Analysis of the bird strike reports received by the Finnish Transport Safety Agency between the years 2000 and 2011

As soon as people started to fly, bird strikes became a significant safety issue. At present, hundreds of bird strikes are reported every year, and the consequences vary between a scared pilot to a total aircraft hull loss. It has been estimated that the material cost of bird strikes may be more than one billion Euros annually. But in addition, there is the immeasurable cost of losing human lives. How could we fly safely sharing the same sky with the birds? The question is difficult to answer because of the complex reasons why bird strikes happen. The increasing number of flights and growing bird population will also bring new challenges in the future. This thesis approaches the subject by concentrating on the benefits of bird strike reporting in Finland. The thesis reviews all bird strike reports received by the Finnish Transport Safety Agency between the years 2000 and 2011. According to this data, the number of bird strike reports has been increasing significantly during the past few years. Unfortunately, at the same time, the quality of bird strike reports has been decreasing in Finland. Based on the reports analysed, the importance of good bird strike reporting was not yet clear for all stakeholders. The bird species were often poorly identified, and a lot of other valuable data, such as weather details, were frequently missing from bird strike reports. In addition, bird strikes that did not cause any damage were often not reported. This was because bird strike reporting is not yet mandatory in Finland. The aim in bird strike reporting should be better quality and higher frequency than what is currently found in Finland. This could certainly improve aviation safety.Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPSRC)Safety and Accident Investigatio

Diamond subwavelength gratings for mid-infrared AGPM coronagraph: manufacturing assessment

We present the manufacturing and measurement results obtained with a mid-infrared (L-band ~ 3.8 µm) diamond Annular Groove Phase Mask (AGPM) coronagraph (Mawet et al 20051), using subwavelength gratings and diamond-optimized micro-fabrication techniques such as Nano-Imprint Lithography and Reactive Ion Etching

Perehdyttämiskansio tilitoimistoon

Opinnäytetyö tehtiin Tilitoimisto X:n toimeksiannosta ja työ sekä siihen tehtävä tutkimus ovat toiminallisia. Opinnäytetyön tuloksena tehtiin perehdyttämiskansio uusien työntekijöiden perehdyttämisen avuksi. Teoria pohjautuu kolmeen tilitoimiston näkökulmasta tärkeään elementtiin; asiakaspalveluun, asiantuntijuuteen ja teknologiaosaamiseen. Asiakaspalveluosiossa määritellään mitä on hyvä asiakaspalvelu ja asiakaskokemus sekä miten sen voi yrittää saavuttaa. Asiantuntijaosiossa käsitellään kirjanpitäjien ja palkanlaskijoiden muutosta taloushallinnon asiantuntijoiksi. Teknologiaosio sisältää sähköisen taloushallinnon tuomia edellytyksiä ja haasteita. Tutkimusmenetelmänä käytettiin teemahaastattelurunkoa, jonka pohjalta haastateltiin Tilitoimisto X:n työntekijöitä. Haastatteluiden tarkoituksena oli saada selkä kuva nykytilanteesta ja siitä mitkä asiat työntekijät kokevat hyödylliseksi perehdyttämisoppaassa. Opinnäytetyön tuloksena luotu perehdyttämiskansio on Tilitoimisto X:n sisäiseen käyttöön ja siitä syystä se ei ole tämän opinnäytetyön liitteenä. Perehdyttämiskansion rakenne käsitellään kuitenkin lopputuloksena opinnäytetyössä.This thesis was commissioned by Accounting firm X. The purpose and result of the thesis is to create an orientation manual for new employees. The theoretical section is based on the three most important aspects from Accounting firm X point of view: customer service, professional expertise and technological know-how. The section on customer service considers the factors that constitute good customer service and customer experience. The section about professional expertise examines the journey from being an accountant or a payroll officer to becoming a financial administration expert. The section on technological know-how discusses online financial administration software and the requirements and challenges this brings to accounting firms. The employees of Accounting firm X were interviewed using a theme interview framework. The goal of the interview was to get a clear sense of the current situation and the key elements that the employees found to be useful and relevant when introducing to the work place. On the basis of this thesis project an orientation manual was created for new employees of Accounting firm X. The manual is for Accounting firm X´s internal use only and for that reason it is not included as an appendix to this thesis

Lapsettoman avioparin perinnönjako

Tässä opinnäytetyössä tutkittiin lapsettoman avioparin perinnönjakoa. Tarkoituksena oli selvittää, miten varallisuus jaetaan ensiksi kuolleen puolison jälkeen ja myöhemmin lesken kuollessa. Leskellä on lainsäädännön perusteella vahva asema perillisenä. Vaikka lainsäädäntö ohjaakin vahvasti perinnön jakautumista, niin elinaikaisilla toimilla voidaan vaikuttaa niin puolison kuin muidenkin perillisten asemaan. Opinnäytetyössä pohdittiin myös, miten ja minkälaisilla jäämistösuunnittelun keinoilla perinnön jakautumiseen voidaan vaikuttaa ja näistä keinoista tarkasteltiin erityisesti testamentin vaikutusta. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin kvalitatiivisena eli laadullisena tutkimuksena. Tutkimus oli oikeustieteellinen ja tutkimuskysymyksiä tarkasteltiin oikeusdogmatiikan näkökulmasta. Lähdeaineistona käytettiin voimassa olevaa lainsäädäntöä, perhe- ja jäämistöoikeuden kirjallisuutta, tuomioistuinratkaisuja sekä lain esitöitä. Lait, jotka määrittävät lesken asemaa perillisenä ovat avioliittolaki (234/1929) ja perintökaari (40/1965). Pääasiallisina oikeuskirjallisuuden lähteinä käytettiin Aulis Aarnion ja Urpo Kankaan kirjoittamia teoksia perhe- ja jäämistöoikeudesta. Työn teoriaosuudessa käytiin läpi lapsettoman avioparin varallisuuden jakautumista lainsäädännön perusteella ja testamenttiehdoin. Aviovarallisuusjärjestelmä vaikuttaa myös osaltaan perinnön jakautumiseen ja siksi työssä käytiin läpi myös avioehdon vaikutusta. Työn loppuun tehtiin haastattelu, jossa selvitettiin toteuttavatko lapsettomat avioparit käytännössä paljon jäämistösuunnittelua testamentin avulla ja miten tietoisia he ovat perintökaaren (40/1965) mukaisesta perinnön jakautumisesta. Testamentti on tehokas jäämistösuunnittelun keino. Sen huolellinen laadinta vaikuttaa keskeisesti jäämistösuunnittelun onnistumiseen. Lapsettoman avioparin kohdalla lesken suojaksi ei välttämättä tarvita testamenttia, mutta omaisuuden jakautumiseen voidaan haluta muutoksia, jotka ovat toteutettavissa testamentin avulla. Usein halutaan valita erikseen ne henkilöt jotka perivät. Lesken oikeuksiakin voidaan haluta rajoittaa tai laajentaa. Toissijaisilla perillisillä on kuitenkin oikeuksia lesken kuoleman jälkeen, mikä taas aiheuttaa tiettyjä rajoituksia lesken testamenttimääräysten tekemiseen ja muihin elinaikaisiin toimiin.This thesis explores the distribution of an estate of a married couple with no children. The purpose of the thesis was to find out, how the estate is first divided after the first deceased spouse and later when the widow or widower dies. The widow or widower has a very strong standing as an heir. Although legislation guides the distribution of the estate rather strongly, it is possible to influence the standing of the spouse and other heirs. This thesis also considers the methods of estate planning and how they can be used to affect the distribution of an estate. In particular, this thesis considers the meaning of a will in affecting the distribution of an estate. The thesis was carried out by using a qualitative approach. The study falls under jurisprudence and the research questions were approached from the perspective of legal dogmatics. The theoretical sources include effective legislation, literature on the family and estate laws, court decisions and preliminary work related to the laws. The legislation which applies to the legal standing of the widow or widower consists of the Marriage Act (234/1929) and Code of Inheritance (40/1965). The literature sources included books on family and estate law written by Aulis Aarnio and Urpo Kangas. The theoretical part explores the distribution of the property on the basis of the legislation and a will. The system of the matrimonial property also affects the distribution of the estate and therefore the thesis also discusses the effects of a prenuptial agreement. An interview was also carried out to find out whether the couples with no children actually plan the distribution of an estate with a will and whether they are familiar with the Code of Inheritance (40/1965). A will is an effective method of planning the distribution of an estate. It is important to plan it carefully to make the distribution of an estate successful. When the couple does not have children, it is not necessary to have a will. However, if the couple wants to make changes in the distribution of an estate, they can be completed by making a will. It is common that people want to choose their heirs. Even the rights of the widow or widower can be restricted or expanded. However, reversionary heirs have rights after the widow or widower dies, which in turn restricts the widow’s or widower’s right to make testamentary provisions and other actions while still living

Diffractive Optical Elements: Fabrication, Replication, and Applications and Optical Properties of a Visual Field Test

This thesis mainly treats the fabrication, replication and applications of diffractive optical elements. A smaller part deals with optical properties of a visual field test. Diffractive optical elements are computer-generated micro-optic components that use diffraction to manipulate light. These novel optical elements are characterized by high efficiency, design flexibility, light weight and small size. Furthermore, they can be replicated at low cost for mass production. These properties give diffractive optical elements the potential to become key components in future optical systems. In the first part of this thesis, the technical limitations of direct-write electron beam lithography for diffractive optics fabrication are studied. The electron beam can readily be focused to a spot size of less than 100 nm, but scattering of the exposing electrons within a resist layer results in a broadening of the exposing beam and a loss in resolution - the proximity effect. We measured and modeled this effect. We presented a practical way to compensate partly for the electron scattering and demonstrated successfully manufactured proximity-compensated elements. We also showed how the relief depths of exposed structures can be optimized by repeated development. We studied the feasibility and fidelity of replicating diffractive structures by compact disc injection molding equipment. A method for replicating diffractive elements into fused silica was proposed and investigated. A diffractive beam homogenizer, based on a novel design, was fabricated and evaluated together with an excimer laser. A diffractive axicon was designed and fabricated for use in a laser-induced detection system. In an initial study we proposed and investigated a novel scheme for fabricating diffractive elements with inherent antireflection properties. One method for visual field testing is high-pass resolution perimetry. Properties of this method were studied using both optical analytical techniques and measurements in normal humans