Engineering Commons^™

Fatigue Issues And Mitigation Strategies In Collegiate Aviation, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D., Julius Keller, Erik Levin, Aaron Teo

Publications

The reduction of fatigue-related accidents has been in the NTSB most wanted list since 2016 (NSTB, 2019).

Most research studies have focused on fatigue identification and management within the commercial and/or military aviation environments (Caldwell et al., 2009; Gawron, 2016; Sieberichs & Kluge, 2016).

However, collegiate aviation may be the most challenging in terms of fatigue mitigation. Flight instructors and students often have schedules which may increase the risks for fatigue.

Mitigating The Risk Of Bird Strikes: The Use Of Virtual Reality During Flight Training, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D., Julius Keller Ph.D., Chien-Tsung Lu, Chenyu Huang Ph.D.

Publications

There were 193,969 wildlife strikes in the US from 1990 through 2017. Wildlife strikes annually cost the US civil aviation industry, on average, $186 million in monetary losses and 111,284 hours of aircraft downtime (Dolbeer & Begier, 2019). According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) is a systematic approach that encourages pilots to identify hazards and manage risks (FAA, 2016). Additionally, it helps aviators to make timely and safe decisions. Even though it is practically impossible to eliminate the risk of bird strikes, crewmembers play a vital role in the accident prevention process (Mendonca, Carney, & Fanjoy, …

Correct Delay Code Assignment, Alessandro Conconi, Anderson Da Silva Serafim, Vitor Cordeiro Silva, Thais Vieira Haberli

Graduate Student Works

The air transport market requires high investments, has elevated risks, and low financial return. The competition requires airlines to differentiate themselves by offering better services. On-time Performance (OTP) is an essential service; lack of punctuality affects company costs and revenues. An on-time company generates more satisfaction for travelers, retaining them. Flight delays are identified and reported by airlines through delay codes that are standardized by IATA.

A detailed and specific analysis of an airline's processes was performed to verify the quality of delay code allocation information. It also features the complete mapping of this company's delay code allocation processes and …

A Better Approach For Mishandled Bags Industry Measure, Ana Caroline Costa, Daniel B. Ravagnani, Domenico Giuseppe Valente, Vitor Coletti Fernandes

Graduate Student Works

Since 1987, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has ordered US airlines to report baggage handling statistics. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), requests each U.S. carrier to report monthly the total number of passengers enplaned, and the total number of mishandled baggage reports (MBR), including lost, pilfered, damaged and delayed baggage. The U.S. DOT also created a mishandled-baggage rate, which represents the total number of MBRs divided by 1,000 passengers enplaned. This KPI is monthly published at the Air Travel Consumer Report. And it is used worldwide to make comparisons between regions, airports, and airlines, characterizing efficiency and consistency …

Contingency Fuel Reduction, Diogo Youssef, Fabiano Gomes De Oliveira, Joao Centeno, Luciano Figueiredo Vale De Oliveira

Graduate Student Works

This project reviews the minimum fuel regulations for commercial passenger flights in different countries and intends to scientifically support a change in the existing contingency fuel requirement regulation in Brazil. This change represents fuel savings for Brazilian air operations, and it deploys into competitive advantage for Brazilian airlines compared to foreign air operators. The objective of this project is to provide the Brazilian civil aviation regulators with the necessary data to justify the reduction of the contingency fuel values from the current 10% to 5%. This project bases the analysis on the historical data of fuel planning and fuel consumption …

Automated Disruption Assistance, Christian Gruber Delamare, Douglas Cabrera Lopes, Patrice Ramos, Raioni De Oliveira Santos

Graduate Student Works

During the last decade, commercial aviation in Brazil has grown significantly, overcoming the number of 100 million passengers per year. The intense operation represents a challenge for the air carriers, especially during flight disruptions. In Brazil, besides the re-accommodation of the passengers into other flights, under certain circumstances, the ANAC 400 resolution requires the airlines to provide a series of material assistance. Meal, transport, and hotel make part of the exigences stated by the ANAC 400.

Our study aims to analyze the current process that is mainly manual and propose to automatize several steps through a self-service solution. The researchers …

A Study On Spare Aircraft In Brazilian Airlines, Clarissa Pinheiro Pereira, Eduardo Sakashita, Eliudes Del Grande, Guilherme Bevilacqua

Graduate Student Works

All around the globe, the airlines struggle to sustain profitability. They are deeply affected by the region’s economy. It goes from the fuel price and exchange rate to the level of employment and average salary. That makes it imperative to control the cost, and also to balance very well the cost and level of service. Aircraft utilization is one KPI that measures productivity. Once the airline has a high aircraft utilization, it means that the resource has been productive, hence more cost-efficient.

On the other hand, flight cancelations and delays result in costs and passengers’ dissatisfaction. In Brazil, there is …

An Evaluation Of The Operational Restrictions Imposed To Congonhas Airport By Iac 121-1013, Glanski O.C. Pacheco Jr., Marcus Camargo

Graduate Student Works

The objective of this study is to propose a review of the operational restrictions imposed on Congonhas airport by IAC 121-1013, seeking a balance between flight safety and operational efficiency.

The researchers calculated the landing performance (using specific software), taking into account particular aircraft system failures that increase landing distance. The results indicated that the measures imposed by the IAC have little or no effect on the operational safety increase. Additionally, the restrictions created operational complexity for the airport and reduced its efficiency by impacting airline costs. At the end of the study, the researchers suggest a reissue of the …

Training Synergy, Andre Vieira Caputo, Everton Amieiro, Lucio De Araujo Alves, Renan Dapena Roveran

Graduate Student Works

Brazil is facing a growth in the airline industry where all the major airlines are currently hiring pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics. One of the challenges of those airlines is to provide training for all these professionals. Many times they do not have instructors or classrooms available. It is crucial for the airlines to promote faster and better training, to reduce cost, save time and resources to prepare a better professional. With this capstone, we want to show the possibility of increasing the cost performance of airline training by providing alternatives to airlines. The idea is to promote synergy between …

Engine Light Repair Shop Evaluation For A Brazilian Airline, Gustavo Henrique Melhado Trevilatto, Marcelo Teodoro Miranda

Graduate Student Works

The maintenance cost of a commercial aircraft comprises airframe, components, and engines. The most expensive of them are engines, which may represent up to 60% of an aircraft cost, and therefore will have a significant impact on any airline finance. As a result, engine fleet maintenance management is crucial for any airline sustainability. Apart from heavy maintenance where life limited parts are replaced and its performance restored, aircraft engines are often required to come off wing for light repair due to operational issues like foreign object damage, high oil consumption, and vibration issues. In other cases, even though being operational, …

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 …

The Flight Risk Perception Scale (Frps): A Modified Risk Perception Scale For Measuring Risk Of Pilots In Aviation, Scott R. Winter, Dothag Truong, Joseph R. Keebler

Publications

Risk and risk perception remain focal areas of research within the aviation domain. The purpose of the current study was to assess an existing measure of a 26-item self-risk perception scale for pilots. A sample of 490 participants was used in the present study, and a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the original 26-item instrument. The findings indicated that there was a poor model fit of the original instrument. Through the use of modification indices, a new 13-item scale was produced, which resulted in a second-order CFA model. Flight risk was shown to be the second-order construct with general …

Competency Based Education: A Framework For A More Efficient And Safer Aviation Industry, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D., Julius Keller Ph.D., Brian G. Dillman Ph.D.

Publications

Aircraft design and reliability as well as pilots’ education and training have steadily and significantly improved in the last 20 years. Nevertheless, high-profile accidents still occur, even when the aircraft and related systems are operating adequately. Controlled flight into terrain, runway incursions accidents, and loss-of-control-in-flight are examples of mishaps in which inadequate decision-making, poor leadership, and ineffective communication are frequently cited as contributing factors. Conversely, the investigation of accidents (e.g., US Airways Flight 1549, in US, in 01/15/2009) and serious incidents (e.g., JJ 3756, in Brazil, in 06/17/2011) have indicated that flight crews have to be flexible and adaptable, think …

Bird Hazard Mitigation Training For Part 141 General Aviation Pilots: An Experimental Study, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Richard O. Fanjoy Phd, Thomas Q. Carney

Publications

From 1990 through 2018 ==> 209,950 wildlife strikes in the U.S.,

Approximately 95% of those incidents involved birds;

Seventy aircraft destroyed as a result of wildlife strikes!

13 bird strikes 32 ==> fatalities;

• 244 wildlife strikes ==> 319 people injured!
• 224 bird strikes ==>299 people injured!

General aviation community;

• 97% of the strikes occurred below 3,500 feet AGL;
• There were 22,775 wildlife strikes ==> 26% caused damage to the aircraft!

Wildlife Hazard Management: An Analysis Of Wildlife Strikes Data From The Five Busiest Airports In Brasil: 2011-2018, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Julius Keller, Carlos F. G. Schonhardt

Publications

Brasil ==> the largest country in Latin America - 8.514.876 Km²;

Booming aviation industry;

• From 2008 through 2017 ==>7.1% per year;
• 104 million passengers in 2018;
• International destinations – 21.8 million (~20%);
• U.S. - 4.4 million passengers;
• Argentina – 3.8 million passengers;
• Portugal & Chile – 1.7 million passengers;
• Brazilian Airlines – 38.3%.

Domestic Passengers 200 million in 2030; International Passengers 55 million in 2030.

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 …

Comparative Analysis Of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations Manuals, Stephen M. Cigal

Student Works

With over 100,000 remote pilots in the United States, individuals and companies are rapidly incorporating unmanned aircraft system technologies into their everyday life and businesses models. The companies that use these technologies must comply with federal and state regulations in order to maintain a safe environment to operate. These operations must also be accepted by the general public. Since the FAA regulations for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) went into effect in 2016, supplemented by additional state and/or local requirements, some companies have generated operations manuals (OM) to ensure consistent, safe flight that meets these requirements. By analyzing the OM’s …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Perceived And Objective Airline Performance Quality, Kaetlyn Blocker, Javad Gorjidooz

Student Works

Commercial air carrier performance is a multivariable function, uniquely and substantially impacted by passenger's perception of negative employee behavior. High industry visibility, coupled with exponential social media growth, has provided the incredible potential to either widen or narrow the perception-performance gap. The present research conducts a rare longitudinal evaluation of objective airline performance quality in contrast with consumer perceptions of perceived airline performance and the dynamic changes occurring therein. Additionally, the implications regarding air carriers facing both objective and perceived performance challenges, as well as implications for the industry as a whole, are discussed. Utilizing nearly 30 years of objective …

Aviation Weather Products In General Aviation : Interpretability And Usability Research Trends, Jacqueline Mcsorley, Jayde King, Beth Blickensderfer

General Aviation Weather Display Interpretation

• Introduction
• Current Study
• Trends
• Summary
• Conclusion

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 …

The Effect Of Electronic Flight Bags In Flight Training On Preflight Skill Development And Aeronautical Decision Making, Shlok Misra, Michele Halleran

Student Works

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of utilizing Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) in flight training with emphasis on preflight skill development and Aeronautical Decision Making. The study participants were student pilots or private pilots who used EFBs in flight training and had not logged more than 100 total flight hours. The study utilized a simulation of the preflight process of a Visual Flight Rules cross-country flight in which the participants answered questions related to the flight preparation. Fifty percent of the study’s population completed this survey with the information provided through an EFB and the other 50% sample …

Safety Culture Awareness In Aviation Maintenance: Foundations To Present, Tori Kobayashi

Student Works

Safety Culture awareness in aviation maintenance organizations is necessary for the performance of effective maintenance and the safe operation of aircraft. Maintenance organizations that promote a strong culture of safety encourage honesty and integrity within the workplace. The environment where maintenance is performed differs from other aviation related operations. The promotion of safety in maintenance operations has been proven over time in publications written by the earliest pioneer in aviation safety, Jerome Lederer. The awareness of safety culture in aviation maintenance has evolved with the industry to the present day.

Exploring Perceived Usability And Interpretability Of Aviation Weather Products Among Ga Pilots, Jackie Mcsorley, Jayde King, Beth Blickensderfer

General Aviation Weather Display Interpretation

• Introduction
• Results
• Discussion
• Current Investigations

The Changing Face Of Airmanship And Safety Culture Operating Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Tracy Lamb

Student Works

The notion of using drones for commercial purposes has evolved in the past 5 years from the initial “boom” of excitement around this, somewhat of a novelty and curiosity, to more calculated and sophisticated use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones. In the hands of true professionals, drones can offer highly efficient and profitable solutions for industrial, and commercial inspections and other data capturing tasks. The appetite for safe and efficient collection of data is a changing face of safety cultures and how teams and individuals apply airmanship principles, and how inspection crew and UAS crew interact. UAS are …

Airline Quality Rating 2019, Brent D. Bowen, Dean E. Headley

Airline Quality Rating Report

To contribute to AQR 2020, we encourage you to take the Airline Passenger Survey. Please CLICK HERE.

The results of the 29th annual national Airline Quality Rating (AQR). The most comprehensive study of the performance quality of the 9 largest airlines in the United States, the AQR is conducted by researchers at the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott, Ariz., campus. Airline performance, as presented by AQR researchers, encompasses a multifactor look at the overall quality of the airlines. It includes on-time performance, denied boardings, mishandled baggage and customer complaints. …

Search And Rescue: The Importance Of Using Tracking Systems In Rural 135 Operations, April Larsen, Brent D. Bowen

Student Works

In January 2020, under the NextGen initiative put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), all aircraft flying in controlled airspace, both general aviation and commercial operations, will be required to have an Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS–B) system installed and operational. However, this is not required for Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 operations taking place outside of controlled airspace. Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) refers to aircraft operating as on-demand or air taxi services. A substantial amount of these operator’s bases, as well as flights, are conducted outside of controlled …

Quality Analysis Of United States Commercial Air Carriers: Airline Quality Rating 2019, Kaetlyn Blocker, Brent D. Bowen, Erin Bowen, Timothy B. Holt, Dean E. Headley

Student Works

Past research regarding major U.S. commercial air carriers and consumer perceptions of airline performance has provided little more than a descriptive “snapshot” of the average air traveler. Using the most recent data and findings, as well as building on the previous 29 continuous years of research with the national Airline Quality Rating (AQR), the present study attempts to move beyond the basic descriptive information by identifying significant changes that have occurred over the previous year. Collectively, changes may influence the way consumers, at varying levels of travel frequency, view the commercial air industry. This research utilizes trend analysis methodology by …

High Consequence Safety Research And Policy: The Us Airline Application, Calissa Spooner, Tori Kobayashi, Brent D. Bowen

Student Works

The implementation of safety programs in Flight Operations has been successful since the Federal Aviation Administration formally introduced Safety Management Systems (SMS) procedures in 2000. The addition of safety programs like SMS into aviation organizations has been confirmed to improve safety culture, communication, and overall hazard mitigation. This research explores the changes and improvements that are made in maintenance programs where an SMS is formally implemented. In the United States it is legal for children under the age of twenty-four months to fly in commercial aircraft on the lap of a parent or guardian, while being unsecured or unrestrained. Throughout …

Aviation Safety, Quality, And Economic Impact: A Policy Research System, Calissa Spooner, Tori Kobayashi, Cindy Greenman, Brent D. Bowen, Kaetlyn Blocker

Student Works

The United States airline industry is experiencing an underlying mix of challenges in areas of Quality, Safety, and Economics. This research focuses on three major components and the economic impact of each. The first aspect, Airline Quality and Safety Analysis, lays down a focus on imperative safety factors that affect major airlines in overall performance. Quality and Safety findings relate to potential safety shortcomings in the second aspect, aviation maintenance Safety Management Systems (SMS). The third aspect involves implementing the Policy Research Construct (PRC) methodology, which relates the underlying challenges in Airline Quality, Safety, and Economic areas by conducting research …

Efficacy Of The Localized Aviation Mos Program In Ceiling Flight Category Forecasts, Douglas D. Boyd, Thomas A. Guinn, Thomas A. Guinn

Publications

(1) Background: Flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) carries an elevated risk of fatal outcome for general aviation (GA) pilots. For the typical GA flight, aerodrome-specific forecasts (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF), Localized Aviation Model Output Statistics Program (LAMP)) assist the airman in pre-determining whether a flight can be safely undertaken. While LAMP forecasts are more prevalent at GA-frequented aerodromes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends that this tool be used as supplementary to the TAF only. Herein, the predictive accuracy of LAMP for ceiling flight categories of visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) was determined. (2) Methods: …