Engineering Commons^™

Airport Security Checkpoint Screener: An Analytical Study Of Job Retention And Attrition Factors, Norman Mark St. Laurent

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The proposed research seeks to identify the factors contributing to job retention and job attrition in terms of why an airport security checkpoint screener would try or want to stay on the job or leave the job. By identifying the causes of employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and by understanding the integral components of employee turnover can develop appropriate interventions that curb existing retention problems (exceeding 70% annually in most facilities). Aside from the obvious costs affiliated with recruiting, selecting, and training replacement employees, there is likely to be a detrimental impact on the effectiveness of airline passenger screening when a …

The Effects Of The Proposed Larger Aircraft On Airport Capacity In The United States, Kerwin S. Mckenzie

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The problem of airport capacity is one that has been around for some time. With air travel projected to increase into the year 2000, Airbus Industrie, Boeing Corporation and McDonnell Douglas are making plans or are in the process of building large transports. Airbus has built the A340/A330 and is planning the now named A3XX, a 600 plus seater. Boeing is currently flying the 747-400 which holds up to 570 passengers. In addition, Boeing rolled out the 777 in June 1994, which holds up to 550 passengers. Douglas is planning the MD-12 with a 700 plus passenger load. The purpose …

Airbus A320/321 Quick Change Market Analysis - A Case Study, Till Christian Mommsen

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate and compare the Boeing B737 QC to the Airbus A320/321 QC aircraft, and to determine their relative market within a sample airline. The technical design of the two Airbus aircraft in a mixed QC operation were considered with respect to the requirements of a particular airline. Direct operating costs and payload range data for all three aircraft were calculated.

To evaluate the competitiveness of the A320/321 QC under actual conditions, a linear programming fleet planning model was developed that considers more than the direct operating costs of a particular aircraft. The cost …

The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Strike: A Retrospective Analysis, Steven E. Durnin

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to assess the opinions, beliefs, and perspectives of former air traffic controllers who were terminated from employment with the Federal Aviation Administration for participating in the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) strike of 1981. The study examines the perceptions of the former controllers to determine their feelings toward the justification for going on strike over 13 years ago. This is relevant in light of recent events including the lifting of the ban against rehiring PATCO controllers by the Clinton Administration.

The data collected for this study were obtained with an opinionnaire mailed via …

An Econometric Analysis Of The Canada - Florida Air Passenger Market, Craig W. Poteet

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

This thesis evaluates the Canada - Florida commercial air passenger market and explains fluctuations in the demand for air passenger service based on an econometric modeling process. Canada - Florida commercial air passenger traffic is segmented into those passengers flying on scheduled air services and those travelling on chartered air services. Two separate multiple regression equations are constructed to address the two segments of the Canada - Florida market. Both equations are formulated utilizing the same three independent variables. It was expected that the three chosen independent variables, Canadian GDP, a ratio of chartered air fare levels by scheduled air …

A Simulation Study Of Pilots' Ability To Perceive Angular Motion Under The Influence Of Alcohol, Wali N. Mughni

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The study consisted of experimental research to determine the effect of alcohol on the pilots’ ability to perceive angular motion. It was hypothesized that in the absence of visual cues, pilots’ thresholds of perceiving a change in angular motion is adversely affected by alcohol in the blood, thereby increasing the potential to enter a state of spatial disorientation. The experiments were designed to simulate a real time in-flight scenario, in a rotating flight simulator, where angular accelerations could be controlled and pilots’ thresholds of perceiving a change in angular motion could be measured. The study revealed that the subjects registered …

Numerical Analysis Of The Viscous Flow In A Supersonic Diffuser, Sa'ed A'Rafat

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The goal of a diffuser is to transform kinetic energy into potential energy with minimum losses in total pressure. Existing supersonic diffusers are based on compression through shock waves. This process is inherently inefficient because of the large losses caused by the shocks. We investigate by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) the viscous flow in a supersonic diffuser designed by means of inviscid theory to produce a shock-free isentropic compression. The design is based on the combination of elementary flows. Two simple wave regions connected by a sink flow are used to take a uniform supersonic flow at one …

Neural Network Detection Of Fatigue Crack Growth In Riveted Joints Using Acoustic Emission, Adriano F. De Almeida

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the capability of neural networks to discriminate between individual acoustic emission (AE) signals originating from crack growth and rivet rubbing (fretting) in aluminum lap joints. AE waveforms were recorded during tensile fatigue cycling of six notched and riveted 7075-T6 specimens using a broadband piezoelectric transducer and a computer interfaced oscilloscope. The source of 1,311 signals was identified based on triggering logic, amplitude relationships, and time of arrival data collected from the broad-band transducer and three additional 300 Hz resonant transducers bonded to the specimens. The power spectrum of each waveform was calculated …

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Of Laminated Composite Beams Subjected To Harmonic Excitations Using A 20 Dof Beam Element, Mansour Nosrati Kenareh

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this Thesis is to study the nonlinear analysis of antisymmetrically laminated composite beams including shear deformation subjected to harmonic excitation, using a 20-degree of freedom finite element beam. The beam has 10 degrees of freedom at each node: The axial displacements, the transverse deflection due to bending and transverse shear, the twisting angle, the in-plane shear rotation, and their derivatives along the axial direction. In this study, the effect of different parameters such as damping, shear deformation and different edge conditions on the steady-state frequency-responce will be investigated. The analysis was based on the use of finite …

Mandatory Certification Of Aviation Line Service Technicians: A Question Of Formal Or Informal Training, Jeffrey S. Lewis

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

Accidents and incidents are created by improperly trained aviation line service technicians. To reduce accidents and incidents associated with improperly trained line service personnel, a mandatory certification plan should be developed. This study utilized the procedures established for the descriptive research method. The researcher gathered data with a self constructed questionnaire, from 72 separate sources of the 120 solicited. All relevant data was analyzed to decide if the research hypothesis could be accepted. The researcher anticipated that statistical evidence would support the research hypothesis, that structured formal training procedures would reveal a significant reduction in the number of accidents and …

Nonlinear Forced Vibration Of An Unsymmetrically Laminated Composite Beam, Marie Helene Pompei

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this thesis is to study the nonlinear forced vibration of an unsymmetrically laminated composite beam. Two cases are considered: unsymmetrical angle-ply and unsymmetrical cross-ply composite beams. The nonlinear governing partial differential equations of motion are obtained by taking into account the von-Karman geometrical nonlinearity. These equations are transformed into nonlinear ODE (Ordinary Differential Equations) by means of the Galerkin method. For both cases the forced Duffing equation was obtained. It is to be noted that only for the unsymmetrical cross-ply laminate simply-supported case are both quadratic and cubic nonlinearities present. The resulting equations for both cases are …

The Effects Of Male-Based Anthropometric Cockpit Designs On Self-Reported Female Aircrew Accommodation, Edith Marie-Anntoinette Dylewska

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of male-based anthropometric cockpit designs on self-reported female aircrew accommodation. A descriptive survey research method was used to collect the required data. The instrument utilized was a self-developed questionnaire/opinionnaire. It contained both Likert-type and open-ended questions. The 153 subjects were selected from the population of active, civil, female pilots in the United States of America, who hold a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate. The responses provided to the Likert questions were analyzed using a goodness-of-fit statistical method. The data collected did not support the research hypothesis …

Satellite Data Communications Link Requirements For A Proposed Flight Simulation System, Gerald M. Kowalski

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to investigate the requirements necessary for data and voice communication via satellite, linking Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and other flight training facilities. The proposed research was conducted following a descriptive method of collecting information, generating and analyzing data, and listing the results for the proposed link requirements. The current fiber-optic communications link at ERAU in Daytona Beach was presented to establish a general foundation of communications. Research was done into methods used by satellite common carriers for realistic data and calculations. A proposed data link to connect flight simulators at the ERAU Prescott campus …