Aviation Commons^™

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Safety Management System Regulations: An Informal Policy Evaluation, Brian J. Roggow

Publications

The United States (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revised 14 CFR § Part 5 Safety Management Systems, effective May 28, 2024. US air carriers have one year to modify their existing Safety Management System (SMS), whereas commuter and on-demand operators, commercial air tour operators, certain production certificate holders, and certain holders of a type certificate must implement an SMS within three years. The sociopolitical and legal rule-making processes are complex. This research evaluates the most recently revised FAA SMS regulations through the lens of prevailing literature, theories, and standard practices. Policy assessments and evaluations by non-governmental stakeholders can further inform …

Distribution Comparisons Of Eac Cost Growth For Aircraft Work Breakdown Structure Elements, Kyle P. Marquis, Edward D. White, Brandon M. Lucas, Robert D. Fass, Jonathan D. Ritschel, Shawn M. Valentine

Faculty Publications

This article analyzes and investigates the distribution of cost growth of the Estimate at Completion (EAC) for the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) elements of approximately 60 historical United States Acquisition Category I Research, Development, Test and Evaluation aircraft programs. Using the method of maximum likelihood in conjunction with the Akaike Information Criterion, the authors suggest that both the lognormal and Weibull distributions provide relatively good fit to EAC cost growth, with the lognormal slightly edging out the Weibull. As a summarized finding, the authors present their empirical results for the mean, coefficient of variation (CV), the 15th and 85th percentiles …

Occupational Safety Culture In Modern Aviation Maintenance, Sang-A Lee

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Aviation maintenance is paramount to the safety and efficiency of global air travel. Disturbingly, 2022 data revealed an unprecedented surge in severe injuries among aircraft maintenance technicians in the United States, prompting renewed scrutiny of the aviation maintenance occupational safety culture. In light of these developments, a systematic literature review was conducted to discern the influential factors shaping this safety culture, especially considering the industry’s rapid technological advancements. The review process involved meticulous key word searches, stringent article selection criteria, and qualitative data analysis software to interpret findings. From the synthesis of 35 peerreviewed articles, nine pivotal constructs emerged: (1) …

Aircraft Leasing And Its Effects On Ireland's Airline Sector, Aaron Christian, Jeanne Sumrall

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The aircraft leasing industry sits at the heart of Ireland’s aviation sector, making Ireland the global leader in the business. The presence of major leasing companies’ headquarters, including Avolon, SMBC and AerCap, in Ireland, allows for country to benefit from these companies’ revenue. In return, Ireland provides the companies with supportive tax and regulatory frameworks that benefit the aviation sector. The research on this topic explores different ways aircraft leasing contributes to airline efficiency through cost reductions and fleet modernization while minimizing financial risks associated with aircraft acquisition by utilizing computer programs. Operational modeling has become an essential tool for …

Lessons Learned From The Warsaw Airport, Nathan Lienhart, Nicholas King

Purdue Road School

An overview of two recent projects that are currently under construction at Warsaw Municipal Airport. The presentation provides project background and details, along with project nuances and lessons learned.

Using Thermal Camera Drones In Beef Cattle Roundup, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Eric Galloway, Shalyn Drake, Shawn Barstow, Ross Israelsen, Michael Pate

All Current Publications

Using drones with thermal sensors can be an effective tool in finding and collecting livestock from summer mountain ranges in the West. Drones can complete searches in much less time than required on horseback in demonstrated areas. Using drones reduces the workload of the rider and horse, saving time and energy and reducing the risk of injury. With proper training and certification, livestock producers can use drones to locate cattle and perform many other cost-cutting operations.

Palindrome: A Bi-Directional Multi-Object Detection Framework For Relative Navigation And Autonomous Docking, Liam A. Weinfurtner

Theses and Dissertations

This work introduces a bi-directional, multi-object detection framework that integrates pose estimates from both receiver- and tanker-mounted cameras to improve accuracy and redundancy. A modular YOLO-based detection pipeline is trained using synthetic and real imagery, leveraging a bootstrap transfer learning approach to enhance sim-to-real performance. System evaluation in both virtual and real-world environments demonstrates improved detection robustness, pose estimation accuracy, and scalability. These advancements contribute to the development of AI-driven vision systems for AAR and other autonomous docking applications.

Machine Learning Techniques To Detect Anomalies In T-38 Flight Sensor Data, Sydney M. Wekamp

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate sensors are critical for ensuring the safety of aircrew. However, detecting faulty sensors remains a significant challenge for the Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Current methods rely on either student pilots identifying anomalies or waiting for sensors to fail completely before repairs are made—an approach that lacks reliability and consistency. This research aims to address these shortcomings by implementing machine learning techniques to detect sensor faults proactively. To date, applying machine learning to a dataset of this size, encompassing numerous sensors on the same aircraft, is unprecedented. The project focuses on establishing strong baseline …

Evaluating Weather Effects On Sortie Generation Using Discrete Event Simulation, Markus Case

Theses and Dissertations

United States Air Force (USAF) operations rely on sortie generation, a complex system involving aircraft maintenance, operational planning, munitions, security forces, and aircrew. Failures in any of these areas can jeopardize a mission, and extreme weather events such as lightning, high winds, and snow further complicate operations. This thesis examines the impact of extreme weather on sortie generation, focusing on developing a data-driven discrete-event simulation (DES) to predict generation timelines and identify high-risk areas. The model allows users to adjust key inputs, including the month, number of aircraft, processing times, and personnel/equipment availability. By simulating real-world conditions, the model helps …

Understanding Avionics Maintenance Training Student Outcomes In A Student-Centered Active Learning Environment, Scott M. Wyman

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effects of active learning compared to didactic methodologies on two soft skills, namely teamwork and self-efficacy using regression analyses and connected letter reports. Learning styles and personality traits were used as predictors. Findings indicate significant interaction effects between methodology, aural learning style, and personality traits on self-efficacy and teamwork ability. The findings highlight the nuanced role of learner traits in shaping teamwork outcomes across instructional methods. While active learning supports soft skills, individual differences must be considered in instructional design to optimize teamwork in technical education settings.

Machine Learning With Flight Data Recorder Data For Flight Fuel Consumption Predictions, Adam C. Levandowski

Theses and Dissertations

This study applies advanced Machine Learning (ML) to Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data for fuel consumption predictions. It explores feature engineering, model selection, and Hyper-Parameter Optimization (HPO) across all flight phases. Baseline models like Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, Multi- Layer Perceptrons (MLPs), and decision trees are compared to Deep Neural Networks (DNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) with Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) layers, and XGBoost. Results analyze segmentation strategies, tailored features, and model performance. A counterfactual analysis compares ML models to operational fuel predictions, demonstrating their deployment potential. Findings establish a foundation for future ML-driven advancements in aviation fuel optimization.

Reinforcement Learning For Aeromedical Evacuation In Nonstationary Combat Environments, Micah J. Kartchner

Theses and Dissertations

This research formulates the medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) dispatching problem as a sequential decision process and investigates the application of reinforcement learning under nonstationary conditions. We model the dynamic arrival rate of MEDEVAC requests using a nonstationary Hawkes process and design a Double Deep Q-Network algorithm that incorporates belief states to anticipate future requests. Through computational experimentation, we analyze the impact of belief formulation on decision quality and system performance. Results indicate that policies incorporating belief states significantly outperform myopic dispatching policies, reducing urgent casualty wait times by up to 49.68% and increasing on-time evacuations by up to 21.91%.

Enhancing Reliability Of A 3d Cargo Scanning System, Gabriel F. Bartolomei

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advancements in 3D cargo scanning and machine learning offer solutions to improve cargo processing reliability. This study enhances a 3D cargo scanning system by addressing software crashes, connectivity failures, and image accuracy issues limiting its operational effectiveness. A systematic approach identified the primary causes of system failures. System updates were implemented, followed by 30 pre- and post-update trials to evaluate reliability improvements. Statistical t-tests showed a significant reduction in failures, although processing time slightly increased. Results indicated that targeted hardware and software updates enhanced cargo scanning efficiency and dependability. Future work will focus on refining sensor calibration, optimizing network …

Symbology Detection And Numerical Recognition For T-38 Heads-Up Display Recordings, Ben T. Hepner

Theses and Dissertations

The extraction of symbology and numerical data from the T-38 Heads-Up Display (HUD) enhances post-flight analysis and supports real-time decision-making. This research develops a deep learning pipeline using YOLO-based object detection and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to analyze HUD video data. Model evaluations showed mAP0.5:0.95 ranging from 0.422 (YOLOv11m, hard test set) to 0.696 (YOLOv8m, medium test set), demonstrating robust symbology detection. Numeric detection performed well (mAP_0.5:0.95 = 0.764), but OCR struggled with glare and resolution limitations, achieving a recognition accuracy of 17.35%. These results validate deep learning for HUD data extraction but highlight the need for improved robustness …

Proximal Policy Optimization Applied To The Beyond Visual Range Air Combat Maneuvering Problem, Daniel B. Joseph

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI) grows ever-more important in warfighting. Emerging technologies allow for the use of AI to control aircraft and weapons systems. This research investigates the application of reinforcement learning (RL) through the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm to a two-versus-two (2v2) beyond-visual-range (BVR) air combat maneuvering problem (ACMP). Implemented in the Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling (AFSIM), the methodology frames the engagement as a Markov decision process, wherein an autonomous RL agent learns continuous control decisions—throttle, pitch, roll, and yaw—under a cooperative communication scheme. A multi-phase curriculum-learning approach facilitates the progressive acquisition of flight stability, weapon deployment, …

Learning To Dogfight: Proximal Policy Optimization Vs. Double Deep Q Network For 2v2 Air Combat With Directed Energy Weapons In Afsim, Caden W. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This research utilizes reinforcement learning (RL) to train two blue agents each imbued with a directed energy weapon (DEW) in a 2v2 within visual range air combat maneuvering problem. A phased solution approach is employed to repeatedly tune and train several RL algorithm implementations: Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) and Double Deep Q Network (DDQN). Phase I of training includes reward shaping for basic flight elements such as altitude, airspeed, and target proximity. Phase II of training builds off policies developed in Phase I, but rewards emphasize winning the aerial engagement by any means necessary. DDQN significantly outperforms PPO in Phase …

An Overview Of Aeronautical Occurrences Related To Safety In Brazil And The United States, Diogo Carlos Rodrigues, Giuliano Gardolinski Venson, Odenir De Almeida

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

This essay presents a comparative analysis of the aeronautical occurrences registered in Brazil and in the United States from 2012 to 2021. The study was carried out through several segmentations of the occurrences and the aircrafts involved. Statistical data from the websites of Brazil’s Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents and the US National Transportation Safety Board was used for the comparative analysis. The evolution of the number of aircraft registered in each country was evaluated, and although the number of aircraft in the United States is much higher than in Brazil, the US occurrence rate is lower. …

Beyond The Blue Skies: A Comprehensive Guide For Risk Assessment In Aviation, Leila Halawi, Mark Miller, Sam Holley

Publications

Risk assessment in aviation is a critical process that safeguards the safety and reliability of operations. Aviation operations encompass inherent risks, from mechanical failures to human errors and environmental factors. The significance of these risks may be severe, leading to accidents, injuries, and loss of life. Recognizing and mitigating risks is supreme in this dynamic environment, where emerging technologies and innovation constantly reshape this industry. This chapter includes an in-depth explanation of risk management and analysis, leading to the core elements of risk assessment specifically for aviation operations. We will describe the process and explore some of the applications and …

Introduction To Drones, Shawn Barstow, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Shalyn Drake, Eric Galloway, Michael Pate

All Current Publications

Unmanned aircraft have advanced so much that they are completing tasks and integrating into all aspects of our lives. They deliver, survey, collect data, and complete assigned tasks with more efficiency and lower cost than many currently used techniques. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completely supports UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS) and continually updates information in this new and exciting field. This fact sheet will help you identify how you can legally fly drones and become an integral part of aviation’s vast and ever-progressing world.

The Case Of The Unexpected Attorney, Sarah Nilsson

Publications

Associate Professor of Applied Aviation Science Sarah Nilsson shares her professional experiences and insights in the areas of aviation and aviation law.

Designing An Interactive Application To Prevent Runway Incursion: A Systems Engineering Approach, Yixuan Cheng, Dahai Liu, Dennis Vincenzi, Donald S. Metscher

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Runway incursion is a leading cause of serious incidents and accidents at airports. A common cause of runway incursions is unfamiliarity with the airport layout. To address this, we designed an electronically interactive application intended as a practice tool for pilots during flight preparation. The aim of this application is to improve pilots’ familiarity with airports, ultimately helping to reduce runway incursions, with the goals of being interactive, affordable, easily accessible, and designed for use on mobile devices. We applied a systems engineering approach that adheres to human factors engineering principles to ensure user-friendly design and optimization of the interaction …

The Future Of Aviation: Becoming An Evtol Pilot – Faa’S New Regulations Open Up Career Opportunities, Sarah Nilsson

Publications

As the aviation industry stands on the brink of a revolutionary change, aspiring pilots are increasingly drawn to the exciting prospect of flying electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The allure of this cutting-edge technology has many asking: “How does one become an eVTOL pilot in the United States?” This question opens up a cascade of inquiries about the future of flight training, the certification process and the transition for existing pilots into this new realm of aviation like:

• What will the flight training curriculum look like for eVTOL aircraft?

• Who will be the pioneering Certified Flight …

Trends In Wildlife Strikes To Aircraft In Brazil: Implications For Airport Operators, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Chenyu Huang, Julius Keller, Carolina Anderson

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Purpose. Brazilian airport operators face persistent challenges from wildlife hazards to aircraft operations, necessitating the development and implementation or review of existing wildlife hazard management plans. Enhancing airport operators’ ability to allocate resources effectively requires a deeper understanding of past wildlife strikes. This study aimed to provide empirical insights derived from the analyses of wildlife strike and aircraft operations data in Brazil to support accident prevention endeavors.

Design/methodology. The researchers utilized two main datasets: the Brazilian National Wildlife Strike Database and the annual reports on aircraft traffic operations published by the Brazilian Department of Airspace Control. For this study, wildlife …

Pestle Analysis Of A Seaplane Transport Network In Greece, Dimitrios V. Siskos, Alexander Maravas, Jordan Karatzas

Publications

Seaplane operations connect remote areas, promote tourism, and provide unique transportation solutions. After many years of preparations, commercial seaplane operations on a network of 100 water airports and 200 waterways in Greece are about to commence. The network can serve the needs of 1.6 million permanent residents of the Greek islands, the inhabitants of the mainland, and over 35 million annual tourists. This paper aims to conduct a PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental) analysis to identify the factors that have delayed operations and those that will affect the success of future operations. As such, 26 factors are …

Complex Skill Learning And Atc: Examining Stress Response And Distress Mitigation With Eeg And Ecg, Sophia J. Fischer, James C. Lue, Dana Mahmoud, Joshua Rice, Piper Winsett, Eric Anthony Day, Michael J. Wenger, Dingjing Shi, Julia Beckel, Jamie Barrett, Tammy Ho

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2025

Air Traffic Control (ATC) trainees at the FAA Academy and developmentalcontrollers in the field often face dynamic and unexpected events in training,which may impact safe and effective human performance if certain vulnerabilitiesare not properly managed or mitigated. We integrate theory on self-regulatedworkplace training with a cognitive neuroscience perspective on attention touniquely examine the effects of surprise and stress on performance. Our near-termgoal is to demonstrate the viability of using physiological measures to predictperformance changes in a laboratory study of young adults learning a complexvideogame. We use a novel, event-marked and person-centric longitudinalapproach to the analysis of physiological variables to distinguish …

Review Of Fatigue Micro-Mitigations For Application In Air Traffic Control: Benefits, Challenges, And Feasibility, John Kang, Ruth E. Propper, Michael Sawyer

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2025

Air traffic controllers (ATCs) are one of the primary drivers of safe and resilient operations in the National Airspace System. The FAA has implemented manylarge-scale fatigue mitigation strategies (e.g., scheduling policies, break time requirements, and time-on-position limits) to combat fatigue. Given the performance benefits related to managing fatigue, ATCs may also benefit from simple, practical fatigue interventions and that could improve job performance.This review targets ‘micro-mitigations,’ which we define as mitigations that maybe unobtrusive, can be quickly implemented, have a rapid impact, and are easy to engage. We explore the possible utility of five micro-mitigations to help minimize fatigue/improve alertness: …

Material Vulnerabilities In Aviation: A Comparative Study Of Hiduminium Rr58 In The Concorde, Siddhant Singh, Kuldeep Agarwal

Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering Technology Department Publications

The catastrophic crash of Air France Flight 4590 in the year 2000 disclosed huge flaws in the material used to manufacture the Concorde fuel tanks, Hiduminium RR58 (Aluminum 2618A). Although this alloy was selected due to its resistance to high-temperature, this research examines its thermal and mechanical vulnerabilities, especially in relation to Aluminum 7075-T3, a large-scale application of which in the Boeing 747 was widespread. By comparing tensile strength, thermal conductivity, fatigue life, and creep life, this research determines how Hiduminium RR58's over-aging susceptibility, thermal cycling degradation, and rupture due to impact were contributory causes to the disaster. The study …

Mapping Pilot Stress And Fatigue During Flight Sessions, Atandrila Chowdhury, Sudip Vhaduri, Julius Keller, Mark Wilson, Debra Henneberry

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

This study examined physiological and self-reported indicators of stress and fatigue in four student pilots during training flights at Purdue University. Each pilot wore a wrist sensor that recorded heart rate, electrodermal activity, temperature, and acceleration, and completed pre and post-flight ratings of stress, fatigue, and sleep questionnaire. The pilots flew different types of training sessions, providing variation in environmental and flight conditions. All physiological data were cleaned and standardized before analysis. Across pilots, temperature and electrodermal activity generally increased during flight, showing a gradual rise in arousal that can come from several factors, including heat, physical effort, and normal …

Political Turbulence And Aviation Safety: A Cross-National Analysis Of Political Stability's Effects On Aviation Accidents, Léa Faure, Lilliam Maria Cáceres Malachowski

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

To what extent does political stability affect aviation safety? This research aims to link domestic political conditions and public safety through the consideration of aviation accident frequency. Political instability can indeed have profound effects on reducing overall public safety in a variety of domains through its influence on public policies. Reduced regulations and governance efforts can appear in contentious contexts for less-prioritized fields. This could influence the reemergence of technical aviation risk factors like crew training and performance, maintenance issues, infrastructure problems, human errors, etc. This would highlight a correlation between such political instability and weaker aviation safety regulations, investments …

Identifying Individual Factors Which Impact Student Learning In A Desktop Flight Training Simulator, Tim Ryley, Guido Carim Junior, James Mcbroom, Elvira Marques, Chris Campbell, Nnenna Ike

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

With expected global growth in air transport demand and forecasted shortage of pilots, there is a need for faster and cheaper flight training. A range of protocols was used to assess factors such as student’s emotional state, adaptive performance, and situational awareness as possible predictors of flight performance based on the influence of these factors on student flight performance conducted using a Personal Computer-based Aviation Training Devices (PCATD). Factor analysis and regression models were used to identify how these factors related to student performance during a visual flight conducted using a desktop simulator and our findings demonstrated some influence of …