Aviation Commons^™

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 …

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 …

Pilot Acceptance Of Personal, Wearable Fatigue Monitoring Technology: An Application Of The Extended Technology Acceptance Model, Rachelle Lynne Strong

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The research problem of pilot fatigue has been referenced as a causal factor for aircraft accidents in many United States National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports; however, the United States Code of Federal Regulations 14 CFR Part 117, Flight and Duty Limitations and Rest Requirements for Flight Crew Members, does not provide a tangible means of measuring fatigue for aircraft crew members. This problem is relevant to the airline industry and the travelling public because pilot fatigue is preventable as a causal factor in aviation accidents, and pilots need an accurate way to measure it. Adoption of a …

Organizational Design Of Secondary Aviation/Aerospace/Engineering Career Education Programs, Susan Kelly Archer

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Modern nations operate within a global economy, relying heavily on the aviation industry for efficient and effective transportation of passengers and goods. The Boeing 2018 Pilot and Technical Outlook Report indicated that over the next 20 years, the aviation industry will need almost two and a half million new aircrew and maintenance employees to meet anticipated global demand. The industry will also need engineers, aviation managers, and workers in other aviation and aerospace disciplines. Aviation and aerospace jobs require solid backgrounds in mathematics, science, and technology; the development of pre-college aviation / aerospace / engineering career education programs would presumably …

Predicting Pilot Misperception Of Runway Excursion Risk Through Machine Learning Algorithms Of Recorded Flight Data, Edwin Vincent Odisho Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The research used predictive models to determine pilot misperception of runway excursion risk associated with unstable approaches. The Federal Aviation Administration defined runway excursion as a veer-off or overrun of the runway surface. The Federal Aviation Administration also defined a stable approach as an aircraft meeting the following criteria: (a) on target approach airspeed, (b) correct attitude, (c) landing configuration, (d) nominal descent angle/rate, and (e) on a straight flight path to the runway touchdown zone. Continuing an unstable approach to landing was defined as Unstable Approach Risk Misperception in this research. A review of the literature revealed that an …

Assessing If Motivation Impacts General Aviation Pilots’ Persistence In Varying Weather Conditions, Sabrina Woods

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Continued flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions is the predominant cause for fatal accidents by percentage, for general aviation aircraft operations. It is possible that a pilot’s motivation or reason for flying will override other safer, more logical courses of action when a hazard presents itself. The decision appears to stem from a willingness to persist in a course of action despite factors that indicate an alternate and safer course is warranted. This research addresses what is currently presumed about the decision to continue flying under visual flight rules into instrument conditions and marries those ideas with …

Redefining Creep: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Aviation Accident Survivability, Michael Knott

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Given the sheer amount of flights that occur on a daily basis around the world, aviation accidents are going to occur. The principles ensuring that an accident is as safe as possible are considered aircraft survivability or crashworthiness which is analyzed using the acronym CREEP; Container, Restraint, Environment, Energy Absorption, and Post-Crash Factors. CREEP is used by investigators to analyze survivability after a crash, but has significant short falls. By only focusing on a crash, CREEP misses several survivability concepts applicable to aviation such as aircraft equipped with ejection seats, inflight environmental factors, and high …

Computational Model For Pedestrian Movement And Infectious Diseases Spread During Air Travel: A Molecular Dynamics-Like Numerical Approach, Pierrot Derjany

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

There is direct evidence of the transmission of fatal infectious pathogens in large human gatherings. Air transportation is no exception. The mixing of susceptible and infectious individuals in this high-density man-made environment involves pedestrian movement which is generally not taken into account in modeling studies of disease dynamics. This thesis addresses this problem through a multiscale model that combines pedestrian dynamics with stochastic infection spread models. This generic model is applicable to several directly transmitted diseases. Through this multiscale framework, the effectiveness of certain layout and strategies in suppressing the disease spread in highly crowded locations such as airplanes, airports …

A Step Toward Ending Long Airport Security Lines: The Modified Boarding Pass, Joel Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Anyone who has traveled by air has most likely experienced long airport security lines. Yet not much is known about its cause because few have considered if passengers have created this problem for themselves. The present study attempts to fill this research gap by suggesting that when passengers are not well-prepared for security screening, they delay the process by making mistakes and not complying with procedures. This lack of preparedness can be attributed to several shortcomings of security signposts. This study proposes the use of a modified boarding pass as an alternative form of signage to help passengers better prepare …

Effects Of Musical Ability On Flight Planning, Situational Awareness, And Flight Path Deviations, Andrew P. Henry

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Numerous studies have been conducted on music education and the benefits that learning an instrument has on the brain. However, there is little research that connects a pilot’s ability to play an instrument to a pilot’s ability to fly an airplane. When learning an instrument, students learn non-musical abilities, such as executive functions, which may correspond with the skills necessary to be a good pilot. The purpose of this study was to find a relationship between learning a musical instrument and pilot performance, specifically related to flight planning, situational awareness, and flight path deviations. This study was a quasi-experimental design …

Assessing Impacts Of Decentralizing Airpower Command And Control, Allen Goodwin Peck

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Centralized control is a fundamental tenet of joint airpower doctrine, yet there are operational situations in which some degree of decentralization may be appropriate. The purpose of this research was to quantitatively assess the impacts of decentralizing the command and control (C2) of airpower under varying operational conditions. The research used the experimental method to test hypotheses regarding decentralization of control. JAEX, a stochastic, attrition-based Blue-versus-Red war gaming model, generated the required data.

The mean difference between JAEX outcomes under centralized control and outcomes under decentralized control constituted the dependent variable for each experiment. The independent variables were the operational …

Benefits Of Additional Runway Crossings On Parallel Runway Operations, Sergio Ezequiel Taleisnik

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

As the air transportation industry expands, airports face numerous challenges to manage the increasing traffic. Among these problems, runway crossings are a considerable source of ground traffic inefficiency and risk. Building end-around taxiways are the only strategy to avoid crossings, but these are not always feasible, and therefore airport planners must find alternatives. This study consisted of a simulation over an airport that currently requires a vast amount of its arrivals to go through runway crossings in order to reach the apron; the airport simulation software utilized was the Total Airspace and Airport Modeler (TAAM). The process began with a …

A Behavioral Research Model For Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems For Data Gathering Operations, Paul Leonard Myers Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

According to Hitlin (2017) of the Pew Research Center, only 8% of U.S. citizens own an unmanned aircraft. Additionally, regarding feelings if U.S. citizens saw an unmanned aircraft flying close to where they live, 26% say they would be nervous, 12% feel angry, and 11% are scared. As of March 9, 2018, there were 1,050,328 U.S. small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) registrations compared to 947,970 November 29, 2017. While sUAS use has increased in the U.S., it has lagged when compared to other items for personal use available to U.S. citizens as 92% own cell phones (Anderson, 2015). This slower …

Aviation Safety Action Program In The United States Air Force: Mobility Aircrews’ Intentions To Use Safety Reporting, Travis Jared Whittemore

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Building And Integrating An Information Security Trustworthiness Framework For Aviation Systems, Anna Baron Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The aviation infrastructure is broadly composed of aircraft, air traffic control systems, airports and public airfields. Much attention has been given to physical security along the years this industry has been expanding; and now, in the new age of interconnection devices, a growing concern about cybersecurity has risen.

The never-ending improvement of new digital technology has given birth to a new generation of electronic-enabled (e-enabled) aircraft that implement a remarkable amount of new technologies such as IP-enabled networks, COTS (commercial off-the- shelf) components, wireless connectivity, and global positioning systems (GPSs). For example, aircraft manufacturers are building wireless systems to reduce …

Safety Culture, Training, Understanding, Aviation Passion: The Impact On Manual Flight And Operational Performance, Karlene Kassner Petitt

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to understand pilots’ proclivity toward automation usage by identifying the relationship among pilot training, aircraft and systems understanding, safety culture, manual flight behavior, and aviation passion. A survey instrument titled Manual Flight Inventory (MFI) was designed to gather and assess self-reported variables of manual flight behavior, aviation passion, safety culture perception, pilot training, and pilot understanding. Demographic data and automation opinion-based questions were also asked to fully understand pilots’ thoughts on automation, safety culture, policies, procedures, training methodologies and assessment measures, levels of understanding, and study techniques. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was utilized to …

Application Of Dupont’S Dirty Dozen Framework To Commercial Aviation Maintenance Incidents, Greg M. Mellema

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This study examined the 12 preconditions for maintenance errors commonly known as the Dirty Dozen and applied them to actual incident and accident data provided by a participating airline (PA). The data provided by the PA consisted of Maintenance Event Reports (MERs) (reactive), Maintenance Operations Safety Assessment (MOSA) reports (proactive), and the results of the 2017 Maintenance Climate Awareness Survey (MCAS) (subjective). The MER and MOSA reports were coded by aviation maintenance subject matter experts (SMEs) using the 12 Dirty Dozen categories as the coding scheme, while the MCAS responses were parsed according to the precondition category they best represented. …

Systems Engineering Design Of An Electronically Interactive Application For Runway Incursion Prevention, Yixuan Cheng

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Runway Incursion is the leading cause of serious incidents or accidents in airports. One of the most common causes of a runway incursion is airport unfamiliarity. Therefore, the researcher designed an electronically interactive application as a practice tool for pilots to utilize during flight preparation. The objective of this application is to enhance airport familiarity to ultimately reduce runway incursion. This application is interactive, affordable, accessible, and mobile device-based. It was designed using the Systems Engineering approach, following Human Factors Engineering principles to make this application user-friendly and to provide optimized human machine interaction. A model-based Systems Engineering software-CORE was …

Evaluation Of Airline Efficiency And Environmental Impacts Using Data Envelopment Analysis, Arun Paul Saini

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Airline efficiency has been a focus of research since the birth of the airline industry. Data envelopment analysis has become a highly accepted methodology for performing efficiency analysis and assessing relative differences between comparable business entities; over the last decade, airline efficiency research has proliferated into this linear programming domain. While early airline efficiency research focused primarily on revenue generation and profitability, growing commercial social responsibility is driving greater investment into understanding and improving the environmental impact of airline operations. This study is intended to partially fill a gap in exigent literature. While limited data envelopment analysis including environmental impacts …

Prediction Of Airport Arrival Rates Using Data Mining Methods, Robert William Maxson

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This research sought to establish and utilize relationships between environmental variable inputs and airport efficiency estimates by data mining archived weather and airport performance data at ten geographically and climatologically different airports. Several meaningful relationships were discovered using various statistical modeling methods within an overarching data mining protocol and the developed models were tested using historical data. Additionally, a selected model was deployed using real-time predictive weather information to estimate airport efficiency as a demonstration of potential operational usefulness.

This work employed SAS® Enterprise Miner TM data mining and modeling software to train and validate decision tree, neural network, and …

Determining The Location Of Runway Exits Using Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Christopher Bryan Clemmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Airport surface detection equipment, such as ASDE-X, is used by thirty-five commercially operated airports throughout the United States. ASDE-X is responsible for the safe monitoring of aircraft movements as well as ground support vehicle operating on the airfield. Like most radar-based technologies, ASDE-X can report the position of any aircraft within a one second time interval. This data not only contains the geographic position, but also reports speed, heading, altitude, and aircraft specific characteristics. Using a quantitative approach, this research will use the data reported by ASDE-X to analyze current runway exit locations and develop an improved method of determining …

General Aviation Pilot Acceptance And Adoption Of Electronic Flight Bag Technology, Troy Ernest Techau

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This research used an adapted version of the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) to examine electronic flight bag (EFB) acceptance and adoption for general aviation (GA) pilots. EFBs are a common tool in almost all types of aviation and feature many useful capabilities such as the ability to display traffic, weather, and aviation charts. Despite their potential benefits, while some pilots choose to use EFBs in their flight operations, others continue to rely on traditional paper charts and reference materials. Determination of which factors explain differences in pilot acceptance and adoption of EFBs could influence …

Secure Aircraft Maintenance Records Using Blockchain (Samr), Ahrash Aleshi

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

We propose to enhance the security and transparency of aircraft maintenance records in the aviation industry through the use of blockchain technology. A physical aircraft maintenance logbook is susceptible to being lost or destroyed. A nonexistent aircraft maintenance logbook hurts the confidence in integrity and reputation of the aircraft. Furthermore, fraud can occur through forgery of FAA personnel signatures and the installation of non-official aircraft parts. The scope of this work is to develop a secure blockchain that can store aircraft service records and information in a digital distributed ledger. By keeping the maintenance logbook on a digital ledger, records …

An Alternative Method Of Identification Of A Failed Engine In Twin-Engine Propeller Aircraft, Andrey Babin

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Previous research has revealed that wrong identification of a failed engine during flight is not an uncommon event in an aircraft cockpit. A number of fatal accidents in the past, including the recent TransAsia Flight 235 accident, resulted from engine misidentification. Most accidents of this type happened on takeoff when pilot workload was at its highest level. This thesis consists of two research studies. For Research Study 1, a survey was created to gather opinions of airline pilots who operate twin-engine turboprop aircraft. Twenty-nine percent of respondents to the survey agreed with the statement that there could be a better …

Low-Fare Flights Across The Atlantic: Impact Of Low-Cost, Long-Haul, Trans-Atlantic Flights On Passenger Choice Of Carrier, Jennifer Nicole Hunt

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Full-service carriers (FSCs) have long ruled the trans-Atlantic market, due to the absence of low fare competition, which has kept airfares high. However, renewed interest in low-cost, long-haul (LCLH) flights was prompted by efficient aircraft, low fuel prices, liberalization of air markets, and low-cost carriers’ growth opportunities. Since 2013, multiple LCLH carriers have commenced trans-Atlantic operations, and their market share has grown to 8%. In response, FSCs are establishing their own LCLH subsidiaries and/or introducing basic economy airfares to more effectively compete in the trans-Atlantic market. The purpose of this dissertation was to further the understanding of LCLH and FSC …

Gender Difference In Situation Awareness When Receiving Wayfinding Direction By Landmarks And Headings, Ziyi Dong

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In aviation, situation awareness (SA) is a fundamental requirement for effective flying and air traffic control. This skill has greatly been associated with pilot and air traffic controller performance. Previous studies in aviation and other fields have shown that gender differences exist in SA performance. Four hypotheses were tested in this study: women navigate better from landmark cues; men navigate better from headings cues; women have better SA performance than men when receiving landmark directions; and men have better SA when receiving cardinal directions. Thirty-eight participants drove a driving simulator twice. While driving, participants were asked SA questions to assess …

Airport Passenger Processing Technology: A Biometric Airport Journey, Vishra Patel

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A passenger's traveling journey throughout the airport is anything but simple. A passenger goes through numerous hoops and hurdles before safely boarding the aircraft. Many airports today are implementing isolated solutions for passenger processing. Some of these technologies include automated self-service kiosks and bag tag, self-service bag drop-off, along with automated self-service gates for boarding and border control. These solutions can be integrated with biometric systems to enhance passenger handling. This thesis analyzes the current passenger processing technology implemented at airports around the world and their associated challenges that passengers face. A new passenger processing technology called a biometric single …

Profitability And Financial Performance Indicators In U.S. Airports - A Preliminary Investigation, Abbas Shaban

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Airport profitability is fundamental for all airports around the world. To this effect, this study examines factors affecting airport profitability such as the number of passengers, the number of landings and take-offs, cargo (lbs), airport debt, the size of the airport, and the terminal utilization. Most of the large and medium hub airports in the U.S are considered in this study, and regression analysis is used to analyze the data.

The results of this study show that factors examined are statistically significant when measuring airport profitability, which in turns could suggest that airports with high values in most of these …

Safety Return On Investment (Roi): The Broader Adoption Of Rotorcraft Cfit-Avoidance Technology, Isaac Nderitu Munene

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation provided a method of estimating the potential return on investment (ROI) that could be achieved if operators were to adopt the readily available controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) avoidance technology more broadly. Previous research explored the costs and benefits of different safety initiatives but did not evaluate from an operators’ perspective. For the operators, a private ROI that excludes societal costs and benefits was therefore considered the suitable metric. For the rotorcraft industry, the ROI estimation methodology was not readily available, and this study sought to fill that gap. The purpose of this study was to estimate the …