International Air Transporation: Some Challenges

In a Spring 1984 article in the FIU Hospitality Review, new developments in the domestic airline industry were discussed, particularly those relating to the forces of deregulation and the changes brought about by this phenomenon. This article takes a wider perspective in examining the global air transportation scene, the changes that have been wrought recently on air carriers flying international routes, and the carriers' responses to these changes.

Commuter Airlines:Their Changing Role

In - Commuter Airlines: Their Changing Role – an essay by J. A. F. Nicholls, Transportation Coordinator, Department of Marketing and Environment, College of Business Administration, Florida International University, Nicholls initially observes: “The great majority of airline passenger miles flown in the United States are between large conurbations. People living in metropolitan areas may be quite unaware of commuter airlines and their role in our transportation system. These airlines are, however, communications lifelines for dwellers in small - and not so small - towns and rural areas. More germanely, commuter airlines have also developed a pivotal role vis-a-vis the major carriers in this country. The author discusses the antecedents of the commuter Airlines, their current role, and future prospects.” Huh; conurbations? Definition: [n.] a large urban area created when neighboring towns spread into and merge with each other In providing a brief history on the subject of commuter airlines, Nicholls states: “…there had been a sort of commuter airline as far back as 1926 when, for example, the Florida Airways Corporation provided flights between Jacksonville and Atlanta, Colonial Air Lines between New York and Boston, and Ford Air Transport from Detroit to Cleveland.” “The passage of the Civil Aeronautics Act in 1938 was pivotal in encouraging and developing a passenger orientation by the airlines…” Nicholls informs you. Nicholls provides for the importance of this act by saying: “The CAA was empowered to act “in the public interest and in accordance with the public convenience and necessity.” Only the CAA itself could determine what constituted the “public convenience and necessity.” Nobody, however, could provide air transportation for public purposes without a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, dispensed by the CAA.” The author wants you to know that this all happens in the age of airline regulation; that is to say, pre de-regulation i.e. 1978. Airlines could not and did not act on their own behalf; their actions were governed by the regulating agency, that being the Civil Aeronautics Board [CAB], who administered the conditions set forth by the CAA. “In 1944 the CAB introduced a new category of service called feeder airlines to provide local service-short-haul, low density-for smaller communities. These carriers soon became known as air taxis since they operated as common carriers, without a regular schedule,” says Nicholls in describing the evolution of the service. In 1969 the CAB officially designated these small air carriers as commuter airlines. They were, and are subject to passenger limits and freight/weight restrictions. Nicholls continues by defining how air carriers are labeled and categorized post 1978; in the age of de-regulation.

Airline Deregulation, Computerized Reservation Systems, and Travel Agents

With the beginning of airline deregulations in 1978, U.S. domestic operations were in for a period of turmoil, adjustment, vibrancy, entrepreneurship, and change. A great deal has been written about the effects of deregulation on airlines and their personnel, and on the public at large. Less attention has been paid to the effects on travel agents and on the seminal role of computerized reservations systems (CRSs) in the flowering of travel agencies. This article examines both of these phenomena.

Development of an odor management plan for industrial stationary sources in an urban environment: A case study for Broward County, Florida

Objectionable odors remain at the top of air pollution complaints in urban areas such as Broward County that is subject to increasing residential and industrial developments. The odor complaints in Broward County escalated by 150 percent for the 2001 to 2004 period although the population increased by only 6 percent. It is estimated that in 2010 the population will increase to 2.5 million. Relying solely on enforcing the local odor ordinance is evidently not sufficient to manage the escalating odor complaint trends. An alternate approach similar to odor management plans (OMPs) that are successful in managing major malodor sources such as animal farms is required. ^ This study aims to develop and determine the feasibility of implementing a comprehensive odor management plan (COMP) for the entire Broward County. Unlike existing OMPs for single sources where the receptors (i.e. the complainants) are located beyond the boundary of the source, the COMP addresses a complex model of multiple sources and receptors coexisting within the boundary of the entire county. Each receptor is potentially subjected to malodor emissions from multiple sources within the county. Also, the quantity and quality of the source/receptor variables are continuously changing. ^ The results of this study show that it is feasible to develop a COMP that adopts a systematic procedure to: (1) Generate maps of existing odor complaint areas and malodor sources, (2) Identify potential odor sources (target sources) responsible for existing odor complaints, (3) Identify possible odor control strategies for target sources, (4) Determine the criteria for implementing odor control strategies, (5) Develop an odor complaint response protocol, and (6) Conduct odor impact analyses for new sources to prevent future odor related issues. Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to identify existing complaint areas. A COMP software that incorporates existing United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air dispersion software is developed to determine the target sources, predict the likelihood of new complaints, and conduct odor impact analysis. The odor response protocol requires pre-planning field investigations and conducting surveys to optimize the local agency available resources while protecting the citizen's welfare, as required by the Clean Air Act. ^

Adding concurrent data transfer to transport layer

In recent years, the internet has grown exponentially, and become more complex. This increased complexity potentially introduces more network-level instability. But for any end-to-end internet connection, maintaining the connection's throughput and reliability at a certain level is very important. This is because it can directly affect the connection's normal operation. Therefore, a challenging research task is to improve a network's connection performance by optimizing its throughput and reliability. This dissertation proposed an efficient and reliable transport layer protocol (called concurrent TCP (cTCP)), an extension of the current TCP protocol, to optimize end-to-end connection throughput and enhance end-to-end connection fault tolerance. The proposed cTCP protocol could aggregate multiple paths' bandwidth by supporting concurrent data transfer (CDT) on a single connection. Here concurrent data transfer was defined as the concurrent transfer of data from local hosts to foreign hosts via two or more end-to-end paths. An RTT-Based CDT mechanism, which was based on a path's RTT (Round Trip Time) to optimize CDT performance, was developed for the proposed cTCP protocol. This mechanism primarily included an RTT-Based load distribution and path management scheme, which was used to optimize connections' throughput and reliability. A congestion control and retransmission policy based on RTT was also provided. According to experiment results, under different network conditions, our RTT-Based CDT mechanism could acquire good CDT performance. Finally a CWND-Based CDT mechanism, which was based on a path's CWND (Congestion Window), to optimize CDT performance was introduced. This mechanism primarily included: a CWND-Based load allocation scheme, which assigned corresponding data to paths based on their CWND to achieve aggregate bandwidth; a CWND-Based path management, which was used to optimize connections' fault tolerance; and a congestion control and retransmission management policy, which was similar to regular TCP in its separate path handling. According to corresponding experiment results, this mechanism could acquire near-optimal CDT performance under different network conditions.

An integrated flow and transport model to study the impact of mercury remediation strategies for East Fork Poplar Creek watershed, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

An integrated flow and transport model using MIKE SHE/MIKE 11 software was developed to predict the flow and transport of mercury, Hg(II), under varying environmental conditions. The model analyzed the impact of remediation scenarios within the East Fork Poplar Creek watershed of the Oak Ridge Reservation with respect to downstream concentration of mercury. The numerical simulations included the entire hydrological cycle: flow in rivers, overland flow, groundwater flow in the saturated and unsaturated zones, and evapotranspiration and precipitation time series. Stochastic parameters and hydrologic conditions over a five year period of historical hydrological data were used to analyze the hydrological cycle and to determine the prevailing mercury transport mechanism within the watershed. Simulations of remediation scenarios revealed that reduction of the highly contaminated point sources, rather than general remediation of the contaminant plume, has a more direct impact on downstream mercury concentrations.

Characteristics of surface-water flows in the ridge and slough landscape of Everglades National Park: implications for particulate transport

Over the last one hundred years, compartmentalization and water management activities have reduced water flow to the ridge and slough landscape of the Everglades. As a result, the once corrugated landscape has become topographically and vegetationally uniform. The focus of this study was to quantify variation in surface flow in the ridge and slough landscape and to relate flow conditions to particulate transport and deposition. Over the 2002–2003 and 2003–2004 wet seasons, surface velocities and particulate accumulation were measured in upper Shark River Slough in Everglades National Park. Landscape characteristics such as elevation, plant density and biomass also were examined to determine their impact on flow characteristics and material transport. The results of this study demonstrate that the release of water during the wet season not only increases water levels, but also increased flow speeds and particulate transport and availability. Further, flow speeds were positively and significantly correlated with water level thereby enhancing particulate transport in sloughs relative to ridges especially during peak flow periods. Our results also indicate that the distribution of biomass in the water column, including floating plants and periphyton, affects velocity magnitude and shape of vertical profiles, especially in the sloughs where Utricularia spp. and periphyton mats are more abundant. Plot clearing experiments suggest that the presence of surface periphyton and Utricularia exert greater control over flow characteristics than the identity (i.e., sawgrass or spike rush) or density of emergent macrophytes, two parameters frequently incorporated into models describing flow through vegetated canopies. Based on these results, we suggest that future modeling efforts must take the presence of floating biomass, such as Utricularia, and presence of periphyton into consideration when describing particulate transport.

Best Management Practices in Green Lodging Defined and Explained

Best management practices in green lodging are sustainable or “green” business strategies designed to enhance the lodging product from the perspective of owners, operators and guests. For guests, these practices should enhance their experience while for owners and operators, generate positive returns on investments. Best management practices in green lodging typically starts with a clear understanding of each lodging firm’s role in society, its impact on the environment and strategies developed to mitigate negative environmental externalities generated from the production of lodging goods and services. Negative externalities of hotel operations manifest themselves in energy and water usage, waste generation and air pollution. Hence, best management practices in green lodging are dynamic, cost effective, innovative, stakeholder driven and environmentally sound technical and behavioral solutions that attempt to ameliorate or eliminate the negative environmental externalities associated with lodging operations, while simultaneously generate positive returns on green investments. Thus, best management practices in green lodging should reduce lodging firms’ operating costs, increase guest satisfaction, reduce or eliminate the negative environmental impacts associated with hotel operations while simultaneously enhance business operations.

Obesity and Air Travel: Weighing Up the Issues

It may soon be the norm for many airline passengers arriving at the check-in desk of any international airline with both stow- away and carry-on luggage to be asked to step onto the weighing scale as the airlines attempt to compete and remain operationally viable in what has become for most a cut-throat and highly litigious operating environment. The author's commentary seeks to highlight a number of the issues surrounding the current impasse. It is also intended to catalyze a more healthy and informed debate aimed at finding an acceptable resolution to this crisis prior to one being imposed which fails to satisfy the needs of either camp.

The Use of Thermal Capacity in Measuring the Effectiveness of Meals on Wheels Transport Containers

The Meals on Wheels (MOW) program is designed to help combat hunger in persons needing assistance. MOW has a duty not only to provide food but also to ensure that it reaches eligible clients safely. Given the population that MOW serves, transporting food safely takes on increased importance. This experiment focused on the major food safety issue of maintaining temperature integrity through the use of transport containers. For containers that did not contain electric heating elements, several factors influenced how fast the food temperature fell. Those factors included the U-value and size of the container as well as how many meals were in the container. As predicted, the smaller the U-value, the longer it took the temperature to fall. Larger containers did better at maintaining food temperatures, provided they were fully loaded. In general, fully loaded small and medium containers were better at maintaining food temperatures than larger containers loaded with the same number of meals.

Best Management Practices in Green Lodging Defined and Explained

Best management practices in green lodging are sustainable or “green” business strategies designed to enhance the lodging product from the perspective of owners, operators and guests. For guests, these practices should enhance their experience while for owners and operators, generate positive returns on investments. Best management practices in green lodging typically starts with a clear understanding of each lodging firm’s role in society, its impact on the environment and strategies developed to mitigate negative environmental externalities generated from the production of lodging goods and services. Negative externalities of hotel operations manifest themselves in energy and water usage, waste generation and air pollution. Hence, best management practices in green lodging are dynamic, cost effective, innovative, stakeholder driven and environmentally sound technical and behavioral solutions that attempt to ameliorate or eliminate the negative environmental externalities associated with lodging operations, while simultaneously generate positive returns on green investments. Thus, best management practices in green lodging should reduce lodging firms’ operating costs, increase guest satisfaction, reduce or eliminate the negative environmental impacts associated with hotel operations while simultaneously enhance business operations.

Simulating everglades national park hydrology and phosphorus transport under existing and future scenarios using numerical modeling

The Florida Everglades has a long history of anthropogenic changes which have impacted the quantity and quality of water entering the system. Since the construction of Tamiami Trail in the 1920's, overland flow to the Florida Everglades has decreased significantly, impacting ecosystems from the wetlands to the estuary. The MIKE Marsh Model of Everglades National Park (M3ENP) is a numerical model, which simulates Everglades National Park (ENP) hydrology using MIKE SHE/MIKE 11software. This model has been developed to determine the parameters that effect Everglades hydrology and understand the impact of specific flow changes on the hydrology of the system. ^ As part of the effort to return flows to the historical levels, several changes to the existing water management infrastructure have been implemented or are in the design phase. Bridge construction scenarios were programed into the M3ENP model to review the effect of these structural changes and evaluate the potential impacts on water levels and hydroperiods in the receiving Northeast Shark Slough ecosystem. These scenarios have shown critical water level increases in an area which has been in decline due to low water levels. Results from this work may help guide future decisions for restoration designs. ^ Excess phosphorus entering Everglades National Park in South Florida may promote the growth of more phosphorus-opportunistic species and alter the food chain from the bottom up. Two phosphorus transport methods were developed into the M3ENP hydrodynamic model to determine the factors affecting phosphorus transport and the impact of bridge construction on water quality. Results showed that while phosphorus concentrations in surface waters decreased overall, some areas within ENP interior may experience an increase in phosphorus loading which the addition of bridges to Tamiami Trail. Finally, phosphorus data and modeled water level data was used to evaluate the spectral response of Everglades vegetation to increasing phosphorus availability using Landsat imagery.^

Simulating Everglades National Park hydrology and phosphorus transport under existing and future scenarios using numerical modeling

The Florida Everglades has a long history of anthropogenic changes which have impacted the quantity and quality of water entering the system. Since the construction of Tamiami Trail in the 1920's, overland flow to the Florida Everglades has decreased significantly, impacting ecosystems from the wetlands to the estuary. The MIKE Marsh Model of Everglades National Park (M3ENP) is a numerical model, which simulates Everglades National Park (ENP) hydrology using MIKE SHE/MIKE 11software. This model has been developed to determine the parameters that effect Everglades hydrology and understand the impact of specific flow changes on the hydrology of the system. As part of the effort to return flows to the historical levels, several changes to the existing water management infrastructure have been implemented or are in the design phase. Bridge construction scenarios were programed into the M3ENP model to review the effect of these structural changes and evaluate the potential impacts on water levels and hydroperiods in the receiving Northeast Shark Slough ecosystem. These scenarios have shown critical water level increases in an area which has been in decline due to low water levels. Results from this work may help guide future decisions for restoration designs. Excess phosphorus entering Everglades National Park in South Florida may promote the growth of more phosphorus-opportunistic species and alter the food chain from the bottom up. Two phosphorus transport methods were developed into the M3ENP hydrodynamic model to determine the factors affecting phosphorus transport and the impact of bridge construction on water quality. Results showed that while phosphorus concentrations in surface waters decreased overall, some areas within ENP interior may experience an increase in phosphorus loading which the addition of bridges to Tamiami Trail. Finally, phosphorus data and modeled water level data was used to evaluate the spectral response of Everglades vegetation to increasing phosphorus availability using Landsat imagery.