentality, plaguing the early lifecycle with staggering mishap rates. Currently, MIL-STD-1797 lists flying qualities for UAVs as TBD, and the standards for manned fixed wing are inadequate when applied to UAVs. In an effort to expand the database of UAV flying qualities, an analysis was completed on a Simulink model of an LJ-25D developed from Calspans Variable Stability System aircraft at the United States Test Pilot School. Three maneuvers were simulated: (1) …