Aviation Commons^™

Exploring Civil Drone Accidents And Incidents To Help Prevent Potential Air Disasters, Graham Wild, John Murray, Glenn Baxter

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A recent alleged “drone” collision with a British Airways Airbus A320 at Heathrow Airport highlighted the need to understand civil Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) accidents and incidents (events). This understanding will facilitate improvements in safety by ensuring efforts are focused to reduce the greatest risks. One hundred and fifty two RPAS events were analyzed. The data was collected from a 10-year period (2006 to 2015). Results show that, in contrast to commercial air transportation (CAT), RPAS events have a significantly different distribution when categorized by occurrence type, phase of flight, and safety issue. Specifically, it was found that RPAS …

Increasing Collegiate Flight Training Fleet Utilization Through The Use Of An Aircraft Assignment Algorithm, John H. Mott, Daniel Henao, Mitchell S. Hodgen, Darcy M. Bullock

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The operational efficiency of fleet aircraft employed for student flight training in collegiate aviation programs is strongly influenced by scheduling, among other factors. The average utilization rate for the fleet operated by the Purdue University School of Aviation and Transportation Systems was found to be 24% (Avery, 2014), and there is no data to suggest that that this rate is atypical in similar institutional programs. Mott and Bullock (2015) identified several means by which the utilization rate could be increased, and improvements in the dispatch and scheduling process were a key component of those recommendations. This article describes a scheduling …

Optimization Of Takeoffs On Unbalanced Fields Using Takeoff Performance Tool, Nihad E. Daidzic

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Unbalanced field length exists when ASDA and TODA are not equal. Airport authority may add less expensive substitutes to runway full-strength pavement in the form of stopways and/or clearways to basic TORA to increase operational takeoff weights. Here developed Takeoff Performance Tool is a physics-based total-energy model used to simulate FAR/CS 25 regulated airplane takeoffs. Any aircraft, runway, and environmental conditions can be simulated, while complying with the applicable regulations and maximizing performance takeoff weights. The mathematical model was translated into Matlab, Fortran 95/2003/2008, Basic, and MS Excel computer codes. All existing FAR/CS 25 takeoff regulations are implemented. Average forces …

Standardization Of Human-Computer-Interface For Geo-Fencing In Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, David Thirtyacre, Robert Brents, Michael Goldfein, David Hunter, B. Terwilliger

Publications

The use of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) has increased significantly in the past year. Geographic fencing (geo-fencing) is software built into most medium-cost consumer sUAS. This software is typically used to limit the altitude above launch point, the flight distance from the transmitting controller, and/or restrict flight inside a no-fly zone. While the concept of a geo-fence is simplistic, the human-computer-interface (HCI) varies drastically among platforms, and even between software iterations on the same platform. This research examines the HCI of three popular consumer-level sUAS with regard to geo-fencing. The software procedures and human interface for the DJI Inspire-1, …

Quantifying The Effects Of Humidity On Density Altitude Calculations For Professional Aviation Education, Thomas A. Guinn, Randell J. Barry

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The effects of humidity on density altitude are quantified in detail and graphically represented as a function of temperature and dew-point temperature for ease of use in professional aviation education. A ten-year climatology of dew-point temperatures for various representative locations throughout the United States is created to provide a basis for comparison and use with the graphical displays. Density altitude is demonstrated to be a function only of dew-point temperature for a given pressure altitude. The absolute errors between density altitude calculations that incorporate humidity to those that do not are combined with linear regression techniques to create a simple …

A Model Of Human Harm From A Falling Unmanned Aircraft: Implications For Uas Regulation, Andrew V. Shelley

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This paper quantifies the human harm, in the form of fatalities and skull fractures, which could occur as a result of an unmanned aircraft falling from a height. The analysis is used to establish the maximum height at which an unmanned aircraft can be flown over people to achieve a level of safety consistent with the rate of ground fatalities from General Aviation. The maximum height is dependent on the aircraft mass and the population density of people on the ground below.

The results are used to inform a critical evaluation of recent recommendations from the FAA-chartered “Unmanned Aircraft Systems …

Flight Physician - July, 2016, Civil Aviation Medical Association

Browse all Civil Aviation Medical Association Newsletters

A twenty-one page newsletter of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. The newsletter provided news about civil aviation medicine and information related to the organization.

Windswept: Tailwinds, Headwinds, Crosswinds - Oh My!, Nihad E. Daidzic

Aviation Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Passenger Obesity And Regional Aircraft Performance For The Most Corpulent States In The Usa, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

Obesity affects over 25% of Americans; however, prescribed FAA standard passenger weights for US airlines are based on data compiled 15 years ago. Since increased passenger weight degrades aircraft performance and may lead to a loss of control, the hypothesis herein is that passenger weight under-estimation for states with high obesity rates could potentially lead to a runway overrun or the inability to out climb rising terrain. In terms of the employed methodology, current person weights for the ten most obese states were determined using nationwide data adjusted for state ethnicity. Performance degradation for regional aircraft was assessed by accelerate-stop …

Predicting General Aviation Pilots’ Weather-Related Performance Through A Scenario-Based Written Assessment, Jessica Cruit

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Weather-related accidents continue to challenge the general aviation 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 suggest that there needs to be more assessment of weather-related scenario/application questions for the private pilot’s written knowledge exam in order to assess a deeper level of knowledge for weather-related material. The purpose of this study is to design a …

The Effects Of Is-Bao Implementation And Leadership Performance On Safety Culture In Business Aviation Flight Operations, Christopher Mark Broyhill

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The International Standard, Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), with a Safety Management System (SMS) as its core element, has been widely accepted by both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the business aviation industry as the mechanism to create a healthy safety culture among the business aviation operators who have implemented the standard. Scholarly literature, however, has presented leadership as the most important factor in the creation and management of a healthy safety culture in organizations in general and aviation organizations in particular. This study examined and compared the effects of IS-BAO progression and leadership performance on the perceptions of …

The Effects Of Safety Culture And Ethical Leadership On Safety Performance, Kevin O’Leary

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation investigated the effects of safety culture and ethical leadership on safety performance in Fractional jet pilots in the United States. The primary objective was to develop a well-fitted model linking these constructs. A composite survey instrument was developed from instruments previously validated in the literature.

There were 305 complete and valid responses from Fractional pilots. The hypothesized factor structure consisted of seven factors. The exogenous factor of safety culture was made up of four sub-factors. The endogenous factors included ethical leadership, pilot commitment, and safety performance. Safety performance was a second order factor consisting of errors and attitudes …

Aviation And Cybersecurity: Opportunities For Applied Research, Jon Haass, Radhakrishna Sampigethaya, Vincent Capezzuto

Publications

Aviation connects the global community and is moving more people and payloads faster than ever. The next decade will experience an increase in manned and unmanned aircraft and systems with new features and unprecedented applications. Cybertechnologies—including software, computer networks, and information technology—are critical and fundamental to these advances in meeting the needs of the aviation ecosystem of aircraft, pilots, personnel, passengers, stakeholders, and society. This article discusses current and evolving threats as well as opportunities for applied research to improve the global cybersecurity stance in the aviation and connected transportation industry of tomorrow.

An Advanced Tabu Search Approach To The Dynamic Airlift Loading Problem, August G. Roesener, J. Wesley Barnes

Faculty Publications

This research effort presents a tabu search algorithm to solve the dynamic airlift loading problem. Given a set of palletized cargo items which require transportation from an aerial port of embarkation to an aerial port of debarkation within a pre-specified time frame, the dynamic airlift loading problem seeks to partition the pallets into aircraft loads, select an efficient and effective subset of aircraft from available aircraft, and assign the pallets to allowable positions on those aircraft. The dynamic airlift loading problem differs from many partitioning and packing problems described in the literature because, in addition to spatial constraints, factors such …

An Exploratory Study: Correlations Between Occupational Stressors, Coping Mechanisms, And Job Performance Among Chinese Aviation Maintenance Technicians, Yu Wang, Julius C. Keller, Chenyu Huang, Richard O. Fanjoy

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Aviation maintenance technicians play a vital role in air transportation. These workers are responsible for keeping aircraft airworthy and executing safety responsibilities. Undesirable stress levels may have a negative impact on work performance (Mowday, Porter, & Steers, 2013). Poor work performance may manifest in safety violations, absenteeism, turnover, and disengagement. These outcomes may disrupt an organization’s operation and negatively impact the financial bottom line. This mixed-methods exploratory research study was aimed at examining the relationships between occupational stress, coping mechanisms, and job performance. Research questionnaires were electronically distributed to frontline aviation maintenance technicians at multiple airlines in China. Eighty-two ( …

Judging Airline Pilots’ Performance With And Without An Assessment Model: A Comparison Study Of The Scoring Of Raters From Two Different Airlines, David Weber

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Various models have been suggested to assess the performance of airline pilots. However, the influence of a model on assessors’ scoring remains largely unexplored. The aim of the present study was to contrast the assessments of raters from two airlines, who assessed performance in pairs of the same airline and rank by using or not using an assessment model. The results showed differences between the assessors of the two airlines in terms of their scoring. Implications were drawn in regards to the usage of a model and its influence on pilot performance assessment.

The Tornado That Struck Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University On Christmas Day, 2006: Lessons Learned From A Near-Miss, John M. Lanicci

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

An F2 tornado that touched down in Daytona Beach on Christmas Day afternoon caused over $50 million of damage to the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University campus and nearby neighborhoods. The tornado was part of a severe-weather outbreak over Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina that began during the overnight hours of 25 December 2006. Examination of surface and upper-level meteorological charts and vertical soundings on the morning of 25 December showed stability and wind-shear conditions favorable for tornadic thunderstorms over this region. The evolution of the squall line that moved through east-central Florida, and the parent thunderstorm that produced the tornado was …

Quantitative Risk Evaluation Of Obstacle Limitation Surfaces For Final Approaches At Airports, Amila Silva, Alexandre G. De Barros

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Obstacle limitation surfaces (OLS) are the main safeguard against objects that can pose a hazard to aircraft operations at and around airports. The standard dimensions of the most of those surfaces were estimated using the pilot’s experience at the time when they were included in the standard documents. As a result, some of these standards may have been overestimated, while others may not provide an adequate level of safety. With airports moving to the Safety Management System (SMS) approach to design and operations safety, proper evaluation of the level of safety provided by OLS at specific sites becomes important to …

Estimation Of Performance Airspeeds For High-Bypass Turbofans Equipped Transport-Category Airplanes, Nihad E. Daidzic

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Conventional Mach-independent subsonic drag polar does not replicate the real airplane drag characteristics exactly and especially not in the drag-divergence region due to shock-induced transonic wave drag. High-bypass turbofan thrust is a complicated function of many parameters that eludes accurate predictions for the entire operating envelope and must be experimentally verified. Fuel laws are also complicated functions of many parameters which make optimization and economic analysis difficult and uncertain in the conceptual design phase. Nevertheless, mathematical models and predictions have its important place in aircraft development, design, and optimization. In this work, airspeed-dependent turbofan thrust and the new fuel-law model …

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 …