Numerical Model Derived Altimeter Correction Maps for Non-Standard Atmospheric Temperature and Pressure

Altimeter corrections for non-standard temperature pose a challenge because accurate calculations require detailed knowledge of the temperature structure of the atmosphere between the surface and the aircraft. By applying basic hypsometric formulae to high resolution numerical model temperature and moisture output, detailed maps of current and forecasted corrected D-values are created. Corrected D-values provide the altitude difference between the true altitude and the indicated altitude from a pressure altimeter. Unlike standard D-values, the corrected D-value corrects for non-standard pressure in addition to non-standard temperature and is therefore useful for flights below class A airspace. Maps of corrected D-value may help provide increased situational awareness for pilots during cold-weather operations as well as a useful educational tool for quantifying the effects of non-standard temperature on pressure altimetry

Application of Quality Management Systems to Grain Handling: An Inventory Management Case Study

To help meet the production gap of a growing population, the agricultural industry is incorporating new quality management practices to improve operational efficiency. In the agricultural supply chain, operations management within the grain handling industry represents an important area for quality management improvement to meet the growing needs for food safety and security. The strong growth in the use of quality management systems in agricultural environments reflects interest from the production agricultural industry. The present case study examines the impact of implementing a quality management system at a large, multi-site grain elevator company by comparing selected quality metrics before and after QMS adoption. After adoption, the company statistically reduced the grain quality measurement error in grading damage and foreign material, resulting in significantly greater value to shipped grain. The company was also able to add monetary value to low-value grain by using quality metrics to optimize their inventory management and blending strategy. Significant gains were not made in all areas examined, but generally, quality management systems added internal efficiencies and provided a means of adding value to low-quality grains within the grain elevator studied