Advanced supersonic transport fixed-base simulator evaluations at landing approach

Equations of motion simulating the landing approach case for the supersonic cruise vehicle were programmed and exercised using a fixed base simulation facility. Unaugmented and augmented system comparisons using this facility are provided. Refinements necessary for system performance improvement are made. The unaugmented longitudinal responses to elevator commands are slow and sluggish, requiring augmentation to increase the speed of the response. In the lateral directional case, the Dutch roll is highly underdamped and requires an augmentation system to increase this damping and provide satisfactory flying qualities. The status of this fixed base study is that the longitudinal equations, updated with recent wind tunnel data, were evaluated on the simulator and the system found to be satisfactory. The lateral axis equations are linearized and are not yet updated to large excursion capability; consequently, only limited, preliminary findings on this system are available. The basic results so far indicate augmentation systems are required to provide a satisfactory longitudinal system, and that additional study and evaluation of the lateral directional case are necessary before a more complete assessment can be made

Fault-free validation of a fault-tolerant multiprocessor: Baseline experiments and workoad implementation

In the future, aircraft employing active control technology must use highly reliable multiprocessors in order to achieve flight safety. Such computers must be experimentally validated before they are deployed. This project outlines a methodology for doing fault-free validation of reliable multiprocessors. The methodology begins with baseline experiments, which test single phenomenon. As experiments progress, tools for performance testing are developed. This report presents the results of interrupt baseline experiments performed on the Fault-Tolerant Multiprocessor (FTMP) at NASA-Langley's AIRLAB. Interrupt-causing excepting conditions were tested, and several were found to have unimplemented interrupt handling software while one had an unimplemented interrupt vector. A synthetic workload model for realtime multiprocessors is then developed as an application level performance analysis tool. Details of the workload implementation and calibration are presented. Both the experimental methodology and the synthetic workload model are general enough to be applicable to reliable multi-processors besides FTMP

Simulated final approach path captures using the microwave landing system

Computer simulation results are presented for intercepting final approach paths using various Microwave Landing System (MLS) path capture concepts. This study, conducted under the Advanced Transport Operating System (ATOPS) program, simulated these captures using the MD-80 aircraft as the study model. Several different capture concepts were investigated. Systems that could be retrofitted into existing aircraft with minimum hardware and software changes were considered. An enhanced ILS look-alike capture provided improved tracking performance over conventional ILS without using a full-up path computer. The other concepts used waypoint databases and path computers to provide smart captures. These captures included lateral path intercepts as well as vertical path control. Winds, turbulence, and MLS noise were included in the simulation. In all cases, acceptable tracking errors were obtained during transition to the final approach path

Validation of a fault-tolerant multiprocessor: Baseline experiments and workload implementation

In the future, aircraft must employ highly reliable multiprocessors in order to achieve flight safety. Such computers must be experimentally validated before they are deployed. This project outlines a methodology for validating reliable multiprocessors. The methodology begins with baseline experiments, which tests a single phenomenon. As experiments progress, tools for performance testing are developed. The methodology is used, in part, on the Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor (FTMP) at NASA-Langley's AIRLAB facility. Experiments are designed to evaluate the fault-free performance of the system. Presented are the results of interrupt baseline experiments performed on FTMP. Interrupt causing exception conditions were tested, and several were found to have unimplemented interrupt handling software while one had an unimplemented interrupt vector. A synthetic workload model for realtime multiprocessors is then developed as an application level performance analysis tool. Details of the workload implementation and calibration are presented. Both the experimental methodology and the synthetic workload model are general enough to be applicable to reliable multiprocessors beside FTMP

MARKETING CONCEPTS APPLIED TO RECYCLABLE MATERIALS

Environmental Economics and Policy,

Evaluation of microwave landing system approaches in a wide-body transport simulator

The objective of this study was to determine the suitability of flying complex curved approaches using the microwave landing system (MLS) with a wide-body transport aircraft. Fifty pilots in crews of two participated in the evaluation using a fixed-base simulator that emulated an MD-11 aircraft. Five approaches, consisting of one straight-in approach and four curved approaches, were flown by the pilots using a flight director. The test variables include the following: (1) manual and autothrottles; (2) wind direction; and (3) type of navigation display. The navigation display was either a map or a horizontal situation indicator (HSI). A complex wind that changed direction and speed with altitude, and included moderate turbulence, was used. Visibility conditions were Cat 1 or better. Subjective test data included pilot responses to questionnaires and pilot comments. Objective performance data included tracking accuracy, position error at decision height, and control activity. Results of the evaluation indicate that flying curved MLS approaches with a wide-body transport aircraft is operationally acceptable, depending upon the length of the final straight segment and the complexity of the approach

An investigation into the possible effects New Performance Management may have on academic identity and culture within Business Schools in Post 1992 Universities

The purpose of this scoping study is to consider New Performance Management (NPM) in relation to academic identity, culture within business schools taking into consideration job satisfaction and stress and its possible impact upon academic identity. To this end, this paper focuses on one aspect of that study, NPM compared against gender and age range. A critical realism approach is adopted where we can look at how different mechanisms (for example policies and power influences via the UK Government), may impact upon academic identity and the culture the individual works within. The study found that participants identified that their school was driven by targets, and as such had an audit culture. Nevertheless, we found this was not always the case among those who were inexperienced at teaching in HE, and/or were relatively new to the school

FTMP (Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor) programmer's manual

The Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor (FTMP) computer system was constructed using the Rockwell/Collins CAPS-6 processor. It is installed in the Avionics Integration Research Laboratory (AIRLAB) of NASA Langley Research Center. It is hosted by AIRLAB's System 10, a VAX 11/750, for the loading of programs and experimentation. The FTMP support software includes a cross compiler for a high level language called Automated Engineering Design (AED) System, an assembler for the CAPS-6 processor assembly language, and a linker. Access to this support software is through an automated remote access facility on the VAX which relieves the user of the burden of learning how to use the IBM 4381. This manual is a compilation of information about the FTMP support environment. It explains the FTMP software and support environment along many of the finer points of running programs on FTMP. This will be helpful to the researcher trying to run an experiment on FTMP and even to the person probing FTMP with fault injections. Much of the information in this manual can be found in other sources; we are only attempting to bring together the basic points in a single source. If the reader should need points clarified, there is a list of support documentation in the back of this manual

Time! What’s that? You’re joking, I don’t have any!

The purpose of this study is to understand how lecturers delivering college-based higher education viewed their workloads, and how this (if at all), influenced their engagement in scholastic activities, which may then enable them to become more knowledgeable in their chosen field of study. The research was of a qualitative nature, whereby semi-structured, in-depth interviews were undertaken with 26 individual lecturers employed at different further education colleges throughout the Yorkshire and Humber region. It was found that lack of time and onerous administrative responsibilities on top of their current workload were two of the major issues these lecturers were facing in their current roles. As a result, it is recommended that an independent audit be conducted to ascertain FE lecturers’ contact time with students and that ways in which to reduce their administrative duties be considered

Model Based Mission Assurance: NASA's Assurance Future

Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is seeing increased application in planning and design of NASAs missions. This suggests the question: what will be the corresponding practice of Model Based Mission Assurance (MBMA)? Contemporaneously, NASAs Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) is evaluating a new objectives based approach to standards to ensure that the Safety and Mission Assurance disciplines and programs are addressing the challenges of NASAs changing missions, acquisition and engineering practices, and technology. MBSE is a prominent example of a changing engineering practice. We use NASAs objectives-based strategy for Reliability and Maintainability as a means to examine how MBSE will affect assurance. We surveyed MBSE literature to look specifically for these affects, and find a variety of them discussed (some are anticipated, some are reported from applications to date). Predominantly these apply to the early stages of design, although there are also extrapolations of how MBSE practices will have benefits for testing phases. As the effort to develop MBMA continues, it will need to clearly and unambiguously establish the roles of uncertainty and risk in the system model. This will enable a variety of uncertainty-based analyses to be performed much more rapidly than ever before and has the promise to increase the integration of CRM (Continuous Risk Management) and PRA (Probabilistic Risk Analyses) even more fully into the project development life cycle. Various views and viewpoints will be required for assurance disciplines, and an over-arching viewpoint will then be able to more completely characterize the state of the project/program as well as (possibly) enabling the safety case approach for overall risk awareness and communication