Fatigue Identification and Management in Flight Training: An Investigation of Collegiate Aviation Pilots

Pilot fatigue is a significant hazard affecting flight operations; Generally the product of one or more factors: Disrupted or lack of sleep; Inadequate food and or fluid intake; Mental; and Physical fatigue. Previous studies have focused on military and commercial flight operations; Little to nothing has been done to investigate fatigue identification & management by general aviation pilots

The Impact of Human Factors and Maintenance Documentation on Aviation Safety: An Analysis of 15 Years of Accident Data Through the PEAR Framework

Regardless of the type of maintenance performed on aircraft, instructions are to be used to provide the aviation technicians completing the maintenance activities with guidance on, and an outline of, the maintenance items to be performed and completed. However, the use of instructions does not guarantee the correct and proper completion of the maintenance activities as the instructions may be erroneous and/or maintenance personnel can misunderstand, misinterpret, or improperly follow the procedures outlined. Resulting maintenance errors can potentially result in aircraft accidents, as illustrated by Air Midwest Flight 5481. With the purpose of understanding how human factors associated with written maintenance instructions have contributed to aircraft accidents, the researchers qualitatively analyzed, using the people (P), environment (E), actions (A), resources (R) –PEAR –framework, 12 aircraft accidents that occurred from January 1, 2003,through December 31, 2017,under Part 121 or Part 135 operations in the United States that had maintenance instruction-related errors as contributing or causal factors. The detailed accident information, including causal factors, were retrieved from the aircraft accident reports provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The findings indicated that maintenance activities, specifically in terms of the adequacy and proper use of maintenance instructions, are largely impacted by human factor elements, such as the overall organizational environment and the resources available

Utilizing UAS to Support Wildlife Hazard Management Efforts by Airport Operators

The FAA requires airports operating under the Code of Federal Regulations Part 139 to conduct a wildlife hazard assessment (WHA) when some wildlife-strike events have occurred at or near the airport. The WHA should be conducted by a Qualified Airport Wildlife Biologist (QAWB) and must contain several elements, including the identification of the wildlife species observed and their numbers; local movements; daily and seasonal occurrences; and the identification and location of features on and near the airport that could attract wildlife. Habitats and land-use practices at and around the airport are key factors affecting wildlife species and the size of their populations in the airport environment. The purpose of this ongoing study is to investigate how UAS technologies could be safely and effectively applied to identify hazardous wildlife species to aviation operations as well as potential wildlife hazard attractants within the airport jurisdiction. Researchers have used a DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual drone with visual and thermal cameras to collect data. Data have been collected in a private airport in a “Class G” airspace. We have applied different risk mitigation strategies to mitigate risks associated with drone operations in an airport environment, including a visual observer during data collection, and an ADS-B flight box to obtain information of manned aircraft at and around the airport. Multiple flights were conducted in different days of the week as well as different times of the day. Noteworthy to mention we have had the technical support of QAWB throughout this study. Preliminary findings suggest that UAS can facilitate the observations made by a QAWB during a WHA, including the identification and assessment of potential wildlife attractants (e.g., wetlands), and the identification of wildlife species (e.g., White ibis). Additionally, initial findings indicate that UAS facilitates data collection in areas that are difficult to access by ground-based means (e.g., wetlands). Another key finding of this study was that our team could observe, and with the assistance of the QAWB identify different wildlife species and habitats simultaneously during each UAS flight. In different words, from a single image (video and/or picture) a QAWB could obtain valuable information about different wildlife species and related habitats. Lastly, results suggest that the versatility and speed of UAS (including their high-quality cameras and sensors) ensure that data can be collected more thoroughly and faster over large areas during a WHA

Wildlife Hazards at Airports: A Practical Review

Globally, aircraft accidents and incidents due to wildlife strikes are an increasingly serious safety concern; Airport operators have a professional and legal responsibility to provide an environment conducive to safe aircraft operations; Airport operators and managers have been sued for property damage and / or for human injuries and death in the aftermath of aircraft accidents due to wildlife strikes

Bird Hazard Mitigation Training For General Aviation Pilots - A Prospective Research Study

General aviation industry 446,000 aircraft worldwide 211,000 in the U.S. Supports $219 billion in total economic output and 1.1 million jobs in the U.S Flies approximately 25 million flight hours (U.S.) Flies to more than 5,000 public airports Primary training ground for most commercial airline pilot

A Safety Management Model for FAR 141 Approved Flight Schools

The Safety Management Annex (Annex 19), which became applicable in November 2013, consolidates safety management provisions previously contained in six other International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annexes, and will serve as a resource for overarching state safety management responsibilities. Through Annex 19, ICAO has required that its member states develop and implement safety management systems (SMS) to improve safety. This mandate includes an approved training organization that is exposed to aviation safety risks. In 2015, the FAA published AC 120-92B to provide guidance material for certificate holders operating under FAR 121, to implement and maintain an SMS. This AC may also be used by other aviation service providers interested in voluntarily developing an SMS based on the requirements in 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 5 (14 CFR Part 5). There are numerous reasons for SMS implementation going beyond simple compliance with international or national guidelines. The most important of these is safety enhancement, because it is an intrinsic requirement of the aviation system. There is a vast body of literature regarding SMS, but none of it suggests a model to a specific service provider. The implementation of an SMS model tailored to FAR 141 approved flight schools has the strong potential to yield safety enhancement, through a structured management system to control risks in operation. The purpose of this study is to develop a safety management model for FAR 141 operators, based on the ICAO SMS outlined in Annex 19, and current FAA requirements and safety protocols, as outlined in AC 120-92B

High-Risk Wildlife Strike Regions: An In-depth Visual Representation of Wildlife Strikes at and Around Part 139 Airports in Florida.

Wildlife strikes with aircraft have been and continue to be a problem in the aviation industry costing millions of dollars in both damage and delays. This study used the geoprocessing information system ArcGIS to depict wildlife strikes at Florida’s 26 Part 139 Airports from 2012 to 2021. Importing reports from the National Wildlife Strike Database into ArcGIS, this study used symbology and geoprocessing tools to create a color/ size gradient that depicts the risk (number of damaging strikes out of known strikes) at each airport. Using an interactive map with ArcGIS Online viewers can observe then select each airports vector point and view a table containing the important information on that airports strike data. Data like number of strikes during time of the day, strikes per weather conditions, and whether the strikes were damaging or not, are contained in the online resource. Attempts to study and depict wildlife strikes are limited, the industry and researchers need to continue research on a localized scale to help mitigate wildlife strikes

2018 Bird Strike Committee USA Meeting

Offshore Aviation in Brazil Since1980 Air passenger and cargo transport to offshore platforms began in the 1980s. The largest customer in Brazil is PETROBRAS, which ranked fifth in 2011 among the largest publicly traded oil companies in the world. Air passenger and Cargo Transport Medical Evacuation Helicopter Maintenance Helicopter Transport of External Cargo

Safety Management of Wildlife Hazards to Aviation: An Analysis of Wildlife Strikes in Part 139 Airports in Florida 2011–2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to investigate wildlife strike reporting trends in Part 139 airports in the state of Florida (2011–2020); (2) to evaluate the existence of a difference in the rate of reported wildlife strikes between the seasons of the year (2011–2020); and (3) to develop information based upon the data analyzed that can be used for the safety management of wildlife hazards in Florida.Design/methodology: The researchers in this study answered the research questions through the analyses, revision, and evaluation of existing wildlife strike and aircraft operations data. The data analyzed in this study were collected between May 1 and May 20, 2021. The researchers used the Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Activity System and the National Wildlife Strike Database to collect information on aircraft operations and reported wildlife strikes, respectively. Findings: There were 8,977 and 458 wildlife strikes and damaging strikes, respectively, at and around Part 139 airports in Florida from 2011 through 2020. The majority of strikes (62.6%) and damaging strikes (62%) occurred during the arrival phases of flight. The number of strikes increased almost 37% from 2011 (N 5 614) to 2020 (N 5 837). Additionally, the number of strikes per 100,000 aircraft operations (wildlife strike index) increased from 18.6 to 28.62 during the same period. Aggregate data indicated the risk of strikes is higher during the fall and summer seasons of the year.Originality/value: This study provides valuable information by addressing a gap in published wildlife strike government reports and studies using wildlife strike and aircraft operations data at a regional level. Information obtained from the scientific analyses of wildlife strike data is vital for effective wildlife hazard management programs of aviation stakeholders. Findings of this study can be used by airport operators to improve their wildlife strike mitigation efforts. Also, findings can provide the empirical foundation for integrated research and the development of national and regional standards to enhance aviation safety

Utilizing UAS to Mitigate Wildlife Strikes to Aviation

Our team has explored the use of UAS technologies to identify hazardous wildlife and their habitat—an important component of wildlife hazard management by airport operators and a critical activity to mitigate the risk of aircraft accidents resulting from wildlife strikes. This presentation summarizes the lessons learned and best practices developed. Most importantly, audience members will be invited to provide feedback and suggestions to this ongoing research study