Aviation Commons^™

Trust In Automation Causing Automation Complacency In Relation To General Aviation: A Quantitative Study, Bart Augustin Marcules

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined whether a relationship exists between Trust in Automation (TIA) and the potential for automation complacency in general aviation between pilots flying automated and non-automated aircraft as single pilots, while controlling for pilot generation. Autonomation can lead to automation complacency through overreliance and trust in the automation. Automation complacency may cause pilots to lose situational awareness and be surprised by automation surprises, leading to detrimental outcomes. Although automation complacency has long challenged commercial pilots, resulting in significant research on this issue, little research has focused on this issue in general aviation. The limited research is due …

Navigating The Challenges: Preflight Planning With Notam In Australia’S General Aviation Sector, Joshua Chiang, Guido Carim Junior

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) are an integral part of a pilot’s preflight navigational briefing, providing pertinent information in textual format. However, significant shortcomings have been found in the NOTAM system and in its use, with many of the shortcomings revolving around the interface. This study aimed to identify and evaluate the challenges general aviation pilots face when interacting with NOTAMs during preflight navigational planning. A thematic analysis study was conducted and included episodic semi-structured interviews with 15 pilots and document analysis. The interview transcription and excerpts of NOTAMs were analyzed following a thematic analysis technique. The findings of this preliminary …

Invisible Aircraft In U.S. Airspace: Regulatory Gaps And Mid-Air Collision Risk For Part 121 Operators, Philip Vandette

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Scheduled air carrier aircraft operate at large and small commercial airports across the U.S. National Airspace System. These turbine-powered aircraft fly at high speeds during departure and approach, yet many commercial airports are not covered by regulations requiring general aviation aircraft to transmit their positions, and some remain exempt from existing requirements. This regulatory gap forces airline pilots to rely on see-and-avoid methods that are impractical at turbine aircraft speeds. This study conducts a quantitative exploratory analysis of three data sources, using a PRISMA-style flow diagram, to examine the frequency of near mid-air collisions involving airline and general aviation aircraft …

Contributing Factors To Low Airspeed On Climb-Out As A Precursor To Loss Of Control In Flight, Owen D. Poborsky

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

The nature of aviation is not without inherent risk. Conducting training flight operations increases these inherent risks. Flight data monitoring and voluntary safety action programs seek to reduce risk, as seen in their success at commercial airlines. These successes are slowly permeating into general aviation through programs such as the National General Aviation Flight Information Database (NGAFID). The NGAFID is a program funded by the Federal Aviation Administration that allows general aviation operators to have the ability to collect and share de-identified flight data on an aggregate level to identify trends and increase safety margins during flight operations. This study …

Comparative Analysis Of Loss Of Control Definitions, Owen D. Poborsky

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

“Loss of control” (LOC) is a broad term in aviation used to describe an event or series of events that resulted in an accident or incident of an aircraft. Many definitions of LOC exist for aircraft while maneuvering on the ground and in the air. The purpose of this study is to synthesize the numerous LOC definitions found in the literature and from government and rulemaking organizations to better understand the importance of airspeed awareness as it relates to LOC events at low altitudes. Furthermore, emphasis shall be placed specifically on flight training within general aviation, as significant LOC statistical …

A Causal-Comparative Study Between The Aeronautical Decision-Making Skills Of Collegiately And Non-Collegiately Trained Private Pilots, Karl P. Winters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative design study was to examine the relationship between private pilots’ flight training background (collegiate or non-collegiate) and aeronautical decision-making (ADM) skills among recently certificated private pilots enrolled in a commercial pilot flight training course at a Part 141 flight training program in a large, private, mid-Atlantic university. The problem is that although deficient ADM is a known major contributor to fatal general aviation (GA) accidents, it is unknown if there is a difference in the ADM skills of collegiately and non-collegiately trained private pilots. This study, built on the framework of dual-process theory and …

Unleaded Fuel For General Aviation, Carolina Anderson, Laura Garcia

Sustainability Conference

The Clean Air Act, passed in the late 1970s, mandating the removal of lead from most fuels due its detrimental effects on public health, yet piston-driven aircraft continue to rely on leaded aviation gas (AvGas 100LL). This fuel remains the last lead-containing fuel regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Lead, added as tetraethyl lead (TEL), enhances octane levels and prevents engine detonation, vital for high-compression aircraft engines. In response to the health effects, regulating bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have tightened lead standards and are assessing the risk posed by AvGas. Research links even low-level lead exposure …

Is Declined Cognitive Function Predictive For Fatal Accidents Involving Aging Pilots?, Douglas D. Boyd, Alan J. Stolzer

Publications

Civil aviation comprises airlines/charters and general aviation (GA). Currently, airlines are experiencing a pilot shortage, partly reflecting scheduled retirements mandatory for airline (but not GA) pilots aged 65 years, fueling a debate as to whether the retirement age should be increased. Herein, using 16–40 years-of-age aviators as a reference, we determined whether GA pilots aged 60+ years (i) incurred an elevated accident rate, employing, for the first time, age-tiered flight time as a measure of risk exposure and (ii) carried an excess risk for cognitive deficiency-related fatal accidents. Methods. Airplane accidents (2002–2016) involving Class 3 medical certificated pilots were per …

A Review And Analysis Of General Aviation Instructional Accidents, Sydney Sommers

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

General aviation student pilot accidents represent a substantial portion of all aviation accidents in the United States. Almost 50% of general aviation accidents involve student pilots. Analyzing historical accident reports is the most common approach to studying accident causation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates all civil aviation accidents in the US. Using the NTSB data, I analyzed general aviation student pilot accidents in the US between 2013 and 2022. Results indicate that most accidents take place in California and Florida and can be attributed to student pilots between 18 and 65 years of age. Alaska and Maine had …

Deficiencies In Safe Practices By Pilots Operating General Aviation Aircraft In Weather Conducive For Icing, Douglas Boyd Phd, Thomas Guinn Phd

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Introduction: Flights of general aviation aircraft in icing conditions pose safety hazards especially since few airplanes are equipped with ice protection systems (FIKI). Herein, we sought to answer the following questions not previously addressed: (i) Has the general aviation icing-related accident rate declined over time? (ii) Which phase(s) of flight lead(s) to the highest fraction of fatal accidents? (iii) Do general aviation pilots adhere to safe practices when operating in forecasted icing?

Methods: Retrospectively, icing-related accidents were per the National Transportation Safety Board database. Prospectively, non-FIKI single-engine airplanes, operating in forecasted icing, were tracked (January–March 2023) using FlightAwareR. Presumptive icing …

Deficient Aeronautical Decision-Making Contributions To Fatal General Aviation Accidents, Douglas D. Boyd, Mark Scharf Phd

Publications

INTRODUCTION: General aviation (GA), mainly comprised of light (≤12,500 lb) aircraft, maintains an inferior safety record compared with air carriers. To improve safety, aeronautical decision-making (ADM) practices have been advocated to GA pilots since 1991. Herein, we determined the extent to which GA pilots disregard such practices. METHODS: Fatal accidents (1991–2019) involving private pilots (PPLs) in single-engine airplanes were identified (N = 1481) from the National Transportation Safety Board AccessR database. Of these, deficient go/no-go and in-flight ADM-related mishaps were scored using the PAVE (pilot, aircraft, environment, external pressure)/IMSAFE (illness, medicine, stress, alcohol, fatigue, eating) and PPP (perceive, process, …

Adherence To Selected Air Carrier (Airline) Operational Regulations For Improved General Aviation Flight Safety In Degraded Visibility, Douglas D. Boyd, Mark T. Scharf

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Introduction: General aviation largely comprises fixed-wing piston-engine light aircraft (,12,500 lbs). Unfortunately, this civil aviation sector suffers a vastly inferior safety record when compared with air carriers (60- to 80-fold higher accident rate). Additionally, such mishaps pose a considerable financial burden to both the affected family and the United States: US$1.64–4.64 billion annually. We hypothesize that this safety disparity partly reflects more stringent operational regulations for air carriers. Herein, we determined whether compliance with six selected air carrier regulations could potentially reduce general aviation accidents in degraded visibility (IMC) the majority of which are fatal. Methods: Accidents (2005–2019) were identified …

Assessing Unstabilized Approaches: A Phenomenology Study Of The Risk Perceptions And Decision-Making Thought Process Of Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Shlok Misra, Jorge L.D Albelo, Victor Fraticelli Rivera

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

The Federal Aviation Administration emphasized the need to focus on and develop human factors training as early as 1993 in official Human Factors Policy Order 9550.8. The purpose of this study was to conduct a detailed qualitative phenomenological analysis of the risk perceptions and decision-making model of collegiate aviation pilots for unstabilized approaches. The study focused on understanding how collegiate aviation pilots perceive unstable approaches, the risk associated with unstable approaches, and the factors that trigger pilots to execute a go-around. The International Air Transportation Association warns that continuing an unstabilized approach can lead to runway excursions, hard landings causing …

General Aviation Flight Safety During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 virus has caused over 582,000 deaths in the United States to date. However, the pandemic has also afflicted the mental health of the population at large in the domains of anxiety and sleep disruption, potentially interfering with cognitive function. From an aviation perspective, safely operating an aircraft requires an airmans cognitive engagement for: 1) situational awareness, 2) spatial orientation, and 3) avionics programming. Since impaired cognitive function could interfere with such tasks, the current study was undertaken to determine if flight safety for a cohort of single engine, piston-powered light airplanes was adversely affected during a period …

Analysis Of Air Taxi Accidents (20042018) And Associated Human Factors By Aircraft Performance Class, Don Budde, Jochen Hinkelbein, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

INTRODUCTION: Air taxis conduct nonscheduled transport and employ aircraft in various performance categories hereafter referred to as low, medium, and high performance, respectively. No study has yet addressed fixed-wing air taxi safety by performance category. Herein, we compared accident rates/occupant injury across air taxi airplane fleets grouped by performance category and identified human factors contributing to fatal accidents for airplanes in that category with the highest mishap rate. METHODS: Accidents (20042018) in the United States were identified from the National Transportation Safety Board database. General Aviation/Part 135 Activity Surveys provided annual fleet times. Fatal accident contributing factors were per the …

A Comparison Of General Aviation Accidents Involving Airline Pilots And Instrument-Rated Private Pilots, Douglas D. Boyd, Mark Scharf Ph.D., David S. Cross

Publications

Introduction: The extremely low accident rate for U.S air carriers relative to that of general aviation (~1 and ~60/million flight hours respectively) partly reflects advanced airman certification, more demanding recurrency training, and stringent operational regulations. However, whether such skillset/training/regulations translate into improved safety for airline pilots operating in the general aviation environment is unknown, and the aim of this study. Methods: Accidents (1998-2017) involving airline pilots and instrument-rated private pilots (PPL-IFR) operating non-revenue light aircraft were identified from the NTSB accident database. An online survey informed general aviation flight exposure for both pilot cohorts. Statistics used proportion testing and Mann-Whitney …

An Exploratory Study Of General Aviation Visual To Instrument Meteorological Condition Contextual Factors, James Harry Hartman Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this dissertation was to bridge the existing literature gap of outdated contextual factor (CF) research through examination and determination of current General Aviation (GA) Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 visual flight rules (VFR)-into-instrument meteorological condition (IMC) contextual factors. Contextual factors are a multifaceted arrangement of pertinent events or occurrences contributing to pilot accidents in weather-related decision-making errors. A total of 46 contextual factors were identified and examined from the reviewed research literature. The study examined and determined the presence of the 46 contextual factors, frequencies, and manifestations in the GA VFR-into-IMC Aviation Accident …

Predicting General Aviation Accidents Using Machine Learning Algorithms, Bradley S. Baugh

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

An Aviation Weather Preflight Decision Support Tool To Improve Ga Pilots' Preflight And Inflight Performance, Jayde M. King

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Low hour, inexperienced General Aviation (GA) pilots account for the majority of weather-related incidents, which often result in fatalities. Previous research identifies poor preflight planning practices and a lack of aviation weather knowledge as key contributing factors to the high novice private pilot accident and fatality rate. Research invested into resolving these issues often attempt to introduce new inflight weather technology to assist pilots with weather avoidance. However, these interventions usually result in pilots using the information to strategically navigate closer to degraded weather conditions (Beringer & Ball, 2004; Burgess & Thomas, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this study was …

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 …

Simulation And Analysis Of 4-D Airspace Closures Due To Commercial Space Operations: Impacts On Airlines And General Aviation, Janet K. Tinoco, Noah D. Eudy, Maxwell Cannon

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

When industries share key portions of their eco-systems, industry-industry competitive and structural pressures can inhibit the advancement of both. In the case of aviation and commercial space, an eco-system component critical to both industries is shared airspace. The integration of air and space activities in a safe, efficient, effective, and equitable manner is compulsory for both industries to grow and thrive. In order to develop solutions, one must first understand the effects of space operations on current national airspace system (NAS) users. By using actual flight data in a simulation environment of space operations out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, we …

General Aviation Hypoxia And Reporting Statistics, Timothy Holt, Jacqueline Luedtke, Jennah Perry, Michelle Hight, Claire Schindler, Pamela Ward

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Hypoxia is defined as a lack of oxygen throughout the body, which can be caused by several factors at any altitude. General aviation (GA) pilots may argue that most GA aircraft cannot attain the required altitudes where one might be more affected by hypoxia, but it is exactly that attitude that may makes pilots more susceptible to hypoxia. The impact of this hazardous attitude is even more apparent if one considers that out of the 590,038 certificated pilots in the USA, a little over 30% of them are GA pilots (FAA, 2015). The problem is that unlike airline pilots or …

Efficacy Of The Localized Aviation Mos Program In Ceiling Flight Category Forecasts, Douglas D. Boyd, Thomas A. Guinn

Publications

(1) Background: Flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) carries an elevated risk of fatal outcome for general aviation (GA) pilots. For the typical GA flight, aerodrome-specific forecasts (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF), Localized Aviation Model Output Statistics Program (LAMP)) assist the airman in pre-determining whether a flight can be safely undertaken. While LAMP forecasts are more prevalent at GA-frequented aerodromes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends that this tool be used as supplementary to the TAF only. Herein, the predictive accuracy of LAMP for ceiling flight categories of visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) was determined. (2) Methods: …

A Comparison Of Special Category Light-Sport And Corresponding Type-Certificated Aircraft Safety, Carolina Anderson, Alan Stolzer, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

The special category light sport airplane (light sport) sector of general aviation has grown 10-fold in as many years with solo operations requiring only a sports pilot's certificate. With little research on light sport airplane safety, the study objective was to compare light sport and type-certificated airplane accident rates.

Accidents were identified from the National Transportation Safety Board database. Statistics employed Poisson distribution/proportion analyses/Mann–Whitney U-tests.

For the 2009–2015 period, the light sport airplane accident rate (fatal/non-fatal combined) was > 15-fold higher than comparable type-certificated aircraft, undiminished over time. The excessive light sport airplane accident rate was associated with inferior airman experience …

Bird Hazard Mitigation Training For General Aviation Pilots - A Prospective Research Study, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Thomas Q. Carney

Publications

• General aviation industry
• 446,000 aircraft worldwide
• 211,000 in the U.S.
• Supports $219 billion in total economic output and 1.1 million jobs in the U.S
• Flies approximately 25 million flight hours (U.S.)
• Flies to more than 5,000 public airports
• Primary training ground for most commercial airline pilots

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 …

Impact Of Computer Tablets On General Aviation Flight Training, Anthony Saitabau Lolchoki

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past two decades, Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) and Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) have developed from flight publication storage devices hosted on modified laptop computers into fully interactive near-avionics-quality navigation equipment based on consumer-grade tablet computers. Broadly speaking, the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 14 regulates the use of this type of equipment for commercial airlines, commuter operations, and fractional ownership operators, but have neglected the General Aviation (GA) sector. Due, in part, to this lack of governance, little has been known about EFB use in GA. After using an internet-based survey, this study was conducted to examine whether …

Low-Cost Wearable Head-Up Display For Flight General Aviation, Pavan K. Chinta

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A low-cost wearable Commercial-off-The-Shelf (COTS) Augmented Reality (AR) Head-Up Display (HUD) system is designed, successfully reduced to practice, and flight tested. The system is developed based on the need for a technology that improves loss-of-control (LOC) safety in the General Aviation (GA) sector. The accuracy of the flight-path based system is determined to be within a degree of the truth source. The repeatability of the data from the COTS system is excellent. A complementary filter is proposed for air data flow angles and successfully flight tested for straight and level flight, dynamic maneuvering, and atmospheric turbulence, provided that a reasonably …

Vfr-Into-Imc Accident Trends: Perceptions Of Deficiencies In Training, Wesley L. Major, Thomas Carney, Julius Keller, Allen Xie, Matt Price, John Duncan, Lori Brown, Geoffrey R. Whitehurst, William G. Rantz, Dominic Nicolai, Beth M. Beaudin-Seiler

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Pilots who operate under visual flight rules (VFR) and in visual meteorological conditions, who then continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), remain as one of the leading causes of fatal aircraft accidents in general aviation. This paper examines past and current research initiatives, in seeking to identify causal factors and gaps in training that lead to VFR-into-IMC aircraft accidents, using a mixed methods approach. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute database and the National Transportation Safety Board database search engines were used to identify accident reports associated with VFR flight into IMC/deteriorating weather conditions for a …

Rates And Causes Of Accidents For General Aviation Aircraft Operating In A Mountainous And High Elevation Terrain Environment, Marisa Aguiar, Alan Stolzer, Douglas D. Boyd

Publications

Flying over mountainous and/or high elevation terrain is challenging due to rapidly changeable visibility, gusty/rotor winds and downdrafts and the necessity of terrain avoidance. Herein, general aviation accident rates and mishap cause/factors were determined (2001–2014) for a geographical region characterized by such terrain.

Accidents in single piston engine-powered aircraft for states west of the US continental divide characterized by mountainous terrain and/or high elevation (MEHET) were identified from the NTSB database. MEHET-related-mishaps were defined as satisfying any one, or more, criteria (controlled flight into terrain/obstacles (CFIT), downdrafts, mountain obscuration, wind-shear, gusting winds, whiteout, instrument meteorological conditions; density altitude, dust-devil) cited …