Air Transport Industry Research Articles

A Review of Aircraft Engine Fault Prediction and Performance Optimization Based on Deep Learning

This paper is aimed at presenting a systematic review of the recent studies on the use of deep learning techniques in aircraft engine health management for fault detection and performance enhancement. This comes in the light of increased growth in the air transport industry, the efficiency of aircraft engines and the efficiency of their maintenance have emerged as key issues in the safety and efficiency of air transport. This paper also identifies some of the key issues emerging from this area such as the data issues and the need to develop very accurate models for faulting and performance enhancement. Some of the most advanced techniques, namely the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are discussed as potential solutions to these challenges. The theoretical descriptions of the working principles, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the methods in question with regard to the problems of aircraft engine health management, are elaborated. Furthermore, this paper introduces the application of Reinforcement Learning as a new technique in the area of optimal control of engine parameters with the hope of improving the dependability and maintainability of aircraft engines and in the process of achieving sustainable growth in the aviation industry. The issues on model interpretability, model generalization and model deployment are also discussed and research guidelines for the future work in this field are also outlined. In this paper, the state of the art and the importance of deep learning as well as the applications of deep learning in aircraft engine health management are discussed based on the literature and case studies.

Features and prospects of the Russian civil aircraft industry development under sanctions pressure from Western countries

The specifics and prospects of development of the Russian civil aircraft industry under sanctions pressure from Western countries have been considered. The study analyzes secondary data from open sources. The main provisions and conclusions of the work are as follows. The United States of America and its European satellites have imposed comprehensive sanctions against Russian air carriers, including a ban on aircraft deliveries. Lessors who owned foreign airplanes made demands for their return, and foreign registrars suspended airworthiness certificates for domestic airplanes. Western sanctions against Russian airlines have caused significant damage to Russia, but have also become a serious stimulus for the domestic aviation industry development. Significant time and investment will be required to resolve the problems encountered. Russia has the necessary potential to restore the aviation industry and ensure safe passenger and cargo transportation in the required volume. The country is currently working systematically to revitalize the industry, implementing advanced developments and establishing serial production of a wide range of civil aircraft. The success of the domestic aviation industry development depends mainly on the state’s efforts, as it has the access to almost all production and design capacities. In addition, effective measures are needed to influence the air transportation industry in order to balance the supply and demand for aircraft.

Dynamic airport gate assignment with improved Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm and triangle membership function

he rapid development of the air transportation industry has increased air traffic, posing challenges to the task of airport gate assignment (AGA) for flights. Most past studies have solved the AGA problem (AGAP) using deterministic models, which are incapable of dealing with uncertainty and dynamic conditions at airports. Thus, this research employs fuzzy theory and proposes a triangular membership function to handle flight uncertainty in the AGAP. In addition, an improved metaheuristic, termed the improved Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm (ISFLA), is proposed to circumvent the computationally intractable problems commonly faced by exact approaches when handling large instances. In this research, the AGAP is first formulated as a stochastic Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model, with stochastic flight lateness and earliness considered. The objective of this model is to minimize the total cost, which consists of three sub-costs: passenger walking distances, non-preferred gate (NPG) assignments for planes, and fuzzy idle times of gates. These three sub-costs correspond to the major concerns of passengers, airlines, and airports, respectively. The cooperation between the ISFLA and the triangular membership function demonstrates their capability to effectively handle big AGAP instances. Furthermore, the experimental results show that the ISFLA outperforms the standard SFLA, Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Firefly Algorithm (FA).

Cancer risk among air transportation industry workers in Korea: a national health registry-based study

BackgroundFlight attendants face various risk factors in their working environments, particularly occupational exposure to cosmic radiation. This study aimed to assess cancer risk among air transportation industry workers, including flight attendants, in Korea by constructing a cohort using national health registry-based data and analyzing cancer incidence risk.MethodsWe used the Korea National Health Insurance Service database from 2002 to 2021 to construct a cohort of 37,011 workers in the air transportation industry. Cancer incidence was defined using the tenth version of the International Classification of Diseases. We calculated the age- and sex-specific standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by applying the cancer incidence rate of the general population between 2002 and 2019.ResultsApproximately 5% of the cohort developed cancer. Overall, the cancer incidence in the cohort was similar to or lower than that of the general population, with the SIRs for all cancers being lower. However, significantly higher SIRs were observed for nasopharyngeal cancer (SIR, 3.21; 95% CI, 1.71–5.48) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.02–2.32) in male workers and breast and genital cancer (SIR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.34–1.70) and thyroid cancer (SIR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05–1.47) in female workers.ConclusionsThe lower overall cancer incidence among air transportation industry workers observed in this study could indicate the “healthy worker effect”; however, the incidences of certain cancers were higher than those in the general population. Given that these workers are exposed to multiple occupational and lifestyle-related risk factors, including cosmic radiation, further studies are necessary to determine radiation-induced cancer risk while considering potential confounding factors.

주요 수입원으로 부동산 의존 여부에 따른 서비스업의 재무비율과 재무성과 간의 영향관계에 관한 연구

[Purpose] This paper analyzes the impact of financial ratios on the financial performance of two different types of service industries, called Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 consists of maritime transport, air transport, hotel and car rental industries, which depend on real estate as a major source of income, while Group 2 consists of travel agencies, trading companies and information service industries, which do not depend on real estate as a major source of income. [Methodology] This study primarily analyzed 12 representative financial ratios, divided into four categories：profitability ratios, stability ratios, growth ratios, and activity ratios. Secondary data based on the Value Search from 2015 to 2019, was analyzed, and a multiple regression model was employed using SPSS 26.0. [Findings] The analysis showed that for Group 1, focusing on increasing low asset turnover with a relatively low debt ratio is a good way to improve a company’s profitability；for Group 2, focusing on relatively high asset turnover with relatively high debt ratio can improve a company’s profitability. [Implications] The financial performance of service industry was impacted by different types of financial ratios according to real estate dependence as major source of income.

Increasing Security Levels in the Tourism and Air-Transport Industries Could Enhance African People’s Quality of Life and Tourism Demand

The aims of this study are to analyze the tourism and air-transport industries in Africa and determine how African governments could improve the safety of tourists and local communities in this region to improve resident quality of life and tourism demand. Indeed, this study tries to improve African people’s lives through the tourism and travel sectors so that they can thrive in terms of their quality of life and happiness. The findings of the current study reveal that Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, and Tunisia are the most visited countries by international tourists; in fact, these four countries are the ones that generated the most income from international tourism in the period analyzed. Moreover, the results suggest that the tourism and air-transport industries in Africa could improve national economies, infrastructure, and resident quality of life thanks to international tourism receipts and increasing security levels around travel and tourism activities. Obviously, the tourism industry cannot be developed when there is constant insecurity, terrorism, and perpetual armed conflicts, as is the case in Nigeria, Somalia, DR Congo, Libya, Mali, and Cameroon, among many others. Security is the most important factor for a tourist destination because the safety and security of residents and tourists are the primary factors affecting tourism growth. The novelty of this research resides in its willingness to improve African people’s quality of life through air-transport and tourism activities, providing security guarantees for tourist and resident safety. This manuscript also contributes to enhancing and bootstrapping the literature on security in the travel and tourism sectors industry, particularly in Africa, where security is a priority more than a necessity.

COVID-19 crisis management in Greek airlines

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of Greeceʼs aviation management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Greece was selected as a focal point due to its significant role in European tourism and its burgeoning air transport industry, both of which suffered greatly from the pandemic. The research is exploratory in nature and incorporates an analysis of secondary sources including airline archives, public services, national regulatory authorities, European Union institutions, and public media, along with a series of detailed, semi-structured interviews with six executives from leading Greek airlines. The study illuminates the primary effects of the COVID-19 crisis on Greek air transport, scrutinizes the crisis management strategies employed by the airlines and assesses their perceived effectiveness. It also delves into the guidance and support provided by the Greek government and both national and international civil aviation organizations. Moreover, the study explores the impact of the crisis on emerging opportunities and innovations. Finally, it reflects on the lessons learned and offers recommendations for future improvements.

Biofuel–Electric Hybrid Aircraft Application—A Way to Reduce Carbon Emissions in Aviation

As global warming intensifies, the world is increasingly concerned about carbon emissions. As an important industry that affects carbon emissions, the air transportation industry takes on the important task of energy saving and emission reduction. For this reason, major airlines have designed or will design different kinds of new-energy aircraft; however, each aircraft has a different scope of application according to its energy source. Biofuels have an obvious carbon emission reduction effect in the whole life cycle, which can offset the drawback of the high pollutant emission of traditional fossil fuels in the preparation and combustion stages. At the same time, a battery has zero emissions in the operating condition, while the low energy density also makes it more applicable to short-range navigation in small aircraft. In this paper, the development direction of a biofuel–electric hybrid aircraft is proposed based on the current development of green aviation, combining the characteristics of biofuel and electric aircraft.

Analysis of China Eastern Airlines Financial Statements Based on Harvard Analysis Framework

The financial analysis method adopted in this paper refers to the analysis method in the "Harvard Analytical Framework System". Through the business strategy of the enterprise, the accounting policies adopted, the analysis of the company's finances and the analysis of the company's prospects, etc. The business situation, financial situation and development situation were analyzed and elaborated.This paper takes China Eastern Airlines' financial statements as an example, combines the characteristics of the air transport industry, analyzes the company's financial status, operating results and cash flow, and systematically evaluates the company's past and present operating results and financial status, and judges the company accordingly investment value.

An integrated data envelopment analysis framework for operational efficiency assessment in Brazilian international airports

International airports play a significant role in a country’s economic development. We propose an integrated framework for operational efficiency analysis using Data Envelopment Analysis, Windows Analysis, and Malmquist Index to identify inefficiencies and areas of improvement in the air transportation industry. This study analyzed 23 Brazilian international airports from 2010 to 2021, using the DEA Window Analysis (DEAWA) combined with the Index (MI). The airports were grouped geographically in southern Brazil. The integration of these methods brought an important insight to the evaluation processes, even for those previously analyzed using DEA. The analyses found that COVID-19 potently influenced the drop in the efficiency index. No airport was fully efficient over the analyzed periods. Private airports achieved an efficiency index slightly higher than public ones, but the difference of the efficiency index by public–private management type is not clear. This type of analysis provides a strategic and comparative tool, making it possible to understand better the weaknesses of the air transportation system.

Aircraft Taxi Path Optimization Considering Environmental Impacts Based on a Bilevel Spatial–Temporal Optimization Model

Aircraft taxiing emissions are the main source of carbon dioxide and other pollutant gas emissions during airport ground operations. It is crucial to optimize aircraft taxiing from both spatial and temporal perspectives to improve airport operation efficiency and reduce aviation emissions. In this paper, a bilevel spatial and temporal optimization model of aircraft taxiing is constructed. The upper-level model optimizes the aircraft taxiing path, and the lower-level model optimizes the taxiing start time of the aircraft. By the iterative optimization of the upper- and lower-level interactions, the aviation fuel consumption, flight waiting time, and number of taxiing conflicts are reduced. To improve the calculation accuracy, the depth-first search algorithm is utilized to generate the set of available paths for aircraft during the model solution process, and a model solution method based on the genetic algorithm is constructed. Simulation experiments using Tianjin Binhai International Airport as the research object show that adopting the waiting taxiing strategy can effectively avoid taxiing conflicts and reduce aviation fuel consumption by 753.18 kg and 188.84 kg compared to the available path sets generated using Dijkstra’s algorithm and those created manually based on experience, respectively. Conversely, adopting an immediate taxi-out strategy caused 54 taxiing conflicts and increased aviation fuel consumption by 49.44 kg. These results can provide safe and environmentally friendly taxiing strategies for the sustainable development of the air transportation industry.

Fault Diagnosis Research on Aviation Aircraft

With the development of modern aviation technology, how to ensure the stability of the air cargo process and how to ensure the safety of the aircraft has always been one of the important issues of concern to the air transport industry. During actual transportation, aircraft often lose control due to their own mechanical failures or system failures. In order to solve this problem, based on a comprehensive survey of relevant literature on aircraft fault diagnosis, a classification and introduction of related research was conducted based on different data-driven methods. This review is expected to provide a useful reference for research on aircraft fault diagnosis.

Theoretical aspects of strategic development subjects of the air transport industry

The methodological principles of studying systemic, strategic interactions of subjects in the air transport industry in conditions of global challenges are not just considered but emphasized for their crucial role in understanding and navigating the complexities of the industry. Peculiarities of the interaction between airlines and airports are determined, which is related to the specifics of the organizational and management support of this process, which include instability and dynamism of the air transportation market, significant degree of differentiation of air transport services by macro-regions; high level of competition between air carriers and significant market fluctuations; low competition among airports; multivariate combination and comprehensive use of the potential and competences of airlines and airports in the performance of passenger and cargo air transportation. The article substantiates the peculiarities of the interaction of the air transport industry entities related to the specifics of organizational and managerial support of this process. The functions, works, and services performed by the enterprises of the air transport industry in the interaction process and the functional division of the main activities by the responsibility of the performers - airlines and airports - are systematized. A methodical approach to the study of strategic interaction of air transport industry entities in the context of global challenges is proposed, consisting of a logical sequence of the following stages: analysis and evaluation of functional characteristics and competencies of airlines and airports; analysis of environmental factors; assessment of problems and advantages of strategic interaction of airlines and airports; substantiation of strategic principles of interaction between airlines and airports; study of strategic alternatives and decision-making. The advantage of the proposed approach is that it considers the specific features of organizational and managerial support for the interaction of industry players. The most acute problems of the strategic development of the air transport industry of Ukraine and promising areas of interaction between air carriers and airports in the context of global challenges are not just identified but highlighted to keep the audience informed and aware of the current state of the industry. Keywords: air transport industry, air carriers, airports, airlines, strategy, a system of interaction, systemic, strategic interaction, strategic development, global challenges.

Modeling the Propagation of Infectious Diseases across the Air Transport Network: A Bayesian Approach

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, continues to impact the world even three years after its outbreak. International border closures and health alerts severely affected the air transport industry, resulting in substantial financial losses. This study analyzes the global data on infected individuals alongside aircraft types, flight durations, and passenger flows. Using a Bayesian framework, we forecast the risk of infection during commercial flights and its potential spread across an air transport network. Our model allows us to explore the effect of mitigation measures, such as closing individual routes or airports, reducing aircraft occupancy, or restricting access for infected passengers, on disease propagation, while allowing the air industry to operate at near-normal levels. Our novel approach combines dynamic network modeling with discrete event simulation. A real-case study at major European hubs illustrates our methodology.

Lessons learned while planning for advanced air mobility

Historically aviation has gone through periods of immense innovative growth. Today the air transport industry is in the midst of yet another revolutionary period. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) includes technological advancements in electric and hydrogen propulsion, battery capacity and autonomy, resulting in the development of a new generation of electric and hybrid-electric aircraft. These emerging technologies and new aircraft show promise in addressing historical concerns such as noise, safety, and negative environmental impacts. AAM has the potential to revolutionise the way we live by serving as the catalyst to robust, sustainable transport systems for people and goods. AAM can assist with emergency response, medical transport, reduced travel times, improve accessibility and reduce harmful emissions. Airports are an essential part of the transport infrastructure, serving as hubs for air travel, cargo shipments and emergency response centres in the wake of natural disasters. With the rise of AAM technologies, airports will need to adapt and prepare to accommodate these new types of aircraft. Each airport is unique and airport management will need to understand not only the potential of AAM but the capabilities of the airport itself. This paper aims to capture what the aviation industry has been, what it could be through AAM, lessons learned while planning for AAM, and how airports can use critical success factors to evaluate their readiness and plan for this innovative era.

Comparative Network Efficiency Analysis of the Airlines in Turkey After Deregulation

Deregulation has significantly developed the civil air transport industry in an ever-globalizing world. Even though deregulation has caused significant structural transformations in airline companies, the effect of deregulation effect on the production, marketing efficiency, and competitiveness of airline carriers worldwide, especially in Turkey, has not been fully revealed yet. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the efficiency of Turkish air carriers after the deregulation process in Turkish civil aviation by dividing the efficiency into production and market efficiency. Production and marketing efficiencies of airlines were estimated using the window network data envelopment analysis methodology. Efficiency analysis results showed production efficiency at 0.887, marketing efficiency at 0.764, and system efficiency at 0.796. Results also indicate that low-cost airlines have a higher production efficiency score (0.918) than full-service airlines (0.825). In comparison, the marketing efficiency of full-service airlines (0.879) is higher than that of low-cost carriers (0.708). The study determined that the system efficiency does not change according to the business model. The system efficiency score of the full-service provider airlines with a larger market share is higher and more balanced. The close and dynamic monitoring of the air transport market and the continuation of operations under a business model incorporating an appropriate marketing mix will increase the marketing efficiency of the airlines.

The Impact of Vaccination, Infection and Fatality Rate on ASEAN Air Transport Industry in the Pandemic Period

This study aims to determine the impact of COVID-19 on air connectivity in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, specifically focusing on infection, vaccination and fatality rates. To examine the impact of COVID-19 on the ASEAN air transport industry, a panel data series was created. The panel covered data from 57 airlines with different business models in the 10 ASEAN member states from January 2019 to July 2022 (31 months). The results of the study have shown that there is a significant inverse linear relationship between full-service and low-cost international flight movements, passenger demand and vaccination rate, infection rate and fatality rate. At the country level, Brunei experienced the lowest drop in air passenger demand, followed by the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Other countries (Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam) were not significant predictors of passenger demand. The study’s results have indicated that an increase in infection rate has a greater impact on the international air travel market compared to the domestic market. The reduction rate of the domestic market is only half that of the international market, while the fatality rate demonstrated no differences. This study represents a valuable contribution to the existing knowledge of the pandemic’s impact on the air transport industry, focusing on Southeast Asian countries. It provides evidence to help stakeholders in the aviation industry prepare for future related crises. The study concludes that fostering greater cooperation and coordination among ASEAN member states in managing health crises and facilitating the aviation industry can promote economic growth, enhance resilience and strengthen regional integration in the long run. JEL Classification: F02, I30

Evaluating fatigue management regulations for flight crew in Australia using a new Fatigue Regulation Evaluation Framework (FREF)

Flight crew experience fatigue due to sleep loss, circadian desynchrony, early duty start times, long duty periods, high and low workloads, and unscheduled duties. As fatigue is considered a significant safety risk in the air transport industry, the primary approaches to managing fatigue are mandating prescriptive limits for work and rest periods or adopting performance-based fatigue risk management systems (FRMS). However, recent aviation incidents indicate that current regulations may not be adequate to manage the fatigue risk experienced by the flight crew. This study evaluates Australian flight crew fatigue management regulations using a new fatigue regulation evaluation framework (FREF) adapted from Jones et al. (2005). Results show that Australian regulations for flight crew include limits on flight duty period (FDP), off duty period, FDP start time, sleep requirements for flight crew before starting an FDP, high and low workloads, circadian rhythm disruptions, and fatigue awareness. However, there are regulation variations in addressing lengths of sectors and methods to report fatigue, which may need to be reviewed to manage fatigue better. Recommendations are made to consider incorporating these factors into fatigue regulations to ensure a safe air transport system.

Modeling of the COVID-19 impact on air passenger traffic in the US, European countries, and China

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of people's lives including travel since early 2020. Specifically, it has adversely affected people traveling by air and has hit the air transport industry significantly. But, how big is the COVID-19 impact? In order to answer such a question, we collected air passenger traffic data from the US, European countries, and China which accounted for over 75% of the world's total air passenger traffic. Air passenger traffic data in these three regions during the period January 2010 to December 2019 were modeled using seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models. Seasonal ARIMA models were used to predict air passenger traffic from January 2011 to December 2019 (just before the spread of COVID-19) and the accuracy of the models was evaluated. The models were then used to predict air passenger traffic from January 2020 to December 2022 for the case without COVID-19. The COVID-19 impacts on air passenger traffic were estimated by calculating the differences in predicted and actual air passenger numbers in monthly basis. Results showed that air passenger traffic was significantly recovered in the US and European countries but it encountered significant falls in 2021 and 2022 in China due to spikes in COVID-19 variant cases in many provinces and the implementation of zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy. Implications of the study are given.

Work engagement and the impact of a social identity crafting approach to leadership: a case from Africa’s air transport industry

PurposeManagers of public organizations in liberalized sectors face the dual imperative of retaining skilled employees who might be poached by commercial competitors and improving service performance levels without a free hand to invest resources. While employee work engagement (EWE) has been previously suggested as a solution to such management challenges, limitations in its ability to retain employees have been identified. We therefore examine how a social identity crafting (SIC) approach to public leadership that confers a sense of group identity among team members can enhance and extend beyond EWE in addressing this dual imperative.Design/methodology/approachWe report findings from a survey of employees (n = 199) at “ATCO,” a state-owned national airline that is facing challenges from commercial rivals within a new, competitive environment.FindingsWe confirm previously identified limitations of EWE and, further, demonstrate that a social identity approach to leadership offers a promising avenue for public managers, not only by enhancing employee engagement but, more importantly, by enhancing retention and service performance.Originality/valueWe contribute to studies of leadership, particularly for managers operating in the public sector and resource-constrained environments, demonstrating how SIC, which does not require costly investment to attain, can deliver improved service performance and reduced employee turnover intention, operating beyond EWE, which reaches a plateau in respect of the latter.