Cultural variation of views on effective Crew Resource Management skills

While it is generally agreed in the aviation community, that effective crew resource management (CRM) skills are an indispensable condition for a safe and efficient flight operation, there seems to be a wider range of views on what behaviors constitute effective crew performance. Within a European project an evaluation tool for CRM skills called NOTECHS was developed with four categories: Co-operation, Leadership and Managerial Skills, Situation Awareness and Decision Making. In a study to examine its suitability as a standard for CRM skills in different European regions the cultural robustness of the method was tested. 105 instructor pilots from 15 different airlines representing 12 European countries participated. The participants evaluated crew behaviors in eight video scenarios with the NOTECHS method. According to variance analytical results, regional differences in Europe seem to affect the ratings of CRM-skills only to a small degree. Cultural differences are confounded with other background variables, such as English language proficiency, work experience, instructor experience and attitudes. These background variables seem to have stronger effects on views of effective CRM behaviors than culture per se. Results of the analyses are discussed with respect to cultural robustness of the NOTECHS method

Generalized Fourier Integral Operators on spaces of Colombeau type

Generalized Fourier integral operators (FIOs) acting on Colombeau algebras are defined. This is based on a theory of generalized oscillatory integrals (OIs) whose phase functions as well as amplitudes may be generalized functions of Colombeau type. The mapping properties of these FIOs are studied as the composition with a generalized pseudodifferential operator. Finally, the microlocal Colombeau regularity for OIs and the influence of the FIO action on generalized wave front sets are investigated. This theory of generalized FIOs is motivated by the need of a general framework for partial differential operators with non-smooth coefficients and distributional data

Classes of generalized functions with finite type regularities

We introduce and analyze spaces and algebras of generalized functions which correspond to Hölder, Zygmund, and Sobolev spaces of functions. The main scope of the paper is the characterization of the regularity of distributions that are embedded into the corresponding space or algebra of generalized functions with finite type regularities

Topological properties of regular generalized function algebras

We investigate density of various subalgebras of regular generalized functions in the special Colombeau algebra of generalized functions.Comment: 6 page

Prospective job analysis for the next pilot generation

To accomodate the expected growth of air traffic over the next two decades new operational concepts are currently under development, which will affect to some extent the job tasks and responsibilities of pilots and air traffic controllers. How will the operators perform in their potential new roles? Can we presume that they will easily be re‐trainable? Or will the job profile change to such an extent that it has to be considered already during the selection of the most suitable candidates? Especially for ab‐initio pilot and controller candidates selection decisions imply predictions of human performance for a longterm future. Therefore, a prospective analysis of job requirements is necessary to make sure that the selection battery is aligned with future roles and tasks. DLR has developed a simulation platform called AviaSim, which allows for low‐fidelity human‐in‐the‐loop simulations of potential future job tasks for pilots and controllers. Future scenarios are based on reviews of NextGen and SESAR concept papers and as well on “future workshops” with present job holders. In AviaSim we can examine the behavior of air traffic controllers working together in one scenario with up to eight pilots and additional experimental traffic. With eye‐gaze measurement, questionnaires and cognitive task interviews performance was analyzed in one en‐route and an arrival scenario. According to preliminarily findings future operators will need a higher degree of competence for operational monitoring, distributed teamwork, and time‐based operations. The simulation platform and the experimental setups are discussed in the paper

Implicit Solvation Methods for Catalysis at Electrified Interfaces

Implicit solvation is an effective, highly coarse-grained approach in atomic-scale simulations to account for a surrounding liquid electrolyte on the level of a continuous polarizable medium. Originating in molecular chemistry with finite solutes, implicit solvation techniques are now increasingly used in the context of first-principles modeling of electrochemistry and electrocatalysis at extended (often metallic) electrodes. The prevalent ansatz to model the latter electrodes and the reactive surface chemistry at them through slabs in periodic boundary condition supercells brings its specific challenges. Foremost this concerns the difficulty of describing the entire double layer forming at the electrified solid–liquid interface (SLI) within supercell sizes tractable by commonly employed density functional theory (DFT). We review liquid solvation methodology from this specific application angle, highlighting in particular its use in the widespread ab initio thermodynamics approach to surface catalysis. Notably, implicit solvation can be employed to mimic a polarization of the electrode’s electronic density under the applied potential and the concomitant capacitive charging of the entire double layer beyond the limitations of the employed DFT supercell. Most critical for continuing advances of this effective methodology for the SLI context is the lack of pertinent (experimental or high-level theoretical) reference data needed for parametrization

MICADO: The Multi-Adaptive Optics Camera for Deep Observations

The Multi-adaptive optics Imaging CamerA for Deep Observations (MICADO) will image a field of view of nearly 1 arcminute at the diffraction limit of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), making use of the adaptive optics correction provided by single-conjugate adaptive optics (SCAO) and multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO). Its simple and robust design will yield an unprecedented combination of sensitivity and resolution across the field. This article outlines the characteristics of the observing modes offered and illustrates each of them with an astrophysical application. Potential users can explore their own ideas using the data simulator ScopeSim.Comment: Published in the ESO Messenger, issue 18

Measurement of double-differential cross sections for top quark pair production in pp collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] and impact on parton distribution functions.

Normalized double-differential cross sections for top quark pair ([Formula: see text]) production are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text] with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]. The measurement is performed in the dilepton [Formula: see text] final state. The [Formula: see text] cross section is determined as a function of various pairs of observables characterizing the kinematics of the top quark and [Formula: see text] system. The data are compared to calculations using perturbative quantum chromodynamics at next-to-leading and approximate next-to-next-to-leading orders. They are also compared to predictions of Monte Carlo event generators that complement fixed-order computations with parton showers, hadronization, and multiple-parton interactions. Overall agreement is observed with the predictions, which is improved when the latest global sets of proton parton distribution functions are used. The inclusion of the measured [Formula: see text] cross sections in a fit of parametrized parton distribution functions is shown to have significant impact on the gluon distribution