Creating a crime wave: The 1990

This study examines the emergence of crime as the nation's "most important problem" for the first time in U.S. polling history in 1994. By comparing polling data, news coverage waves, and crime statistics, the analysis challenges the argument that shifting media coverage is driven by public sentiment. It does so by demonstrating that a dramatic change in public opinion polls was precipitated by an unprecedented news coverage wave at a time when crime levels were actually falling. The study thus underscores the leading role media can play in the emergence of social problems and casts doubt on the notion that escalating expenditures for the American criminal justice system are driven principally by public demand

Improving Training Aircraft Utilization in Collegiate Flight Programs: A Case Study at Purdue University

Aircraft fleets employed for student training in collegiate aviation programs are operated to varying degrees of efficiency, a metric that is influenced by such factors as scheduling, weather, and maintenance requirements. Recent research focusing on the utilization rate of the Cirrus training fleet at Purdue University indicated an average rate of 24% (Avery, 2014). An improvement in the efficiency of the scheduling of the Cirrus fleet would subsequently allow an accurate determination of the degree of excess capacity in the system. This excess capacity should ideally be treated as an asset that could be used to support an increase in enrollment in the Professional Flight program, a concept that could ultimately result in a reduction of student flight fees by spreading fixed costs across a larger student base, thereby improving the overall affordability of the program. This article examines the overall Cirrus utilization at Purdue, identifies both supply and demand components that affect the metric, and proposes recommendations for improving utilization. Through application of the recommendations developed in this paper, it is estimated that the Professional Flight program can accommodate a 20% increase in enrollment, resulting in significant incremental revenue which can be allocated to support additional program growth, reduce student fees, and provide internal employment opportunities for Aeronautical Engineering Technology students studying to obtain their Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic certification. Implementation and monitoring of these recommendations is being integrated into an undergraduate course in aviation managerial economics to provide additional experiential educational opportunities for Aviation Technology students

A FITS Scenario-Based Training Program Enhances GPS Pilot Proficiency in the General Aviation Pilot

General Aviation (GA) pilots working toward their instrument rating in aircraft equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology often receive little, if any, formal flight instruction on the use of GPS technology. The goal of this study was to empirically evaluate a single pilot crew, FAA Industry Training Standards (FITS) scenario-based training program designed to increase the knowledge and safety of pilots using this technology by focusing on GPS mode awareness, situational assessment, risk and time management, and situational awareness. This study included forty-six pilots who had completed their instrument rating in a GPSequipped aircraft within the last 12 months. The results of this study revealed that utilizing a GPS FITS scenariobased training program for GPS training significantly reduced omission errors and incorrect or inappropriate use of the GPS when compared to controls. These results support the premise that a specific GPS FITS-based training course be required for pilots unfamiliar with GPS navigation, and those pilots should be required to obtain a logbook endorsement before acting as pilot in command of aircraft with IFR-approved GPS units