Engineering Commons^™

Impact Of Weather Factors On Airport Arrival Rates: Application Of Machine Learning In Air Transportation, Robert W. Maxson, Dothang Truong, Woojin Choi

Publications

Weather is responsible for approximately 70% of air transportation delays in the National Airspace System, and delays resulting from convective weather alone cost airlines and passengers millions of dollars each year due to delays that could be avoided. This research sought to establish relationships between environmental variables and airport efficiency estimates by data mining archived weather and airport performance data at ten geographically and climatologically different airports. Several meaningful relationships were discovered from six out of ten airports using various machine learning methods within an overarching data mining protocol, and the developed models were tested using historical data.

Perception Of Crisis Management, Service Quality, And Loyalty Programs On Airline Travel Intention: What Roles Do Fear Of Covid-19 And Risk Attitude Play?, Sohel M. Imroz, Tamilla Curtis, Scott C. Ambrose

Publications

This research investigates the antecedents of airline travel intention, including the effects of crisis management, service quality perceptions, and loyalty programs, along with the fear of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and risk attitude among individuals from different parts of the world during the peak of the pandemic. Its main objective is to assess how these variables impact passenger airline travel intention. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to assess the measurement model and test the hypothesized relationships on the sample of 944 travelers. Results indicated strong positive associations between fear of COVID-19, risk-averse attitudes, and service quality with respect …

Aviation Supply And Demand In The São Paulo And Rio De Janeiro Systems Evolution: An Exploratory Study, Leila Halawi, Bruno De Paula Balan, Renan Cipriano Da Cunha, Maria Claudia Ferreira Da Cunha

Publications

Aim/purpose – Multiple factors affect a passenger’s origin and destination airport choice. This study explores some of the leading indicators associated with performance in cities with more than one airport. Two important Multi-Airport Systems (MAS) in Brazil were the object of this study: São Paulo (Congonhas and Guarulhos) and Rio de Janeiro (Santos Dumont and Galeão), the most significant demand-generating centers in the country and the most critical distribution centers of flights from South America.

Design/methodology/approach – Using public databases presenting the evolution of supply and demand from 2013 to 2018, the evolution of flights, and the sales by airlines …

The Effects Of 5g Implementation On The Aspects Of Sustainability In The Air Transportation Industry, Leila Halawi, Douglas Ashlock, Lucy Elias, Hannah Puchkoris, Anthony Williams

Publications

The concern of 5G C-band frequency interference with global aviation operations was founded on the criticality of a single-point failure with the radio altimeter operations. The research in this report intends to highlight the severe impact of 5G C-band implementation on the air transportation industry. It focuses on one airport in the United States, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), one of the busiest airports in the country, flying both domestically and internationally. The results show that Boeing aircraft are affected more than Airbus for 5G interference. Further, the findings show that the United States should align its 5G implementation with other …

Safety Management System Implementation Planning, David Thirtyacre

Publications

No abstract provided.

Developing A Taxonomy For Success In Commercial Pilot Behaviors, Kristine Kiernan, David S. Cross, Mark Scharf Ph.D.

Publications

Human error has been well studied in aviation. However, less is known about the ways in which human performance maintains and contributes to aviation safety. The lack of data on positive human performance prevents consideration of the full range of human behaviors when making safety and risk management decisions. The concept of resilient performance provides a framework to understand and classify positive human behaviors. Through interviews with commercial airline pilots, this study examined routine airline operations to evaluate the concept of resilient performance and to develop a taxonomy for success. The four enablers of resilient performance, anticipation, learning, responding, and …

Airport Operations Delays And Possible Mitigation Through Electric Taxi Systems: A Qualitative Case Study, David Cross, Kristine Kiernan, Mark Scharf Ph.D.

Publications

Airline daily departures, not including private aircraft, increased from 25,143 in 2000 to 36,722 in 2017. More passengers necessitate more aircraft and more flights. With more aircraft at terminals, ground delays, based on current airport design, will continue to increase. Systems that allow for reduced aircraft time on the ground will improve airline economics and airport operations, in addition, will reduce airline delays both for departure and arrival at the gate. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the efficacy, from ramp controllers’ perspectives, of equipping airliners with an electric taxi system. Prototype electric taxi systems have …

Airport Ceos And The Decentralized System Of Airports: A Case Study, Marjan Mazza

Publications

The job of the airport CEO is complex with responsibility for the security and safety of a large and dynamic facility and, yet the FAA does not have regulatory qualification and performance standards for the position. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to explore the primary attributes that could be the leading indicators in the event national standards for the hiring of airport CEOs are pursued at major commercial airports. The guiding conceptual framework of the study was to combine competency with the concept of training and development. Airport CEOs from six airport facilities were interviewed, and an …

Automated Disruption Assistance In Brazil, Christian Gruber Delamare, Douglas Cabrera Lopes, Patrice Ramos, Raioni De Oliveira Santos, Leila Halawi

Publications

During the last decade, commercial aviation in Brazil has grown significantly, overcoming the number of 100 million passengers per year. The full operation represents a challenge for the air carriers, especially during flight disruptions. Besides the re-accommodation of the passengers into other flights, under certain circumstances, the ANAC 400 resolution requires the airlines to provide a series of material assistance. Meal, transport, and hotel make part of the exigences stated by the ANAC 400. Our study aims to analyze the current process that is mainly manual and propose to automatize several steps through a self-service solution. The researchers verified the …

Unmanned Aerial Systems: Research, Development, Education & Training At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Michael P. Hickey

Publications

With technological breakthroughs in miniaturized aircraft-related components, including but not limited to communications, computer systems and sensors, state-of-the-art unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have become a reality. This fast-growing industry is anticipating and responding to a myriad of societal applications that will provide new and more cost-effective solutions that previous technologies could not, or will replace activities that involved humans in flight with associated risks.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has a long history of aviation-related research and education, and is heavily engaged in UAS activities. This document provides a summary of these activities, and is divided into two parts. The first part …

Fatal General Aviation Accidents In Furtherance Of Business (1996–2015): Rates, Risk Factors, And Accident Causes, Scott Burgess, Stewart Boyd, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

Introduction: General aviation missions related to furtherance of business potentially carry higher risk (operations in adverse weather, at night, for longer distances) than those undertaken for recreation. The study herein was undertaken to determine fatal accident rates, proportions, and risk factors/causes. Method: The National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database was queried for accidents (1996–2015). Annual fleet times were from the general aviation annual activity survey. Statistical analyses used Poisson distributions, proportion testing, and Cohen’s Kappa tests. Results: The fatal accident rate for business operations was three- to six-fold lower than the rate for recreational flights with a decline evident …

Uas Pilots Code – Annotated Version 1.0, Michael S. Baum, Kristine Kiernan, Ryan J. Wallace Ed.D., Donald W. Steinman

Publications

The UAS PILOTS CODE (UASPC) offers recommendations to advance flight safety, ground safety, airmanship, and professionalism.6 It presents a vision of excellence for UAS pilots and operators, and includes general guidance for all types of UAS. The UASPC offers broad guidance—a set of values—to help a pilot interpret and apply standards and regulations, and to confront real world challenges to avoid incidents and accidents. It is designed to help UAS pilots develop standard operating procedures (SOPs), effective risk management,7 safety management systems (SMS), and to encourage UAS pilots to consider themselves aviators and participants in the broader aviation community.

Airline Quality Research: A Student's Perspective, Brent D. Bowen, Erin Bowen, Dean E. Headley, Mary Fink, Madeline S. Kuhn

Publications

This study examines the relationship between the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) and the Airline Passenger Survey (APS) from an undergraduate student’s perspective, as well as how conducting undergraduate research has influenced the student researcher. Operational performance of the U. S. airline industry has been monitored for the past 27 years by a quantitative model of metrics known as the Airline Quality Rating. These metrics include on - time flights, denied boardings, mishandled baggage, and customer complaints. As the nation’s most comprehensive study of airline performance and quality, the National Airline Quality Rating (http : //airlinequalityrating . com) sets an industry …

A Safety Management Model For Far 141 Approved Flight Schools, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Thomas Q. Carney

Publications

The Safety Management Annex (Annex 19), which became applicable in November 2013, consolidates safety management provisions previously contained in six other International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annexes, and will serve as a resource for overarching state safety management responsibilities. Through Annex 19, ICAO has required that its member states develop and implement safety management systems (SMS) to improve safety. This mandate includes an approved training organization that is exposed to aviation safety risks. In 2015, the FAA published AC 120-92B to provide guidance material for certificate holders operating under FAR 121, to implement and maintain an SMS. This AC may …

Aircraft Cyber Security And Information Exchange Safety Analysis For Department Of Commerce, Timothy B. Holt, Mohammad Moallemi, Linda Weiland, Matt Earnhardt, Sonya Mcmullen

Publications

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Next Generation Air Transportation (NextGen) program is a long-term modernization and transformation of the current National Airspace System (NAS) into a more effective and coordinated decision-making system. NextGen provides a more reliable, secure, and dependable aviation capability for both users and operators ensuring more capacity, throughput, and safety. This research delineates a high-level Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) related to NextGen technologies, specifically Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) as well as Aircraft Access to System Wide Information Management (SWIM) network (AAtS). Other communication mediums such as Mode-S or ADS-B transponder are also data exchange …

Market Analysis For Small And Mid-Size Commercial Turboprop Aircraft, Vitaly S. Guzhva, Tamilla Curtis, Vladislav Borodulin

Publications

Recent fuel price volatility and growing concerns about the efficiency of regional jets have led to a revival of large turboprop aircraft as efficient passenger carriers on short-haul regional routes. However, the overall market for smaller turboprops is much less defined as it is characterized by a plethora of small commuter and niche operators in addition to regional carriers. Since most small and mid-size turboprop manufacturers have gone bankrupt or discontinued production due to some other reasons, current operators of this aircraft class are left with aging fleets that would need to be replaced by 2020-2030. This paper assesses the …

Regional Jet Aircraft Competitiveness: Challenges And Opportunities, Tamilla Curtis, Dawna L. Rhoades

Publications

The Purpose of the Study is to investigate the current trends in the aviation industry in regards to regional jets and to examine country-level factors that can potentially explain the number of Embraer and Bombardier regional jet deliveries. Possible factors include GDP, price of crude oil, prior aircraft deliveries and the land area of receiving RJ countries.

Toward GemeinschaftsgefüHl: Exploring Subordinate And Manager Perceptions Of Trust And Perceptions Regarding Behavioral Change Potential, Bobby G. Martin

Publications

In this qualitative, phenomenological study, Maslow‘s Eupsychian theory was used as the guiding framework for exploring the perceptions of trust and the behavioral change potential of subordinates (includes frontline supervisors) and managers (excludes frontline supervisors) within selected aviation maintenance organizations in Arizona. The problem addressed in the study was the growing concern that managers willfully mistreated subordinates, which led to decreased trust, motivation, and productivity. A combined representative sample of 10 maintenance technicians and frontline supervisors was purposively selected from the production lines of a large commercial aviation repair and overhaul station located in Arizona. An additional combined representative sample …

An Overview Of The Low-Cost Carrier Model In The Russian Market, Tamilla Curtis, Dawna L. Rhoades

Publications

This study provides an overview of the low-cost carrier (LCC) model in the Russian market. The LCC model seeks to achieve a competitive advantage through the reduction of operating costs, below the traditional airline model. Since Russia is an emerging and developing economy, airlines face a high level of uncertainty. Despite the fact that the Russian aviation market is dominated by a few large carriers, Russian lowcost airlines such as SkyExpress and Avianova have been growing rapidly since starting their operations. While Russian LCCs follow the traditional LCC model, some differences are apparent as a result of the specifics of …

Airport Bird Hazard Management, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D.

Publications

Aircraft collisions with birds, also commonly referred to as bird strikes, annually cost the commercial aviation industry in Brazil at least $6 million in direct damage and associated costs and hundreds of hours of aircraft down time. Although the economic costs of wildlife strikes are extreme, the cost in human lives lost when aircraft accidents occur as a result of strikes best illustrates the need for management of the wildlife strike problem. Bird strikes have been an increasing problem for the aviation industry. Air travel has become widespread all over the world. The aircraft has played an important role not …

Data Mining Methods Applied To Flight Operations Quality Assurance Data: A Comparison To Standard Statistical Methods, Alan J. Stolzer, Carl Halford

Publications

"In a previous study, multiple regression techniques were applied to Flight Operations Quality Assurance-derived data to develop parsimonious model(s) for fuel consumption on the Boeing 757 airplane. The present study examined several data mining algorithms, including neural networks, on the fuel consumption problem and compared them to the multiple regression results obtained earlier. Using regression methods, parsimonious models were obtained that explained approximately 85% of the variation in fuel flow. In general data mining methods were more effective in predicting fuel consumption. Classification and Regression Tree methods reported correlation coefficients of .91 to .92, and General Linear Models and Multilayer …

Efficacy Of Virtual Models In A Production Systems Course, Lawrence Whitman, Barbara Chaparro

Publications

Wichita State University has developed an integrated set of virtual reality models of an aircraft assembly line. These models are intended to provide students an ‘artifact’ of industrial and manufacturing engineering by providing a realistic environment for initial learning and application. By utilizing a virtual model of the line, students are able to view the process and interrogate the process details, make changes and observe the effects, and gain a better understanding of the concepts and their interrelationships. This paper presents the method used to assess if virtual models (computer models of a real factory) lead to: improved perception of …

Fuel Consumption Modeling Of A Transport Category Aircraft: A Flight Operations Quality Assurance (Foqa) Analysis, Alan J. Stolzer

Publications

"Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA)-derived data was used to develop parsimonious model(s) for fuel consumption on a Boeing 757 airplane using regression analysis. Using the model(s), it should be possible to identify outliers (specific flights) with respect to fuel consumption, which will enable the air carrier to investigate the cause of excessive fuel consumption and remedy the problem A major air carrier provided the database used for the study. Fuel flow was predicted by calibrated airspeed, gross weight, and n2 (ENG[1 or 2]n2). The models containing these three variables explained approximately 85% of the variation in fuel flow. A reporting …

Fuel Consumption Modeling Of A Transport Category Aircraft Using Flight Operations Quality Assurance Data: A Literature Review, Alan J. Stolzer

Publications

"Fuel is a major cost expense for air carriers. A typical airline spends 10% of its operating budget on the purchase of jet fuel, which even exceeds its expenditures on aircraft acquisitions. Thus, it is imperative that fuel consumption be managed as wisely as possible. The implementation of Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) programs at airlines may be able to assist in this management effort. The purpose of the study is to examine the literature regarding fuel consumption by air carriers, the literature related to air carrier fuel conservation efforts, and the literature related to the appropriate statistical methodologies to …

Bridge Programs: A Strategic Partnership, Tim Brady

Publications

The results of a study commissioned by the National Business Aviation Association discussing factors related to alleviating airline pilot shortages. By utilizing universities with existing pilot training programs, universities are able to train new pilots in company-specific procedures. This bridge program allows the company to interface with the university and influence curriculum design.

Cost Competitiveness Of Airlines: An International Comparison, Tae Oum, Chunyan Yu

Publications

Significant structural, institutional and regulatory changes have occurred in the airline industry since the mid-1980s. These changes have intensified competition in both domestic and international air transport market. As the market becomes more competitive, the ultimate ability of a carrier to survive and prosper depends greatly on its cost competitiveness. This paper measures and compares the unit cost competitiveness of the world's major airlines, using the yearly panel data of 23 major airlines over the 1986-93 period. We focus our analysis on identifying the potential factors which influence the observed unit cost differentials among airlines, including input prices, productivity, network …