Engineering Commons^™

Faa Designated Pilot Examiner System Insights, Wendy Beckman, Michael Gref, Timothy Rosser

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

As part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2018 the FAA was required by Congress to review Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) policies and procedures. This task was delegated to the Designated Pilot Examiner Reforms Working Group (DPERWG). This Group delivered its recommendations to the FAA in June 2021, and this research study was conducted in late January of 2022 to attempt to provide additional insights to the agency prior to its required response to the DPERWG in June of 2022.

This research project aimed to provide perceptions of the current DPE system from both DPEs and flight …

Enhancing Trajectory-Based Operations For Uavs Through Hexagonal Grid Indexing: A Step Towards 4d Integration Of Utm And Atm, Deepudev Sahadevan Neelakandan, Hannah Al Ali

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Aviation is expected to face a surge in the number of manned aircraft and drones in the coming years, making it necessary to integrate Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) into Air Traffic Management (ATM) to ensure safe and efficient operations. This research proposes a novel hexagonal grid-based 4D trajectory representation framework for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) traffic management that overcomes the limitations of existing square/cubic trajectory representation methods. The proposed model employs a hierarchical indexing structure using hexagonal cells, enabling efficient ground based strategic conflict detection and conflict free 4D trajectory planning. Additionally, the use of Hexagonal Discrete Global …

Single Pilot Operations And Public Acceptance: A Mixed Methods Study Conducted In Greece, Panagiotis Kioulepoglou, Ilias Makris

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The airline industry is moving towards Single Pilot Operations (SPO), as a result of the increased training and salary cost of pilots, and also as a remedy to the impending pilot shortage which is estimated to manifest itself in the years to follow. The main objective of this study was to explore whether the Greek public is willing to accept only one pilot onboard, what are the factors that affect this decision, and which is the preferred method of replacing the second pilot by choosing between an array of alternative options proposed by the industry.

Based on the qualitative findings …

Airport Ground Access Choice Between Transportation Network Companies And Parking: A Case Study Of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sen Wang, Yichen Zheng, Yi Gao

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The segment between home and airports is an essential component in all air transportation trips. Travelers normally have different ground access options to commence their journeys. Using Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as a special case, this study proposes a theoretical framework for quantifying and comparing the overall cost of driving and parking at airport and the use of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) ridesharing services such as Uber. Based on the cost comparison, we design an interactive web application to visualize the utility advantage area and summarize the corresponding demographic information. Our study has the potential to benefit airports, TNC operators, …

Ads-B Communication Interference In Air Traffic Management, George Ray

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Automated Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) provides position and state information about aircraft and is becoming an essential component in the global air traffic management system. ADS-B transponders broadcast this key information on a common frequency to both other aircraft and to secondary surveillance radar systems located at ground stations. Both the aircraft transponders and the ground stations work together to assist in managing the commercial airspace. Since the aircraft transponders all broadcast on the same frequency and are in close proximity there is an apparent risk of interference and the garbling of the communications needed to manage the airspace.

The …

Learning From Past In The Commercial Air Transport Industry: A Bibliometric Analysis And Systematic Literature Review In The Safety Management Framework, Alok Tyagi, Rajesh Tripathi Dr, Soufiane Bouarfa Dr

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

In the commercial air transport industry, numerous accidents have occurred because stakeholders have failed to learn lessons from the past. The reactive hazard identification (HI) methodology in the current regulatory safety management framework provides a fresh opportunity to negotiate the challenges of the air transportation sector's predicted growth and societal safety expectations. In the regulatory framework, ‘learning from the past’ is related to the reactive method of HI, and it is viewed as a data-driven decision-making process in this review. This literature review aims to investigate academic literature on ‘learning from the past’ in the aviation industry to comprehend an …

Stochastic Optimization To Reduce Aircraft Taxi-In Time At Igia, New Delhi, Rajib Das, Saileswar Ghosh, Rajendra Desai, Pijus Kanti Bhuin, Stuti Agarwal

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Since there is an uncertainty in the arrival times of flights, pre-scheduled allocation of runways and stands and the subsequent first-come-first-served treatment results in a sub-optimal allocation of runways and stands, this is the prime reason for the unusual delays in taxi-in times at IGIA, New Delhi.

We simulated the arrival pattern of aircraft and utilized stochastic optimization to arrive at the best runway-stands allocation for a day. Optimization is done using a GRG Non-Linear algorithm in the Frontline Systems Analytic Solver platform. We applied this model to eight representative scenarios of two different days. Our results show that without …

Business Process Architecture For The Integration Of Artificial Intelligence At Aerospace Organizations, Andrew Walker

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Artificial intelligence's capability is rapidly increasing, and the aerospace industry must capitalize on this computing revolution. The current study conducts an integrative literature review to identify current and potential AI applications beneficial to the aerospace industry. It utilizes the findings to develop a new high-level business process architecture integrating AI in the workplace. Business process elements are extracted from the literature using logical reasoning to modify a baseline architecture model. The new model is developed to allow the integration of artificial intelligence from a holistic perspective, at the more general level of employee interaction and at the more narrow level …

Space Cargo: Ultra-Fast Delivery On Earth –Potential Of Using Suborbital Space Vehicles For The Transportation Of Cargo, Robert O. Walton, Robert A. Goehlich

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

No abstract provided.

Classifıcation Of Survivor/Non-Survivor Passengers In Fatal Aviation Accidents: A Machine Learning Approach, Tüzün Tolga İnan Dr.

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The safety concept primarily examines the most fatal (resulting in dead passengers) accidents of aviation history in this study. The primary causes of most fatal accidents are; human, technical, and sabotage/terrorism factors. Although the aviation industry started with the first engine flight in 1903, the safety concept has been examined since the 1950s. The safety concept firstly examined the technical factors, and in the late 1970s, human factors started to analyze. Despite these primary causes, there have different factors that affect accidents. So, the study aims to determine the affecting factors of the most fatal accidents to classify the survivor/non-survivor …

Aviation Organization Strategy Development In National Airspace Modernization, Allan Will, Samuel M. Vance

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine how small sub-directorates within larger organizations develop strategy to accomplish expansive legacy infrastructure re-engineering. There is significant, historical academic inquiry on Technological Transitions (TT)s with respect to infrastructure modernization; the conversion of the National Airspace System from ground-based to space-based navigation is an example of a TT. There are also studies on how to re-engineer legacy software systems to continue supporting organizational needs. This study is intended to explore a case of re-engineering the expansive legacy ground-based navigation system in the United States by efficiently reducing the size of the network …

Integrated Risk Assessment In Ramp Handling Operations: Risk Mapping For Turkish Airports, Ebru Yazgan, Vildan Durmaz, Ayşe Küçük Yılmaz, Konstantinos N. Malagas

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Ramp handling acts a vital role in sustainable airport operations. The ramp related services provided to aircraft and their passengers at the airports are related to the landing, take-off, unloading and loading of the aircraft. Human resource is a key component in ramp handling operation and errors by employees cause significant accidents or incidents. The main purpose of the current study is to prioritize critical risk factors in ramp handling operations by using an integrated risk management approach and optimizing human performance while minimizing both failures and errors by employees. In this study, an integrated qualitative and quantitative risk assessment …

Remote Pilot Situational Awareness With Augmented Reality Glasses: An Observational Field Study, Jeffery Coleman, David Thirtyacre

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

With the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) proliferating throughout industry and public safety, it is imperative to ensure safety of flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published regulations for commercial use of sUAS in 2016 and included the requirement to maintain visual line-of-sight with the aircraft at all times. However, due to the nature of the sUAS ground control stations (GCS), remote pilots time-share between observing the aircraft and interacting with the display on the GCS. Time-sharing between the aircraft and GCS can be seen as similar to the cross-check a pilot uses when flying a manned aircraft. …

Quantum Safety Metrics Framework For Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Operators, Tracy L. Lamb, Nathan A. Phillips, Trong Van Nguyen

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Commercial unmanned aircraft systems continue to increase in applications and diversity; however, mishaps and accidents erode safety, investment return, and efficiency. Most unmanned aircraft accidents are preceded by leading indicators; the ability to forecast and quantify these may provide increased safety and profitability. This mixed-method research study used a non-experimental parallel convergence approach with multiple instruments, multiple-case study n = 22, and one exemplar case design to develop a quantum safety metric program. This study used a combination of previously validated methods as development instruments, including; the HFACS, STAMP, 'Sierra Scale,' and Accident Prevention Effort equations. The study extended the …

Support To Design For Air Traffic Management: An Approach With Agent-Based Modelling And Evolutionary Search, Gabriella Gigante, Roberto Palumbo, Domenico Pascarella, Alessandro Pellegrini, Gabriella Duca, Miquel Angel Piera, Juan José Ramos

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This paper presents a methodology to manage the support to design in ATM operations. We propose a workflow for the design of ATM solutions in a performance-based setting. The methodology includes the evaluation of the impact on human behaviour and exploits a combination of different paradigms, such as Agent-Based Modelling and Simulation, and Agent-Based Evolutionary Search. We prove the soundness of the methodology by carrying out a real case study, which is the transition from Direct Routing to Free Routing in the Italian airspace. The validation results exhibit limited errors for the assessment of the performance metrics under evaluation. Furthermore, …

Predictability Improvement Of Scheduled Flights Departure Time Variation Using Supervised Machine Learning, Deepudev Sahadevan, Palanisamy Ponnusamy Dr, Manjunath K. Nelli Mr, Varun P. Gopi Dr

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The departure time uncertainty exacerbates the inaccuracy of arrival time estimation and demand for arrival slots, particularly for movements to capacity constrained airports. The Estimated Take-Off Time (ETOT) or Estimated Departure Time(ETD) for each individual flight is currently derived from Air Traffic Flow Management System (ATFMS), which are solely determined based on individual flight plan Estimated Off Block Time(EOBT) or subsequent delays updated by Airline. Even if normal weather conditions prevail, aircraft departure times will differ from ETOTs determined by the ATFMS due to a number of factors such as congestion, early/delayed inbound flight (linked flights), reactionary delays and air …

Leveraging Aircraft Transponder Signals For Measuring Aircraft Fleet Mix At Non-Towered Airports, Chuyang Yang, John Mott, Darcy M. Bullock

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The general aviation sector has contributed significantly to the overall growth of the aviation industry. Fleet mix and operations information is important for the analysis of both the safety and the environmental and economic impact of general aviation activity. Factual data on the impact of environment and safety is particularly important, given the scarcity of airport improvement funds and the strong stakeholder engagement that often occurs when airport investments are evaluated. The research presented herein evaluates Mode S short and extended squitter data collected from three general aviation airports over a one-month period. This article demonstrates that by utilizing the …

Helicopter Shaft Heating Parameters For Polyamide-11 Coating, Selim Kevran Ph.D, Uğur Ati̇ci̇

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

In this study, the heating parameters required for polyamide-11 (P11) coating of the helicopter shaft were investigated. The torsion value created by the force applied to the middle of the helicopter's shaft is measured. Heating before coating affects the torsion value of the shaft. A new heating mechanism has been designed to cover the shaft surface without changing the torsion value of the shaft. Thus, the coating surface is left inside the furnace and the torsion measurement area outside of the furnace. Taguchi method was used to determine heating parameters such as furnace type, initial temperature and heating time. The …

Needs Based Assessment Of Agricultural Pilots In The Upper Midwest, Andrew Leonard, Cody Christensen, Jessie Hendricks

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The agricultural aviation industry plays an increasingly important role in being able to meet the demands of food production on global level. With a limited ability to increase the amount of land used for food production, farmers will have to find a way to increase yields on current land. Unfortunately, the agricultural aviation industry is at risk of having a shortage of pilots able to operate its aircraft. With the current generation of agricultural pilots reaching retirement, operators are scrambling to find qualified pilots to fill their seats. The majority of operators indicated that when looking for a new pilot …

Significance Of Incorporating Weather Technology Training For Ga Pilots To Curb Fatalities, Rajee Olaganathan Dr, Richard G. Ham Dr.

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Weather is considered to be the main threat to aviation safety from the early 1900s. Despite advanced technologies available at present, the weather still poses a risk to the ever-growing aviation industry. This research gives an overview of weather-related accidents with special reference to Part 91 operation in the United States from 1982 and 2017 based on the NTSB database. The analysis shows that 14 CFR Part 91 operations experienced more accidents than Part 121 operations, and weather was a cause or a contributing factor in 35 % of fatal general aviation accidents. The study also identified the main weather …

The Current State Of Counter Unmanned Aerial System Policy In The U.S., Travis L. Cline, Damon Lercel, Umit Karabiyik, J. Eric Dietz

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Threats from drones are becoming an increasing security concern throughout the U.S. and worldwide. No current standards exist for the manufacture and operation of counter unmanned aerial system technology, making it difficult to determine effective systems and components for specific uses. Current policy within the U.S. makes unmanned aerial system (UAS) interdiction illegal for all but a few Federal entities currently. This document is a summary of counter unmanned aerial systems policy within the U.S.

A Conceptual Framework For Valuating Airline Frequent Flyer Program Miles, Yi Gao

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Frequent flyer programs of airlines have gradually evolved into a multi-billion dollar business over the years. Valuing frequent flyer program miles accurately and fairly has its practical implications both for airlines and members of frequent flyer programs. As a ground-breaking academic study dedicated to airline loyalty programs, this study aims to build a conceptual framework to guide the valuation of miles. Through comparing required miles for different award types with their equivalent cash prices, this study has successfully addressed the purchasing power of AAdvantage miles of American Airlines when they are used for award redemption. Not only can this study …

Efficiency Analysis Of A Congested Brazilian Airport Applying Slots Optimization Control: Congonhas Airport Case, Mariana Franco B. Mendes, Rafael Roco De Araujo, Ana Paula Beck Da Silva Etges, Massoud Bazargan

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The current slot allocation mechanism in Brazil, based on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) rules, and its supplementary local regulation The National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), displays a few issues and limitations (e.g. slot misuse, allocation inefficiencies). Such issues are particularly present in the case of busy airports that works near their maximum capacity for major parts of the day. This inefficiency problem is generated because of the complexity of slot allocation added to the limited decision support available for the Brazilian system. This study focuses on the implementation of an optimal slot model, based on IATA regulations with …

Uas For Public Safety Operations: A Comparison Of Uas Point Clouds To Terrestrial Lidar Point Cloud Data Using A Faro Scanner, Joseph S. Cerreta, Scott S. Burgess, Jeremy Coleman

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) can be useful tools for public safety agencies during crime or vehicle accident scene investigations if it can provide value to the resource-constrained agency. The speed of data collection, while minimizing first responder risk, while sustaining an acceptable level of accuracy and precision compared to other tools is where the agency may find value. During a recent homicide investigation in Florida, a UAS provided saved 81% in law enforcement labor hours with an acceptable level of accuracy compared to traditional methods. The purpose of this research was to compare UAS to determine if there were differences …

Simulation Analysis Of The Effects Of Performance-Based Navigation On Fuel And Block Time Efficiency, Shlok Misra

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The commercial aviation industry has been grown steadily in the past decade in terms of the number of flights operated and passengers traveled. The Federal Aviation Administration has introduced several technologies and initiatives under the NextGen Program. Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) is one such technology that is aimed at improving the efficiency of the National Airspace System which will improve system capacity and reduce delays. The airlines operate with restrained resources and investments into reducing fuel costs and flight times will directly or indirectly impact profit margins. PBN procedures and routes can help airlines reduce block times as flights will be …

Analysis Of Part 135 Aircraft Accidents To Facilitate Flight Data Monitoring, Chenyu Huang

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The scheduled and on-demand air services with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 certificate are operating with relatively less stringent safety program criteria compared to Part 121 operations. The Part 135 aircraft flight operation was identified as one of the most wanted transportation safety improvements by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Implementation of flight data monitoring (FDM) programs was recommended to mitigate the risk of Part 135 operations. The FDM program is the process of routinely collecting and analyzing aircraft operational data to provide insight into flight operations for safety improvement. The development of more practical …

Risk - A Multi-Layered Approach, Peter S. Neff

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This article discusses the relationship between the mandates to achieve increased operational safety and the application of risk management strategies. That commercial airlines must operate at the highest level of safety is mandated by statute. FAA regulation, 14 CFR part 5, outlines the FAA response to the requirements of ICAO Annex 19, Safety Management, by establishing requirements for certificate holders to develop a Safety Management System with 4 components: (a) Safety Policy; (b) Safety Risk Management; (c) Safety Assurance; and (d) Safety Promotion. Safety is a tangible and intangible element foundational to the successful commercial airline sector. A structured multi-layered …

Brand Awareness, Purchase Intention And Price Premium Of International Airlines Operating Between Australia And The United Kingdom, Yi Gao, Nigel Wai Keong Choy

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Brand equity has a profound impact on the pricing and sales of consumer products and services. Inspired by existing literature on customer-based brand equity in various domains, this study examines brand awareness (a dimension of brand equity), purchase intention and price premium of international airlines operating on a specific aviation market, Australia - the United Kingdom. Through surveying a sample of 259 participants in the metropolitan Melbourne area, the study captures a snapshot of brand recognition and brand preference of international airlines among local travelers. Statistically significant association is found between brand awareness and purchase intention, and between brand awareness …

Effects Of A Hand Luggage Guiding System On Airplane Boarding Time And Passenger Experience, Mirte Vendel, Sagar Dangal, Jessica Coppens, Suzanne Hiemstra-Van Mastrigt, Peter Vink

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This research investigates whether a hand luggage guiding system in overhead bins decreases boarding time and improves boarding experience during aircraft boarding process. A guiding system was developed which allocates and displays the passengers luggage space in the overhead bin. The allocated space is guided by a light strip in front of the display that blinks when a passenger comes close to their allocated luggage space. This system was tested in a Boeing 737 test fuselage. Compared to regular boarding, a boarding time reduction of 16 to 23 seconds was estimated using the hand luggage guiding system in groups of …

Comparison Of Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Uas) For Agriculture Monitoring, Joseph Cerreta, Kristine M. Kiernan

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Florida citrus growers need inexpensive methods to observe citrus plants to detect disease and stress consistently. Health vegetation indices, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) collected from Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), can be used to identify variation in plant health. Simple-to-operate UAS may enable growers to determine within-field variation more frequently than with inspections from scouts, providing more frequent knowledge about the crop condition. This research compared two low-cost fixed-wing UAS, a $5,000 Parrot Disco Pro Ag and a $16,690 senseFly eBee, each equipped with a Parrot Sequoia multispectral camera, to determine if there were differences in the …