Engineering Commons^™

A Comparison Of Fuel Efficiencies Between Dc-9-30 And B-737ng Aircraft For Delta Airlines At Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, Brandon Scott Newman

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Improved fuel efficiency is one of aviation's top priorities, as it impacts the economy and the National Airspace System's environment. This descriptive study used data generated by the Total Airspace and Airport Modeler (TAAM) to show that the Boeing 737 Next Generation series aircraft would be more fuel-efficient than the McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-30 aircraft on various routes used by Delta Airlines out of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Databases, such as Aircraft Situation Display to Industry (ASDI) and Base of Aircraft Data (BADA), were used to simulate the baseline flight route information. Simulations were performed on Boeing 737NG (-700, -800, -900) and …

Integration Of Unmanned Aerial Systems In Class E Airspace: The Effect On Air Traffic Controller Workload, Jeeja S. Vengal

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

As technology rapidly advances and our imagination is no longer fantasy but instead reality, the aviation community needs to concentrate on the harsh truth of airspace safety. In the situation of integrating unmanned aerial systems (UASs) into the National airspace, UASs outside of terminal areas would generally be permitted to fly their preferred routes, and self-separate, with minimal intervention from air traffic control. From an air traffic control perspective, the integration could raise a number of human performance problems including workload extremes and passive-monitoring demands. One fundamental requirement for operation in the National Air Space is to preserve the safety …

The Propulsive Design Aspects On The World’S First Direct Drive Hybrid Airplane, Ankit Nanda

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to design a safe technology demonstrator by implementing a direct drive propulsion system for a gas-electric hybrid aircraft. This system was integrated on the Embry-Riddle Eco-Eagle for the Green Flight Challenge 2011. The aim of the system is to allow the pilot to use the electric motor as an independent power source to fly the aircraft once at cruise altitude, while having a gas engine to allow for higher power capability.

The system was designed to incorporate the motor and the motor control unit provided by Flight Design and Drivetek AG alongside a Rotax …

Assessing The Effects Of Climate Change And Addressing Solutions At L. F. Wade International Airport, Bermuda, Sebastian Romeo Phillip Brisson

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to find how past trends and future predictions of climate change and associated factors would affect airport operations at the L. F. Wade International Airport. The Government of Bermuda's plans to build a new terminal were also analyzed to determine potential impacts. Predicted future trends of sea level rise and hurricane activity were assessed by analyzing previous occurrences and studies and depicted using GIS mapping data. Risk of storm surge to the L. F. Wade International Airport has become apparent, especially after Hurricane Fabian of 2003. The results of this study suggest that the …

The Effects Of System Reliability And Time Pressure On Unoccupied Aircraft Systems Operator Performance And Mental Workload, Rania Wageh Ghatas

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) are in the midst of aviation`s next generation. UAS are being utilized at an increasing rate by military and security operations and are becoming widely popular in usage from search and rescue and weather research to homeland security and border patrol. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently working to define acceptable UAS performance standards and procedures for routine access for their use in the National Airspace System (NAS). This study examined the effects of system reliability and time pressure on unoccupied aircraft systems operator performance and mental workload. Twenty-four undergraduate and graduate students, male and …

The Development And Deployment Of A Nexrad Education / Training Module For Use By General Aviation Pilots, Erin Anne Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate whether an education/ training module on NEXRAD and its products developed using Instructional Systems design criteria would be effective for General aviation pilots. Numerous studies have documented that General Aviation pilots are in need of additional education and training on weather concepts. A thorough needs analysis and literature review determined that training was the best way to address this problem. An education/training module and assessments were developed from scratch using strict instructional design criteria. Sixty students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University participated in live testing of the module. Participants were separated into control …

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Emergency Locator Transmitters To Reduce Response Time And Locate Wreckage In U.S. General Aviation Accidents, Ajit Jesudoss

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) help search crews to locate aircraft in distress and to rescue survivors. This study analyzed ELT data from U.S. General Aviation accidents during the period 2006 to 2010. This study examined the effectiveness of ELTs in terms of ELT Success Rate (ESR) and False Negative Rate (FNR) based on ELT-Aided. This study found a significant difference between ELT-Operated and ELT-Aided. The ESR was found to be 38.58% whereas the FNR was found to be 61.42 %. The Missing Data Ratio (MDR), where accident reports had no ELT information, was found to be above 95%. Recommendations were …

Analysis Of Effects Of Financial Factors On Profitability Of Low-Cost And Legacy Carriers, Nicholas Joseph Kleoppel

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Since airline deregulation in 1978, there have been over 180 bankruptcy filings by airlines. Legacy and Low-Cost carriers are unique in how they operate and how they generate revenue; both business models have advantages and disadvantages. However, the Low-Cost carriers have shown increases in revenue and have been growing at increasing rates over the Legacy carriers. This study analyzed financial factors from four airlines in each business model to reveal which financial factors can help determine profitability of an airline. This researcher found significant differences between Legacy and Low-Cost Passenger Revenues, Maintenance Expenses, and Depreciation and Amortization Expenses. Additionally, there …

Guidance, Navigation And Control Of A Fly-By-Wire Transport Category Airship Designed For Hover Cargo Delivery, Harshad H. Lalan

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this thesis is to develop fly-by-wire pilot controls for a transport category airship propelled with six thrust vectoring engines, and to develop control laws to maintain position, heading, and attitude during hover and cargo operations. Owing to the large body area, most airships require that they be pointed into the wind to maintain their position. This research aims at controlling an airship attitude and position during hover cargo delivery, irrespective of the wind direction.

Control laws were developed for two primary modes of the airship: Flight (High Speed Mode) and Hover (Cargo Delivery Mode). Different sets of …

Nurturing Systems Thinking: Developing A Framework Based On The Human Factors Analysis And Classification System (Hfacs) To Improve Systems Development Processes, Arjun Vijayanarayanan

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Large systems engineering projects have an astonishingly high failure rate. The reasons hypothesized for such a high failure rate include the neglect of nonsalient system elements such as social and human or organizational aspects of systems. Social and human factors have long been known to be critical elements of systems that are frequently ignored (e.g., Goguen, 1994). Systems engineering processes can benefit and be improved by effective utilization of a framework that helps developers expand their attention and efforts beyond the salient aspects of the system and the development process. In the aviation field, the Human Factors Analysis and Classification …

The Effect Of Shift Turnover Strategy And Time Pressure On Aviation Maintenance Technician Performance, William R. Warren

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) provide the technical and applied knowledge required to maintain airworthiness in aircraft. In commercial aviation, maintenance tasks are performed across multiple shifts. When AMTs share a maintenance task between shifts, the shift turnover strategy used may determine if information is effectively transferred between AMTs. Ineffective shift turnover strategies are a contributing factor in many aviation accidents and incidents. Additionally, time constraints on certain maintenance tasks may cause AMTs to commit error when performing a task. The present study examined the effect of shift turnover strategy (face-to-face or written) and time pressure on error capture, accuracy, and …

Effects Of Online Training On Aircrew Monitoring Behaviors: A Field Study, Brian A. Potter

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Data from aircraft accidents and line observation studies indicate that inadequate pilot monitoring is a growing safety concern. In the cockpit environment, pilots who fail to properly manage their workload commit more monitoring errors. Given the lack of training and educational programs available to pilots which emphasize improving their monitoring skills, more research is needed to assess the usefulness of types of training that can be used to improve pilots' monitoring. This research project sets out to determine if the potential exists to enhance pilots' monitoring skills through online training. For this study, 40 military helicopter pilots (participants) were divided …

Analysis Of Airport Security Screening Checkpoints Using Queuing Networks And Discrete Event Simulation: A Theoretical And Empirical Approach, Stephen Louis Dorton

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This study utilized discrete event simulation (DES) and queuing networks to investigate the effects of baggage volume and alarm rate at the Security Screening Checkpoint (SSCP) of a small origin and destination airport. A Jackson queuing network was considered for a theoretical assessment to SSCP performance. A DES model using Arena version 12 was utilized for an empirical approach. Data was collected from both literature and by manual collection methods. Manual data was collected during the peak operating time of 6am-7am local time at the airport being modeled. The simulation model was verified and validated qualitatively and quantitatively by statistical …

The Effects Of System Reliability And Task Uncertainty On Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operator Performance Under High Time Pressure, Manuela Jaramillo

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

For many years, the military has understood the value and versatility of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). In the recent years, UASs have sparked the interest of other fields, and in the very near future, they will be introduced into the National Airspace System (NAS). With this inclusion come new concerns. Due to the future wide range applications for UASs, it is important to explore factors, which may affect operator performance. The UAS operator task differs from that of a manned aircraft pilot. An UAS operator does not get the same sensory cues as a pilot and their field of vision …