Engineering Commons^™

Feasibility Study Of An Integrated Safety Seat For Infants And Children Under The Age Of Two Traveling In Commercial Aircraft, Muneer A. Bakhsh

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of integrated safety seat for children and infants onboard commercial aircraft. The researcher collected and analyzed data on the subject of safety seats for children and infants onboard commercial aircraft. The 115 participants for this study were randomly selected from the population of parents boarding commercial aircraft with infants and/or children. The research method used was descriptive and also compared the integrated safety seats for infants and children in automobiles to commercial aircraft. The survey examined whether or not parents were interested and willing to pay for an integrated safety …

The Impact Of The Simulated Digital Data Radio Communication Induced Interference On Voice Radio Communication, Daniela T. Kratchounova

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The transition of air/ground communications, from its present analog structure to a new digital communications architecture, will span a 10-year time frame. Testing to date indicates that the potential for interference from the digital system to the analog system would be critical, especially for General Aviation (GA) aircraft. This type of interference can be described as short, random bursts of noise capable of completely obliterating parts of the voice communication. The subsequent degrading effects on voice radio communications could jeopardize flight safety. The masking of parts of important information would result in distracted attention, debilitated cognitive performance, high level of …

General Aviation Aircraft: A Comparative Analysis Of Analog Instrument Display And Conceptual Primary Flight Display, Ungul Laptaned

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects that analog instrument display versus primary flight display (PFD) had on pilot performance. Pilot performance was evaluated by: (a) time, and (b) number of errors. There were twenty subjects with a minimum of a private pilot license selected from the Aeronautical Science department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Three flight conditions (spoiler problem, engine problem, and flap failure) acting as a control group was given to the flight students while flying a traffic pattern. A Silicon Graphics® flight simulation software program and a video camera were used as the data …

Operational Risk Management And Military Aviation Safety, Park D. Ashley

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Class A aviation mishap rate has hovered around 1.5 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours since 1985. Recent attention on Air Force accidents has caused the leadership to seek to reduce its mishap rate. The Army's Class A aviation mishap rate declined after it implemented risk management (RM) principles in 1987. This reduction caught the attention of Air Force leadership who have since stated that the application of operational risk management (ORM) is how the Air Force will reduce, even eliminate, mishaps. With current budget constraints, ORM is considered to be the most cost-effective way the Air Force …

A Methodology For The Analysis And Prediction Of Air Force Enlisted Aircraft Maintenance Personnel Retention Rates Using Economic Statistics, Peter D. Lommen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of certain national economic indicators on enlisted aircraft maintenance personnel retention rates. To fulfill this purpose, this study builds a linear regression equation that can predict the retention rate using the civilian unemployment rate and the index of 11 leading economic indicators as the independent variables. Journal literature and economic texts were reviewed to identify the indicators as good predictors for changes in employee turnover. The method of linear regression was used to build the model needed to predict the changes in the retention rate. The equation developed with this …

An Ex Post Facto Analysis Of E-3 Maintenance Indicators In The 552d Air Control Wing Since Reorganization Under An Aircraft Generation Squadron Concept, Larry J. Stetz

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational restructuring sometimes occurs in the aircraft maintenance field, yet seldom are in-depth analyses performed after the fact to see if productivity improved. In December 1995, the 552D Air Control Wing restructured its flight line maintenance into an aircraft generation squadron concept. This study looked at before and after maintenance indicators to see if productivity improved. Maintenance data was collected from December 1993 to December 1997. Nineteen maintenance indicators were identified, and the key indicators were analyzed using means comparison and regression analysis to determine if efficiency and effectiveness had increased. The variables Mission Capable rate and Man-hours per Flying …

An Exploratory Analysis Of The Responsiveness Capability Of The Air Expeditionary Wing (Aew) Concept, Robert L. Charlesworth

Theses and Dissertations

Seven AEF deployments have been accomplished in the Southwest Asia area of responsibility; none have met the Air Force's stringent 72 hour criterion. This exploratory study quantifies the responsiveness capability of the AEW concept. Based on a Monte Carlo simulation methodology this study concludes that the on call AEW at Mountain Home AFB does not have the capability to meet the 72 hour criterion. Additionally, this study examined the effect of three departures from the baseline model on responsiveness capability. These departures included: increasing airlift throughput capacity, incorporating limited airlift failure, and employing an air refueling scenario. The simulation models …

The Challenge Of Maintaining Or Replacing An Aging Airlift Fleet: A Cost/Capability Analysis For The Brazilian Air Force Mobility System, Julio C. Messias

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the high Operational and Support costs incurred, the Brazilian Air Force's (BAF) declining budget has led to the establishment of conservative policies that favor short run solutions for a critical BAF airlift problem of operating an aging fleet. As a result of this policy, service life extensions of older airlift aircraft are the preferred solution. Using an equal airlift capacity approach to examine the Brazilian Air Force mobility system, this research performs a cost comparison analysis between two aircraft currently in operation at Brazilian's airlift command: C-130 Hercules and C-95 Bandeirante. To accomplish the cost analysis, this research develops …

The Effect Of Action Workouts On Aircraft Mission Capability Measurements, Michael P. Allison

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies concerning quality improvement and the Action Workout Process attempted to define and describe the difficult concept of quality. A logical next step is to study to what extent implementation of a quality improvement program, such as ACC's Action Workout Process, positively or negatively affects performance factors within an Air Force organization. This study focused on exploring the fundamental question of whether there was, as a result of the Action Workout, a noticeable, statistically verifiable, positive or negative change in the mission capability of aircraft assigned to the units carrying out this quality improvement initiative. Research questions were developed …

Reparable Inventory Reduction: Impacts On Air Force Fighter Aicraft Mission Capability, Gregory E. Hutson

Theses and Dissertations

During the 1990's the Air Force experienced severe declines in serviceable inventory levels and a rise in their TNMCS rates. Air Force predictions of TNMCS hours during this time period did not account for the upward trend in TNMCS rates. The Air Force uses a regression equation, consisting of possessed hours, flying hours, and sorties, to predict TNMCS hours. This research, through simple linear regression, found a significant relationship between serviceable inventory levels and TNMCS rates for 8 of the 10 aircraft studied. Using this relationship, serviceable inventory levels were then added to the Air Force equations and new multiple …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Eight-Hour And Twelve-Hour Shifts On Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Production Levels, David P. Collette

Theses and Dissertations

his is a follow-on study that examined the effects of converting a large aircraft maintenance squadron from 8-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts. The squadron studied converted its 24-hour maintenance work force from three 8-hour work shifts to two 12-hour work shifts. Data was collected from four different time periods. Three time periods were used for a primary analysis and all four time periods were used for trend analysis. To determine if the 12-hour work shift was effective, workforce productivity was measured during the different work shift periods. Results showed an increase in two productivity measurements, no-change in two productivity measurements, …

The Privatization Of The Aerospace Guidance And Metrology Center At Newark Air Force Base, Richard H. Fillman Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The Aerospace Guidance and Metrology Center (AGMC) at Newark AFB was privatized in place as a result of the 1993 BRAC process. This was a first of a kind for the DoD repair depot system. The justification was too much excess depot capacity and by closing Newark the Air Force would rid itself of this excess capacity and obtain savings by privatizing the repair workload. This thesis concentrates on whether excess capacity at AGMC was as large as it was identified and if cost saving had materialized at the depot since the privatization. To determine how well the depot repairs …

Strength And Weaknesses Of Npv Analysis And Its Application To Aircraft Value Modeling, Sebastian Lourier

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study is to analyze the Net Present Value (NPV) technique as a mean to forecast aircraft values and the analysis of aircraft value forecasting accuracy. The main part of the examination is the evaluation of the actual quality of aircraft appraisals. The appraisal evaluation is based on historical forecast accuracy determinations and on a comparison of 1998 aircraft value forecasts. The discussion of a survey conducted by the author in 1998, will reveal the disunity among the appraisers. The survey data was provided generously by the appraisers most recognized in the industry. A sensitivity analysis exhibits …

Designed Reduction Of Radiated Noise Characteristics From Two-Bladed General Aviation Propellers, Chandra K. Stich

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

In recent years increased public awareness has made the reduction of environmental noise pollution a top priority for the aviation industry. Utilizing current technology, this study examines the reduction of noise generated by two bladed general aviation propellers, through design. The Aircraft Noise Prediction Program - Propeller Analysis System (ANOPP-PAS) is used to predict the noise and performance characteristics for an industry typical reference propeller as well as for the final quiet and efficient design.

This investigation is based on the use of a 200 hp engine rotating a 76 inch propeller. Typically, such a propeller would be rotated at …

Culture And The Management Of Advanced Automation: An Analysis Of Two Airlines, Surendra Cudah Ratwatte

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between National, Organizational and Professional Cultures and the attitudes toward managing advanced automation among the flightcrew of two international airlines. The Flight Management Attitudes Questionnaire developed by the University of Texas was utilized to determine the attitudes and perceptions held by airline pilots of various nationalities who fly late model Airbus and Boeing airliners. A census survey was conducted at the crew bases of the two airlines, one in the Middle East and other in South Asia. A total of 230 completed surveys were received. Chi Square analysis was used …

Space Launch Operations And The Lean Aerospace Initiative, Troy L. Endicott

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes current expendable launch procedures and identifies truly lean, value-added steps in launch operation enterprises as they relate to the Lean Aerospace Initiative (LAI). LAI and the concepts of lean thinning are discussed and followed by a review of current and future launch system requirements and their opportunities for lean practices. The study also discusses in detail current Delta II expendable launch processing operations and presents results in a case study that show how lean principles have helped the Delta II launch team drastically reduce on-pad time, restructure its testing philosophy, and streamline its operations flow. Many of …

Maintenance Resources Evaluation Technique, Jorge Guarnieri

Theses and Dissertations

The Argentine Air Force (AAF) has undertaken the task of reviewing its logistics doctrine with the aim of supporting its mission on the basis of better-designed resource structures. The adequate sizing of logistics support is essential to obtain the desired military capability, while optimizing resource use. A decision support tool tailored to the AAF environment is needed to size that logistics support. This research developed a mathematical logistics model to evaluate the mean number of aircraft that can be restored in a given time interval between consecutive sorties, for a given maintenance resources mix and base physical geometry. This maintenance …

Light Aircraft Management System, Evan Karjalainen

Theses : Honours

This report details methods to construct a flight data logging system that can be used to manage student flight and aircraft maintenance records. These methods utilise GPS, embedded processors and associated software to depict the occurrence of landings, "Touch and Goes" and record aircraft total flight time. By manipulating these methods it was possible to produce a usable data-logging unit which facilitated the automation of flight maneuver recording. This datatogging unit was constructed from embedded components and interfaced with a user defined database. Perusal of the details within should provide the reader with a clear understanding of the tasks involved …