Fruits of Gregory Bateson’s epistemological crisis: embodied mind-making and interactive experience in research and professional praxis

Background: The espoused rationale for this special issue, situated “at the margins of cybernetics,” was to revisit and extend the common genealogy of cybernetics and communication studies. Two possible topics garnered our attention: 1) the history of intellectual adventurers whose work has appropriated cybernetic concepts; and 2) the remediation of cybernetic metaphors. Analysis: A heuristic for engaging in first- and second-order R&D praxis, the design of which was informed by co-research with pastoralists (1989–1993) and the authors’ engagements with the scholarship of Bateson and Maturana, was employed and adapted as a reflexive in-quiry framework.Conclusion and implications: This inquiry challenges the mainstream desire for change and the belief in getting the communication right in order to achieve change. The authors argue this view is based on an epistemological error that continues to produce the very problems it intends to diminish, and thus we live a fundamental error in epistemology, false ontology, and misplaced practice. The authors offer instead conceptual and praxis possibilities for triggering new co-evolutionary trajectories

Correlates of Continued Visual Flight Rules (VFR) into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) General Aviation Accidents

General aviation accidents result in the loss of millions of dollars and hundreds of lives each year. Among these, a fifth are weather related and have an extremely high lethality rate. Almost half the cases of weather related accidents involve pilots continuing from visual flight conditions into poor weather of which half result in fatalities. These events, referred to as continued VFR (Visual Flight Rules) into IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) have been referenced in a variety of literature as a significant hazard to aviation. In order to better understand these accidents, researchers have tried to identify causes and factors related to what induced pilots to continue VFR into IMC. Previous studies, however, have not comprehensively statistically investigated these items. This predictive and correlational study investigated pilot related and situational factors identified of interest in the literature. The specific factors were accident time of day, terrain, receipt of weather briefing, communication with air traffic control, filing of a flight plan, pilot certification, pilot experience, and pilot age. Logistic regression was used to differentiate factors between fatal general aviation accidents related to VFR into IMC versus non-VFR into IMC events. The resultant model was found to significantly be able to distinguish between accident types based upon the factors, χ2 (8, N = 80) = 35.88, p \u3c 0.001. The model was able to correctly identify accidents at a rate of 76.3%. Classification of variance in accident type was identified to be between 36.1% (Cox and Snell R square) and 48.2% (Nagelkerke R square). Two factors, terrain and weather briefing, were found to significantly contribute to the model. Partial correlations were conducted controlling for these factors to explore other potential relationships. Three significant relationships were identified: accident type – flight plans (r = .501, p \u3c 0.001), terrain – pilot flight time (r = .266, p \u3c 0.05), and terrain – flight plan (r = -.247, p \u3c 0.05). Findings indicate the need for improvements in pilot education and training related to flying in mountainous areas, receiving and interpreting of weather briefings, as well as hazardous attitudes. Suggestions for future research are provided

Teaching the Next Generation of Researchers: An Inquiry into Aviation Research Education

Research in aviation fields has become increasingly important to institutions and their faculty. Expectations to conduct such research have escalated with tenure and employment decisions often hanging on evidence of research skill and advanced educational attainment. Considering the importance of research to aviation higher education, this study investigated how research skills are conveyed to undergraduate and graduate aviation students. Further, the subjects and methods of instruction were evaluated. This inquiry was guided by content analysis. To bolster the findings of this study, a series of interviews with program directors and faculty teaching research courses were conducted to explore faculty perceptions on research education as well the as strengths and weaknesses of such education and the students enrolled in research courses. Keywords: research, education, aviation, content analysis, interviews, research-lead educatio

Public Opinion Concerning the Siting of Vertiports

This study sought a better understanding of public opinion about the siting of vertiports to support Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). An online survey was used to collect the necessary data. The survey was divided into seven sections: personal impacts, community impacts, acceptable proximity, benefits and concerns, flight operations, open-ended comments, and demographics. The findings for personal impacts suggested a slightly positive outlook. Community impacts were assessed, and data also indicated a marginally positive outlook. The survey revealed that a tolerable average distance between the home of the respondent and a vertiport was between one to two miles. Opinions about the benefits of a vertiport were found to include saving time, access to transit, reduced congestion, flexibility, and economic impact. Respondent concerns focused on safety, noise, air pollution, light pollution, and visual distractions/disturbances. The majority of respondents indicated that 35-40 daily flights would be acceptable. The survey also revealed that respondents were mostly comfortable with the proximity of eVTOLs to their homes but preferred that eVTOLs were flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet or higher. The demographics of respondents were also outlined. The results of this study provide planners and stakeholders with critical information necessary to consider public concerns and community impacts when selecting sites for vertiports

Analysis of Runway Incursion Trends: Implications for Cost-Benefit Analysis of Mitigation Investments

This causal-comparative and correlation study investigated the costs of runway incursion safety improvements in relation to their effectiveness to assess potential aviation system benefits.Two airports (Los Angeles International and Dallas-Ft. Worth International), which were early adopters of Runway Status Lights (RWSL), a runway incursion technology, were targeted in this analysis. Findings indicated that there were no significant differences in counts or rates of Category A, B, and D incursions at LAX and DFW when comparing the time periods before versus after RWSL installation. Category C counts and rates were found to have increased significantly after RWSL installation. The findings of this study outline the importance of assessing empirically-based impacts of large investments in aviation safety prior to implementing them system-wide. The findings do not support the premise that RWSL has improved safety at either LAX or DFW airports. Suggestions for future research are also outlined

Taking Flight or Taking a Pass? Exploring Factors Influencing Consumer Willingness to Pay for eVTOL Travel

The Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry is experiencing significant growth due to technological advancements and increasing demand for efficient travel experiences. The market is expected to reach $45 billion by 2030, with major players like Joby, Archer, Beta, and Wisk dominating. This study aimed to assess public willingness to pay for AAM services using eVTOLs, using Amazon\u27s Mechanical Turk platform. The survey yielded a response rate of 85.8%, with 1,622 completed surveys. The study found that younger urban consumers were more willing to pay higher prices for AAM electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft trips than older participants, possibly due to their tech-savvy nature and openness to new transportation technologies. Age, income, and race showed minimally influenced willingness to pay (WTP) at higher price points, but age and marital status had some influence at lower price points. Income level did not significantly affect willingness to pay more for eVTOL services, suggesting that this mode of transportation may be palatable to a wide range of consumers regardless of their financial situation. A well-rounded approach that considers pricing, advantages, safety features, environmental impact, accessibility, and partnerships will be crucial for companies to succeed in the rapidly growing eVTOL market. Findings show that by targeting younger, married, middle-class urbanites, AAM providers could tap into a lucrative market segment and increase adoption and profitability in the emerging mode of transportation. Suggestions for future research are also provided

A Quantitative Analysis of Seaplane Accidents from 1982-2021

This study aimed to assess and analyze all historical National Transportation Safety Board accident reports since 1982. For analysis, reports were bisected into seaplane (float, amphibian, and hull) and non-seaplane groups. Findings showed that there is a deficiency in the level of available detail on the seaplane fleet and cadre of seaplane pilots in the U.S. During the most recent ten years of complete data (2012-2021) showed a negative trend in all accidents and fatal accidents, although only the latter being statistically convincing. During this timeframe, seaplane accident pilots had significantly higher total time and age than other groups (non-seaplane accident and non-accident). Although practically (not statistically) significant, seaplane accident pilots had significantly more flight time in type than non-seaplane accident pilots. In both periods, the top accidents were de Havilland, Cessna, and Piper. Accident event sequences showed higher numbers of accidents during takeoffs among seaplanes. A comparison of the estimated seaplane accident rate per 100,000 hours vs. that of non-seaplanes was found not to be significantly different. This provides further evidence that the assumption that seaplanes are involved in more accidents is simply anecdotal, although more research is required for a conclusive answer. Between 1982 and 2021, considerable gains in seaplane safety were noted, with decreases in both total and fatal accidents. From this larger dataset, an assessment of seaplane and non-seaplane accident pilot time in type showed that seaplane pilots have significantly lower hours. The top aircraft makes were virtually unchanged across timeframes, with the top slots still going to de Havilland, Cessna, and Piper. In summary, while seaplane operations have consistently become safer over time, specific areas continue to cause an unacceptable loss of aircraft and lives. The findings of this study will hopefully help guide efforts to continue to improve seaplane safety and provide critical insights for the seaplane pilot community

Development and Validation of an Aviation Research Survey

Surveys are one of the more commonly utilized data collection instruments in aviation research. Unfortunately, there often is little information provided as to how the surveys utilized in such studies were developed. This is problematic because the validity and construction of surveys are critical to the successful collection of data. Further, without the proper distribution methodologies in place, survey response rates can be poor. This qualitative study provides a literature-based process to assist aviation researchers to design and validate a survey instrument. First a literature-based survey development protocol was developed. Next, a validation process utilizing a panel of experts was created. Panel members were sought with experience and qualifications specific to the subject areas covered in the survey including its (a) construction, (b) implementation, (c) graduate level research, (d) higher education, (e) aviation higher education, (f) the aviation industry, (g) flight instruction and certification, and (h) demographic measures. Interviews were conducted each of the five expert panel members using a semi-structured protocol. The results of the interviews were coded using NVivo qualitative analysis software. The panel members determined that the example survey was a valid instrument to use in an applicable study. A summary of panel member feedback that could be generalized to a wide range of aviation surveys is provided. In summary, through a careful review of available literature and through the conduct of a panel of experts review, an explicit, structured process was fashioned for aviation researchers to use in order to successfully create and validate a survey instrument for use in a variety of studies

Comparative Analysis of Accident and Non-Accident Pilots

The purpose of this study was to investigate potential differences between two pilot groups; the first was a sample of individuals who have not been involved in an accident and the second was a sample of pilots from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident database. Factors investigated included flight time, pilot flight review status, pilot certification, employment as a professional pilot, gender, and age. This study was guided by the exigent literature on aviation accidents with a primary focus on general aviation pilot accident attributes. Non-accident pilot participation was solicited through various aviation-related websites and a total of 1,829 usable cases were collected. From the NTSB database, 19,821 cases were deemed to have all of the necessary variables for analysis. Mann- Whitney U tests found significant differences in age (U = 9377426.5, p \u3c 0.001, r = 0.233) and flight time (U = 5501468.5, p \u3c 0.001, r = 0.356). Logistic regression was then calculated to provide improved understanding of how the variables may be used to categorize pilots in accident and non-accident groupings. The model showed a significant improvement over random assignment (x2 [8] = 4912.89, p \u3c 0.001) and was able to successfully identify 98.9% of accident pilots and 34.9% of non-accident pilots. Significant factors that were identified included that if an individual that was employed as a professional pilot (correlation value = -.388) or as his or her age decreased (correlation value = -.522), he or she is more likely to be within the accident pilot classification. The investigated variables showed some indication of predictive value and shed some insight onto what factors may be associated with accident risk. Suggestions for future research are also included

Have We Made Progress? Trends in Minority Participation in Postsecondary Aviation Education

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the trends in participation by minorities who completed professional pilot education programs in the United States. Data concerning the number of students who completed degrees at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s levels was collected via the Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System (IPEDS). It was found that minorities, including women, now make up 30.0 percent of the professional pilot program student body. These participation rates were found to be higher than those found among the pilot population and in the aviation industry in general. The level of involvement of minorities in aviation higher education has shown consistent improvement over the past decade. --from the articl