Aviation Safety and Security Commons^™

A Comparison Of Safety Management Systems Training Methods At A Collegiate Flight-Training Institution, Mackenzie Tyler Dickson

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to compare how two different types of Safety Management Systems (SMS) training affect SMS knowledge in instructors and students in a university flight program. Additionally, the research sought to determine whether a correlation exists between safety knowledge and safety culture perception. An experimental research design was used to study two independent variables, training method and person type, and their effect of SMS knowledge. A non-experimental design was used to study the correlation between safety knowledge and safety culture perception. Research has shown that a safety-training program’s engagement level has an effect on the safety …

Development Of A Safety Performance Decision-Making Tool For Flight Training Organization, Marisa D. Aguiar

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 141 flight training organizations are actively pursuing ways to increase operational safety by introducing advanced risk assessment and decision-making techniques. The purpose of the dissertation was to create and validate a safety performance decision-making tool to transform a reactive safety model into a predictive, safety performance decision-making tool, specific to large, collegiate Title 14 CFR Part 141 flight training organizations, to increase safety and aid in operational decision-making. The validated safety decision-making tool uses what-if scenarios to assess how changes to the controllable input variables impact the overall level of …

Fatigue And Its Management In The Aviation Industry, With Special Reference To Pilots, Rajee Olaganathan, Timothy B. Holt, Jackie Luedtke, Brent D. Bowen

Publications

Abstract Fatigue is a significant contributing factor that reduces human ability and leads to accidents and threatens the safety of aircraft and human lives. Approximately 70% of fatal accidents that occur in commercial aviation operations are due to human factors. More specifically, crew fatigue contributes to nearly 15 to 20% of the accidents (Akerstedt, 2000). These accidents and incidents are associated with pilot fatigue because of the long duty periods, disruption of circadian rhythms, and inadequate sleep that are common among both commercial and military pilots. Though fatigue is seen in all the disciplines associated with the aviation industry, this …

Spatio-Temporal Data Mining For Aviation Delay Prediction, Kai Zhang, Houbing Song, Yushan Jiang, Dahai Liu

Publications

To accommodate the unprecedented increase of commercial airlines over the next ten years, the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) has been implemented in the USA that records large-scale Air Traffic Management (ATM) data to make air travel safer, more efficient, and more economical. A key role of collaborative decision making for air traffic scheduling and airspace resource management is the accurate prediction of flight delay. There has been a lot of attempts to apply data-driven methods such as machine learning to forecast flight delay situation using air traffic data of departures and arrivals. However, most of them omit en-route …

Impact Of Covid -19 On Pilot Proficiency – A Risk Analysis, Rajee Olaganathan, Roli Angelo H. Amihan

Publications

Pilot proficiency is essential in the aviation industry to maintain a safety record for successfully operating airlines. The current COVID-19 scenario has made it practically difficult for pilots to achieve the federal requirements stated in Title 14 CFR 121.439 (a) and 14 CFR 61.57 (a) (1). It has placed a burden on pilots to maintain their currency and proficiency related to cost and lack of aircraft access due to furloughs and lay-offs. The purpose of the first part of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on global air traffic based on the data collected from the International …

An Investigation Of Factors That Influence Passengers’ Intentions To Use Biometric Technologies At Airports, Kabir Olaseni Kasim

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Biometric technologies use the characteristics and measurements from humans to establish or verify their identity. Within an airport setting, biometric technologies can be used to hasten passenger processes such as airport check-in, baggage drop-off or pick-up, and aircraft boarding, thus enhancing the overall passenger experience.

This research investigated the factors that influence passengers’ intentions to choose the use of biometrics over other methods of identification. The current study utilized a quantitative research method via an online survey of 689 persons from Amazon ® Mechanical Turk ® (MTurk) and employed structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques for data analysis. The study utilized …

Understanding Fatigue Within A Collegiate Aviation Program, Flavio Mendonca, Julius Keller, Erik Levin, Aaron Teo

Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was fivefold: to investigate the symptoms that would prompt collegiate aviation pilots perceive they are fatigued; to investigate the time of the day they are most fatigued; to investigate their academic and personal schedules; to investigate the methods collegiate aviation pilots utilize to ensure they are fit to fly; and to investigate whether they have received any academic and/or flight fatigue identification and management training.

Background: Fatigue is a pervasive safety hazard in aviation affecting several aspects of flight crew members’ ability to perform their job. Fatigue in aviation and its consequences has been …

Can The Timeframe Of Reported Uas Sightings Help Regulators?, Spencer Erik Pitcher, Kelly A. Whealan-George

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

Remotely controlled small aircraft, otherwise known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones have started to impact the United States National Airspace System by interfering with the safe flight of aircraft. As the UAS industry continues its expected growth into the future, lawmakers, as well as regulators at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the aviation community must be able to predict when there will be more UAS craft in the air that could cause an interruption to air traffic so that more resources can be allocated optimally to counter the threat of UAS craft. The purpose of this study …

Viability And Application Of Mounting Personal Pid Voc Sensors To Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Cheryl Lynn Marcham, Scott Burgess, Joseph Cerreta, Patti J. Clark, James P. Solti, Brandon Breault, Joshua G. Marcham

Publications

Using a UAS-mounted sensor to allow for a rapid response to areas that may be difficult to reach or potentially dangerous to human health can increase the situational awareness of first responders of an aircraft crash site through the remote detection, identification, and quantification of airborne hazardous materials. The primary purpose of this research was to evaluate the remote sensing viability and application of integrating existing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) sensors with small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology to detect potentially hazardous airborne contaminants in emergency leak or spill response situations. By mounting the personal photoionization detector (PID) with volatile organic compound …

Exploring The Impact Of Composite Material Fires And Associated Response Protocol On The Material Analysis During An Aircraft Accident Investigation, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Natalie Zimmermann, Peng Hao Wang, Julius Keller

Publications

Metals, beginning in the 1930s, have been frequently used as the material of choice for aircraft construction (Hallion, 1978; Jakab, 1999). Common metals used in the aviation industry range from alloyed and heat-treated aluminum to titanium, magnesium, and superalloys, the latter used in specialized applications (Hallion, 1978; Mouritz, 2012). Nevertheless, a shift in aircraft construction – specifically in terms of the materials used – began in the 1970s, as composite materials were introduced into commercial aircraft (Mouritz, 2012). Among others, the increased use of composited materials was – and still is – propelled by the ability to manufacture comparative lightweight …

Remote Pilot Situational Awareness With Augmented Reality Glasses: An Observational Field Study, Jeffery Coleman, David Thirtyacre

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

With the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) proliferating throughout industry and public safety, it is imperative to ensure safety of flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published regulations for commercial use of sUAS in 2016 and included the requirement to maintain visual line-of-sight with the aircraft at all times. However, due to the nature of the sUAS ground control stations (GCS), remote pilots time-share between observing the aircraft and interacting with the display on the GCS. Time-sharing between the aircraft and GCS can be seen as similar to the cross-check a pilot uses when flying a manned aircraft. …

Quantum Safety Metrics Framework For Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Operators, Tracy L. Lamb, Nathan A. Phillips, Trong Van Nguyen

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Commercial unmanned aircraft systems continue to increase in applications and diversity; however, mishaps and accidents erode safety, investment return, and efficiency. Most unmanned aircraft accidents are preceded by leading indicators; the ability to forecast and quantify these may provide increased safety and profitability. This mixed-method research study used a non-experimental parallel convergence approach with multiple instruments, multiple-case study n = 22, and one exemplar case design to develop a quantum safety metric program. This study used a combination of previously validated methods as development instruments, including; the HFACS, STAMP, 'Sierra Scale,' and Accident Prevention Effort equations. The study extended the …

Measuring Safety Culture: Qualitative And Quantitative Means Of Measuring Safety Culture For Safety Management System Optimization, David R. Zubowski

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General (2020) investigated the Federal Aviation Administration oversight of Southwest Airlines Safety Management System and noted concerns and gaps in the oversight, specifically with the lack of guidance provided to inspectors in evaluating organizational safety culture. Using the published report as a case study, this work researched different peer-reviewed articles using qualitative and quantitative means to investigate the benefits, limitations, and assumptions of measuring an organizational safety culture. While different methods were used, academia seems to have settled on definitions for safety culture and safety climate with the majority of researchers using …

Implementing Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning Into Advanced Qualification Programs, Jennifer R. Herr

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Since its start, the Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) has encouraged new and innovative strategies for training airline crewmembers. The foundation of AQP is to train crew the way they fly and to find new and innovative ways to increase safety through training. By using data collected through the AQP process, training methods can be refined and improved. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can make data analysis and training more effective and efficient. This paper will explore these concepts and how AI and machine learning could be implemented in the AQP process to make training more …

Competency-Based Education: A Framework For A More Efficient And Safer Aviation Industry, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Julius Keller, Brian G. Dillman

Publications

Aircraft design and reliability as well as pilots’ education and training have steadily and significantly improved in the last 20 years. Nevertheless, high-profile accidents still occur, even when the aircraft and related systems are operating adequately. Controlled flight into terrain, runway incursion accidents, and loss of control in flight are examples of mishaps in which inadequate decision-making, poor leadership, and ineffective communication are frequently cited as contributing factors. Conversely, the investigation of accidents (e.g., US Airways Flight 1549, in the U.S. on Jan. 15, 2009) and serious incidents (e.g., TAM Linhas Aereas Flight 3756 in Brazil on June 17, 2011) …

Detectability Of Clothing Color By Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems For Search And Rescue Operations, Ryan Blackburn, Robert Joslin

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Search-and-rescue operations are adopting small unmanned aircraft system technology to aid traditional human search parties operating on foot or by vehicle, which can be hindered by challenging terrain and obstacles. This study utilized three camera equipped small unmanned aircraft to collect aerial images of a simulated human torso in a rural/remote desert summer daytime environment. The study compared detection rates for 10 different garment colors using image analysis software. Results indicated that garment color was statistically significant for detection rate. However, the garment colors with the highest detection rates did not correspond with the garment colors recommended by retail outlets, …

Aviation English Assessment And Training, Robert Fowler, Elizabeth Mathews, Jena Lynch, Jennifer Roberts M.A.

Publications

Due to a significant global increase in demand for air travel, there has been a corresponding increase in demand for ab initio flight training. Thousands of international flight students seek admission to collegiate aviation programs in the United States and Canada every year. These international flight students come to the United States and Canada because flight training is nonexistent in their native countries. In fact, flight training in most of these countries is impossible due to airspace restrictions and onerous regulations. If there is flight training available in these countries, the cost is usually prohibitive compared to the cost in …

Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Acoustic Analysis For Noninvasive Marine Mammal Response: An Exploratory Field Study, David Thirtyacre, Gennifer Brookshire, Sarah Callan, Brittany Arvizu, Patrick Sherman

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

As in countless other fields of human endeavor, small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) have the potential to benefit pinniped (Pinnipedia; e.g., Phocidae [seals], Otariidae [sea lions], and Odobenidae [walruses]) response efforts. The employment of sUAS could give responders a close-up look at animals in distress in order to determine their condition as well as develop a response strategy. However, unlike other subjects that are regularly inspected by sUAS (e.g., croplands and civil infrastructure) pinnipeds may respond to the distinctive sound generated by small, multirotor sUAS. This reaction may include retreating into the water en masse, which could put …

Pilot Visual Detection Of Small Unmanned Aircraft On Final Approach During Nighttime Conditions, Jon M. Loffi, Ryan J. Wallace, Samuel M. Vance, Jamey Jacob, Jared C. Dunlap, Taylor A. Mitchell, Dane C. Johnson

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

In December 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the release of a new final rule, permitting operators of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to perform routine night operations. Public comments to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking indicated potential safety concerns regarding a pilot’s ability to spot a low-altitude sUAS during nighttime conditions. Leveraging data from the FAA’s UAS Sighting Report Database, the research team evaluated the significance of aircraft encounters with UAS at night. Researchers conducted an inflight experiment in which 10 pilots performed an instrument approach to airport during nighttime conditions in which a multi-rotor sUAS presented a …

Inter-Dom Integrated Terminals - The Impact On Airlines Efficiency And Safety, Cassio Greo Campos, Gustavo Faria, Lucas Jusus, Nathália Bião, Rogério Quintela

Student Works

This report performed research to assess the possibility of implementing hybrid passenger terminals. The benefits would be the integrating domestic and international passengers in the same restricted area. The initial hypothesis of this study was to focus on optimization that could bring advantages in terms of efficiency, customer service, and operational safety.

The goal of this project was not to bring in-depth data on the topic, but to expose readers to the main players in the industry and understand the variables that impact the topic. Thus, although there are different perspectives on the integration of terminals, it was possible to …

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 Analysis Of Wildlife Strikes To Aircraft In Brazil: 2011-2018, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Julius Keller, Chenyu Huang Ph.D.

Publications

Purpose: Aircraft accidents due to wildlife hazards have become a growing safety and economic problem to the Brazilian and international aviation industries. These safety occurrences have resulted in significant direct and indirect economic losses as well injuries and fatalities worldwide. The purpose of this study was to develop empirical information obtained from the analysis of wildlife strike and aircraft operations data in Brazil that could be used for accident prevention efforts.

Design/methodology: The research team collected and analyzed aircraft operations as well as wildlife strike data from the 32 busiest commercial airports in Brazil, from 2011 through 2018. …

In-Flight Fuel Management Committing To The Destination, Aldo Bien, Daniel Araguaia Galli Ribas, Paulo Cesar Serafim Pacheco, Rodrigo Garcia De Freitas Cardoso

Graduate Student Works

This project intends to clarify the Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulation RBAC 121 on its topic relating to the current ICAO recommendation from Doc. 9976 (Flight Planning and Fuel Management Manual), which regards the committing to the destination policy.

The present Brazilian regulation is not precise whether the alternate fuel could or could not be used to proceed to the original destination without compromising the emergency fuel, once exact specific requirements are met. As a result of unclear directrices, each major airline in Brazil comprehends and applies the ICAO recommendation in its way. Such a non-standardized interpretation of the current …

A Ranking Method To Prioritize Vfr Airports To Be Provided With Instrument Approach Procedures, Marcelo Soares Leao, Gustavo A.M. Ortegal Leal, Fabio Rodrigues Paukoski Fernandes

Graduate Student Works

The primary purpose of this work is to investigate the necessity of a more comprehensive and systematic method to prioritize airports to be provided with instrument approach and landing procedures in the Brazilian air transportation landscape. An overview of the main contributors to risks associated with the approach and landing phases is provided, covering the most important aspects of unstable approaches and CFIT events. Considering the emergence of Terrain Awareness and Alerting Systems (TAWS), the role of its contribution to safety is discussed, as well as the certification context related to the design, installation, and operation of those systems. A …

Engine Light Repair Shop Evaluation For A Brazilian Airline, Gustavo Henrique Melhado Trevilatto, Marcelo Miranda, Leila Halawi

Publications

The maintenance cost of a commercial aircraft comprises airframe, components, and engines. The most expensive of them are engines, which may represent up to 60% of an aircraft cost, and therefore will have a significant impact on any airline finance. As a result, engine fleet maintenance management is crucial for any airline sustainability. Apart from heavy maintenance where life-limited parts are replaced and its performance restored, aircraft engines are often required to come off wing for light repair due to operational issues like foreign object damage, high oil consumption, and vibration issues. In other cases, even though being operational, engines …

From Classroom To Industry: Human Factors In Aviation Maintenance Decision-Making, Bettina Mrusek, Stephanie Douglas

Publications

The presence of human factors in aviation remains a critical area of research given the safety implications of human error. Understanding what specific factors contribute to human error allows managers and operators to take steps to mitigate these hazards. Several methods have been tested in the cockpit and cabin crew environments, but less attention has been given to the aviation maintenance sector, despite the prevalence of accidents resulting from human error. With the introduction of AC-172A, the FAA validated the need for additional research and training on the role of human factors in aviation maintenance errors. However, a key component …

Examining Unstable Approach Predictors Using Flight Data Monitoring Information, David Alan Carroll

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The approach and landing phase of flight is statistically the most dangerous part of flying. While it only accounts for 4% of flight time, it represents 49% of commercial jet mishaps. One key to mitigating the risks involved in this flight segment is the stabilized approach. A stabilized approach requires meeting rigorous standards for many flight parameters as the aircraft nears landing. Exceeding any of these parameters results in an unstable approach (UA). The energy management (EM) accomplished by the flight crew, represented by the EM variables in the study, influences the execution of a stabilized approach.

While EM is …

Face Mask Effects Of Co2, Heart Rate, Respiration Rate, And Oxygen Saturation On Instructor Pilots, Andrew R. Dattel, Nicola M. O'Toole, Guillermina Lopez, Kenneth P. Byrnes

Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has required people to take new measures to mitigate the spread of the communicable virus. Guidelines from health organizations, government offices, and universities have been disseminated. Adherence to these guidelines cannot be more critical for flight training. This study explored the effects face masks had on CO2, heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation while wearing a face mask at an oxygen level simulated to 5,000 feet. Thirty-two instructor pilots (IP) volunteered to participate in the study. IPs spent 90 minutes in a normobaric chamber while wearing a cloth face mask or a paper face mask. Participants …

Safety Management System Implementation Planning, David Thirtyacre

Publications

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Self-Reported Sleepiness And Fatigue Measures From Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Julius Keller, Thomas Laub, Sarah Wolfe

Publications

Fatigue can be deleterious to pilot performance. The National Transportation Safety Board has called on the aviation community to reduce fatigue related accidents. Currently, there are few studies and guidance specific to collegiate aviation pilots. The current study is part of a larger effort by the authors to gain a clearer understanding of fatigue within the collegiate aviation environment. Collegiate aviation pilots are a unique group with different schedules, lifestyles, and demands when compared to airline, military, and on-demand pilots. The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported fatigue and sleepiness measures. Research instruments included the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale …