The influence of political, economic and passenger market factors on international civil aviation

Civil aviation plays an essential role in maintaining international communications. Many extraneous factors influence the daily operations of the air transport industry. This thesis begins by investigating the major categories of so­ called "external interests" in civil aviation. These are shown to have played a significant part in ensuring the need for international agreement over the adoption of regulating principles. The combination and interaction of the various influences has produced a particular type of regulatory environment in which all commercial air services have to operate. The need for such regulation and the extreme difficulty experienced in trying to define universally acceptable methods of supervision is discussed. It is shown how opportunity for the development of on-scheduled air services was created by default on the part of the European Governments.The concept of so-called "scheduled" and "non-scheduled" sectors" is considered and it is suggested that growth of the inclusive tour industry resulted from inappropriate categorisation of the air services involved. The means by which development opportunities were created for inclusive tour operations is considered and the work then investigates the importance of British air transport policy in their exploitation. The politics of British civil aviation in the post-war years is the subject of detailed examination and the process by which Independent airlines were encouraged to develop inclusive tours, is identified. This theme is expanded to demonstrate the vital contribution of British air transport policy in the restructuring of the international industry. The subsequent involvement of the United States is shown to have been directed specifically towards the satisfaction of domestic issues. British objectives, however, are considered to have been more generally concerned with improving the tariff structure. The unique opportunities for British experimentation with international fares are seen to have major influence in forcing the pace of tariff rationalisation.

State-of-the-art of ‘Lean’ in the aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul industry

The increasing need for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) organizations to meet customers' demands in quality and reduced lead times is key to its survival within the aviation industry. Furthermore, with the unpredictability in the global market and difficulties with forecasting characteristic of the MRO industry there is an increased need for the reevaluation of the operation models of organizations within this sector. However, severe economic turmoil and ever-increasing global competition introduce the opportunity for the adoption of a resilient, tried, and tested business operation model such as 'Lean'. In order to understand this concept, its long-term viability, and its application within the aerospace MRO sector fully, this paper presents the state-of-the-art in terms of the adoption of Lean within the MRO industry by carrying out a systematic review of the literature. This paper establishes the common perception of Lean by the MRO industry and the measurable progress that has been made on the subject. Some issues and challenges are also highlighted including the misconceptions that arise from the direct transference of the perception of Lean from other industrial sectors into the aerospace MRO industry. The 'enablers and inhibitors' of Lean within the aviation industry are also discussed. This paper exposes the scarcity of the literature and the general lagging behind of the industry to the adoption of the Lean paradigm and thus highlights areas where further research is required. © 2011 Authors.

Sleep and body rhythm disturbance amongst flight crews in long-range aviation

DUE TO COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION AT ASTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES WITH PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

Assessing aviation e-marketplaces:a multi-criteria approach

After a proliferation of logistics e-Marketplaces during the dot.com boom of 1998-2000, there has been a high rate of failure and survivals are developing much more slowly than expected. This is the case in the aviation industry where a large number of B2B e-Marketplaces emerged according to the focus of aviation companies’ strategies on electronic B2B in the late 1990s. However, the current use of e-Marketplaces in the industry is low and many of them have ceased trading. The traditional e-Marketplaces model has been characterised by poor quality portals and a lack of technical standards. Such an approach is unsustainable in today’s competitive scenario. Improvements in website quality attributes may strongly contribute to the simplification of website functionality by users and speed up communication with all supply chain partners. In this context, it appears critical to develop models for the evaluation of e-Marketplace web sites. This chapter, after a discussion about the development of e-Marketplaces in the transport and logistics service industry and its application in the aviation industry, proposes a multi-criteria model for assessing different types of aeronautic B2B e-Marketplaces.

E-procurement in the aviation industry:value creation potential of B2B e-marketplaces

In academic literature, only limited research has been undertaken in exploring the value creation of B2B (Business-to-Business) e-Marketplace models in the aviation industry. The aim of this publication is a theoretical analysis to explore whether or not B2B e-Marketplaces can make a contribution to the achievement of competitive advantage in procurement in the aviation industry. The research focuses on the potential of B2B e-Marketplaces in terms of improving an airline’s competitiveness in its procurement value chain and discusses empirical results from a survey among international e-Marketplace / portal operators

Measuring water activity of aviation fuel using a polymer optical fiber Bragg grating

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) based polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings have been used for measuring water activity of aviation fuel. Jet A-1 samples with water content ranging from 100% ERH (wet fuel) to 10 ppm (dried fuel), have been conditioned and calibrated for measurement. The PMMA based optical fiber grating exhibits consistent response and a good sensitivity of 59±3pm/ppm (water content in mass). This water activity measurement allows PMMA based optical fiber gratings to detect very tiny amounts of water in fuels that have a low water saturation point, potentially giving early warning of unsafe operation of a fuel system. © 2014 SPIE.

Towards the strategic adoption of Lean in aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry:an empirical study into the industry's Lean status

Purpose - Despite many Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organisations alluding their positive business performances to the adoption Lean initiatives, there is a paucity of direct literature that validates this assertion. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to study empirically via the use of an industry-wide survey to establish and extent of Lean adoption and to verify its suitability in mitigating prevalent MRO challenges. Design/methodology/approach - The empirical study contained in this paper is facilitated by an industry-wide survey to collect data from several firms across the MRO spectrum. The analysed responses from industry leaders, professionals and executives synthesised with existing literature was used in ascertaining the extent of Lean adoption within the operational framework of the industry. Findings - The empirical study helped in validating the suitability of Lean in MRO context. However, it was also observed that the focus of its application was skewed towards its production-orientated functions more than its service-orientated functions. Nonetheless, this paper presents results of the positive influence of Lean in MRO context. Research limitations/implications - This empirical study presented in this paper was carried out within a framework of key characteristics of operation. Although this approach is sufficient in assessing the industry's Lean status, further assessment can also be achieved within the context of relevant performance metrics which was not included in this paper. Practical implications - By exploring the industry's Lean status within the context of operational characteristics of operation, this study provides MRO practitioners with more awareness into some of the critical factors required for successful holistic Lean realisation. Social implications - The state-of-the-art of Lean within the aviation MRO context established through this research also contributes to the wider product-centric service environment by providing a platform that facilitates strategy development which ensures Lean success within this environment. Originality/value - Apart from validating the suitability of Lean in MRO contexts, by establishing the extent of Lean adoption within the context of the operational framework, this paper provides a clearer insight as to how successful Lean implementation can be achieved via a holistic implementation strategy balanced between the product-centric and service-centric aspects of the industry.

Aviation fuel gauging sensor utilizing multiple diaphragm sensors incorporating polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings

A high-performance fuel gauging sensor is described that uses five diaphragm-based pressure sensors, which are monitored using a linear array of polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings. The sensors were initially characterized using water, revealing a sensitivity of 98 pm/cm for four of the sensors and 86 pm/cm for the fifth. The discrepancy in the sensitivity of the fifth sensor has been explained as being a result of the annealing of the other four sensors. Initial testing in JET A-1 aviation fuel revealed the unsuitability of silicone rubber diaphragms for prolonged usage in fuel. A second set of sensors manufactured with a polyurethane-based diaphragm showed no measurable deterioration over a three month period immersed in fuel. These sensors exhibited a sensitivity of 39 pm/cm, which is less than the silicone rubber devices due to the stiffer nature of the polyurethane material used.

Poor communication skills means high risk for aviation safety

Este artigo analisa diferentes tipos de comunicação no ambiente de negócios da aviação civil. Para tanto, utilizou-se uma abordagem qualitativa, delineada por análise documental dos relatórios das agencias governamentais. A comunicação é um sistema complexo que consiste em comunicação verbal, não verbal, escrita, falada e eletrônica. Na aviação, ela é um fator crucial ao enfrentamento de situações de alto risco. Os resultados obtidos indicam que lacunas de comunicação entre os indivíduos que atuam nas operações aeronáuticas e aeroviárias contribuem para a maior parte dos acidentes e incidentes ocorridos. As conclusões pontuam que as habilidades de comunicação são tão importantes quanto às habilidades técnicas e enfatizam a emergência do treinamento em habilidades de comunicação aos profissionais da aviação, possibilitando-os detectar ameaças e comunicar claramente a necessidade de apoio para o enfrentamento de riscos. É imperativo adotar as ações requeridas pela filosofia do Sistema de Gestão de Segurança, visando gerar comportamento seguro.

Communication and behavior in high reliability organizations: An Analysis of Communication in Civil Aviation

Communication can be seen as one of the most important features to manage conflicts and the stress of the work teams that operate in environments with strong pressure, complex operations and continuous risk, which are aspects that characterize a high reliability organization. This article aims to highlight the importance of communication in high-reliability organizations, having as object of study the accidents and incidents in civil aviation area. It refers to a qualitative research, outlined by documental analysis based on investigations conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Center of Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents. The results point out that human errors account for 60 to 80 percent of accidents and incidents. Most of these occurrences are attributed to miscommunication between the professionals involved with the air and ground operation, such as pilots, crewmembers and maintenance staff, and flight controllers. Inappropriate tone of voice usage, difficulties to understand different accents between the issuer and the receiver or even difficulty to perceive red flags between the lines of verbal and non-verbal communication, are elements that contribute to the fata of understanding between people involved in the operation. As a research limitation this present research pointed out a lack of a special category of "interpersonal communications failures" in the official agency reports. So, the researchers must take the conceptual definition of "social ability", communication implied, to classify behaviors and communication matters accordingly. Other research finding indicates that communication is superficially approached in the contents of air operations courses what could mitigate the lack of communications skills as a social ability. Part of the research findings refers to the contents of communication skills development into the program to train professional involved in air flight and ground operations. So, it is expected that this present article gives an appropriate highlight towards the improvement of flight operations training programs. Developing communication skills among work teams in high reliability organizations can contribute to mitigate stress, accidents and incidents in Civil Aviation Field. The original contribution of this article is the proposal of the main contents that should be developed in a Communication Skills Training Program, specially addressed to Civil Aviation operations.

Aviation Facilities in South Carolina

This document is a list of aviation facilities in South Carolina. It is broken down by county, type, use, owner, FAA site, FAA ID, facility name, manager name and phone number.

Aviation Facilities in South Carolina

This document is a list of aviation facilities in South Carolina. It is broken down by county, type, use, owner, FAA site, FAA ID, facility name, manager name and phone number.

Aviation English: una lingua per volare Analisi linguistica della comunicazione in aviazione civile

La tesi si propone l'obiettivo di esaminare le caratteristiche della lingua dell'aviazione, il cosiddetto Aviation English (AE), rivolgendo un'attenzione particolare alle dinamiche delle interazioni verbali che avvengono tra piloti e controllori del traffico aereo. A partire da un breve excursus sui diversi tipi di linguaggi, da quelli specialistici alle lingue controllate, si cercherà di fornire una chiara definizione dell'AE, delineando gli aspetti che lo rendono una vera e propria lingua e non una semplice varietà di inglese. La tesi passerà in rassegna tutte le convenzioni e le regole che compongono questa lingua e che rendono la comunicazione in volo efficace a livello internazionale. Si vedrà anche come la comunicazione in aviazione sia suscettibile a molti fattori linguistici (e non), il che comporta per gli operatori del settore, l'obbligo di conoscerla a fondo, più della loro stessa lingua madre. In conclusione, si eseguirà un'analisi conversazionale di una comunicazione terra-bordo-terra realmente avvenuta in un'emergenza. Più precisamente, si tratta dell'estratto del volo US Airways 1549, diventato famoso come "il miracolo dell'Hudson". Questo permetterà di mettere in risalto le regole dell'AE, applicate in un caso concreto, quanto singolare, e notare come queste siano efficaci nel gestire, a livello comunicativo e operativo, gli imprevisti.

Liquid biofuels for aviation: valorisation of the by-product biochar

Biochar is a carbonaceous material produced through pyrolysis of biomass. One promising application of biochar is phosphorus recovery from wastewater. Phosphorus is a vital nutrient for plant growth, but its use in fertilizers often leads to runoff or leaching. Wastewater treatment plants discharge large amounts of phosphorus-rich wastewater, contributing to eutrophication and ecological harm. Biochar can sorb phosphorus, retaining it in solid form. In this thesis, two composites made of biomass and dolomite or shells exhibited superior phosphate sorption compared to biochar alone, reaching up to 100% sorption. Biochar also finds use in soil remediation, specifically in cleaning up contaminated soil. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can be carcinogenic and toxic, can be present in soil. Biochar adsorb PAHs, preventing their leakage or bioaccumulation. Hetero-PAHs, a subclass of PAHs with nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen atoms in their ring structures, are particularly challenging to degrade. Little is known about their behavior or sorption onto biochar. In this thesis, biochar and activated carbon were effective in immobilizing PAHs and hetero-PAHs in real soils, with rates of immobilization reaching 100%. Biochar performed equally or better than activated carbon, offering a cost-effective alternative due to its lower price. Biochar reduce of metal(loid)s mobility in soil. Metal(loid)s like lead, zinc, and arsenic can contaminate soil through industrial sources, agricultural runoff, and other pollution, and are toxic to plants and animals, rendering the soil unsuitable for agriculture. When biochar is added to contaminated soil, it binds to metal(loid)s, preventing leaching into the environment. A biomass-dolomite composite was compared to activated carbon for immobilizing metal(loid)s in contaminated soils. The composite generally outperformed activated carbon and exhibited the ability to immobilize arsenic. In summary, biochar shows promise for phosphorus recovery, soil remediation, and reducing the mobility of heavy metals, offering cost-effective and sustainable solutions to these environmental challenges.