Can backward-chained, ab-initio pilot training decrease time to first solo? -- Take 3

This research updates articles recently published in the Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research (JAAER) Vol. 30, Issue 1 (Spring 2021), and Vol. 32, Issue 1 (Summer 2022) asking "Can backward chaining, ab-initio pilot training decrease time to first solo?" Previous results reported the experiential outcome of eight respondents, all without any previous flight time, who after completing backward chaining landing training in a flight training simulator, were able to complete three circuits in the traffic pattern on their first flight in an actual aircraft with little to no assistance. The current, updated, research placed four new respondents, again all without any previous flight time, into a forward chained flight instruction methodology for continued evaluation. The results (all completed unassisted circuits in the traffic pattern on their first flight) generally replicated the previous study; however, unlike the backward chained respondents, the forward chained respondents all had significant challenges landing the aircraft. If teaching landings to ab-initio student pilots is desired, backwards chaining in a simulator is recommended as more effective than forward chaining

Solvent extraction and selective separation of base metal ions by means of pyrasole- and imidazole-pyridinyl ligands

Chemistry and Polymer Scienc

Of Rats and Men: Underwater Passive Acoustic Localization Investigations Using Relative Arrival Times and Blind Channel Estimation

Ph.D

How are debriefing questions used in health discrete choice experiments? An online survey

We thank the respondents who completed our survey. This work was funded by a University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Business Research Grant 2017. Alison M. Pearce was supported by a University of Technology Sydney Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.Peer reviewedPostprin

Testing Backward Chaining Ab-initio Flight Instruction

This conceptual/exploratory research updates that previously published in the Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research (JAAER) Vol. 30, Issue 1 (Spring 2021) which asked if backward chaining, ab-initio pilot training decrease time to first solo? The specific focus of the research was the viability of landings instruction as the first ab-initio lesson. The research compared a total of eight respondents in a backward-chained flight instruction methodology against four respondents in a forward-chained flight instruction methodology. All 12 respondents were recruited without previous flight instruction or Pilot-in-Command logged flight time. Ground instruction preceded simulator instruction which was followed by instruction in actual aircraft. A hybrid approach of Grounded Theory/Phenomenology was used to evaluate the respondent’s performance, acceptance of, and attitudes towards the delivered flight instruction. All respondents completed multiple circuits in the traffic pattern on their first flight. Updated research results include: a) exploration and incorporation of refined methodological enhancements, b) qualitative and quantitative evaluation of respondents, c) recognition of previously un-experienced student pilot behavioral outcomes highlighting and reiterating potential risks embedded in conceptual/exploratory research, and d) observational evidence that if the goal is to teach ab-initio pilots to land an aircraft first, backwards chaining methodology may be preferred over the traditional, long-standing forward chained flight instruction methods

VeriGen: A Large Language Model for Verilog Code Generation

In this study, we explore the capability of Large Language Models (LLMs) to automate hardware design by generating high-quality Verilog code, a common language for designing and modeling digital systems. We fine-tune pre-existing LLMs on Verilog datasets compiled from GitHub and Verilog textbooks. We evaluate the functional correctness of the generated Verilog code using a specially designed test suite, featuring a custom problem set and testing benches. Here, our fine-tuned open-source CodeGen-16B model outperforms the commercial state-of-the-art GPT-3.5-turbo model with a 1.1% overall increase. Upon testing with a more diverse and complex problem set, we find that the fine-tuned model shows competitive performance against state-of-the-art gpt-3.5-turbo, excelling in certain scenarios. Notably, it demonstrates a 41% improvement in generating syntactically correct Verilog code across various problem categories compared to its pre-trained counterpart, highlighting the potential of smaller, in-house LLMs in hardware design automation.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2212.1114

Promising Functional Readouts of Immunity in a Blood-Stage Malaria Vaccine Trial

The authors discuss results from an early trial of a vaccine based on Plasmodium MSP-3 protein reported by Pierre Druilhe and colleagues

Biodiversity 2020: climate change evaluation report

In 2011, the government published Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services [1]. This strategy for England builds on the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper - NEWP [2] and provides a comprehensive picture of how we are implementing our international and EU commitments. It sets out the strategic direction for biodiversity policy between 2011-2020 on land (including rivers and lakes) and at sea, and forms part of the UK’s commitments under the ‘the Aichi targets’ agreed in 2010 under the United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 [3]. Defra is committed to evaluating the Biodiversity 2020 strategy and has a public commitment to assess climate change adaptation measures. This document sets out the information on assessing how action under Biodiversity 2020 has helped our wildlife and ecosystems to adapt to climate change. Biodiversity 2020 aims to halt the loss of biodiversity and restore functioning ecosystems for wildlife and for people. The outcomes and actions in Biodiversity 2020, although wider in scope, aimed to increase resilience of our wildlife and ecosystems in the face of a changing climate. In order to inform the assessment, we have defined which of the measurable outputs under Biodiversity 2020 contribute to resilience. Biodiversity 2020 included plans to develop and publish a dedicated set of indicators to assess progress towards the delivery of the strategy. The latest list (at the time of writing), published in 2017, contains 24 biodiversity indicators [4] that would help inform progress towards achieving specific outcomes, they are also highly relevant to the outputs (detailed below) that form the basis for this evaluation. The Adaptation Sub-Committee’s 2017 UK Climate Change Risk Assessment Evidence Report [5] sets out the priority climate change risks and opportunities for the UK. The ASC also produced a review of progress in the National Adaptation Programme - “Progress in preparing for climate change” [6], which highlights adaptation priorities and progress being made towards achieving them. The UK Government’s response to the ASC [7] review includes a set of recommendations, of which Recommendation 6 states that “Action should be taken to enhance the condition of priority habitats and the abundance and range of priority species”. The recommendation further iterated that “This action should maintain or extend the level of ambition that was included in Biodiversity 2020” and that “An evaluation should be undertaken of Biodiversity 2020 including the extent to which goals have been met and of the implications for resilience to climate change.” To this, end an evaluation process has been put in place to define: a. What worked and why? Which actions or activities have had the greatest benefit in terms of delivering the desired outcomes? And, conversely, what prevented progress? b. Where are the opportunities? What are the financial, political, scientific and social opportunities for furthering the desired outcomes in the future? These objectives underpin the evaluation process for actions to date, and will also inform future actions and the iteration of a new nature strategy for England

Identification, Motivation and Facilitation of Domestic Tourism in a Small Island

This paper presents a case concerning domestic tourism in the Isle of Man, British Isles; a small maritime nation with Norse heritage. Qualitative interviews find the existence of considerable domestic tourism activity conducted by island residents, including daytrips and overnight stays, and explore the motivational and facilitating factors which underpin this. Such behaviour is identified by residents as touristic and distinct from other leisure pursuits. Yet recognition of domestic tourism in small geographic spaces is currently almost entirely absent. This article attempts to highlight the issue and draw attention to attendant benefits of domestic tourism which include economic and social inputs. These may be relevant to a small island community, and in the case of the Isle of Man help to support an otherwise ailing tourism industry