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Theses and Dissertations

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Articles 211 - 240 of 412

Full-Text Articles in Aviation

Hazardous Material Cargo Frustration At Military Aerial Ports Of Embarkation, Niel E. Christensen Mar 2006

Hazardous Material Cargo Frustration At Military Aerial Ports Of Embarkation, Niel E. Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Since military units often require critical hazardous materials in an expedited manner, identifying choke points within the supply chain is necessary to improve logistic support to front line forces. Hazardous materials are some of the most critical assets for the war fighter, as well as the most restrictive and often most time consuming for transportation. This research quantifies the extent that vendor and depot supplied cargo is being delayed at Aerial Ports of Embarkation. By looking at frustrated hazardous material at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina and Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, a case study methodology is used to …

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Implementing Reliability-Centered Maintenance Analysis In A Revised Preventive Maintenance Program For The F-15, Michael H. Martin Mar 2006

Implementing Reliability-Centered Maintenance Analysis In A Revised Preventive Maintenance Program For The F-15, Michael H. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Reliability-centered maintenance is an approach to analyzing how and when equipment fails in order to maintain a desired level of performance or functionality. It employs the use of failure modes, effects and criticality analysis to rank order potential failures, and combines this rank order with the use of a prescribed decision logic process to determine what preventive maintenance tasks should be performed and when. Reliability-centered maintenance analysis has been used by the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, and commercial airlines to develop and update preventive maintenance programs for their aircraft for many years. While the United States …

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Algebra Of Tankers, Margaret M. Romero Mar 2006

Algebra Of Tankers, Margaret M. Romero

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force's aerial refueling tanker aircraft provide essential support for deployment and employment of combat and combat support aircraft, by extending their endurance and enhancing fighting efficiency. As the lead command for air refuelers, Air Mobility Command (AMC) must frequently examine the capability of current and proposed tanker fleets to meet mission requirements due to limited tanker resources. Analysts in AMC primarily use the Combined Mating and Ranging Plans System to provide actual tanker/receiver aircraft schedules and flight plans that take into account numerous system constraints. However, this tool can take weeks to run. Even recently developed quick look …

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Improving Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Maintenance Scheduling Through The Use Of Location Analysis Methodologies, Dale L. Overholts Ii Mar 2006

Improving Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Maintenance Scheduling Through The Use Of Location Analysis Methodologies, Dale L. Overholts Ii

Theses and Dissertations

The events of September 11, 2001 have led to increased security requirements for all ICBM-related activities. Missile maintenance managers must explore new scheduling techniques to sustain weapon system readiness levels in light of published security enhancements. The problem of improving missile maintenance scheduling is modeled as a two-stage heuristic that utilizes the maximal covering location problem methodology. Maintenance activities are categorized and weighted according to published priority designation and mission impact. The model’s first stage seeks to select two security umbrellas that maximize the weighted sum of maintenance activities. Stage two seeks to determine a maintenance schedule comprised of launch …

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Simulation For Evaluating The Usability Of Integrated Flight Decks, Troy Ricardo Weeks Dec 2005

Simulation For Evaluating The Usability Of Integrated Flight Decks, Troy Ricardo Weeks

Theses and Dissertations

There is a modern revolution of pilot interface designs as technological advancements force industrial progress in general aviation (GA). Recent accident statistics and safety reports indicate that computerized flight decks in Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) present novel safety hazards. Little empirical data have been used to measure the usability of integrated flight decks due to the complexity and time-consuming nature of flight data assessment. The objectives of this thesis are (1) to describe the human factors issues that are induced by the design of the integrated flight deck, (2) to demonstrate the evaluative capabilities of a TAA flight simulator, and …

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Comparing F-16 Maintenance Scheduling Philosophies, Konstantinos Iakovidis Jun 2005

Comparing F-16 Maintenance Scheduling Philosophies, Konstantinos Iakovidis

Theses and Dissertations

In the F-16 fighter community it is believed that the flying schedule can make or break a wing's maintenance effort. Nevertheless, there is no published scientific support behind many commonly used maintenance scheduling philosophies. The problem is that a generally accepted overall scheduling philosophy to improve the long term health of the fleet does not exist. The purpose of this research is tri-fold: to identify the most important scheduling philosophies, to identify the most meaningful metrics that capture the long term health of the fleet and maintenance effectiveness, and to compare the various philosophies using the performance measures to help …

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Dynamic Modeling And Evaluation Of Recurring Infrastructure Maintenance Budget Determination Methods, Matthew P. Jefson Mar 2005

Dynamic Modeling And Evaluation Of Recurring Infrastructure Maintenance Budget Determination Methods, Matthew P. Jefson

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research is using system dynamics modeling to evaluate the impact of missed scheduled maintenance due to budgetary constraints. Missed maintenance cannot be made up and the benefit to the facility's serviceability is lost. The cumulative effect on an entire facility's life span is that it is unable to reach its designed life expectancy. Replacement construction costs are hundreds, thousands, or millions times more than the annual maintenance repair costs. Therefore, Air Force civil engineers must be capable of evaluating maintenance strategies in a dynamic environment to determine the budget strategy's prolonged effect on infrastructure serviceable life. …

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Evaluating Management Strategies For Automated Test Systems/Equipment (Ats/E): An F-15 Case Study, Jeremy A. Howe Mar 2005

Evaluating Management Strategies For Automated Test Systems/Equipment (Ats/E): An F-15 Case Study, Jeremy A. Howe

Theses and Dissertations

The management of United States Air Force ATS/E presents a variety of issues that affect the long-term capability and mission readiness of weapon systems. Traditional procurement processes suggest that individual aircraft platform System Program Offices (SPOs) developed, improved and replaced ATE on an "as-required" basis. Increased obsolescence, however, and a concern for maintaining longer-term viability provided the necessary inertia for a movement towards the procurement and development of consolidated, common test equipment that would support multiple weapon systems. In 1998, the Air Force Chief of Staff directed HQ AFMC to establish a Common Support Equipment office to facilitate the combination …

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Estimating Resource Requirements To Support Multi-Echelon F-15e Deployments, David R. Maxwell Mar 2005

Estimating Resource Requirements To Support Multi-Echelon F-15e Deployments, David R. Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has become focused on developing the capability to rapidly respond to emerging crises. Strategic and operation planning play key roles in order to effectively implement this concept. During the planning process, separate courses of action (COAs) are developed. These COAs are evaluated based upon their operational effect, resource availability, nuclear and transportation feasibility. Currently, transportation feasibility assessments are based on the resources contained within a full Unit Type Code (UTC). Some COAs are eliminated based on these factors. However, most deployments occur at reduced levels. Situational factors, such as the …

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Strategic Airlift En Route Analysis And Considerations To Support The Global War On Terrorism, Michael C. Sere Mar 2005

Strategic Airlift En Route Analysis And Considerations To Support The Global War On Terrorism, Michael C. Sere

Theses and Dissertations

The Global War on Terrorism has mandated the need for additional global en route airfields. En route airfields consist of bases that are strategically located at intermediate locations between the Continental United States and the intended theater of operations. These airfields serve as refueling, crew staging, or maintenance stops for strategic airlift aircraft flying transoceanic routes. The focus of this study is to examine concepts to meet this need and to address important aspects that should be considered in devising new en route strategies. Based on various important factors associated with potential en route airfields, a goal programming methodology was …

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An Analysis Into The Effectiveness Of Aircraft Maintenance Under The Combat Wing Structure, Derrick R. Barthol Mar 2005

An Analysis Into The Effectiveness Of Aircraft Maintenance Under The Combat Wing Structure, Derrick R. Barthol

Theses and Dissertations

Organizational structure builds the foundation from which organizations operate. To gain full potential of structural efficiencies in the current operating environment, public and private firms are continually modifying their organizational structure. The U.S. Air Force is no different and underwent its most recent reorganization in the fall of 2002 replacing the post-Gulf War format of the previous decade. Air Force leadership needs to understand how well the current structure is performing at achieving its intended objectives. This research investigates the effectiveness of the recent change to Air Force organizational structure on aircraft maintenance performance through an analysis of aircraft maintenance …

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A Study In Drag Reduction Of Close Formation Flight Accounting For Flight Control Trim Positions And Dissimilar Formations, Michael T. Morgan Mar 2005

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

Theses and Dissertations

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

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The Effect Of Post-9/ 11 Security Requirements On Aviation Higher Education And Aviation Higher Education Student Attitudes Toward The United States, Richard G. Ham, Sr. Jan 2005

The Effect Of Post-9/ 11 Security Requirements On Aviation Higher Education And Aviation Higher Education Student Attitudes Toward The United States, Richard G. Ham, Sr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the effect of security measures implemented as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 on aviation higher education and how the measures affected aviation higher education students' attitudes toward the United States. The underlying premise of the study is that international persistence represents the ultimate indicator of economic and cultural effect on higher education while international student attitudes provide insight into possible causes of eroding international relationships that lead to terrorism. This is a sequential mixed methods study using a qualitative interview pilot study as the foundation, followed by a quantitative survey and ending …

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Hybrid Stochastic Models For Remaining Lifetime Prognosis, Steven M. Cox Aug 2004

Hybrid Stochastic Models For Remaining Lifetime Prognosis, Steven M. Cox

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force is developing its next generation aircraft and is seeking to reduce the risk of catastrophic failures, maintenance activities, and the logistics footprint while improving its sortie generation rate through a process called autonomic logistics. Vital to the successful implementation of this process is remaining lifetime prognosis of critical aircraft components. Complicating this problem is the absence of failure time information; however, sensors located on the aircraft are providing degradation measures. This research has provided a method to address at least a portion of this problem by uniting analytical lifetime distribution models with environment and/or degradation …

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Extending The Aircraft Availability Model To A Constrained Depot Environment Using Activity-Based Costing And The Theory Of Constraints, Gerardo H. Acosta Voegeli Jun 2004

Extending The Aircraft Availability Model To A Constrained Depot Environment Using Activity-Based Costing And The Theory Of Constraints, Gerardo H. Acosta Voegeli

Theses and Dissertations

The Aircraft Availability Model (AAM) assists managers in the selection of an optimal list of items to repair in order to attain the best aircraft availability rate. The model considers procurement or repair costs for the components as if the costs were unit variable as a price, instead of a repair cost representing a mix of both fixed and variable cost. This research used the AAM in conjunction with Activity Based-Costing (ABC) and The Theory of Constraints (TOC) methodologies to investigate the relationships between price, product mix, Aircraft Availability (AA) and total cost. This approach explicitly recognizes that the Air …

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Analysis And Forecasting Of U.S. Navy Operating And Support (O&S) Costs For Rotary Aircraft, Christopher J. Wilkes Mar 2004

Analysis And Forecasting Of U.S. Navy Operating And Support (O&S) Costs For Rotary Aircraft, Christopher J. Wilkes

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores forecasting techniques to estimate the Cost per Flying Hour (CPFH) for Navy rotary aircraft. Three separate forecasting techniques were evaluated to better predict the CPFH for better estimating and budgeting by the U.S. Navy. The process begins by empirically analyzing Operating & Support cost categories for each helicopter. Trends were examined in CPFH. For forecasting purposes, actual CPFH figures were compiled from 1997 to 2003 for the CH-46D, the CH-53D, the MH-53E, the SH-60F, the UH-1N, and the UH-3H helicopters. The forecasting techniques explored were the 3-year moving average, the single exponential smoothing method, and Holt's linear …

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Purchasing And Supply Chain Management Costing: An Air Transport Perspective Derived Through Commercial Air Cargo Firms, Kurt Ettrich Mar 2004

Purchasing And Supply Chain Management Costing: An Air Transport Perspective Derived Through Commercial Air Cargo Firms, Kurt Ettrich

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force has struggled to completely understand the costs associated with its operations. The issue of understanding cost is complex, involving many perspectives, methods and techniques. When examined from a broad standpoint, total supply chain costs can include a firm's costs plus upstream and downstream costs. This perspective takes vendors, suppliers and end customers into consideration. From this broad standpoint, the Air Force does not know its total supply chain cost. Since the Air Force's supply chain is too broad to be a focus of this study, a smaller segment was chosen for a closer look. Specifically, air cargo …

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Prepositioned Trailers For Aircraft Battle Damage Support, Scott M. Murray Mar 2004

Prepositioned Trailers For Aircraft Battle Damage Support, Scott M. Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Air superiority is essential in today's wartime environment. Aircraft that are damaged and not returned to combat can have a considerable impact on the quest for dominance in the air. To maintain operational effectiveness, an organization must have the capability to quickly repair damaged aircraft. The purpose of an Aircraft Battle Damage Repair (ABDR) program is to rapidly and effectively repair damaged aircraft to fly additional operational sorties and further contribute to wartime objectives. This capability must consist of providing the necessary tools and equipment for the rapid repair of aircraft. When an ABDR team deploys in support of an …

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A Demand Side Requirements Model To Forecast C-17 Mobility Aircraft Availability, Joseph R. Huscroft Jr. Mar 2004

A Demand Side Requirements Model To Forecast C-17 Mobility Aircraft Availability, Joseph R. Huscroft Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Current aircraft forecasting methods of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Directorate of Logistics are reliant on the experience of personnel and lead to after the fact, labor-intensive analysis. These deficiencies led AMC to the development of a Mobility Aircraft Availability Forecasting (MAAF) model. The purpose of the MAAF model is threefold: predict aircraft availability in order to provide the Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC) with a forecast of aircraft that will be available for AMC mission requirements, provide what if capabilities that analyze the effects of tasking and policy changes, and to provide foresight into problems associated with aircraft availability …

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Theoretical Models For Aircraft Availability: Classical Approach To Identification Of Trends, Seasonality, And System Constraints In The Development Of Realized Models, David B. Wall Mar 2004

Theoretical Models For Aircraft Availability: Classical Approach To Identification Of Trends, Seasonality, And System Constraints In The Development Of Realized Models, David B. Wall

Theses and Dissertations

This research provides forecasting models that will enable the AMC Directorate of Logistics analysis section to predict aircraft availability and provide the TACC with a monthly forecast of the number of aircraft that will be available to fulfill AMC mission requirements.

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Analysis And Forecasting Of Army Operating And Support Cost For Rotary Aircraft, John C. Hawkins Mar 2004

Analysis And Forecasting Of Army Operating And Support Cost For Rotary Aircraft, John C. Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores forecasting techniques to estimate the Cost per Flying Hour (CPFH) for Army Helicopters. Specifically, three separate forecasting techniques were evaluated to better predict the CPFH for better estimating and budgeting by the U.S. Army. For forecasting purposes, actual CPFH figures were compiled from 1995 to 2003 for all MACOMs flying the AH-64A, the CH-47D, and the UH-60A helicopters. The number of MACOMs was then reduced to the top three with regard to total CPFH expenditure. The use of a 3-year moving average, the single exponential smoothing method, and Holt's linear method were explored for each helicopter's data. …

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Analysis And Forecasting Of Air Force Operating And Support Cost For Rotary Aircraft, Matthew E. Laubacher Mar 2004

Analysis And Forecasting Of Air Force Operating And Support Cost For Rotary Aircraft, Matthew E. Laubacher

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores forecasting techniques to estimate the Cost per Flying Hour (CPFH) for Air Force Helicopters. Specifically, this research evaluates three separate forecasting techniques to predict the CPFH for better estimating and budgeting by the U.S. Air Force. It starts by empirically analyzing the Operating and Support cost by CAIG categories for each helicopter. For forecasting purposes, the actual CPFH figures were compiled from FY96 to FY03 for a total of eight MAJCOMs flying the MH-53J/M, the HH-60G, or the UH-1N helicopters. The research explores the use of a 3-year moving average, the single exponential smoothing method, and Holt's …

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Reusable Space Vehicle Ground Operations Baseline Conceptual Model, Dennis R. Maynard, Patricia Pettit Mar 2004

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

Theses and Dissertations

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

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Effects Of Duty Schedule Variance And Overtime On The Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intentions Of Usaf F-16 Crew Chiefs, Michael J. Shellhamer Mar 2004

Effects Of Duty Schedule Variance And Overtime On The Job Satisfaction And Turnover Intentions Of Usaf F-16 Crew Chiefs, Michael J. Shellhamer

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis empirically assessed how duty schedule variance and overtime affect the job satisfaction and turnover intentions of USAF F-16 crew chiefs. A survey was completed by 346 active duty USAF F-16 crew chiefs regarding their perceptions of duty schedule variance, overtime, job satisfaction and intent to leave the Air Force. Theory suggests that turnover behavior is a multistage process that involves organizational, individual, and attitudinal components. Using multivariate correlation and regression analyses, plausible evidence was found to support the idea that duty schedule variance and overtime plays a role in USAF F-16 crew chief turnover intentions via job satisfaction. …

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An Analysis Of Coast Guard Hh-65 Engine Reliability: A Comparison Of Malfunctions To Component Removals, Donna L. Cottrell Mar 2004

An Analysis Of Coast Guard Hh-65 Engine Reliability: A Comparison Of Malfunctions To Component Removals, Donna L. Cottrell

Theses and Dissertations

The Coast Guard HH-65 helicopter experienced 31 in-flight loss of power incidents during FY 2003 and 21 during the first two months of FY 2003. Concurrent with this apparent decrease in reliability, the Coast Guard seeks ways to expand the HH- 65’s Airborne Use of Force capabilities as a result of the September 11th, 2001 terrorists’ attacks. This study is an exploratory, empirical analysis of engine and airframe component replacements as related to engine mishaps and reliability in the HH-65. We use contingency table analysis, ordinary least squares regression, and logistic regression to examine the mishap history and component replacement …

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An Analysis Of Microbial Contamination In Military Aviation Fuel Systems, Harold W. Graef Mar 2003

An Analysis Of Microbial Contamination In Military Aviation Fuel Systems, Harold W. Graef

Theses and Dissertations

Military aviation fuel systems can be an ideal environment for microorganisms. Microbial growth in hydrocarbon fuel systems arises because of the impracticality of keeping fuel tanks sterile and the inevitable presence of water from condensation. Microbial contaminants in aviation fuel systems are a concern because of their potential to degrade the fuel, accelerate tank corrosion, and threaten flight safety. This research addresses the concern of using more environmentally friendly Fuel System Icing Inhibitors (FSII), which are also biocidal. Are significant levels of microorganisms growing in military aviation fuel systems, and if so, are there any common variables? Forty aviation fuel …

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A Simulation-Based Analysis Of The Impact Of In-Sourcing A Major Process Element On The Coast Guard Hh-601 Depot Maintenance Process, Steven E. Vigus Mar 2003

A Simulation-Based Analysis Of The Impact Of In-Sourcing A Major Process Element On The Coast Guard Hh-601 Depot Maintenance Process, Steven E. Vigus

Theses and Dissertations

Leaders at the United States Coast Guard's Aircraft Repair and Service Center (ARSC) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina recently formalized their planning and analysis functions by adding a dedicated branch to their command structure. The Planning and Analysis Branch intends to apply computer modeling and simulation to study the impact of process changes to the various Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) lines. This research considers the applicability of this type of modeling and simulation, using ARENA to study the current HH-6OJ PDM process. The contribution of this research is a methodology specific to ARSC needs, an analysis of methodology based on …

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Multimission Aircraft Design Study-Operational Scenarios, Nevin Coskuner Mar 2003

Multimission Aircraft Design Study-Operational Scenarios, Nevin Coskuner

Theses and Dissertations

In the most recent years, the Command, Control and Communications, Counter Measures, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C3CMISR) aircrafts are used commonly in many NATO and UN Operations around the world. These aircrafts are AWACS, JSTARS, Rivet Joint, Compass Call and ABCCC. They provide close air support in the name of airborne surveillance, ground moving target surveillance, target reconnaissance, jamming, and command, control and communications issues in operational environments. Those aircrafts are tasked with a wide variety of missions than ever before in operational theaters and each one of them comprises a specific amount of cost and risk factors. As a …

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The Air Force Operational Risk Management Program And Aviation Safety, Matthew G. Cho Mar 2003

The Air Force Operational Risk Management Program And Aviation Safety, Matthew G. Cho

Theses and Dissertations

Aviation mishaps are extremely costly in terms of dollar value, public opinion, and human life, The Air Force drastically reduced Class A mishap rates in its formative years. The rate plummeted from 44.22 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours in 1947 to 2.33 mishaps in 1983 and has held steady around 1.5 mishaps since. The Air Force implemented the Operational Risk Management (ORM) program in 1996 in an effort to protect their most valuable resources: aircraft and aviators. An AFIT thesis conducted in 1999 by Capt Park Ashley studied the Army similar Risk Management (RM) program. Ashley concluded that since his …

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An Analysis Of The Efficacy Of The Logistics Composite Model In Estimating Maintenance Manpower Productive Capacity, Kirk B. Pettingill Mar 2003

An Analysis Of The Efficacy Of The Logistics Composite Model In Estimating Maintenance Manpower Productive Capacity, Kirk B. Pettingill

Theses and Dissertations

The Logistics Composite Model (LCOM) is the tool of choice for many MAJCOM's (ACC, USAFE, AFMC) in determining maintenance manpower requirements. The LCOM is a simulation program capable of modeling the manpower, equipment, supplies, and facilities required to conduct aircraft maintenance activities, Manpower studies conducted with the LCOM result in manpower estimates that end up in Unit Manning Documents (UMD) as "LCOM earned," authorized positions. This research effort focuses on whether the LCOM can also be used to determine maintenance manpower's current capacity. Three different flying units at Cannon AFB, NM were modeled to determine if the LCOM, when programmed …

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