Aviation Commons^™

Exploring Instructor Engagement With Aviation Safety Messaging At Und: A Pilot Study, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

Effective communication of safety information is critical in fostering a strong safety culture within collegiate aviation. This pilot study explores how flight instructors at the University of North Dakota (UND) engage with two safety communication tools: The ASAP Spotlight email update and the 60-Seconds for Safety flyers. A 25-question survey distributed to active UND Line Flight Instructors examined engagement levels, behavioral impact, perceived effectiveness, and preferred communication methods. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and an exploratory factor analysis were used to evaluate responses across four constructs: engagement, behavior, perception, and communication preference. Results indicate that while instructors do generally engage with and …

Flight Instructor Enhanced Qualification Training Program, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

Due to December 2024 regulatory changes made to 14 CFR Part 61.195(h)— Qualifications to provide ground or flight training to initial flight instructor applicants—a new training program, titled the Flight Instructor Enhanced Qualification Training Program (FIEQTP), must be developed under 61.195(h)(3).

The purpose of this packet is, in response to regulatory changes, to conduct a thorough training needs analysis, and utilizing its conclusions, develop a new 14 CFR Part 141 course and assessment plan that meets the requirements of Part 61.195(h)(3) Flight instructor enhanced qualification training program.

Delta Airlines Company Analysis, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Ground Stop Analysis, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

This study intends to analyze a selection of flight data from 2021 and 2022 from UND Aerospace to determine how much time is spent in stopped on the ground, with the engines running, prior to takeoff, during training flights. This study also hopes to explore some of the factors that may cause extended ground stop times and determine if there are any areas that warrant further study in the future.

Dark Knights: Exploring Resilience And Hidden Workarounds In Commercial Aviation Through Mixed Methods, Riana Steen, James Norman, Johan Bergström, Gitte F. Damm

Aviation Faculty Publications

In this study, the duality of adaptive capacity in aviation safety is examined, where the need for resilience of frontline workers conflicts with the expectations and assumptions of upstream entities, leading to system brittleness. We explore three critical categories: responsibilization, the application of practical wisdom in navigating challenging situations, and the unrecognized sacrifices that accompany adaptation. A qualitative research design is used, using three focus groups consisting of pilots in a European airline, the airline’s safety department, and the respective civil aviation authority. The study's findings reveal i. significant organizational constraint and pressure on pilots, resulting in workarounds, personal playbooks, …

Can Artificial Intelligence, Specifically Large Language Models (Llms), Enhance Human Emotional Intelligence Responses In A Small Team Work Environment?, Jason Evans

AI Assignment Library

Compare real-world human responses to potential conflict situations to an artificial intelligence response. Several articles have suggested that LLMs may actually be more successful at modeling proper human emotional responses than factual based responses. The objective of this assignment is for students to discover if and how a LLM can serve as a model for proper responses to minimize conflict and increase team effectiveness. This specific assignment was designed for aviation students, but can be adapted for any small team working environment.

Technical And Regulatory Factors Of Adopting Electric Training Aircraft In A Collegiate Aviation Setting, Nick Wilson, Lewis Archer, Ryan Guthridge, Jeremy Roesler, Michael Lents

Aviation Faculty Publications

Electric-powered aircraft have entered the market. The arrival of the Pipistrel Velis Electro and other developmental efforts by companies such as Bye Aerospace, Piper, and eViation, have signaled to the aviation community that more electric-powered aircraft can be expected in the coming years. But how useful are they for training pilots in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Part 141 collegiate aviation environment? To identify candidate flight courses and lessons, the authors examine flight hour distributions of a one-year window of invoiced flights (N = 52,728), including flight hour data cut-points at 60 minutes (n = 6,050) and 90 minutes …

Artificial Intelligence For Automated Detection Of Large Mammals Creates Path To Upscale Drone Surveys, Javier Lenzi, Andrew Barnas, Abdelrahman A. Elsaid, Travis Desell, Robert F. Rockwell, Susan N. Ellis-Felege

Biology Faculty Publications

Imagery from drones is becoming common in wildlife research and management, but processing data efficiently remains a challenge. We developed a methodology for training a convolutional neural network model on large-scale mosaic imagery to detect and count caribou (Rangifer tarandus), compare model performance with an experienced observer and a group of naïve observers, and discuss the use of aerial imagery and automated methods for large mammal surveys. Combining images taken at 75 m and 120 m above ground level, a faster region-based convolutional neural network (Faster-RCNN) model was trained in using annotated imagery with the labels: “adult …

Feral Horses And Bison At Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota, United States) Exhibit Shifts In Behaviors During Drone Flights, Javier Lenzi, Christopher J. Felege, Robert Newman, Blake Mccann, Susan N. Ellis-Felege

Biology Faculty Publications

Drone use has been rapidly increasing in protected areas in North America, and potential impacts on terrestrial megafauna have been largely unstudied. We evaluated behavioral responses to drones on two terrestrial charismatic species, feral horse (Equus caballus) and bison (Bison bison), at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota, United States) in 2018. Using a Trimble UX5 fixed-wing drone, we performed two flights at 120 m above ground level (AGL), one for each species, and recorded video footage of their behaviors prior to, during, and after the flight. Video footage was analyzed in periods of 10 s intervals, and the occurrence …

Three Approaches, Two Go-Arounds, One Diversion…And All On The Internet, Eric Carter, James Norman

Aviation Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Behavioral Responses Of Blue-Winged Teal And Northern Shoveler To Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Surveys, Mason D. Ryckman, Kaylan Kemink, Christopher J. Felege, Brian J. Darby, Gregory S. Vandeberg, Susan N. Ellis-Felege

Biology Faculty Publications

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become a popular wildlife survey tool. Most research has focused on detecting wildlife using UAVs with less known about behavioral responses. We compared the behavioral responses of breeding blue-winged teal (Spatula discors) (n = 151) and northern shovelers (Spatula clypeata) (n = 46) on wetlands flown over with a rotary DJI Matrice 200 quadcopter and control wetlands without flights. Using a GoPro camera affixed to a spotting scope, we conducted focal individual surveys and recorded duck behaviors for 30 minutes before, during, and 30 minutes after UAV flights to determine if …

Long Haulers: The Us Airline Industry And Moving Forward From The Covid-19 Pandemic, James Norman

Aviation Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Flight Data Management And Pilot Protection In An Ads-B World, James Norman

Aviation Faculty Publications

Airlines and unions need to reconsider and reimagine what flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) data is, its use and protection. Open-source flight data, such as ADS-B, needs to be protected as strongly as traditional FOQA data for US operators. Airlines and unions should adopt contractual language that expands FOQA protections to all recording and transmitting devices, future proofing against emerging and novel technologies.

Assessing The Relationships Between Organizational Management Factors (4ps) And A Resilient Safety Culture In A Collegiate Aviation Program With A Safety Management Systems (Sms), Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

Aviation Faculty Publications

Resilient safety culture is a key factor in sustaining safety management systems (SMS) in a U.S. collegiate aviation program. The relationships between four organizational management factors (Principles, Policy, Procedures, Practices) and a resilient safety culture model based on Reason’s concept was assessed using an online survey instrument. Structural Equation Model (SEM) technique were used to assess measurement models of factors underlying a resilient safety culture. All four management factors had significant predictive relationship with resilient safety culture. Practices had the weakest predictive relationship with resilient safety culture and Policy had the highest. Procedures strongly mediated path between Policies and Practices …

Assessing The Relationship Between Organizational Management Factors And A Resilient Safety Culture In A Collegiate Aviation Program With Safety Management Systems (Sms), Daniel Kwasi Adjekum, Marcos Fernandez Tous

Aviation Faculty Publications

Extant research advocates for assessing and continuously improving resilient safety culture in high-reliability organizations (HROs) such as aviation that has a fully functional Safety Management Systems (SMS). Perceptions on the relationship between four (4) organizational management factors (Principles, Policy, Procedures, Practices) and resilient safety culture in a collegiate aviation program was assessed using an online survey instrument drafted using Reason (2011) concept on safety resilience. Sample was drawn from aviation students, flight instructors, faculty and administrators. Structural Equation Model (SEM) and Causal Path Analysis (CPA) techniques were used to assess conceptual models. Results suggest good …

Assessing Cultural Drivers Of Safety Resilience In A Collegiate Aviation Program, Daniel Kwasi Adjekum, Marcos Fernandez Tous

Aviation Faculty Publications

Organizational safety resilience is a key factor in sustaining an effective safety management system (SMS) in high-reliability organizations (HROs) such as aviation. Extant research advocates for monitoring, assessing and continuously improving safety in an organization that has a fully-functional SMS. Safety resilience provides a buffer against vulnerabilities. Extant research also suggests a paucity in terms of a measurement framework for organizational safety resilience in collegiate aviation operations. A quantitative approach using Reason’s safety resilience concept (Reason, 2011) is used to assess organizational safety resilience in a collegiate aviation program with an active conformance SMS accepted by the FAA. A sample …

A Comparison Of Drone Imagery And Ground-Based Methods For Estimating The Extent Of Habitat Destruction By Lesser Snow Geese (Anser Caerulescens Caerulescens) In La Pérouse Bay, Andrew Barnas, Brian J. Darby, Gregory S. Vandeberg, Robert F. Rockwell, Susan N. Ellis-Felege

Biology Faculty Publications

Lesser snow goose (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) populations have dramatically altered vegetation communities through increased foraging pressure. In remote regions, regular habitat assessments are logistically challenging and time consuming. Drones are increasingly being used by ecologists to conduct habitat assessments, but reliance on georeferenced data as ground truth may not always be feasible. We estimated goose habitat degradation using photointerpretation of drone imagery and compared estimates to those made with ground-based linear transects. In July 2016, we surveyed five study plots in La Pérouse Bay, Manitoba, to evaluate the effectiveness of a fixed-wing drone with simple Red Green Blue …

The Impact Of Flipped Learning On Student Academic Performance And Perceptions, Mark J. Dusenbury, Myrna R. Olson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to explore if flipped learning has an impact on aviation students perceptions and academic performance in a human factors course. A total of 81 students from a large Midwestern university participated. The Course Evaluation Survey (CES) was used to measure student perceptions, while course exams were used to measure academic performance. To analyze the data, the researchers use paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and a MANCOVA. Findings show students in the flipped classroom did not perform better than the lecture classroom. In addition, students in the lecture group had significantly higher overall course …

A10 – Human Factors Considerations Of Uas Procedures And Control Stations: Tasks Pc-1 Through Pc-3 Pilot And Crew (Pc) Subtask, Recommended Requirements And Operational Procedures, Joseph Cerreta, Paul Snyder, Zachary P. Waller, Amanda Brandt, Timothy Bruner, Scott Kroeber, Andrea Meyer, Richard S. Standbury, Ronald Storm, Gary M. Ullrich, William Watson

Aviation Faculty Publications

The Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) conducted research focused on minimum pilot procedures and operational practices used by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operators today for the purpose of developing recommendations. This research recommends four pilot and 46 operational minimum procedures to operate a civil single-engine, fixed-wing, single-pilot-configured UAS flying in beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) conditions. These recommendations are anticipated to support potential future aircrew procedure requirements for UAS larger than 55 lbs. operating in the National Airspace System (NAS). These procedures were validated using representative Control Stations in simulated environments.

Small Uas Detect And Avoid Requirements Necessary For Limited Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (Bvlos) Operations, Mark Askelson, Henry Cathey, Ronald Marsh, Zachary P. Waller, Paul Snyder, Gary M. Ullrich, Chris Theisen, Naima Kaabouch, William Semke, Michael Mullins, Kyle Foerster, Rosa Brothman, Stephen B. Hottman, Kerry Williamson, Eric Johnson, Alexander Vanhoudt, Zachariah Larue

Aviation Faculty Publications

Potential small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operational scenarios/use cases and Detect And Avoid (DAA) approaches were collected through a number of industry wide data calls. Every 333 Exemption holder was solicited for this same information. Summary information from more than 5,000 exemption holders is documented, and the information received had varied level of detail but has given relevant experiential information to generalize use cases. A plan was developed and testing completed to assess Radio Line Of Sight (RLOS), a potential key limiting factors for safe BVLOS ops. Details of the equipment used, flight test …

Pilot Source Study 2015: A Comparison Of Performance At Part 121 Regional Airlines Between Pilots Hired Before The U.S. Congress Passed Public Law 111-216 And Pilots Hired After The Law’S Effective Date, Maryjo O. Smith, Guy M. Smith, Elizabeth Bjerke, Cody Christensen, Thomas Q. Carney, Paul A. Craig, Mary Niemczyk

Aviation Faculty Publications

This article is the third in a series of reports called Pilot Source Study 2015. In 2010, when the U.S. Congress considered dramatic changes to airline pilot qualifications, researchers from the ‘‘Pilot Source Study 2010’’ sampled pilots from six regional airlines to investigate how pilots’ backgrounds affected their performance in airline training. In 2012, when the FAA proposed rulemaking to implement Public Law 111-216, the ‘‘Pilot Source Study 2012’’ researchers repeated the study with a new sample of pilots from seven different regional airlines. Data from these two studies were combined into a Pre-Law dataset. On August 1, 2013, the …

The Relationship Between Motivation And Job Preferences In Commercial Aviation Graduates, Shayne A. Daku, Robert Stupnisky

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

The current demand for commercial pilots at regional airlines means that graduates of commercial aviation degree programs have the luxury of choosing a particular place of employment post-graduation. What do the majority of these graduates look for when choosing a place to work after they graduate and meet the minimum hiring requirements? The present research surveyed 134 recent commercial aviation degree students and graduates to determine what motivated their decision to work for a particular regional airline. Student’s and graduate’s motivation was measured using Vallerand et al.’s (1992) Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Respondents who demonstrated extrinsic – identified motivation style …

An Evaluation Of The Relationships Between Collegiate Aviation Safety Management System Initiative, Self-Efficacy, Transformational Safety Leadership And Safety Behavior Mediated By Safety Motivation, Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

Aviation Faculty Publications

The study conceptualized Safety Management System (SMS) initiative, self-efficacy, and transformational safety leadership as constructs that relates to safety behavior (measured by safety compliance and safety participation) when mediated by safety motivation using a quantitative approach. Structural equation modeling techniques was used to derive a final measurement model that fit the empirical data and was used to test the study hypotheses. Utilizing a sample of 282 collegiate flight students and instructors from a large public university in the US, a 46-item survey was used to measure respondent’s perceptions on the study variables. The results indicate that perceptions of SMS policy …

Uas Surveillance Criticality, Kyle Snyder, William Semke, Jim Gregory, Michael Wing, Mohammad Moallemi, J. W. Bruce

Aviation Faculty Publications

The integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace system (NAS) poses considerable challenges. Maintaining human safety is perhaps chief among these challenges as UAS remote pilots will need to interact with other UAS, piloted aircraft, and other conditions associated with flight. A research team of 6 leading UAS research universities was formed to respond to a set of surveillance criticality research questions. Five analysis tools were selected following a literature review to evaluate airborne surveillance technology performance. The analysis tools included: Fault Trees, Monte Carlo Simulations, Hazard Analysis, Design of Experiments (DOE), and Human-in-the-Loop Simulations. The Surveillance …

Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training: A Pilot Study In Blended Learning, Zachary P. Waller, Thomas Petros, John Bridewell, Scott Kroeber, Neil Nowatzki

Aviation Faculty Publications

Since April of 2011, research and development efforts between the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the University of North Dakota (UND) have progressed through the “Science and Technology for Warfighter Training and Aiding.” Cooperative Agreement. One product of these cooperative efforts has been a Heads Down Display (HDD) Menu Trainer. Designed to familiarize students with the layout and manipulation of the HDD menus for either the MQ-1 or MQ-9, a parallel pretest/posttest design was designed to examine the efficacy of this HDD menu trainer as training aid in traditional, blended, and distance pedagogies.

Results of a mixed ANOVA indicated …

Bio-Fuel Alternatives In South African Airways (Saa) Operations - Is It An Effective Response To Vulnerability Over Carbon Taxes And Penalty?, Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

Aviation Faculty Publications

The paper did a comparative analysis of the carbon emission and European Union Emission Trading Surcharges (EU ETS) of South African Airways (SAA) current fleet that used aviation jet A1 fuel and the same fleet if it had used a 25% bio-fuel ‘drop in’ for the European routes within the first quarter of the 2014 flying year (FY 14). Operational data in terms of the flight scheduled, aircraft type, total time enroute, route stage length, passenger estimates were obtained through SAA’s flight operations website. An independent t–test was conducted to compare means of the emissions. The mean carbon dioxide …

Five Factor Model Personality Profiles Of University Of North Dakota Unmanned Aircraft Systems Students, Zachary P. Waller

Aviation Faculty Publications

Efforts to quantify personality characteristics in the pilots of manned aircraft extend back for decades. For individuals interested in piloting Unmanned Aircraft, similar analysis of normative personality characteristics remains relatively unexplored. This research examined the Five Factor Model (FFM) personality profiles of individuals pursuing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) studies at the University of North Dakota (UND). Using the Big Five Inventory (BFI) general personality index, the responses of a UAS Student sample (n=65) were compared to a Normative sample (n=248) previously collected by Petros (2013). The sample group, comprised of students with either Pre UAS Operations or UAS Operations declared …

A College Level Helicopter Curriculum, Eugene B. Krueger

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.