Aviation Commons^™

Face Mask Effects Of Co2, Heart Rate, Respiration Rate, And Oxygen Saturation On Instructor Pilots, Andrew R. Dattel, Nicola M. O'Toole, Guillermina Lopez, Kenneth P. Byrnes

Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has required people to take new measures to mitigate the spread of the communicable virus. Guidelines from health organizations, government offices, and universities have been disseminated. Adherence to these guidelines cannot be more critical for flight training. This study explored the effects face masks had on CO2, heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation while wearing a face mask at an oxygen level simulated to 5,000 feet. Thirty-two instructor pilots (IP) volunteered to participate in the study. IPs spent 90 minutes in a normobaric chamber while wearing a cloth face mask or a paper face mask. Participants …

An Aviation Weather Preflight Decision Support Tool To Improve Ga Pilots' Preflight And Inflight Performance, Jayde M. King

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Low hour, inexperienced General Aviation (GA) pilots account for the majority of weather-related incidents, which often result in fatalities. Previous research identifies poor preflight planning practices and a lack of aviation weather knowledge as key contributing factors to the high novice private pilot accident and fatality rate. Research invested into resolving these issues often attempt to introduce new inflight weather technology to assist pilots with weather avoidance. However, these interventions usually result in pilots using the information to strategically navigate closer to degraded weather conditions (Beringer & Ball, 2004; Burgess & Thomas, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this study was …

Gender Differences And Cockpit Design, Susan Archer, Heidi Brewer, Stacie Fain, Stephanie Smith

Student Works

The design project reported in this paper examined female pilots’ experiences with how well or poorly cockpit design allowed them to safely accomplish their flying missions. The general aviation aircraft cockpit is not designed for female pilots, often causing them to find ways to adapt to the cockpit in order to operate the aircraft safely. Two primary focal areas for adaptations address issues with accessibility of controls and “viewability” inside and outside the cockpit. The design team used a Situation Awareness-Oriented Interface Design (SAOD) approach in preparing cockpit design recommendations for general aviation aircraft that would accommodate female pilots.

Safety Management System Implementation Planning, David Thirtyacre

Publications

No abstract provided.

Student Engagement In Aviation Moocs: Identifying Subgroups And Their Differences, Jennifer Maddin Edwards

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to expand the current understanding of learner engagement in aviation-related Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) through cluster analysis. MOOCs, regarded for their low- or no-cost educational content, often attract thousands of students who are free to engage with the provided content to the extent of their choosing. As online training for pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, and small unmanned aerial system operators continues to expand, understanding how learners engage in optional aviation-focused, online course material may help inform course design and instruction in the aviation industry. In this study, Moore’s theory of transactional distance, which …

An Analysis Of Self-Reported Sleepiness And Fatigue Measures From Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Julius Keller, Thomas Laub, Sarah Wolfe

Publications

Fatigue can be deleterious to pilot performance. The National Transportation Safety Board has called on the aviation community to reduce fatigue related accidents. Currently, there are few studies and guidance specific to collegiate aviation pilots. The current study is part of a larger effort by the authors to gain a clearer understanding of fatigue within the collegiate aviation environment. Collegiate aviation pilots are a unique group with different schedules, lifestyles, and demands when compared to airline, military, and on-demand pilots. The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported fatigue and sleepiness measures. Research instruments included the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale …

Regional Airlines, Benjamin Jones Jr.

Student Works

The airline industry plays a major role in the United States. Many passengers use air transportation as a major mode of traveling for business and personal. As the demand for traveling increased, pilot shortage has increased as well. A pilot shortage will devastate the economy and have a lasting effect that will be felt worldwide. However, sources predict that the United States will experience a sizable pilot shortage over the next few years. This paper will identify the reasons for the pilot shortage and discuss the devastating effects that the shortage has on the regional airline industry. In addition, this …

Airline Quality Rating 2020, 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 30th annual national Airline Quality Rating (AQR). The most comprehensive study of the performance quality of the 10 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. …

Pilot’S Willingness To Operate In Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Airspace, Lakshmi Vempati

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The interest in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) use for private, civil, and commercial purposes such as package delivery, inspection, surveillance, and passenger and cargo transport has gained considerable momentum. As UAS infiltrate the National Airspace System (NAS), there is a need to not only develop viable, safe, and secure solutions for the co-existence of manned and unmanned aircraft, but also determine public acceptance and pilot’s willingness to operate an aircraft in such an integrated environment. Currently there is little or no research on pilot’s perceptions on their willingness to operate an aircraft in UAS integrated airspace and airports.

The purpose …

Determinants Of Aviation Students’ Intentions To Use Virtual Reality For Flight Training, Stephanie Gill Fussell

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Immersive simulation technology has been incorporated into numerous training environments, including medicine, engineering, and marketing. The aviation industry, in particular, has a history of embracing technology to enhance training and has especially regulated the requirements of devices for flight training. Virtual reality (VR) is the newest technology being adapted for training purposes. Many educational institutions training providers are incorporating virtual environments (VE) and VR systems into curricula and training programs to expand educational opportunities, enhance learning, promote deep cognitive learning, and leverage the abilities of a generation of students who have adopted technology from an early age.

As VR is …

Safety Systems, Culture, And Passengers’ Willingness To Fly In Autonomous Air Taxis, Kenneth Alexander Ward

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

As city populations grow, the transportation industry plans to alleviate traffic congestion by introducing the urban air mobility (UAM) concept, in which small passenger and cargo aircraft augment metropolitan transportation networks. A key component of UAM is that of air taxis, which are on-demand air services for individuals and small groups. In addition, UAM companies are designing the aircraft to operate fully autonomously: The intent is for the vehicles to arrive and transport people from point to point without input from human pilots.

In studies of passengers’ perceptions, researchers found that safety was among the top passenger concerns. The international …

Aircraft Rescue And Fire Fighting Capabilities: Are Today’S Standards Protecting Passenger’S Futures?, Kaetlyn Blocker

Student Works

Few studies have been conducted that have truly considered the relevance and inadequacies of applicable aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) regulations. Fewer still have studied and explored accident cases that directly exemplify the deficiencies and inconsistencies of various regulatory standards and requirements. This study seeks to expose and explain those inadequacies by utilizing a historical, case-study type research method to examine accident cases during which time the governing regulations played a significant role in the ARFF operations. The findings discovered as a result of this multi-case analysis provide evidence that the current regulations governing United States ARFF operations are both …

Evaluating Scenarios That Can Startle And Surprise Pilots, Rahim Daud Agha

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Startle and surprise on the flight deck is a contributing factor in multiple aviation accidents that have been recognized by multiple aviation safety boards. This study identified the effects startle and surprise had on commercial pilots with single and multiengine ratings. Surprise is defined here as something unexpected (e.g., engine failure), while startle is the associated exaggerated effect of an unexpected condition (e.g., thunder sound). Forty pilots were tested in a basic aviation training device configured to a Cessna 172 (single-engine) and a Baron 58 (multi-engine). Each pilot flew the single- and multiengine aircraft in a scenario that induced an …

Aircraft Leading Edge Strakes On Conventional Naca Wings, Anthony Pirone

Discovery Day - Prescott

The prevention of stall on aircraft wings has been a great challenge over the history of airplanes. As the aircraft become more and more complex, it becomes harder to fit high lift devices and leading-edge devices onto high camber, supercritical airfoil aircraft wings. In the fighter jet class of aircraft the obstacle of stall is usually delayed by the implementation of leading-edge root extensions or strakes. Strakes create a tip vortice along the sharp leading edge that transitions over the surface of the wing preventing separation on both the upper and lower surface of the wing allowing the fighter jet …

Communication Status Of Aircraft And Near Midair Collision Occurrences, H. E. Mcnevin

Graduate Student Works

The purpose of this research is to examine instances of near mid-air collision (NMAC) in order to determine if the number of instances of traffic conflictions resulting in near mid-air collision situations while in contact with air traffic control is rising over the last decade. Midair collision and near midair collision situations between aircraft operating while at least one is talking to air traffic control (ATC) present a hazard to safety and with the potential for a deadly encounter that results in loss of life and damage to property. Situations such as this in the National Airspace System (NAS) involve …

Alaska Part 135 Operations: The Need For Additional Regulatory Oversight And Continuous Aircraft Tracking, April A. Larsen

Student Works

With a focus on Alaska, this research illustrates the lack of regulatory oversight pertaining to Title 14 CFR Part 135 operators, including SMS, training, and equipment requirements. As of January 2020, under the Federal Aviation Administration’s NextGen initiative, all aircraft flying in controlled airspace are required to have an Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS– B) system installed and operational. Many Alaskan operators fly in hazardous terrain, and marginal weather, with little to no communication, yet ADS-B is not a requirement as they are in uncontrolled airspace. Alaska also lacks vital aviation infrastructure including adequate instrument approach procedures, weather monitoring …

Evaluating Laanc Compliance And Air Traffic Collision Hazards Posed By Small Unmanned Aircraft Operations In Controlled Airspace, Ryan J. Wallace Ed.D., John M. Robbins Ph.D., James Holliman M.B.A., Jon M. Loffi Edd, Donald S. Metscher D.B.A., Taylor Rogers

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

On July 23, 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expanded the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC)—the system that processes airspace approvals for sUAS operators in controlled airspace—to include recreational operations. Under LAANC, sUAS operators submit flight request information to one of 14 LAANC Service Suppliers via a mobile or online application. Flight request data is checked against UAS Facility Maps, NOTAMs, and Temporary Flight Restrictions to ensure compliance. Small UAS operators then receive a digital, automated authorization in near-real time. As of May 23, 2019, 591 airports across the United States are included in the LAANC system. Researchers …

Under Pressure: Decision Making In Aircraft Maintenance And The Role Of Gender, Stephanie Douglas Ph.D., Bettina M. Mrusek Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

In aircraft maintenance, leaders are under near-constant pressure to maintain airworthiness. Every minute an aircraft cannot fly due to maintenance represents financial waste. Decisions are therefore made in a relatively quick fashion. A leader evaluates the situation, identifies a course of action and then communicates this message to a team of technicians. However, gender influences regarding leaders’ decisions can influence team members’ perceptions of those decisions.

The study will measure decision making methods of leaders in aircraft maintenance and the perceptions of the technicians. It informs how gender influences decision making from both the leader and follower perspective. The expected …

Certificated Amts: What Will Encourage More Women To Become Aviation Maintenance Technicians?, Gail Y. Rouscher Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

This paper examines practices that are used in STEM fields to attract women in order to understand how those tactics may to entice women to join the ranks of certified AMTs. According to the FAA, the estimated active mechanic certificates held as of December 31, 2018 was 292,002. Of those 292,002 it is estimated that 7,133 or 2.4% were held by women. In 2009, there were 329,027 active mechanics certificates held and 6,980 or 2.1% were held by women. There was steady growth of certificated women mechanics from 2009 through 2015 – growing from 2.1% to 2.5% respectively. In 2016, …

Revisiting Cost Index - The Challenge Of Calculating A Precise Figure For Brazilian Airliners, Joaquim Pedro De Albuquerque D'Orey, Guilherme Amaral Da Silveira

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Within numerous possibilities, Cost Index (CI) is the tool that can provide economic speeds and deliver the lowest cost for a given flight. Cost Index is a highly volatile number that shifts its optimum value in several different circumstances. Through the analysis of the Brazilian regulation, operation and infrastructure reality, this paper reviews several influencers that can interfere with the optimum CI value for a specific flight, aiming for maximum precision and economy. A structured questionnaire was submitted to pilots from four of the biggest Brazilian airliners operating under part 121. The purpose of this questionnaire was to investigate whether …

Energy Harvesting From Airports, Deepon Roy

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Airports around the world are primarily powered using the country’s electricity grids, which comes from a large number of powerplants (coal, natural gas, etc.). Due to a high power supply demand by the airports, the sources from which they get their electricity has become non-economical and non-environment friendly.

As a result, many airports around the world have opted for using solar energy grids for their energy generation, in a bid to reduce the airport’s electricity consumption costs. But it has been a slow progress as only a few airports have been able to implement this feature, as their initial setup …

Pilot Selection Research Gaps: What We Do And Don't Know About "The Right Stuff", Tomas C. Scott, Meredith Carroll Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Ever since the commencement of high-powered flight, pilot selection has been a crucial process within military, general, and commercial aviation. Through effective pilot selection, individuals with the necessary aptitudes, or "the right stuff" to get through a training program and successfully perform the job, can be chosen. There is a range of different aptitudes that have been shown through research to correlate with effective pilot performance. However, there is currently not a comprehensive understanding of the aptitudes, including both cognitive abilities and psychological attributes, necessary not only for effective pilot performance but also for a successful career as an aviator. …

Integrating Aviation Technology, Emergency Services, And Human Resilience: Considerations From Social Scientists, Chelsea A. Lenoble Ph.D., Joel M. Billings Ph.D., Allison A. Kwesell Ph.D., Ray H. Chang Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have a range of applications within the field of disaster response. This presentation offers a novel framework of psychosocial considerations designed to advance UAS and disaster management integration. Social scientists highlight important challenges to the effective integration of three primary entities: UAS, the team of teams that responds to disasters, and populations affected by disasters.

The presentation adopts an emerging theoretical perspective on the intersection between UAS capabilities and disaster phases and extends it by bringing necessary attention to social science issues. Specifically, the framework outlines psychosocial considerations and areas of improvement for preparation (training), response …

Exploring Dynamic Delegated Corridors And 4d Required Navigation Performance Trajectory To Enable Uam Aircraft To Integrate Into The Existing Airspace System, Trong Van Nguyen

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Increased traffic congestion on urban road networks has impacted the travel time for commuters in highly populated urban centers. Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is recognized as a system that transports the passenger and air cargo from any location to any destination within a metropolitan area. UAM may offer a solution to the problematic issue of automobile urban surface transportation congestion. However, the predicted significant growth in the demand for integration of UAM operations into the existing airspace system in the next 20 years and beyond may exceed the capacity of current air traffic control (ATC) system resources, particularly the ATC …

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 …

Applying And Evaluating A Taxonomy Of Resilient Performance Among Certified Flight Instructors, Kristine M. Kiernan Ph.D., David S. Cross Ph.D., Ed.D., Mark Scharf Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Human error in aviation has been well studied, but the contribution of human performance to system resilience in aviation has not been as well explored. Resilient performance is the ability of a system to make accommodations before, during, and after a disturbance to ensure continued system functioning. Resilient performance is enabled by the ability to anticipate, monitor, learn, and respond. Certified flight instructors will be interviewed using the critical incident debrief method. Interviews will be transcribed and analyzed to explore resilient behavior and evaluate whether the taxonomy of success developed in commercial airline operations is applicable to the flight instruction …

The Effects Of Cultural Factors On Safety In Aviation Focusing On Asian And Western Cultures, Jiyeon Song

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Several aviation accidents from the past, such as the Asiana Flight 214 crash at San Francisco International Airport in 2015, have highlighted possible effects of Korean hierarchy culture on the safety of flight. Previous research conducted primarily with the use of surveys revealed that Asian pilots are less likely to report an unsafe condition out of fear that it will damage their relationships with coworkers and superiors. Western pilots see reporting as dealing with the problem and not a person, thus they feel more open to it. This study looked at student pilots’ ability to recognize and deny an unsafe …

Measuring Fatigue And Sleepiness In Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Julius Keller Ph.D., Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D., Erik Levin, Aaron Teo

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The National Transportation Safety Board has communicated the need to reduce fatigue related accidents through the top ten most wanted list. Additionally, the International Civil Aviation Organization and Federal Aviation Administration have continuously promoted fatigue risk management. Most fatigue related research as well as safety standards in aviation involve air carrier and military operations. However, there has been a recent revival of fatigue related research in collegiate aviation. A recent study found that 85% of collegiate aviation pilots (n = 141) reported fatigue negatively impacted their flight training activities. Results of a qualitative study indicated poor knowledge and behaviors by …

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 …

Gender Diversity In The Aviation Workplace, Lindsay Stevenson, Haydee Cuevas, Katie Kirkpatrick, Katya K. Rivera, Marisa Aguiar

Student Works

In the past 90 years, the workforce has been diversified in many fields yet gender diversity for occupations in the aviation domain (e.g., pilots, air traffic controllers, aircraft maintenance technicians) has grown slowly. To explore this issue, the objective of this archival study was to examine the increase in the number of females and males from 2005 to 2018 for six aviation occupations in the private sector (civilian) in the United States: aircraft pilot and flight engineer; air traffic controller and airfield operations specialist; aerospace engineer; avionics technician; aircraft mechanic and service technician; and aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems …