Engineering Commons^™

An Investigation Into The Economic Useful Life Of Commercial Aircraft As Impacted By Maintenance And Economic Variables, Robert Gallagher

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This research involved examining the economic useful life of commercial aircraft and the impact of maintenance and economic variables on the viability and longevity of the asset. The data sample consisted of the entire population of Boeing commercial aircraft produced between 1956 and 2021. The objective was to determine the effect of both maintenance and economic variables on the longevity and usefulness of commercial aircraft. As manufacturers work with issues such as service life, economic life, safety, and critical design features, those in the aviation community focus on the operational side of the equation––how long can one operate the asset, …

Application Of Dupont’S Dirty Dozen Framework To Commercial Aviation Maintenance Incidents, Greg M. Mellema

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This study examined the 12 preconditions for maintenance errors commonly known as the Dirty Dozen and applied them to actual incident and accident data provided by a participating airline (PA). The data provided by the PA consisted of Maintenance Event Reports (MERs) (reactive), Maintenance Operations Safety Assessment (MOSA) reports (proactive), and the results of the 2017 Maintenance Climate Awareness Survey (MCAS) (subjective). The MER and MOSA reports were coded by aviation maintenance subject matter experts (SMEs) using the 12 Dirty Dozen categories as the coding scheme, while the MCAS responses were parsed according to the precondition category they best represented. …

Secure Aircraft Maintenance Records Using Blockchain (Samr), Ahrash Aleshi

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

We propose to enhance the security and transparency of aircraft maintenance records in the aviation industry through the use of blockchain technology. A physical aircraft maintenance logbook is susceptible to being lost or destroyed. A nonexistent aircraft maintenance logbook hurts the confidence in integrity and reputation of the aircraft. Furthermore, fraud can occur through forgery of FAA personnel signatures and the installation of non-official aircraft parts. The scope of this work is to develop a secure blockchain that can store aircraft service records and information in a digital distributed ledger. By keeping the maintenance logbook on a digital ledger, records …

Effect Of Active Learning On Instrument Rated Pilots’ Knowledge And Self-Efficacy, Robert Leroy Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The study examined the effect of active scenario-based training on the knowledge and self-efficacy of instrument rated pilots who were not instrument current. Additionally, this study addressed an issue that was not present in the existing literature by validating the potential of using at-home personal computer scenario-based simulation for instrument currency. The current method of maintaining instrument currency does not require any context or scenario-based training. At a minimum, a pilot must perform a specific number of instrument approaches and holds in an airplane, approved simulator, or training device.

Sixty-two non-current instrument rated pilots who represented the U.S. general aviation …

Finite Element Modeling Of Macro Fiber Composite Actuators With Application To Wing De-Icing, Boutros Youssef Azizi

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Icing can have a profound impact on aircraft performance during inclement weather conditions. Aircraft icing primarily occurs on the leading edge of wings, tails and engines. The de-icing/anti-icing technologies currently in use are typically bulky, heavy, cover the entire airfoil surface and consume high energy. These drawbacks highlight the need for a de-icing technique that can overcome some or all of the aforementioned problems. Therefore, in this thesis, a proposed de-icing technique is studied in which lightweight Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) actuators are used to break the adhesive bond between the leading edge of a wing and an accumulated ice …

The Effect Of Cockpit Noise On The Temporary Threshold Shift Of Cessna 172sp Flight Instructors, Andrew Robert Bellini

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to study the temporary threshold shift of general aviation flight instructors resulting from their working environment. Exposure to noise before a temporary threshold shift completely recovers can cause a permanent threshold shift with no possibility of recovery, resulting in permanent hearing loss. A result showing minimal to no temporary threshold shift would indicate that hearing personal protective equipment is working properly. This study used sound-level measurements, and audiometric testing, together with survey data to determine whether or not flight instructors were at risk for potential hearing impairment due to temporary threshold shift. Independent t …

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 …

The Taiwan Civil Aviation Safety Reporting (Tacare) System In Aircraft Maintenance: An Evaluation Of The Acceptance Of Voluntary Incident Reporting Programs For Maintenance Personnel In Taiwan, Yi-Fan (Tom) Chen

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this research was to examine the effectiveness of the Taiwan Civil Aviation safety reporting (TACARE) system for maintenance personnel to improve aircraft safety. The research evaluated what are the issues that affect the participation of the TACARE system. The understandings of the safety culture for maintenance personnel in Taiwan were also analyzed. The research was conducted with a mixed method. The survey and interview were developed to sample the acceptance and opinions regarding the TACARE system for the maintenance personnel in Taiwan. Statistical analysis of the data from 605 survey respondents and 9 interviewees concluded the maintenance …

A New Guidance System For Aircraft Based On Gps, Mukul Mishra

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The navigation displays commonly used in aircraft (Course Deviation Indicators), provide only the offset from desired track, leaving the pilot to figure out steering correction necessary to get back on track. This correction, determined by trial and error, adds to the workload, especially in windy conditions. The feasibility of using a new algorithm for providing guidance to the pilots for improved interception and tracking is examined in this thesis. The proposed system employs GPS to calculate the offset from the track as well as the instantaneous ground speed vector, to provide steering information. Thus, precise tracking is possible in real …

Controlling Lead Exposure During The Process Of Cleaning Aviation Spark Plugs, Curtis E. Beers

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This study examines the process of removing lead bromide from aircraft spark plugs and the health hazards associated with the present method of cleaning the lead bromide accumulation from aviation spark plugs. Aviation maintenance technicians can be inadvertently exposed to lead while cleaning the lead bromide accumulation from the spark plug electrode during scheduled engine maintenance.

This study explores controlling the lead bromide particulate matter after it is removed from the spark plug electrode. Various control methods and/or procedural changes that may be employed to control the spread of lead bromide dust throughout the shop environment and the prevention of …

Modifications To An Existing Glycol Retention Pond And Alternative Technologies Review For Aircraft Deicing Operations And Glycol Recovery And Treatment: Dane County Regional Airport, Steven J. Sletten

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to review new aircraft deicing technologies and developments and surmise which approach may be the most appropriate for the Dane County Regional Airport’s (KMSN) expansion plans, size, available funds, and environmental impact reduction efforts. This paper focuses on the emerging glycol source reduction issues that may be most suitable for this particular airport. A new deicing technology at KMSN would reduce the amount of aircraft deicing fluid used, allow for effacing flight operations, limit environmental impact, and lessen the costs of maintaining and operating the current glycol fluid recovery and treatment system.

Storm water …

The Effects Of A Pathway-In-The-Sky Display On Performance Of A Two Axis Tracking Task By Instrument Rated Pilots, Leonard W. Hennessy, Iii

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

This study was founded on the premise that airplane cockpit operations, while generally safe and relatively efficient, can be made even more so by employing instrument displays which are potentially more intuitive than existing displays. A low fidelity flight simulator was used to conduct an experiment comparing the performance of twenty-four instrument rated pilot subjects on a two axis tracking task (an Instrument Landing System Approach) under three instrument display conditions: (1) conventional instruments (INST); (2) a Pathway-in-the-Sky (PITS) display; and (3) a combination of the two (BOTH). The primary hypothesis, that pilot performance using the PITS and BOTH display …

A Summative Evaluation Of Flightsafety International's Computer Assisted Instruction Known As "Principles Of Troubleshooting", Willie Don Middlebrooks

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The objective of this experimental research was to ascertain if cognitive skills developed by the "Principles of Troubleshooting" (POT) educational course improved aircraft fault diagnostic ability in aircraft maintenance trainees. Sixty randomly chosen Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) students served as control and experimental subjects with the POT course as the independent variable. Because random assignment was possible, a posttest-only control group design was used. Thirty ERAU maintenance trainees who had received basic and advanced ERAU fault diagnostic training were administered the POT course. A practical test administered to both groups using two tailed t tests for independent means indicated improvement …

Computerized Aircraft Accident Investigation: Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspectors' Perceptions, David S. Ryan

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to solicit the perceptions of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) on the use of a personal computer in the aircraft accident investigation process. A descriptive study survey questionnaire was used to collect the data for the study, which was sent to 150 FAA ASIs. The data collected supported the hypothesis that aircraft accident investigators think the use of a computer will help them with accident report form completion, managing the accident data collected, and in determining the factors contributing to an accident. Furthermore, the data supported the hypothesis that the use …