Aviation Commons^™

The Future Of Social Media Usage For Scholarly Research, Brent D. Bowen, Jackie Luedtke, Timothy B. Holt, David Ehrensperger, Hunter M. Watson

Publications

The research method for this project – examining the dissemination of research artifacts through social media as well as the impact social media can have on scholarly research – originated with Dr. Brent Bowen of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at the Prescott, Arizona campus and Dr. Dean E. Headley of Wichita State University. Drs. Bowen and Headley introduced the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) in early 1991 as an objective method for comparing and scoring airline performance in areas deemed to be important for consumers. Scores are calculated by defining 15-elements in four major areas, focusing on airline performance and the significance …

Cirrus Cloud Microphysics Over Darwin, Australia, Dorothea Ivanova, Matthew Johnson

Publications

Ice clouds, crucial to the understanding of both short - and long - term climate trends, are poorly represented in global climate models (GCMs). Cirrus clouds, one of the largest uncertainties in the global radiation budget, have been inadequately studied at low latitudes. Parameterizations exist for mid - latitude and tropical cirrus ( Ivanova et al. 2001; McFarquhar et al. 1997). Due to climate sensitivity in the GCM with respect to cloud input, without robust parameterizations of cirrus clouds, the GCM is inaccurate over most output fields, including radiative forcing, temperature, albedo, and heat flux (Yao and Del Genio 1999). …

Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Operations Into The National Airspace System, Benjamin Cook, Holly Hughes, Allison Little, Kyle Wilkerson, Jennah C. Perry, Johnny Young, Jacqueline Luedtke

Publications

Commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are expected to dominate the National Airspace System (NAS) in the years to come. One particular barrier preventing integration of UAS into the NAS is the lack of standardized procedures for separating aircraft and communicating with ATC. In preparation for adopting unmanned flight operations into a complex control system, it is important to identify solutions to effectively control UAS in the NAS.

The Joint UAS and ATC Team (JUAT) group has designed several simulated ATC scenarios in order to determine effective solutions for integration. Through the use of digitized radar display overlays that replicate the …

Airline Quality Research: A Student's Perspective, Brent D. Bowen, Erin Bowen, Dean E. Headley, Mary Fink, Madeline S. Kuhn

Publications

This study examines the relationship between the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) and the Airline Passenger Survey (APS) from an undergraduate student’s perspective, as well as how conducting undergraduate research has influenced the student researcher. Operational performance of the U. S. airline industry has been monitored for the past 27 years by a quantitative model of metrics known as the Airline Quality Rating. These metrics include on - time flights, denied boardings, mishandled baggage, and customer complaints. As the nation’s most comprehensive study of airline performance and quality, the National Airline Quality Rating (http : //airlinequalityrating . com) sets an industry …

A Student's Perspective On The Utilization Of Social Media For Scholarly Research, Brent D. Bowen, Jacqueline Luedtke, Timothy B. Holt, David Ehrensperger, Hunter M. Watson

Publications

The research was conducted on the continuous advancements on the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) developed by Dr . Brent Bowen, and the benefactor of research from a student perspective . The general case study focus of this research is the AQR as it relates to the utilization of social media platforms, and thus having the ability to reach out to a broader worldwide presence . Media metrics consisting of social network platforms, and news releases to assist in broadening the viewership and utilization of research in meeting individuals needs in gaining qualitative and quantified information about the AQR . As …

Undergraduate Research On General Aviation Hypoxia: A Student's Perspective, Timothy B. Holt, Jacqueline Luedtke, Claire G. Schindler

Publications

The problem this study addresses is the uncertainty of the common circumstances that general aviation pilots find themselves in that create a hypoxic state, as well as whether or not that pilot reported the occurrence to the proper establishments. The results of this study showed not only those that were impacted the greatest by hypoxia, but also a caring concern for reporting these events. The key elements for this research were:

• Level of flying experience that encountered hypoxia

• Reporting statistics

• Reasons for not reporting the event

• Suggestions for bettering flight physiology training

Utilizing Guided Simulation In Conjunction With Digital Learning Tools In Air Traffic Control Training, Allison Little, Benjamin Cook, Holly Hughes, Kyle Wilkerson, Jacqueline Luedtke, Jennah Perry

Publications

For students in an air traffic control discipline, simulated training time is limited to in - class time and is divided among the entire class. Students are required to advance and obtain knowledge, skills, and abilities in the lab because there is almost no way to practice at home. All students learn at different rates as well as through different learning styles. Swivl is a digital learning/capture tool designed to enhance student learning by allowing students to refer back to the individual classroom lab training session via an online portal.

Swivl is currently being used in two ATC Lab courses. …

A Comparison Of Malfunction-Related Accidents For General Aviation Aircraft Manufactured In 1970–1984 And 2000–2014, Douglas Boyd, Jochen Hinkelbein

Publications

The United States general aviation fleet is aging with aircraft manufactured 35–39 years ago representing the most prevalent group. Since older aircraft are more prone to airframe corrosion, fatigue, and brittle electrical wiring, the present study was undertaken to determine whether malfunction-related accidents for general aviation aircraft manufactured between 1970 and 1984 were elevated relative to airplanes produced more recently (2000–2014).

The NTSB aviation accident database was used to identify piston-powered airplane accidents occurring over the 2005–2014 period. Aircraft manufacture year and fleet activity data were from the FAA. Statistical analyses employed contingency tables and Poisson distributions.

The proportion of …

Repository Review: Nasa Pubspace, Laura Pope Robbins

Publications

Laura Pope Robbins is an advisor for The Charleston Advisor, and the review below is included in Scholarly Commons with the permission of the publisher.

PubSpace is a repository of full-text peer-reviewed articles resulting from NASA-funded research going back to 1961. The National Center for Biotechnology Information has integrated PubSpace into PubMed Central, a freely available repository of medical research. Using an established, stable, government-hosted platform for PubSpace seems to make sense. However, the lack of clear branding, an uneven application of phrase searching, and a missing thesaurus of NASA terminology highlights that this integration may not be the best.

A Comparison Of Malfunction-Related Accidents For General Aviation Aircraft Manufactured In 1970–1984 And 2000–2014, Douglas Boyd, Jochen Hinkelbein

Publications

The United States general aviation fleet is aging with aircraft manufactured 35–39 years ago representing the most prevalent group. Since older aircraft are more prone to airframe corrosion, fatigue, and brittle electrical wiring, the present study was undertaken to determine whether malfunction-related accidents for general aviation aircraft manufactured between 1970 and 1984 were elevated relative to airplanes produced more recently (2000–2014).

The NTSB aviation accident database was used to identify piston-powered airplane accidents occurring over the 2005–2014 period. Aircraft manufacture year and fleet activity data were from the FAA. Statistical analyses employed contingency tables and Poisson distributions.

The proportion of …

Impact Factor And Scholarly Research: The Traditional Media With A Social Media Influence, Brent D. Bowen, Jacqueline Luedtke, Timothy B. Holt, David Ehrensperger, Hunter M. Watson

Publications

The research method for this project – examining the dissemination of research artifacts through social media as well as the impact social media can have on scholarly research – originated with Dr. Brent Bowen of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at the Prescott, Arizona campus and Dr. Dean E. Headley of Wichita State University. Drs. Bowen and Headley introduced the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) in early 1991 as an objective method for comparing and scoring airline performance in areas deemed to be important for consumers. Scores are calculated by defining 15-elements in four major areas, focusing on airline performance and the significance …

The Utilization Of Peer Mentorship And Its Positive Impact On Student Retention, Timothy B. Holt, Jacqueline Luedtke, Claire Schindler

Publications

In recognition of increasing rates of repeated ground schools and flight lessons, in combination with decreasing retention rates in the flight programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Department of Aeronautical Science in the College of Aviation took initiative to create a program that identified struggle students before they reached excessive failure or financial distress. The students identified in the Student Success Initiative (SSI) after being assessed would be required to attend a mediation session with their academic and flight training staff in order to create a specialized training program.

• Student Success Initiative (SSI)
• Identifies "at risk" students
• Implemented training plan …

Airline Quality And The Consumer Perception, Brent D. Bowen, Erin Bowen, Dean E. Headley, Madeline S. Kuhn

Publications

Operational performance of the U.S. airline industry has been monitored for the past 27 years by a quantitative model of metrics known as the Airline Quality Rating. The National Airline Quality Rating (http://airlinequalityrating.com) sets the industry standard for comparing performance quality among U.S. airlines. Criteria included in the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report are screened to meet two basic elements: (1) they must be readily obtainable from published data sources for each airline, and (2) they must be important to consumers regarding airline quality. Results from this report are retrieved from the April 2016 Airline Quality Rating Report.

Modelling Fatigue For Management Decision Making: A Case Study, Rajee Olaganathan, Timothy B. Holt, Jacqueline Luedtke

Publications

Fatigue is one major contributing factor that reduces the human ability and leads to accidents, and threatens the safety of aircraft and human lives.

Though fatigue is seen in all the disciplines associated with the aviation industry, this paper will discuss only pilot fatigue. Based on the literature examined, this study first examines the significance of the problem.

Investigation of the inflight, pre/post flight countermeasures (both pharmacological and non - pharmacological methods) practiced at present, discusses the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) – in this first, it defines the FRMS, briefly discusses its history, describes the organizational structure of FRMS …

Increased System Fidelity For Navy Aviation Hypoxia Training, Beth. F. Wheeler Atkinson, Janet Marnane, Daniel L. Immeker, Jonathan Reeh, John Zbranek, Ashwin K. Balasubramanian, David M. Mcettrick, W. Tyler Scheeler

Publications

In 2009, the Naval Aviation Survival Training Program (NASTP) Trainer Management Team (TMT) identified a need for a next-generation normobaric mask-on hypoxia trainer with enhanced capabilities due to the lack of positive air pressure provided by existing capabilities. The lack of a positive pressure-on-demand airflow delivery for current mask-on hypoxia training has been cited as a potential training gap wherein 44% of students experience air hunger (Artino, Folga, & Vacchiano, 2009). As a result, it is unclear whether students are able to recognize more subtle symptoms of hypoxia or if they are masked by air hunger. To address this, researchers …

A Safety Management Model For Far 141 Approved Flight Schools, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Thomas Q. Carney

Publications

The Safety Management Annex (Annex 19), which became applicable in November 2013, consolidates safety management provisions previously contained in six other International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annexes, and will serve as a resource for overarching state safety management responsibilities. Through Annex 19, ICAO has required that its member states develop and implement safety management systems (SMS) to improve safety. This mandate includes an approved training organization that is exposed to aviation safety risks. In 2015, the FAA published AC 120-92B to provide guidance material for certificate holders operating under FAR 121, to implement and maintain an SMS. This AC may …

Cabin Depressurization As A Hijacking Mitigation Tactic: A Consumer Perceptions Study, Rian Mehta, Stephen Rice, Scott R. Winter, Paul Buza

Publications

The security of a commercial airline flight is the primary concern of all parties involved in the aviation industry. The policies and strategies of dealing with terrorist threats have evolved since the attacks of September 11, 2001. The current policy requires that the cockpit door be locked so that the hijackers have no access to the flight controls. A new method has been discussed whereby the pilots depressurize the cabin so as to eliminate the hijacking threat since all the cabin crew and passengers will be rendered unconscious. While there is a risk of possible negative impact on brain cells …

Accident Rates, Phase Of Operations, And Injury Severity For Solo Students In Pursuit Of Private Pilot Certification (1994–2013), Douglas Boyd, Peter Dittmer

Publications

Flight training accidents constitute 14% of general aviation accidents. Herein we determined the rates, injury severity, and phase of flight for primary student solo accidents/incidents (mishaps) in Cessna 172 aircraft. Mishaps over the period spanning 1994–2013 were identified from the NTSB database. Student population data were from the FAA. Statistics employed proportion tests, Poisson distribution, and Mann-Whitney tests. Across the study period, 598 mishaps were identified. While the mishap rate increased nearly two-fold between 1994/1997 and 2002/ 2005, a 35% decline was evident thereafter. Nevertheless, no statistical difference in mishap rates was evident between the initial and current periods. Over …

2016 General Aviation Flight Training Metrics, Steven Hampton, Ken Byrnes, Troy Techau

Publications

The study evaluates training at a collegiate flight training program (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) providing metrics for time and costs from zero time to a Commercial certificated Pilot with Instrument and Multi-Engine add-ons. Training times for flights and activities are pulled from a sophisticated database used at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and matched with flight and ground school lessons and then further subdivided to determine the amount of time spent training in areas of operation that are prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration in the published Practical Test Standards and Airman Certification Standards for those seeking pilot licenses and ratings.

Provided …

On Safety Assessment Of Novel Approach To Robust Uav Flight Control In Gusty Environments, Vladimir Golubev, Petr Kazarin, William Mackunis, Sherry Borener, Derek Hufty

Publications

In a follow-up to our previous study, the current work examines the gust-induced “cone of uncertainty” in a small unmanned aerial vehicle’s (UAV) flight trajectory addressed in the context of safety assessments of UAV operations. Such analysis is a critical facet of the integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS), particularly in terminal airspace. The paper describes a predictive, robust feedback-loop flight control model that is applicable to various classes of UAVs and unsteady flight-path scenarios. The control design presented in this paper extends previous research results by demonstrating asymptotic (zero steady-state error) altitude regulation …

Standardization Of Human-Computer-Interface For Geo-Fencing In Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, David Thirtyacre, Robert Brents, Michael Goldfein, David Hunter, B. Terwilliger

Publications

The use of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) has increased significantly in the past year. Geographic fencing (geo-fencing) is software built into most medium-cost consumer sUAS. This software is typically used to limit the altitude above launch point, the flight distance from the transmitting controller, and/or restrict flight inside a no-fly zone. While the concept of a geo-fence is simplistic, the human-computer-interface (HCI) varies drastically among platforms, and even between software iterations on the same platform. This research examines the HCI of three popular consumer-level sUAS with regard to geo-fencing. The software procedures and human interface for the DJI Inspire-1, …

Passenger Obesity And Regional Aircraft Performance For The Most Corpulent States In The Usa, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

Obesity affects over 25% of Americans; however, prescribed FAA standard passenger weights for US airlines are based on data compiled 15 years ago. Since increased passenger weight degrades aircraft performance and may lead to a loss of control, the hypothesis herein is that passenger weight under-estimation for states with high obesity rates could potentially lead to a runway overrun or the inability to out climb rising terrain. In terms of the employed methodology, current person weights for the ten most obese states were determined using nationwide data adjusted for state ethnicity. Performance degradation for regional aircraft was assessed by accelerate-stop …

Aviation And Cybersecurity: Opportunities For Applied Research, Jon Haass, Radhakrishna Sampigethaya, Vincent Capezzuto

Publications

Aviation connects the global community and is moving more people and payloads faster than ever. The next decade will experience an increase in manned and unmanned aircraft and systems with new features and unprecedented applications. Cybertechnologies—including software, computer networks, and information technology—are critical and fundamental to these advances in meeting the needs of the aviation ecosystem of aircraft, pilots, personnel, passengers, stakeholders, and society. This article discusses current and evolving threats as well as opportunities for applied research to improve the global cybersecurity stance in the aviation and connected transportation industry of tomorrow.

Aircraft Cyber Security And Information Exchange Safety Analysis For Department Of Commerce, Timothy B. Holt, Mohammad Moallemi, Linda Weiland, Matt Earnhardt, Sonya Mcmullen

Publications

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Next Generation Air Transportation (NextGen) program is a long-term modernization and transformation of the current National Airspace System (NAS) into a more effective and coordinated decision-making system. NextGen provides a more reliable, secure, and dependable aviation capability for both users and operators ensuring more capacity, throughput, and safety. This research delineates a high-level Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) related to NextGen technologies, specifically Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) as well as Aircraft Access to System Wide Information Management (SWIM) network (AAtS). Other communication mediums such as Mode-S or ADS-B transponder are also data exchange …

General Aviation Accidents Related To Exceedance Of Airplane Weight/Center Of Gravity Limits, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

Obesity, affects a third of the US population and its corollary occupant weight adversely impacts safe flight operations. Increased aircraft weight results in longer takeoff/landing distances, degraded climb gradients and airframe failure may occur in turbulence. In this study, the rate, temporal changes, and lethality of accidents in piston-powered, general aviation aircraft related to exceeding the maximum aircraft weight/center of gravity (CG) limits were determined.

Maintenance Implications For Unmanned Aerial Vehicles In Remote Locations, Ian R. Mcandrew, Mark Kaintz, Andrew Carruthers

Publications

Maintenance in the aviation industry has evolved considerably since commercial and general aviation became a modern mode of transportation. ICAO has made maintenance a top priority by directing local National Aviation Authorities, NAA, to have implemented, robust and standardized training and qualifications for all maintenance personnel that work on any safety critical structure or component. There are rules, law and standards that are audited and the aviation industry is, perhaps, the most successful industry in maintaining standards and reliability. With the advent of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAV, the role of maintenance is now needing to be reviewed to determine how …

Glide Effects On Low Speed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles With Ice Formation, I. Mcandrew, K. Witcher, E. Navarro

Publications

This paper builds on the research that was previously presented and defended at a conference and adds to the depth of glide characteristics and aerodynamics. The basic assumed theory of low speed flight is used as the starting point and determined if this holds true for low speed. Traditionally, flight has always been about achieving faster and high flight operations. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are not typically designed to fly fast, the construction and power units are limiting, added to the lack of complexity in propulsion systems prevents high speeds in most cases. Here, aerodynamic data for Ice on leading …

Accident-Precipitating Factors For Crashes In Turbine-Powered General Aviation Aircraft, Douglas Boyd, Alan Stolzer

Publications

General aviation (14CFR Part 91) accounts for 83% of civil aviation fatalities. While much research has focused on accident causes/pilot demographics in this aviation sector, studies to identify factors leading up to the crash (accident-precipitating factors) are few. Such information could inform on pre-emptive remedial action. With this in mind and considering the paucity of research on turbine-powered aircraft accidents the study objectives were to identify accident-precipitating factors and determine if the accident rate has changed over time for such aircraft operating under 14CFR Part 91.

The NTSB Access database was queried for accidents in airplanes (

The “Checklist/Flight Manual …

Emerging Tools For Evaluating Safety Management Systems Effectiveness, T. Brady, A. Stolzer

Publications

Safety Management Systems (SMS) have become prevalent in a host of industries, including aviation, for managing safety, but little research has been performed to-date on measuring the effectiveness of SMS. This research examined the independent application of two related concepts to assess effective- ness: IO/SMS, an Input-Output economics concept applied to SMS, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Input-Output (IO) is a method for systematically determining the inter-relationships among ele- ments in a system. To determine if IO could be applied to SMS, it was necessary to calculate the relative importance to the system of the four components of SMS. Five …

What Are The Predictors Of System-Wide Trust Loss In Transportation Automation?, Stephen Rice, Scott R. Winter, John E. Deaton, Ismael Cremer

Publications

Prior research has examined how individuals place trust in single (e.g., Meyer, 2001, 2004) and multiple (e.g., Geels-Blair, Rice, & Schwark, 2013) automated devices when one fails. This has shown that participants are influenced by system-wide trust (SWT). What has been missing is an investigation into what types of people succumb to SWT effects. The current study attempts to replicate SWT findings and identify possible predictors of individuals likely to be influenced by SWT. The findings did demonstrate a replication of SWT. The study found that ‘‘feelings of negativity when automated devices fail’’ was a significant predictor of SWT theory.