Education Commons^™

Training Methods Research Opportunities For A Pilot Workforce In Transition: A Literature Review, James Birdsong Phd, Kurt L. Reesman Phd

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Over the next 15 years, 50% of the U.S. commercial air carrier workforce will retire, making way for younger pilots from Generations Y and Z. This review identifies the emerging pilot workforce and training methods, including emerging technologies and learning methods, as well as research gaps.

Systems Thinking Applied To Higher Education Curricula Development, Reza Rahdar, Mark London, Yuetong Lin, Hong Jiang

Publications

Systems Thinking (ST) is a general and yet nebulous term that describes an approach to understanding and working with complexity in the real world. ST seeks to evaluate different behaviors of individual system elements when they operate in isolation as opposed to when they are integrated as part of a larger system and placed within a particular operating environment. The education environment consists of multiple systems with different digital content, learning goals/outcomes that serve different stakeholders including teachers, learners, and administrators. The inherent complexity and interaction among these various educational system elements and functions make this environment a worthy candidate …

The Influence Of In-School Time (Ist) And Out-Of-School Time (Ost) Learning Experiences On Aviation Career Entry, Andrew Koch

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Increased demand for aviation has created a skill and workforce gap. An understanding of how to increase this potential workforce is vital to ensure the ongoing success and sustainability of the commercial aviation industry. This research explores science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs as a potential avenue for increasing the available aviation workforce. Specifically, it explores how STEM programs and their associated learning experiences influence career entry.

Utilizing a mixed methodology approach, this research retrospectively explored the self-reported effect of out-of-school time (OST) and in-school time (IST) STEM experiences on aviation career development. Through interviews, a survey instrument was …

Workforce Of The Future Begins With Aviation Stem, Lyndsay Digneo

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The United States has always been a world leader in aviation. This leadership position relies on the strength of the American STEM workforce and the quality of the nation’s educational, industrial, and government institutions. Therefore, it is imperative to nurture today’s students to become a well-trained STEM workforce in the future.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC) recognizes that in pursuing its mission of aviation research, engineering, development, and test and evaluation, it is in a unique position to support aviation STEM activities for schools (K-12), post-secondary institutions, and community organizations. In 2016, the Technical …

Why Should Airline Workers Be Trained To Respond To Fume Events?, Judith Tl Anderson

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The potential for engine oil and hydraulic fluid fumes to contaminate the ventilation air supplied to the aircraft cabin and flight deck has been recognized since the 1950s as a function of the design and maintenance of the bleed air system. The presence of oil and hydraulic fluid in the bleed air matters because the fumes contain complex mixtures of chemicals, including toxic additives. Starting in the 1950s and continuing to this day, crewmembers around the world have documented ill health during and after breathing these fumes. Also, some crewmembers have reported impairment and even incapacitation inflight, resulting in investigations …

Improved Feedback Mechanisms Of The Hydraulics Sandbox Simulator, Karen J. Johnson, Martin Hebel

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The proposed presentation will include the following project and results from implementation in an aircraft hydraulic systems course.

In 2020 we developed a digital hydraulics system schematic sandbox for use in an FAA Part 147 airframe maintenance technician training program (See Figure 1). The sandbox allows students to drag-drop-connect components used in systems such as those found in aircraft. It allows them to ‘test-connect’ the components to get feedback on correct and incorrect ‘construction’. As shown in Figure 1, light green ‘hoses’ are correct supply connections, dark green are correct return connections and red are incorrect connections per established rules …

Collegiate Aviation Students’ Perceptions Towards The Integration Of Diversity And Inclusion Training: A Qualitative Case Study, Jorge L. D. Albelo Ph.D., Nicola M. O'Toole M.S., Eugene Kim B.S.

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Multiple industries have become more supportive and engaging places to work by embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion within their institutional processes. Institutions of higher education have seen the educational benefits of integrating diversity and inclusion principles within their program outcomes. Notably, the aviation industry has seen an increase in diversity, equity, and inclusion practices to attract more customers and increase the number of potential applicants. Yet, there is scant literature on how aviation students at collegiate flight institutions perceive the integration of diversity and inclusion training within the airline industry as part of their career development. This study aimed to …

Testing Backward Chaining Ab-Initio Flight Instruction, Samuel M. Vance, Kat Gardner-Vandy Phd, Brendan A. Pearce

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This conceptual/exploratory research updates that previously published in the Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research (JAAER) Vol. 30, Issue 1 (Spring 2021) which asked if backward chaining, ab-initio pilot training decrease time to first solo? The specific focus of the research was the viability of landings instruction as the first ab-initio lesson. The research compared a total of eight respondents in a backward-chained flight instruction methodology against four respondents in a forward-chained flight instruction methodology. All 12 respondents were recruited without previous flight instruction or Pilot-in-Command logged flight time. Ground instruction preceded simulator instruction which was followed by instruction in …

Accuracy Assessment Of The Ebee Using Rtk And Ppk Corrections Methods As A Function Of Distance To A Gnss Base Station, Joseph Cerreta, David Thirtyacre, Peter Miller, Scott S. Burgess, William J. Austin

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The use of unmanned aircraft systems to collect data for photogrammetry models has grown significantly in recent years. The accuracy of a photogrammetric model can depend on image georeferencing. The distance from a reference base station can affect the accuracy of the results. Positioning corrections data relies on precise timing measurements of satellite signals. The signals travel through the Earth's atmosphere, which introduces errors due to ionospheric and tropospheric delays. The aim of this research was to examine the eBee X and its global GNSS accuracy by comparing the RTK and PPK methods at different base station distances in photogrammetry …

Xr In Aviation Training: Insight From Academia, Industry, And Non-Profit Institutions, Stephanie G. Fussell, Robert L. Thomas, Bejamin Kwasa, James Birdsong, Kurt Reesman, Lori Brow, Joel Scharlat, William T. Ballo

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on education and training. Institutions that relied heavily on face-to-face instruction suddenly needed alternative modalities to keep students on course, forcing educators and trainers to employ a variety of educational techniques via technologies that they may not have had experience with. This shift has brought the advantages – and disadvantages – of augmented, mixed, and virtual reality technologies (collectively, extended reality or XR) for education and training into sharp focus. Programs were quickly assembled, and not always with consideration of learning theories. As learning and training were resumed in in-person settings, academics and …

Creating The Next Generation Of Aviation Professionals: Creating Diversity In The Next Generation, Jason T. Lorenzon

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Covid-19, mandatory retirement age, the 1500 Hour ATP rule and lack of future aviation professionals has lead to a global industry crisis. With the boom of the 1990’s, 9/11, the Great Recession, Covid-19, the lack of younger individuals dedicating themselves to the study of aviation has led to a current crisis of a lack of aviation professionals ready to serve the industry currently and in the future. Lorenzon will trace how the work force shortage started well over twenty years ago. Boeing and Airbus both predict that over 2.2 million new workers including over 600000 pilots will be needed. Yet …

Fatigue In Aircraft Maintenance Technician Schools, Natalie Zimmermann, Peng Hao Wang, Keegan Pullen

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Fatigue has long been identified as a human factor in aviation. Subsequently, a series of studies have highlighted fatigue-related elements within the context of the aviation industry, focusing on the flight deck – with some extension to flight students – and aviation maintenance activities. However, the latter has not been as deeply examined as its flight crew-centered counterpart. Similarly – if not more significantly – fatigue experienced by aircraft maintenance technician (AMT) students is scarcely explored, especially in comparison to the research conducted to understand fatigue in flight schools. AMT students are subject to comparable, but not the same, experiences …

“You’Ll Never Really Be One Of Us”: Women’S Underrepresentation In The Aviation Workforce, Rebecca K. Lutte Ph.D., Shannon M. Morrison Ph.D.

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Women are underrepresented in many aviation occupations despite outreach and recruitment efforts from multiple organizations. Attracting women into aviation is a necessity not only to address workforce demand but also to achieve the benefits of a more diverse workforce to include enhanced profitability, safety, and innovation. To address the gender gap, the research presented here attempts to inform recruitment/retention strategies by identifying both the positive and negative factors that influence a woman’s decision to pursue a career in aviation and the decision to persist. Additionally, factors such as participation in youth outreach programs, role of mentors, influencers who support or …

Teaching Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Aviation Education., Jorge L. D. Albelo Ph.D., Nicola O'Toole

Publications

Over the last decade, many companies have begun to recognize the value of a diverse workforce, equity within the workforce, and inclusion practices. Recent global events have pushed the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the aviation workplace and education higher on the priority list for many. Unfortunately, the aviation industry continues to have difficulty in attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. Notwithstanding this struggle in the industry, those in education must find ways to educate our students on topics relating to DEI. It is critically important that this training is rooted in research. The aviation industry is …

Optimization Of A Customized Leadership Development Program Upskilling English Language Fluency In Brazil Aviation Leaders, Robin A. Roberts

Publications

Objective: The present study explored how a customized leadership development program (LDP) with coursework taught in English to non-native English speakers could optimize English language fluency in Brazil airline leaders.

Background: Currently, problems exist with a myriad of native language accents and phraseology interfering with cognitive reflexes especially for aircrews and air traffic controllers to safely do their work. Executives from four Brazilian airlines proactively implemented a 14-month LDP focused on English language fluency and leadership enhancements collectively for leaders within their firms.

Method: Blended learning as proposed by the International Civil Aviation Organization provided the experiential …

Interactive Modules For Flight Training: A Review, Stephanie G. Fussell Ph.D., Robert Thomas Ph.D.

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

The use of animation and video, combined with auditory and text components, to teach complex subjects can be beneficial to deepen understanding. A review of the literature was conducted to better understand how interactive learning modules can give flight students tools to enhance the learning process outside of traditional instruction. Instructional theories and educational environments were considered through the lens of designing course content for flight students. Several research questions were asked to guide the course of the research, all focused on how students learn a complex subject matter using interactive material. Guidelines and principles are discussed to ensure the …

Aviation English Assessment And Training, Robert Fowler, Elizabeth Mathews, Jena Lynch, Jennifer Roberts M.A.

Publications

Due to a significant global increase in demand for air travel, there has been a corresponding increase in demand for ab initio flight training. Thousands of international flight students seek admission to collegiate aviation programs in the United States and Canada every year. These international flight students come to the United States and Canada because flight training is nonexistent in their native countries. In fact, flight training in most of these countries is impossible due to airspace restrictions and onerous regulations. If there is flight training available in these countries, the cost is usually prohibitive compared to the cost in …

Implementing Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning Into Advanced Qualification Programs, Jennifer R. Herr

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Since its start, the Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) has encouraged new and innovative strategies for training airline crewmembers. The foundation of AQP is to train crew the way they fly and to find new and innovative ways to increase safety through training. By using data collected through the AQP process, training methods can be refined and improved. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can make data analysis and training more effective and efficient. This paper will explore these concepts and how AI and machine learning could be implemented in the AQP process to make training more …

Can Backward-Chained, Ab-Initio Pilot Training Decrease Time To First Solo?, Samuel M. Vance Ph.D., Kat Gardner-Vandy Ph.D., Jared Alan Freihoefer

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Flight simulation has made progressively significant inroads into pilot training at all levels of a pilot’s career – typically starting with training for the Instrument rating in light aircraft and concluding with Type Certification in transport category jetliners. This research was designed to explore if significant training inroads could also be offered to ab-initio pilots, those with no prior flight experience. An experimental group of four pilot trainees, without prior flight experience, were exposed to flight in a backwards-chained simulation starting from 4’ AGL (Above Ground Level). Graduated, exponential increments of both altitude and distance from landing were successively added …

Women In Aviation: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Needs And Wants Necessary For Graduation, Eugene Kim, Jorge L. D. Albelo

Student Works

Despite the increased awareness of gender and race equality movements, today's population of minority women in aviation is still underrepresented. This research focused on underrepresented minority women who want to pursue a career in the aviation field and what factors affect their level of success in a specialized aviation higher education institution. There is not enough data and research surrounding the topic of minority women in aviation and their paths to success in these institutions. This qualitative research aimed to bridge the existing gap in the literature related to minority women in aviation and their needs and wants to complete …

The Universality Of Communication: Preparing The Next Generation Of Aviation Professionals, Patti J. Clark Ph.D., Doreen M. Mcgunagle Ph.D., Laura Zizka Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Current aviation college programs aim to prepare the next generation of aviation professionals to meet the needs of the ever-increasing global demand for air travel. Previous literature has identified gaps in competencies that employers noted in young graduates. This study attempts to narrow that gap by focusing on the curriculum of the top 20 aviation programs in the U.S. to compare the curriculum to the skills employers cited to assess whether the courses offered in the current programs reflect the actual needs of the aviation workplace. From a survey of Aerospace and Defense (A&D) employers, ten skills were cited: Team …

Drones Are Everywhere!, Andreas Wesemann Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Drones are everywhere! Using technology to enhance learning in collegiate and secondary school education.

Unmanned Aerial Systems are invading our campus at Utah State University, and we see drones flying everywhere. Using hands-on activities, including design, building and actually flying, students are becoming FAA certified Remote Pilot as part of a new minor at USU. This workshop will discover how this program was created, how the use of active learning labs compliment student programs in all disciplines from journalism to business, and landscape architecture to natural resources. Using examples from the first two years of course offerings, participants will discover …

Language Education For Ab Initio Flight Training: A Plan Going Forward, Jennifer Roberts, Alan Orr

Publications

English language proficiency for the aviation industry is a critical issue given the industry’s growth in regions of the world where English is not a first or a national language. This chapter discusses language training for ab initio flight students who will comprise much of the next generation of aviation professionals (NGAP). It describes aviation English as a form of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and the language skills required for flight school contexts where English is the Medium of Instruction (EMI). The chapter advocates for the assessment of incoming ab initio flight school students using a tool adapted from …

A Proposed Taxonomy For General Aviation Pilot Weather Education And Training, John M. Lanicci, Thomas A. Guinn, Jayde M. King, Beth Blickensderfer, Robert Thomas, Yolanda Ortiz

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

As General Aviation (GA) safety continues to remain a focus of the aviation community, GA pilot weather education and training continues to be an active area of interest within the research community. This study introduces a taxonomy for organizing GA pilot weather education and training materials that was originally conceived as part of the FAA’s Weather Technology In the Cockpit research program. The taxonomy is built upon three main knowledge categories, or tiers:1) Weather Phenomena (which includes hazards); 2) Weather Hazard Products; and 3) Weather Hazard Product Sources and their Application. The concept behind the categorization is to link knowledge …

Suborbital Payload Testing Aboard Level 3 Rocket Research Platform, Pedro Llanos, Sathya Gangadharan, Nikita Amberkar, Isachi Halphen, Melisa Mastroliberti, Michelle Munasinghe

Publications

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) has launched several suborbital scientific payloads aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard in 2017 and 2019. Students continue gaining hands-on experience in rocket design and construction, and payload integration and testing of future and more mature payloads to be launched into space. A Level 3 Rocket is being designed and developed at ERAU to serve as a scaled-down model research platform for launching and testing of payloads that will be later flown in commercial suborbital platforms such as Blue Origin’s New Shepard and PLD space Miura 1 rockets. Computer simulations were conducted to calculate the key parameters …

The Jump Seat Experience, Luke Moriarty

Student Works

It was a Tuesday afternoon as I sat in the conference room of Aegean Airlines, an airline based in the country of Greece. My fellow peers, professors and I were here on a study abroad program, currently participating in a week long workshop with the airline company. It was lunch time, all gathered around at rectangle tables when we found out the answer to our long-anticipated question. The Chief Pilot stood up stating he had an announcement to make. All of the students including myself had a look confusion and anticipation on our faces, we wondered could this be what …

Varying Class Schedules And Learning Effectiveness At Far Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Training Schools (Amts), Kristen Hammer

Student Works

Of the three learning styles, kinesthetic (hands-on) learning is the most common for individuals (Dinkel, 2011). This is especially relevant for people who work in technical, skill-based fields, such as aircraft maintenance. The hands-on learning style, coupled with a job that requires a great depth of systems knowledge, tool, equipment, and component manipulation, and a multitude of other physical job-related skills, requires that the student maximize his or her knowledge and skill retention while in training. The purpose of this research was to determine if FAR Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technician School (AMTS) students would achieve more success, as measured …

English Language Proficiency And Aviation Safety, Robert Fowler Jr.

Student Works

The goal of this research study is to determine if aviation incidents and accidents due to deficiencies in English language proficiency have increased in the last 10 years based on data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). In addition, this study will determine whether deficiencies in English language proficiency have a significant impact on aviation safety. There are currently 184,636 student pilots according to the Federal Aviation Administration Airmen Certification System. Included in this number are 11,776 student pilots with a foreign address (Federal Aviation Administration [FAA], 2019). Findings presented at a NASA …

Enhancing Suborbital Science Through Better Understanding Of Wind Effects, Pedro Llanos, Diane Howard

Space Traffic Management Conference

This paper highlights the importance of understanding some key factors, such as winds effects, trajectory and vehicle parameters variations in order to streamline the space vehicle operations and enhance science in the upper mesosphere at about 85 km. Understanding these effects is crucial to refine current space operations and establish more robust procedures. These procedures will involve training new space operators to conduct and coordinate space operations in class E above FL600 airspace within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).

Space vehicles such as Space Ship Two can spend up to 6 minutes in class E airspace above FL600 after launch. …

Global Aviation System: Towards Sustainable Development, Marina P. Bonser Dr.

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Aviation around the world has integrated into a global system. As the integration process continues, more aspects and levels of it need to be lead towards the sustainable development of the whole system via advancing strategic management, global communication proficiency, and technological expertise. It becomes essential to enrich global language (English) proficiency with cross-cultural communication competence not only for communication in the air but also for airport security, passenger and cargo services, aircraft and equipage engineering, building, and maintenance. Nowadays lower levels of management need more advanced strategic thinking and problem solving skills, and higher levels of management need global …