Anticipating the Need for New Skills for the Future Aerospace and Aviation Professionals

ABSTRACT: This study aims to translate needed future skills to the university classroom for the aerospace and aviation industry personnel, given the fast-paced change taking place in both the industry and the education sectors. A synopsis of the current challenges faced in the educational field is outlined, followed by a mapping of the future of both education and air platforms, in an attempt to set the basis of the needed skills framework. The Assessment and Teaching of 21 st Century Skills Project is used as a baseline for the definition of the future "critical" skill set, which is considered well aligned with the future needs of the aerospace industry. It is suggested that this critical skill set can be translated to the higher education environment through an effective redesign of the existing teaching and learning philosophy and the practices

The Airbus A320 family fan cowl door safety modification: a human factors scenario analysis

Purpose The Airbus A320 family engine fan cowl doors (FCDs) safety issue is known to the industry for almost 18 years; however, it has not been addressed adequately by the aircraft manufacturer and the various operators and regulating authorities. The purpose of this paper is to examine in a systematic way the possible operational and safety implications of a new modification on the engine FCDs. Design/methodology/approach An array of error-prone scenarios is presented and analysed under the prism of human factors in a non-exhaustive qualitative scenario analysis. Findings All examined scenarios are considered more or less probable. A number of accident prevention solutions are proposed for each of the scenario examined, in view of the acceptance and implementation of this modification by operators. Research limitations/implications As these scenarios are neither exhaustive nor have been tested/validated in actual aircraft maintenance practice, the further analysis is necessary. A substantial follow-up survey should take place, which should include a wider array of scenarios. This would allow obtaining the necessary data for a quantitative (statistical) analysis. Practical implications This case study identifies issues in relation to this modification, introduced by Airbus and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which may prove problematic from the point of view of safety effectiveness and disruption of operations. Originality/value This case study examines a long-standing aviation safety issue and the implications of a solution proposed by the aircraft manufacturer and adopted by EASA. This can be useful in increasing the awareness around these issues and highlight the importance of a human-centric and scenario-based design of engineering modifications towards minimising error in aircraft technical operations

Effects of bolt torque tightening on the strength and fatigue life of airframe FRP laminate bolted joints

The experimental study presented herein, investigated the effects of bolt torque tightening on the strength and fatigue design of bolted AS7/8552 fibre reinforced polymer laminates. Damage initiation and final failure manifestation on the joints was investigated and presented using optical microscopy. Subsequent experimental result analysis explored the application domain of bolted joints within the airframe design sector, bound by the current airworthiness certification requirements and expected airframe design life. The reasons for the static strength of the joint laminates or the fatigue failure of the bolt being the main design drivers for the tested joints were highlighted. The study concluded with comments and suggestions on the application of bolt torque tightening in relation to the strength, fatigue life and damage tolerance characteristics of joints on similar fibre reinforced polymer laminate composite material systems

Indentation Plastometry for Study of Anisotropy and Inhomogeneity in Maraging Steel Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

This work concerns the use of profilometry-based indentation plastometry (PIP) to obtain mechanical property information for maraging steel samples produced via an additive manufacturing route (laser powder bed fusion). Bars are produced in both “horizontal” (all material close to the build plate) and “vertical” (progressively increasing distance from the build plate) configurations. Samples are mechanically tested in both as-built and age-hardened conditions. Stress–strain curves from uniaxial testing (tensile and compressive) are compared with those from PIP testing. Tensile test data suggest significant anisotropy, with the horizontal direction harder than the vertical direction. However, systematic compressive tests, allowing curves to be obtained for both build and transverse directions in various locations, indicate that there is no anisotropy anywhere in these materials. This is consistent with electron backscattered diffraction results, indicating that there is no significant texture in these materials. It is also consistent with the outcomes of PIP testing, which can detect anisotropy with high sensitivity. Furthermore, both PIP testing and compression testing results indicate that the changing growth conditions at different distances from the build plate can lead to strength variations. It seems likely that what has previously been interpreted as anisotropy in the tensile response is in fact due to inhomogeneity of this type

Special Issue: Civil and Military Airworthiness: Recent Developments and Challenges (Volume II)

Effective safety management has always been a key objective for the broader airworthiness sector [...

Special Issue:Civil and military airworthiness:recent developments and challenges

Airworthiness, as a field, encompasses all those technical and non-technical activities required to design, certify, produce, maintain and operate safely an aircraft throughout its lifespan. The evolving technology, scientific and engineering methods and, most importantly, aviation regulation, offfers new opportunities and creates new challenges for the aviation industr