Mitigating fatigue on the flight deck: how is controlled rest used in practice?

Controlled Rest (CR) refers to a short, unscheduled, voluntary nap opportunity taken by pilots on the flight deck as a countermeasure to unanticipated fatigue in flight. This study explores the profile of CR use in a long-haul commercial airline. Forty-four pilots wore actiwatches and filled in an application-based sleep/work diary for approximately 2 weeks resulting in complete records from 239 flights. Timing of sleep periods and flight schedules were analyzed relative to home-base time. Pearson correlations were used to assess the influence of pilot demographics on CR use. A mixed-effects logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of schedule factors on CR. CR was taken on 46% (n = 110) of flights, with 80% (n = 106/133) of all CR attempts (accounting for multiple CR attempts on 23 flights) estimated by actigraphy to have successfully achieved sleep. Average sleep duration during successful rest periods was estimated as 31.7 ± 12.2 min. CR was more frequent on 2-pilot (69%, n = 83) vs. \u3e2-pilot flights (23%, n = 27); return (60%, n = 71) vs. outbound flights (33%, n = 39); night (55%, n = 76) vs. day flights (34%, n = 34); and \u3c10 h (63%, n = 80) vs. \u3e10 h duration flights (27%, n = 30) (all p ≤ 0.001). There was no significant difference for direction of travel (eastbound: 51%, n = 57; westbound: 40%, n = 44; p = .059). Of note, 22% (n = 26) of augmented flights contained both CR and bunk rest. Data from this airline show that CR is most commonly used on flights with 2-pilot crews (\u3c10 h duration) and nighttime flights returning to base. Future studies are required to determine the generalizability of these results to other airlines

Reporting Error in Aircraft Maintenance: are engineers reporting safety concerns? : A thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Aviation At Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

Aviation accidents seldom occur as the consequence of an isolated incident, but as the result of a series of contributing factors. The industry has focussed on detecting and predicting these casual factors to support accident prevention. However, the complexity of aircraft maintenance errors makes them somewhat harder to capture. One method adopted to support error identification is error-reporting systems. The primary aim of study was to identify if reporting systems were being utilised by maintenance personnel. The secondary aim was to distinguish the factors that contribute to maintenance personnel rejecting reporting systems as a supportive tool. This was achieved through an online questionnaire. Due to a lack of research on error reporting and usability of reporting systems by aircraft maintenance personnel it proved difficult to use an existing survey, so survey questions were developed from an extensive literature review and a focus group made up of front-line personnel. Survey questions focussed on reporting system design, company attitude, error recognition and finally maintenance personnel personality patterns. Results showed several issues affected reporting system usage including lack of company support, inadequate training, and lack of feedback. Perhaps the most significant discovery were engineers believing that they would report error, but were inadequately able to recognise error. Although regulatory authorities and organisations themselves are seeing the benefits of a positive reporting culture the current study showed there are still significant issues with current reporting systems, without these inhibiting factors being addressed the industry cannot solely rely on self-reporting to manage error

Sustainable Aviation Fuels: the challenge of decarbonization

Abstract Aviation is steadily growing worldwide as well as in the European Union (EU). Overall, EU transports increased their GreenHouse Gas (GHG) Emissions since 1990, while the other energy sectors succeeded in achieving a constant reduction over the same period. In this context, air transport is the most critical area to decarbonize, given the limited number of options that can be implemented, such as optimization of flight routes, increase of jet engine energy efficiency, and few others. Switching to renewable or low carbon fuels is thus the main opportunity for aviation. Large scale deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) is however a real challenge, as it requires large investments in new production facilities, strong reduction in production costs (over the entire value chain, i.e. including feedstock production, collection and delivery), and considerable investments in ASTM certification. The present work shortly reviews the perspectives of aviation fuel in terms of demand and GHG emission trends, possible routes to jet fuel production, and the status of ASTM certified routes to jet fuel as of today

In-flight sleep as a pilot fatigue mitigation on long range and ultra-long range flights : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Sleep/Wake Research Centre, Wellington, New Zealand

Objectives: Long range flights operate around the clock with long duty periods for pilots. To mitigate the effects of fatigue, these flights are operated by augmented crews, providing each pilot with the opportunity for sleep in on-board rest facilities. This thesis used a mixed methods approach to investigate the use of in-flight sleep and the factors that influence it. Methods: Retrospective survey data (291 pilots, five studies) were analysed to provide an overview of pilots’ sleep at home and investigate potential relationships with in-flight sleep. A second project monitored the sleep, fatigue and performance of 35 pilots operating a B767 flight route between Atlanta and Lagos. These projects were supplemented by thematic analysis of pilots’ logbook comments on in-flight sleep (N=123) and on the way they manage their fatigue (N=629). Results: Pilots viewed in-flight sleep as an important fatigue management strategy and actigraphic sleep monitoring confirmed that the B767 pilots made good use of their in-flight breaks for obtaining sleep. Self-ratings of in-flight sleep quality reflected ratings at home, but were usually poorer. Pilots indicated that the type, location and design of rest facilities affected sleep quality and duration, and identified strategies for minimizing sleep disturbances and improving alertness. Comments indicated that prior knowledge of inflight break allocations can influence the planning of pre-trip sleep, use of naps, and in-flight sleep. Actigraphic measures of sleep indicated that the B767 pilots obtained more sleep in the 24 hours prior to departure than during baseline days regardless of their subsequent pattern of in-flight breaks, but it is unclear when they were advised about their break pattern. Ratings of sleepiness and fatigue increased across the B767 flights, but psychomotor vigilance task performance at the start of duty and at top of descent was not associated with prior wakefulness, prior sleep duration or in-flight sleep duration. Conclusions: In-flight sleep is a well-utilized and effective fatigue mitigation strategy that may be supplemented by other strategies such as flight preparation techniques. To further reduce pilot fatigue risk on long range flights, additional research is warranted into the effects of flight preparation techniques and in-flight break patterns

PERENCANAAN PENGEMBANGAN BANDAR UDARA PITU KABUPATEN PULAU MOROTAI PROVINSI MALUKU UTARA

Pulau Morotai adalah kabupaten definitif baru yang terletak di kepulauan Halmahera, Kepulauan Maluku, Indonesia. Sebagai bagian dari Provinsi Maluku Utara, pulau ini menjadi salah satu pulau paling utara di Indonesia. Pulau Morotai merupakan 1 dari 10 destinasi pariwisata prioritas di Indonesia. Pulau Morotai juga sangat strategis sebagai jalur perdangangan di Indonesia Timur. Bandar Udara Pitu terletak di ibu kota kabupaten dan saat ini tergolong sebagai bandar udara perintis dengan jenis pesawat yang beroperasi ATR 72-500/600 sehingga dianggap perlu untuk dilakukan pengembangan agar wisatawan dapat menjangkau pulau ini lebih cepat. Perencanaan pengembangan suatu lapangan terbang harus memperkirakan arus lalu lintas dimasa yang akan datang. Dengan menganalisa data tiga tahun pergerakan pesawat, jumlah penumpang, bagasi dan cargo menggunakan analisa regresi dapat diramalkan arus lalu lintas dimasa yang akan datang sehingga pengembangan bandar udara dianggap perlu dilakukan atau tidak. Untuk data-data sekunder yang diperoleh dari bandara seperti data klimatologi, data frekwensi pesawat, data penumpang, data bagasi, dan data CBR digunakan sebagai acuan merencanakan pengembangan bandar udara.Rencana pengembangan bandar udara Pitu Morotai antara lain: Runway, Taxiway, Apron, Perkerasan landasan, Termial penumpang, Gudang, Area parkir, Marking landasan, dan Perlampuan.Hasil perhitungan mengacu pada standar International Civil Aviation Organitation (ICAO) dengan pesawat rencana B 737-900 ER, diperoleh ukuran runway 2.800 x 45 meter, taxiway 175 x 25 meter, dan luas apron 285 x 98 meter = 27.930 m2. Tebal perkerasan lentur dengan menggunakan metode Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) adalah 31 inch, dan tebal perkerasan kaku yang diperoleh dengan menggunakan metode Portland Cement Afiation (PCA) adalah 14,5 inch. Luas total gedung terminal 56.250 m2 (sudah termasuk dengan fasilitas pendukung), luas gudang 70 m2, dan luas area parkir 22.500 m2. Kata kunci: Pulau Morotai, Pengembangan Bandar Udara, B 737-900 ER

Standard concepts for performance improvements in the airport operations areas: global interoprability

Because of the exponential growth of air traffic and its importance of integration of countries, the implementation of improvements in the Global ATM system is becoming increasingly necessary. Within this scope, ICAO brings, within its Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP), an easily understood methodology called: “Aviation System Blocks Upgrade” (ASBU). It defines a language with a programmatic and flexible approach, aiming at performance improvements in the systems. And one of the sectors where one of these performance improvements is sought, as recommended in the ASBU, is the Airport Operations Area. In this area is the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) process. This research aimed to review and improve the A-CDM method to enable its use in airports with lower disbursement capacity. It is based on regulations issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and academic papers. Theoretically, it went deeper into the various global air navigation systems, such as the processes employed by the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Positions from entities such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) were also researched. Subsequently, case studies of airports and interviews with international experts with knowledge on the subject were carried out. Finally, a survey was conducted with members of the Air Sector from around the world. Always focused on seeking compatibilities and opportunities for improvement in the process, mainly in economic gains. According to the sequential strategy exposed above, a scenario analysis is done based on the results obtained at the end of the work. Then, a conclusion is presented, which aims to to apply the referred system, not only in countries with high capacity disbursement but mainly to deliver a solution that allows its application in countries and airports with medium to low financial resources. This solution presented is the goal sought in the research.Tendo em vista o crescimento exponencial do tráfego aéreo e a sua importância na integração dos países, a implantação de melhorias no sistema ATM Global torna-se cada vez mais necessária. Neste sentido a ICAO preconiza, dentro do seu Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP), uma metodologia de fácil entendimento chamada: “Aviation System Blocks Upgrade” (ASBU). Tal metodologia define uma linguagem com abordagem programática, e flexível, visando melhorias de desempenho nos sistemas. E um dos setores onde é procurada uma dessas melhorias de desempenho, conforme preconizado no ASBU, é a área de Operações Aeroportuárias e, em particular, o processo de Airport Colaborative Decision Making (A-CDM). Esta investigação visou realizar uma revisão do método A-CDM, com base em regulamentos e trabalhos acadêmicos sobre o assunto. Aprofundando teoricamente com base nos diversos sistemas de navegação aérea globais, como os processos empregados pela European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) e pela Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Também foram pesquisados os posicionamentos a respeito do tema de entidades associativas, como da Airports Council International (ACI), da International Air Transport Association (IATA) e da Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO). De forma subsequente realizaram-se estudos de caso de aeroportos e foram realizadas entrevistas com especialistas internacionais conhecedores do assunto. Finalmente realizou-se um inquérito com integrantes do Setor Aéreo de todo o mundo. Sempre com o foco de buscar compatibilidades e oportunidades de melhoria no referido processo, principalmente em termos de ganhos econômicos. Ao final do trabalho, de acordo com a estratégia sequencial acima exposta, e com base no resultados colhidos, é feita uma análise de cenário e apresentada uma conclusão, a qual visa que o referido sistema possa ser aplicado, não somente em países de grande capacidade de investimento mas também, e principalmente, apresentar uma solução que permita sua aplicação em países, e aeroportos, com médios a baixos recursos financeiros. Sendo este o resultado buscado na pesquisa

Feasibility study aimed to improve the Safety Management System process in an EASA Part CAMO organisation

The implementation of the Operational Safety Management System in the aeronautical industry has been over the years a topic of extreme importance since its application aims to promote the operational safety of all stakeholders in a company and better management of human and material resources. In this context, it is important that each company is responsible for assessing the Safety Management System implemented, reviewing its effectiveness in the various departments, and verifying if the principles of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) are met. It was proven that an efficient Safety Management System reverts to a better system of risk identification, occurrence reporting, promotion of safety culture among employees, and creation of barriers to mitigate unwanted risks. This dissertation consisted in the feasibility study to improve the Safety Management System process of an aeronautical company, PHS Aviation, in the activities performed in the scope of airworthiness management, commonly known as Part-CAMO, through the creation of Safety Performance Indicators. In this regard, for the development of this study, PHS Aviation has identified four hazards it intends to control related to its continuing airworthiness management activities. The identification of these hazards by the company was performed through the PHS Aviation risk assessment ("RA 01/2022"), already performed by the company during the transition from Subpart G of Annex I (Part-M) to Annex Vc (Part-CAMO) to Commission Regulation (EU) 1321/2014. After identifying the hazards, an Operational Safety Indicator was created for each identified hazard to monitor it, following the regulations and requirements that the company considers most important.A implementação do Sistema de Gestão de Segurança Operacional na indústria aeronáutica tem revelado ao longo dos anos ser um tema de extrema importância visto que a sua aplicação visa promover a segurança operacional de todos os intervenientes numa empresa e uma melhor gestão de recursos humanos e materiais. Neste contexto, é importante que cada empresa se encarregue de fazer uma avaliação do Sistema de Gestão de Segurança implementado, de forma a rever a sua eficácia nos vários departamentos, e verificar se são cumpridos os princípios impostos pela ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation). Foi comprovado que um Sistema de Gestão de Segurança eficiente reverte para um melhor sistema de identificação de riscos, reporte de ocorrências, promoção de cultura de segurança entre os funcionários, e criação de barreiras para mitigar riscos indesejados. Esta dissertação consistiu assim no estudo de viabilidade de melhorar o processo do Sistema de Gestão de Segurança Operacional de uma empresa do setor aeronáutico, a PHS Aviation, nas atividades realizadas no âmbito da gestão de aeronavegabilidade, comumente denominada de Parte-CAMO, através da criação de Indicadores de Desempenho de Segurança. A este respeito, para o desenvolvimento deste estudo, a PHS Aviation identificou quatro perigos que pretende controlar relacionados com as suas atividades de gestão da aeronavegabilidade continuada. A identificação destes perigos pela empresa foi realizada através da avaliação de risco da PHS Aviation ("RA 01/2022"), já realizada pela empresa durante a transição da Subparte G do Anexo I (Parte-M) para o Anexo Vc (Parte-CAMO) do Regulamento da Comissão (UE) 1321/2014. Após identificação dos perigos, foi criado um Indicador de Segurança Operacional para cada perigo identificado para o monitorizar, seguindo os regulamentos e requisitos que a empresa considera mais importantes

New safety model for the commercial human spaceflight industry

The aviation and space domains have safety guidelines and recommended practices for Design Organisations (DOs) and Operators alike. In terms of Aerospace DOs there are certification criteria to meet and to demonstrate compliance there are Advisory Circulars or Acceptable Means of Compliance to follow. Additionally there are guidelines such as Aerospace Recommended Practices (ARP), Military Standards (MIL-STD 882 series) and System Safety Handbooks to follow in order to identify and manage failure conditions. In terms of Operators there are FAA guidelines and a useful ARP that details many tools and techniques in understanding Operator Safety Risks. However there is currently no methodology for linking the DO and Operator safety efforts. In the space domain NASA have provided safety standards and guidelines to follow and also within Europe there are European Co-operation of Space Standardization (ECSS) to follow. Within the emerging Commercial Human Spaceflight Industry, the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation has provided hazard analysis guidelines. However all of these space domain safety documents are based on the existing aerospace methodology and once again, there is no link between the DO and Operator’s safety effort. This paper addresses the problematic issue and presents a coherent methodology of joining up the System Safety effort of the DOs to the Operator Safety Risk Management such that a ‘Total System’ approach is adopted. Part of the rationale is that the correct mitigation (control) can be applied within the correct place in the accident sequence. Also this contiguous approach ensures that the Operator is fully aware of the safety risks (at the accident level) and therefore has an appreciation of the Total System Risk. The authors of this paper contend that it is better practice to have a fully integrated safety model as opposed to disparate requirements or guidelines. Our methodology is firstly to review ‘best practice’ approaches from the aviation and space industries, and then to integrate these approaches into a contiguous safety model for the commercial human spaceflight industry

Safety level of airside, pre-take-off objects and processes

Preventive, proactive airside, pre-take-off safety in civil air traffic from a new viewpoint with a new toolset on a more exact way with sustaining all necessary principles - to explicate such and similar thoughts is the aim of the paper