Aviation Commons^™

Determining Logistics Ground Support Manpower Requirements For A Reusable Military Launch Vehicle, Sydney C. Michalski

Theses and Dissertations

Successful space-based technologies like satellite imagery and GPS have increased military demand for a rapid-response launch capability. AF Space Command's Operationally Responsive Spacelift program was developed to ensure that the AF has the capability to launch a payload into orbit within hours of a tasking notification, and requires development of a new space launch vehicle. The Reusable Military Launch Vehicle (RMLV) is currently in the design phase. The AF Research Laboratory sponsored development of the MILEPOST simulation model in order to assess the turnaround time, and thus responsiveness, of various design alternatives. The focus of this thesis is to improve …

Use Of Dynamic Incidence Angle For Glide Slope Control Of Autonomous Parafoils, Nathan Slegers, Eric Beyer, Mark Costello

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

Strickly speaking, most autonomous parafoil and payload aircraft possess only lateral control, achieved by right and left parafoil brake deflection. An innovative new technique to achieve direct longitudinal control through dynamic incidence angle changes is reported. Addition of this extra control channel requires simple rigging changes and an additional servo actuator. The ability of dynamic incidence angle to alter the glide slope of a parafoil and payload aircraft is demonstrated through a flight test program with a micro parafoil system. Results from the flight test program are synthesized and integrated into a 6 degree-of-freedom simulation. The simulation model is subsequently …

Energy Based Method For Generation Of Optimum Flight Paths, Michael Jon Acheson

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

One key to increasing aviation safety and airport efficiency is the proper management of aircraft energy states. Aircraft accident statistics are replete with examples of aircraft that crossed the runway threshold with excessive energy or maintained insufficient energy to reach the runway. This trend has resulted in aircrews that are trained in conservative energy management that trades efficiency for simplicity. Additionally, traditional aircraft flight displays provide limited aircraft energy state cues that do not enable efficient management of aircraft energy states. In this thesis, a method for generating global optimum flight profiles is demonstrated that yields results that can be …

Reweighting At-Sat To Mitigate Group Score Differences, Andrew R. Dattel, Raymond E. King

Publications

The Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) test battery is the selection tool for applicants for Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) positions within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who have not previously been employed as an air traffic controller. AT-SAT is an aptitude test developed to predict the likelihood of successfully learning ATCS skills. Before operational use, however, concerns were raised about the low passing rate of incumbent (who are fully trained and certified) ATCS personnel (who participated in the initial research) and score differences between groups, which could result in adverse impact (possible unfair discrimination). To address these concerns, …

Electromagnetic Propagation Prediction Inside Aircraft Cabins, Genevieve Hankins

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Electromagnetic propagation models for signal strength prediction within aircraft cabins are essential for evaluating and designing a wireless communication system to be implemented onboard aircraft. There are many commercially available software packages for predicting wireless system performance in conventional indoor environments. It is of interest to examine the available software to determine if the aircraft's electromagnetic environment (EME) can be modeled successfully without developing an aircraft specific prediction tool. EnterprisePlanner®, a registered product of Wireless Valley Communications, Incorporated, was selected for the present effort. The performance of the prediction model was evaluated through a comparison with field measurements taken on …

A Study In Drag Reduction Of Close Formation Flight Accounting For Flight Control Trim Positions And Dissimilar Formations, Michael T. Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis further defines the position of greatest fuel savings benefit for the trail aircraft flying in a two-ship formation. The HASC95 vortex lattice code was used for the examination. Investigations of a similar formation of F-16 aircraft and a dissimilar formation of a lead KC-135 aircraft and a trail F-16 aircraft were conducted. The analyses determined the effects of varying airspeed on the optimal position. In addition, flight control surface deflections were taken into account during the analyses. Both investigations trimmed the aircraft in the yaw and roll axes to determine the optimal savings. The similar analysis was conducted …

The Effects Of Gender And Regional Dialect On Performance In Aviation Communication, Erin E. Mccollum

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance effects of gender and regional dialect on air traffic control statement recall. Sixty-one student volunteers participated in the experiment. Thirty-one participants held a pilot’s license and 30 participants had no flight experience. Each participant listened to one CD with 60 ATC statements each representing a male and female voice and New England, Southern, and General American dialect. Participants were asked to recall exactly what they heard. If the participant could not understand what they heard, they requested a repeat. The participant’s performance was recorded to CD and analyzed. Demographic questionnaires …

Women In Aviation, Kari Anne Sparks-Webb

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

My goal during my enrollment in the USU Professional Pilot Program is to further the advancement of women in the aviation industry and increase the number of women in the flight program. So, when it came time to choose my senior project there was no better choice for me than to exhibit at the Women in Aviation Convention. It would be a huge step for the school and a great opportunity for me and other students in the program.

Improving The Capability Of Preliminary Aircraft Design Methodology By Incorporating Numerical Methods Into Segments Of A Proven Statistical Method, Igor Lebovic

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to identify any potential limitations of Roskam’s statistical aircraft flight performance estimation method, and to provide processes capable of improving those limitations. This project was conducted in collaboration with Diamond Aircraft Industries, and as any other general aviation manufacturer with limited time, manpower, and financial resources, Diamond wants the new process to be time and cost-effective. Presented in this study is a computational alternative that combines the speed and accuracy of low-order panel methods with the fully-coupled viscous/inviscid interaction method from the ISES code that was developed by Drela and Giles. Its benefit is …

Reusable Space Vehicle Ground Operations Baseline Conceptual Model, Dennis R. Maynard, Patricia Pettit

Theses and Dissertations

Modeling efforts for future space operation vehicles at the United States Air Force Research Labs Air Vehicles Directorate have been focused towards the in-flight mission. To better serve the research and development effort, a simulation of the ground operations is required allowing for trade-offs within turnaround operations and between the components that drive those procedures. However, before a simulation can be developed a conceptual model must be generated to guide the model building process. This research provides a baseline conceptual model for reusable space vehicles based on the space shuttle as the only operational vehicle of its kind. The model …

Microburst Recovery For Jet Transport Aircraft: A Comparison Between Constant And Variable Pitch Guidance Trajectories, Mark Cadmus

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this research was to compare, in a simulator, the safety of a variable pitch strategy with the established constant pitch strategy in transitioning through a microburst during an abort maneuver in the approach to landing phase of flight. In numerous mathematical and computer studies of microburst penetrations, the variable pitch strategy provided a greater recovery altitude than the constant pitch strategy. A Boeing 737 level C aircraft simulator was employed to evaluate these findings in a dynamic environment. Three appropriately qualified subjects piloted 35 flights through a microburst, while computer generated data were collected. "Safety", defined as …

Design And Development Of A Low-Cost High Range Resolution X-Band Radar, Paul C. Cantu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is one of the main tools for microwave remote sensing because of its multi-dimensional high resolution characteristics and the capability to operate in nearly all weather conditions, day and night. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) initiated the design and development of a low-cost airborne SAR in January 2001 to support our Airborne Remote Sensing Program. The objectives of this project are separated into various evolutionary stages. This thesis will focus on the initial phase of design and construction of an X-band high range resolution radar (HRR) using basic RF /microwave and digital components. The following stages …

Special Article. Space Security In A World Of Security And Insecurity, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article provides a theoretical analysis from which a space security expert could appreciate the complexity and richness of the space security challenge.

A History Of Space Security, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article provides a conceptual infrastructure for thinking about the history of space security.

Comparison Of Measured And Simulated Motion Of A Controllable Parafoil And Payload System, Nathan Slegers, Mark Costello

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

For parafoil and payload aircraft, control is affected by changing the length of several rigging lines connected to the outboard side and rear of the parafoil leading to complex changes in the shape and orientation of the lifting surface. Flight mechanics of parafoil and payload aircraft most often employ a 6 or 9 DOF representation with the canopy modeled as a rigid body during flight. The effect of control inputs is idealized by the deflection of parafoil brakes on the left and right side of the parafoil. Using a small parafoil and payload aircraft, glide rates and turn performance were …

On The Use Of Rigging Angle And Canopy Tilt For Control Of A Parafoil And Payload System, Nathan Slegers, Mark Costello

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

Controllable parafoil and payload aircraft are controlled with downward deflection of left and right parafoil brakes. Lateral control is obtained by differential deflection while longitudinal control is created by collective deflection of the left and right side parafoil brakes. The work reported considers an alternative method to control parafoil and payload air vehicles by tilting the parafoil canopy for lateral control and changing rigging angle for longitudinal control. Using a nonlinear 9 degree of freedom simulation model, it is shown that canopy tilt provides a powerful lateral control mechanism and rigging angle provides a viable longitudinal control mechanism.

Fuel Consumption Modeling Of A Transport Category Aircraft: A Flight Operations Quality Assurance (Foqa) Analysis, Alan J. Stolzer

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fuel is a very large operating cost category for major air carriers - second only to labor costs. Many air carriers have implemented extensive programs to monitor fuel usage. One of several emerging quality assurance programs in the aviation industry, Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) involves the routine collection and analysis of flight performance data recorded on the airplane for the purpose of improving s~fety and operational procedures. FOQA systems are not constrained by the same data limitations as are traditional aircraft performance monitoring programs and, thus, FOQA may serve as a robust new aircraft performance monitoring tool. The purpose …

Suppression Of Pilot-Induced Oscillation (Pio), Donald A. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Closed loop instability caused by excess phase lag induced by actuator rate limiting has been suspected in many pilot-induced oscillations (PIOs) and oscillatory departures from controlled flight. As part of the joint AFIT/TPS program, a longitudinal pilot command notch filter activated by a real-time oscillation verifier (ROVER) algorithm was developed to eliminate the PIO source for any developing, severe PIO. Closed loop computer simulations were conducted to prepare for the flight test. The HAVE ROVER flight test project was flown using the NF-16D Variable Stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA). A programmable heads-up display (HUD) was used to generate a …

Design And Construction Of A 1/3-Scale, 1986 Cessna 172p Flight-Test Aircraft, Michael J. Hinton

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The incredible cost of prototype flight testing can be a very limiting factor in the optimization of new designs as they proceed from the drawing board to the flight line. The use of low-cost scaled models to predict full-scale prototype performance is the focus of this project. It will be shown that by strictly following geometric and dynamic scaling criteria, the scaled aircraft's flight performance can be predictably related to the full-scale aircraft's performance. Many companies have performed scaled flight-testing of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPV's) and there is much speculation as to the results of these tests, but non-proprietary information …

Enhancing Commercial Aircraft Survivability Via Active Venting, Roger L. Veldman

Dissertations

A new technique for enhancing aircraft safety in the event of an on-board explosion was studied. The method under study employs deployable vent panels located on the fuselage which are activated by an array of pressure sensors in the aircraft interior. In the event that an explosion is detected, appropriate vent panels are rapidly released from the aircraft. This approach seeks to provide timely relief of explosive pressures within an aircraft to prevent catastrophic structural failure.

In this study, the approximate time scale of an explosive detonation and the subsequent sensing and electronic processing was determined. Then, the actuation response …

Gulfstream Aerospace Aircraft Static Position Utility, Mark Eugene Ray

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

My research project implements a Java based utility developed for commercial application by Gulfstream Aerospace employees and customers to determine static position data of Gulfstream aircraft. The static position data includes aircraft attitude, nose and main landing gear loads and aircraft ground clearance data.

The previous methods used to obtain this data were a family of spreadsheets. The spreadsheet solution has proven to be awkward and inaccessible for providing the required data. Therefore, Gulfstream Aerospace Management approved the design and implementation of a new aircraft static position utility.

The new utility is identified as the Gulfstream Aircraft Static Position (GASP) …

Designed Reduction Of Radiated Noise Characteristics From Two-Bladed General Aviation Propellers, Chandra K. Stich

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

In recent years increased public awareness has made the reduction of environmental noise pollution a top priority for the aviation industry. Utilizing current technology, this study examines the reduction of noise generated by two bladed general aviation propellers, through design. The Aircraft Noise Prediction Program - Propeller Analysis System (ANOPP-PAS) is used to predict the noise and performance characteristics for an industry typical reference propeller as well as for the final quiet and efficient design.

This investigation is based on the use of a 200 hp engine rotating a 76 inch propeller. Typically, such a propeller would be rotated at …

Space Launch Operations And The Lean Aerospace Initiative, Troy L. Endicott

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes current expendable launch procedures and identifies truly lean, value-added steps in launch operation enterprises as they relate to the Lean Aerospace Initiative (LAI). LAI and the concepts of lean thinning are discussed and followed by a review of current and future launch system requirements and their opportunities for lean practices. The study also discusses in detail current Delta II expendable launch processing operations and presents results in a case study that show how lean principles have helped the Delta II launch team drastically reduce on-pad time, restructure its testing philosophy, and streamline its operations flow. Many of …

Effect Of Multiple Range Rings Vs. A Single Range Ring On Pilot Perception Of Vertical Separation On A Cockpit Display Of Traffic Information, Daniel B. Rizzardi

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of both a two and four mile range ring versus a single three mile range ring on pilot's perception of future vertical separation as viewed on a cockpit display of traffic information. The subjects consisted of 30 volunteer pilots from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the surrounding Daytona Beach, Florida area.

The simulation of a cockpit display of traffic information was generated using SuperCard® Version 1.6 software and a Macintosh IIx® personal computer. Eighty unique scenarios were monitored by the pilots in which they determined, as early as possible, what the …

A Comparison Of Pseudo 3-Dimensional Collision Avoidance-Predictor Displays For Free Flight, Steve Kertesz Jr.

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

This study was the second of two studies to evaluate the use of a pseudo three-dimensional display to present information about future possible conflicts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate variations of a cockpit screen display that transfers relevant data to the pilot in a manner which is easy to interpret and to facilitate the possible stressful situations that may be encountered due to the proposed free flight environment. In the first phase, three display concepts, using three different screen designs were compared. In this study, three different displays, all of which used using the space-time predictor concept …

Cooling Saber With A Miniature Pulse Tube Refrigerator, Scott M. Jensen, J. Clair Batty, William A. Roettker, Matthew J. Felt

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Utah State University/Space Dynamics Laboratory (USU/SDL), teaming with NASA Langley Research Center, is currently building the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry(SABER) instrument. Stringent mass and power constraints, together with a greater than two year mission life, led to the selection of a TRW miniature pulse tube refrigerator to cool SABER's infrared detectors to the required temperature of 75 K.

This paper provides an overview of the SABER thermal management plan and the challenges encountered in matching the refrigerator characteristics with instrument performance requirements under the broadly variant space environments expected for this mission. Innovative technologies were developed …

In-Flight Fatigue Crack Monitoring Of An Aircraft Engine Cowling, Samuel Gordon Vaughn Iii

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

This research investigates the feasibility of implementing an in-flight fatigue crack monitoring system in an airplane to identify fatigue crack growth. An acoustic emission data acquisition system coupled with a Kohonen self organizing map neural network were used to perform the analysis.

Fatigue cracking was responsible for ripping the top of a fuselage off an Aloha Airlines Boeing 737-200 as it carried passengers over the Pacific Ocean, killing some aboard. This tragedy is perhaps a precursor of problems to come, as our nation’s aircraft age. These planes experience fatigue as they perform their daily routine of ferrying passengers from location …

Three-Bladed Propeller Design For The Reduction Of General Aviation Radiated Noise Characteristics, Ronald W. Finn

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to design a quiet 3-Bladed propeller for general aviation aircraft. A combination of design technique and analytical predictions using the NASA Aircraft Noise Prediction Program - Propeller Analysis System (ANOPP-PAS) was used to achieve this goal. The propellers were designed for an engine power of 200 hp, a rotational speed of 2,400 RPM and a free-stream speed of 160 kts. A straight 76 in. diameter 2-bladed propeller was designed as a reference for the 64 in. diameter 3-bladed propeller. The ANOPP-PAS computer code was used for predicting the aerodynamic performance and radiated noise characteristics …

Application Of Active Noise Control To Reduce Cabin Noise In Single Engine General Aviation Aircraft, Jeroen Hendrik Dolmans

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The application of active noise control to reduce cabin noise in single engine, general aviation aircraft is investigated through the use of the 'filtered x' least mean square algorithm and a simple acoustic feedforward method to generate a reference signal is tested. The system is designed to utilize one reference signal and up to two feedback signals and two audio speakers. The feedforward system consists of a microphone placed in close proximity to the front windshield and isolated from the cabin noise. Cabin noise and reference signals are recorded during flight in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, a Piper Cherokee 140 …

The Design And Experimental Optimization Of A Wingtip Vortex Turbine For General Aviation Use, Andrew Roberts

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

A wingtip vortex turbine (WVT) is an induced drag reduction device that straightens the vortex flow (reducing induced drag and wake turbulence) and also produces a thrust force component. The WVT also has the advantage of extracting the rotational energy of the vortex to turn a generator, which could be used to power onboard applications during normal or emergency flight operations. A 1/4-scale model of a thrust-producing WVT has been designed and tested in a wind tunnel for optimal drag reduction and power generation for general aviation aircraft — specifically, a Piper Cherokee — in both a stationary and a …