Aviation Commons^™

Security Baggage Process And On Time Performance At Guarulhos International Airport, Begara Diego, Adenil Oliveira, Davi Oliveira, Sabrina Santos, Ana Souza

Graduate Student Works

The study recommended starting the process of screening domestic passengers’ checked baggage at Guarulhos – São Paulo International Airport – for airlines efficiency and security improvement reasons. The aviation industry in Brazil is at risk. Domestic flights, which accounts for over 85% of the airport activity at Guarulhos International Airport, do not have a process in which checked baggage of the boarding passengers are duly screened. That risk is significant to personal welfare and business. This Capstone Project demonstrated that such an issue should be addressed. Not only is there a potential risk involved in not screening baggage of domestic …

Twin-Wing Design Options Used For Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Achieve High Altitudes At Low Speeds, Ian R. Mcandrew, Elena Vishnevskaya, Andrew Carruthers

Publications

The paper addresses the aerodynamic performance of twin‐wing aircraft (biplanes) that are remotely piloted. While twin wing aircraft are acknowledged as to having greater maneuverability than monoplanes, they have inherent disadvantages based on the set position of the upper wing to meet piloting needs which induces significant levels of drag from the struts that link the upper and lower wings together. In this research, the aerodynamics of the wing position in relationship to the lower wing are analyzed with Computational Fluid Mechanics/Dynamics and simulation models. It will show that modern material can eliminate the strut drag and allow for greater …

How Iridium Satellite Tracker Model 9602-Lp Asset Affects Span Of Control In High Altitidue Balloning, Steven Hamby

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

The Irdium Satelitte Network has greatly increased safety in the ballooning field by enabling a greater span of control in flight awarness and termination. This enhanced awareness stems from accurate high interval GPS coordinates that can be integrated into ground station tracking software. The Iridium Network creates the ability to send activation commands remotely with high reliabilty using emails. Additionally this feature has the ability to use local rf transmiters and recievers to increase the flexibilty of cutdown designs. The Iridium Modems provides significant coverage regardless of altitude and loss of ground communication. It is marketed at econmical price point …

High Altitude Balloon Flight Predictions, Sara Stafford

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

The ability to make accurate predictions of a high altitude balloon’s flight trajectory is critical for safety, protection of sensitive payloads, and ease of payload recovery. Several free software programs and websites are available which make predictions straightforward and yield acceptable results. Additional resources are presented which help evaluate the stability of the projected flight track. The various methods of prediction will be described and results compared with actual flight data.

Safety Climate Of Ab-Initio Flying Training Organizations: The Case Of An Australian Tertiary (Collegiate) Aviation Program, Yi Gao, Natalia Rajendran

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

A healthy safety culture is essential to the safe operation of any aviation organization, including flight schools. This study aimed to assess the safety climate of an Australian tertiary (collegiate) aviation program using a self-constructed instrument. Factor analysis of the instrument identified four safety themes, which are Safety Reporting Culture, Safety Reporting Procedure, Organizational Culture and Practice, and General Safety Knowledge. The responses of student pilots suggested that the overall safety climate of the subject flight training academy was healthy at the time of the survey. Further analyses found that perceptions of students of different year groups on Reporting Culture …

Predicting General Aviation Pilots’ Weather-Related Performance Through A Scenario-Based Assessment, Jessica Cruit, Christina Frederick, Beth Blickensderfer, Joseph Keebler, Thomas Guinn

Publications

Weather-related accidents continue to challenge the general aviation (GA) community and with the development of advanced weather technology, GA pilots need additional education and training on how to effectively use these weather products to ensure flight safety. Currently, the literature on aviation weather suggests that there is a gap in both training and assessment strategy for GA pilots. Furthermore, several studies advocate assessing GA pilots at a deeper level of learning by including weather-based, scenario/application questions on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) written exam for private pilots. After first developing a scenario-based, aviation weather assessment, we used a multiple regression …

Expanding Aeronautical Experience: Obtaining Additional Aircraft Categories, Classes, And Type Certificates And Ratings, Nihad E. Daidzic

Aviation Department Publications

FAA Safety Seminar (GL1578761F) held at Minnesota State University, Mankato Wiecking Center Auditorium at 18:00 CST on Thursday, October, 12, 2017.

How Law Enforcement Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Uas) Could Improve Tactical Response To Active Shooter Situations: The Case Of The 2017 Las Vegas Shooting, Ryan J. Wallace, Jon M. Loffi

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Using a case study methodology, this paper assesses the unique tactical challenges faced by law enforcement officers responding to the October 1, 2017, Las Vegas active shooter incident. The authors assessed the tactical strengths of the assailant, Stephen Paddock, and challenges faced by law enforcement personnel. The authors present several proposed applications of unmanned aircraft systems that could have potentially mitigated the active shooter’s tactical advantages.

Vfr-Into-Imc Accident Trends: Perceptions Of Deficiencies In Training, Wesley L. Major, Thomas Carney, Julius Keller, Allen Xie, Matt Price, John Duncan, Lori Brown, Geoffrey R. Whitehurst, William G. Rantz, Dominic Nicolai, Beth M. Beaudin-Seiler

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Pilots who operate under visual flight rules (VFR) and in visual meteorological conditions, who then continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), remain as one of the leading causes of fatal aircraft accidents in general aviation. This paper examines past and current research initiatives, in seeking to identify causal factors and gaps in training that lead to VFR-into-IMC aircraft accidents, using a mixed methods approach. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute database and the National Transportation Safety Board database search engines were used to identify accident reports associated with VFR flight into IMC/deteriorating weather conditions for a …

Pulling Gs-The Evolution Of High Performance Aerobatics, Matt Chapman

ERAU Prescott Aviation History Program

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is proud to sponsor one of the top airshow performers in the world, Matt Chapman. Matt is recognized as an extraordinary aerobatic pilot who thrills millions of airshow fans each summer. He began flying aerobatics in 1984 and quickly worked his way up to the highest level of competition aerobatics –the Unlimited category. Recognized for his skills, he won one of only five slots on the U.S. Unlimited Men’s Aerobatic Team in 1996 and 1998. At the 1998 World Aerobatic Championships (WAC), Matt was the highest-ranking American pilot, finishing third in the world with a bronze medal. …

Assessing The Benefits Of Performance-Based Navigation Procedures, Kabir O. Kasim

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Performance-based Navigation (PBN) allows aviation operations to be conducted based on actual operational requirements rather than the requirements of ground-based equipment. Although the general operational benefits of PBN procedures have been recognized by various studies, there is a need to specify the actual benefits in terms of the frequency of event anomalies that could be expected from the use of PBN procedures. The study reviewed some of the available literature and identified some operational improvements as reported by previous authors. The study then proceeded to review archival data from the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database with a view to …

Rates And Causes Of Accidents For General Aviation Aircraft Operating In A Mountainous And High Elevation Terrain Environment, Marisa Aguiar, Alan Stolzer, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

Flying over mountainous and/or high elevation terrain is challenging due to rapidly changeable visibility, gusty/rotor winds and downdrafts and the necessity of terrain avoidance. Herein, general aviation accident rates and mishap cause/factors were determined (2001–2014) for a geographical region characterized by such terrain.

Accidents in single piston engine-powered aircraft for states west of the US continental divide characterized by mountainous terrain and/or high elevation (MEHET) were identified from the NTSB database. MEHET-related-mishaps were defined as satisfying any one, or more, criteria (controlled flight into terrain/obstacles (CFIT), downdrafts, mountain obscuration, wind-shear, gusting winds, whiteout, instrument meteorological conditions; density altitude, dust-devil) cited …

The Shaping Of Things That Are: How Airplane Windows Took Their Shape, Morgan Lopez

Student Works

Have you ever wondered why your airplane's windows are rounded? It is not for aesthetic appeal.

The first commercial jetliner windows' sole purpose was appearance; a squared window afforded an impressive view of the earth, but the view was not without consequence.

Design Of Dc-Link Vscf Ac Electrical Power System For The Embraer 190/195 Aircraft, Eduardo Francis Carvalho Freitas, Nihad E. Daidzic

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

A proposed novel DC-Link VSCF AC-DC-AC electrical power system converter for Embraer 190/195 transport category airplane is presented. The proposed converter could replace the existing conventional system based on the CSCF IDGs. Several contemporary production airplanes already have VSCF as a major or backup source of electrical power. Problems existed with the older VSCF systems in the past; however, the switched power electronics and digital controllers have matured and can be now, in our opinion, safely integrated and replace existing constant-speed hydraulic transmissions powering CSCF AC generators. IGBT power transistors for medium-level power conversion and relatively fast efficient switching are …

Vfr-Into-Imc: An Analysis Of Two Training Protocols On Weather-Related Posttest Scores, Julius C. Keller, Thomas Carney, Allen Xie, Wesley Major, Matt Price

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute, 264 accidents were identified as continued visual flight rules (VFR) into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), during the past ten years. Approximately 89% of those VFR-into-IMC accidents were fatal, causing hundreds of deaths. VFR-into-IMC has been a major concern for the general aviation community, prompting focused efforts. Research, data analyses, outreach, training, and education are recommended practices to address risks associated with VFR-into-IMC. Researchers of the current study sought to evaluate the cause and effect relationship between two training protocols and weather-related posttest scores. A pretest–posttest experimental design was utilized …

Assessing Situation Awareness In Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, Haydee M. Cuevas, Marisa Aguiar

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential utility of the Situation Awareness Linked Indicators Adapted to Novel Tasks (SALIANT) methodology as an assessment tool in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations. Eighteen participants completed a UAS scenario (port security) as part of nine two-person crews (pilot and sensor operator). Subject matter experts mapped the naturally occurring team behaviors in the UAS scenario to create a SALIANT checklist, which was then used to rate participants’ SA. Results showed the SALIANT methodology was able to discriminate differences in SA behaviors among the UAS crews. Results also revealed significant correlations between …

Detecting And Assessing Collision Potential Of Aircraft And Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Suas) By Visual Observers, Samuel M. Vance, Ryan J. Wallace, Jon M. Loffi, Jamey D. Jacob, Jared C. Dunlap, Taylor A. Mitchell

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Visual observers are used to assist the Remote Pilot with maintaining sight of the unmanned aircraft as well as scanning the surrounding airspace for potential collision hazards. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of visual observers in detecting an intruding general aviation aircraft approaching the small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) operations area. The study sought to determine the effectiveness of sUAS visual observers in detecting a general aviation aircraft collision hazard with a sUAS. Ten participants were asked to perform visual observer duties in support of a sUAS operation. Participants were asked to indicate when they …

Qualitative Analysis Of Loss Of Control Aircraft Accidents Using Text Mining Techniques, Carolina Anderson, Maryjo O. Smith

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The purpose of this study was to analyze the narrative National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident cause descriptions for general aviation (GA) Loss of Control (LOC) accident reports by the different certification categories: Federal Aviation Regulations Part 23 (Part 23), Civil Air Regulations 3 (CAR 3), Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), and Experimental-Amateur Built (E-AB). Airworthiness certification categories represent a wide diversity of government oversight. Part 23 rules have evolved from the initial set of simpler design standards and have progressed into a comprehensive and strict set of rules to address the safety issues of the more complex airplanes within the …

Modeling The Use Of An Airborne Platform For Cellular Communications Following Disruptions, Stephen John Curran

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In the wake of a disaster, infrastructure can be severely damaged, hampering telecommunications. An Airborne Communications Network (ACN) allows for rapid and accurate information exchange that is essential for the disaster response period. Access to information for survivors is the start of returning to self-sufficiency, regaining dignity, and maintaining hope. Real-world testing has proven that such a system can be built, leading to possible future expansion of features and functionality of an emergency communications system.

Currently, there are no airborne civilian communications systems designed to meet the demands of the public following a natural disaster. A system allowing even a …

Development And Investigation Of An Air Transportation Operations Safety Climate Scale, Matthew D. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

Safety is of critical importance in many industries, and the US Air Force is no exception. Since 2005, the US Air Force has experienced more than 119 on-duty air and ground fatalities as well as 520 off-duty ground fatalities. One of the more dangerous environments in the U.S. Air Force and the civilian industry is air transportation operations where the fatal injury rate is higher than the national average. However, peer-reviewed safety research focusing on air transportation operations is practically non-existent, both in the military and civilian context. Therefore, safety research that helps us better understand how to shape safety …