Aviation Faculty Research Articles

ICAO: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND COMPETENCE

The purpose of the study is a historical and law analysis of the historical background of the formation and development of the ICAO as well as a legal framework of its institutional framework and competence stipulated in the Chicago Convention. Research methods: the methodological background of this study includes methods of historicism, analytics, formal-dogmatic and systemic. Results: this year, the National Aviation University is celebrating its 90th anniversary since its official foundation, when the Kyiv Aviation Institute was founded on the basis of the Aviation Faculty of KMI by Decree of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR No. 1815 of 08/25/1933. However, in fact, the prerequisites for this official recognition and establishment were certain conditions based on enthusiasm, technical progress, the development of international civil aviation, and the need for a clear distinction between military and civil aviation. These and other conditions also became a condition for the creation of the ICAO – a specialized UN agency that organizes and coordinates international cooperation of states in all aspects of civil aviation. Discussion: this work is dedicated to research of the historical background, institutional framework, and competence of ICAO. These studies will also take contribution to the understanding of the conditions and background of formation and development of NAU in a more comprehensive way.

DATA MANAGEMENT FROM MOBILE METEOROLOGICAL STATIONS FOR GENERAL AVIATION AND STATE INTEGRATED RESCUE SYSTEM

The article deals with the problem of obtaining objective meteorological information for general aviation, which also includes the aviation component of the Integrated Rescue System of the Slovak Republic. The article aims to present a possible solution to the insufficient meteorological coverage of various parts of Slovakia, which would be inexpensive, and easy to install, with the possibility of subsequent sharing of data for the needs of the decision-making process in the environment of crisis management in emergencies, and at the same time would provide relevant data in normal aviation practice. The article identifies the specific needs of general aviation meteorological assurance based on the prevailing mode of flying in this segment of aviation. Based on this analysis, the article's authors describe the meteorological system used for educational purposes at the Aviation Faculty of the Technical University in Košice and propose a system for processing and further managing meteorological data obtained from this type of meteorological station. At the same time, the article mentions data-flow management, which ensures the sharing of data with other airspace users, which adds socio-economic benefits to the entire system in the form of increasing the level of flight safety and more efficient planning of flight routes. The article also deals with the case of providing crisis management, and metrological information from critical places, namely the operational deployment of mobile meteorological devices in areas with a declared emergency.

The Effect of Public Law 111-216 on Collegiate Flight Programs: Perceptions of Aviation Faculty and Flight Center Personnel

In response to the 2009 Colgan 3407 airline crash and ensuing public concern, Public Law 111-216: The Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 was signed into law on August 1, 2010. This legislation mandated significant changes to the aviation and airline industries. Among these changes, an increase in pilot qualification standards was enforced for pilots seeking employment with US air carriers. This study explores the perceptions of aviation faculty members and flight center personnel at four-year collegiate flight training programs in the US regarding the effect of PL 111-216. Results of this national study indicate the majority of respondents believe PL 111-216 will have an adverse effect on collegiate aviation flight students, collegiate aviation flight training programs and the US air carrier industry. This study also revealed the perception that collegiate flight students will begin to pursue flight careers (non-US airline or corporate aviation) that are not directly impacted by PL 111-216.

HARMONIZATION OF UNIVERSITY AVIATION COURSES

Aviation is one of the factors which contribute to globalization and it makes the world more connected and more accessible. Aviation speaks English. Our function as university ESP teachers is to prepare graduates for professional success. However, as social and cultural changes occur, especially on a global level, so do the requirements for accomplishment of this function. Now, with almost two decades into the 21st century, ESP is coming to a new age. This is the age of multinational cooperation and harmonization. The new way of working could not only widen the teachers’ horizons and strengthen the opportunities for the best practices, but also harmonize the education in the language departments in different higher institutions which deal with similar target groups of students and target language use situations. Harmonization in aviation education fosters standardization and transparency. It plays a key role for the mobility of students and teachers. Harmonization in aviation training is promoted by a common aviation course which is being developed due to the cooperation of Aviation Faculty, National Military University, Bulgaria, Air Force Academy, Romania, and the War Studies University, Poland, within the framework of Strategic Partnership Erasmus+ program. The joint aviation English course is expected to boost the cooperation among three air-force tertiary education institutions and to introduce a policy intended to harmonize the language studies of future aviation specialists.

Leadership Effectiveness of Collegiate Aviation Program Leaders: A Four-frame Analysis

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived leadership effectiveness of aviation program leaders at higher education institutions utilizing the four leadership frames of Drs. Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal. A frame is a tactic which allows an individual to gain a perspective on a given situation. The four frames of Bolman and Deal are the structural, human resources, political, and symbolic frames. An anonymous online survey, developed using the Leadership Orientation Instrument of Bolman and Deal, was sent electronically to aviation faculty and staff followers at University Aviation Association higher education institutions. Five-point Likert scales were used by aviation faculty and staff to assess the perceived leadership effectiveness of aviation program leaders. A one-way ANOVA was conducted comparing the perceived leadership effectiveness scores based on the four leadership frames. No significant difference was found in perceived leadership effectiveness based on the primary leadership frame, F(3,90) = 1.08, p > .05. An additional one-way ANOVA was run comparing the perceived leadership effectiveness scores of the four frame groups (no frames, single frame, paired frames, and multiple frames). A significant difference was found in perceived leadership effectiveness based on the number of frames utilized, F(3,222) = 101.93, p < .05. Post-hoc tests revealed that aviation program leaders scored higher in perceived leadership effectiveness if they subscribed to the paired frames or multiple frames approaches.

Twenty-Eight Years of the Collegiate Aviation Review: An Exploratory Study of Academic Research in Aviation Education

This article reports on a review of academic journal articles published in the Collegiate Aviation Review (CAR), with the goal of evaluating academic research in aviation education. The study included all 189 articles published in the CAR over the past 28 years (1983-2010). The author identified and categorized aviation faculty and industry professionals who have led the aviation profession, academically, and what important issues and challenges they have identified in their scholarly writings over the past 28 years. Each article was categorized by author’s institution/organization affiliation, classification by subject category, and geographical grouping of contributing authors and institutions/organizations. The author found that the journal covers a broad range of authors and subject matter. The top five subject areas covered were: collegiate flight training curriculum and instructional methods, collegiate aviation degree programs, the collegiate aviation student, the airport system, and the commercial airline industry. The author concludes with a discussion of the implications of this study for the role of aviation faculty and industry professionals engaged in aviation education research. The author stresses that this research will help the University Aviation Association (UAA) meet the needs of the continuously changing aviation/aerospace industry.

The Utilization of Social Media by Collegiate Aviation Faculty

Social media has taken the world by storm, and there seems to be no slowing down. Young or old, social media has infiltrated our lives in a way never before imagined. Although there are pros and cons to the many social media platforms currently available, it is beneficial for collegiate aviation faculty to learn more about these various tools to determine how, if at all, they can benefit our students. As such, this paper conducted a study of collegiate aviation faculty nationwide and determined that collegiate aviation faculty are very aware of the five most popular social media sites (Skype, YouTube, Facebook, Wikipedia, and Twitter), regularly use YouTube and Wikipedia as part of academic courses, and feel that social photo and video sharing sites provide the most benefit to students. The paper also presents ideas in how to adopt three lesser used social media sites (Twitter, LinkedIn, and Ning) for the benefit of students.

Mitigating Online Survey Nonresponse Error in Aviation Research

As aviation researchers increasingly rely on online and email based methods of inquiry, it has become ever more necessary to identify the best practices in avoiding the blockage of research-oriented emails by spam filtration software. This study investigated the available literature on the use of email to distribute research surveys. Although data was available on how to and why to conduct research online, the literature lacked information on potential problems associated with the use of email in the conduct of such research. Evidence on how to avoid spam filtration was provided by the ex post facto findings of a study of aviation faculty. This data revealed that a dramatic difference in response rate can occur if specialized email construction and delivery techniques are utilized. Finally, a systemic method of survey/email nonresponse mitigation is provided.

The Future of Women in Aviation: Trends in Participation in Postsecondary Aviation Education

THE FUTURE OF WOMEN IN AVU TION: TRENDS IN PARTICIPA TION IN POSTSECONDARY A VU TION EDUCA TION David C. Ison Abstract The purpose of this research was to evaluate the trends in participation by women in postsecondary aviation programs in the United States both at the student and faculty levels. Data concerning the number of students who completed baccalaureate degrees in aviation was collected via the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). It was found that 560 (10.5%) students among the 5,355 total that completed a degree in an aviation related field in 2007 were female. Also, of 434 full-time aviation faculty members employed at 74 different aviation programs meeting the criteria of this study, 35 (8.1%) were found to be female. 84 faculty were identified in an academic leadership positions and of these individuals, 10 (1 1.9%) were women. These participation rates were found to be higher than those found among the aircraft pilot population and in the aviation industry in general. The level of involvement of women in aviation higher education in recent years has shown no significant improvement among students, however, there has been a small increase among faculty in comparison to the findings of four out of five previous studies. Over the past three decades, the enrollments of women in postsecondary education have grown significantly. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of undergraduate students who are women grew fiom 42.3 in 1970 to 56.1 in 2000 (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). By 2005 this number had risen further to 57.4% (National Center for Education Statistics, 2008). These figures, however, are averages across all majors and fields of study. Historically, though, there have been certain subjects in which women have lagged such as in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields (Turney, 2004; Babco, 2003). In particular, women have consistently been underrepresented throughout the aviation industry (Hedge, 2007). The importance ofdiversity in higher education has been highlighted by a variety of research (Fassinger, 2008; Umbach, 2006; Lockwood, 2005; Turney, et al, 2002; Willdorf, 2000; Brinson and Kottler, 1993; Luedtke, 1993). Thus an assortment of programs and initiatives has been undertaken over the years to improve women and minority representation in general and

Pathways to the Aviation Professoriate: An Investigation into the Attributes and Backgrounds of Professional Pilot Education Faculty

The purpose of this study was to identify the pathways professional pilot program faculty take to reach their positions. Data were collected through a survey that was distributed via the internet using Survey Monkey. Pathways were defined by investigations into the occupational and educational histories of the faculty. Also, demographic attributes of the faculty were collected to create a comprehensive picture of the faculty. Statistical analysis of the survey data was conducted using SPSS Graduate Pack software. The findings of the study indicate that professional pilot faculty take a range of occupational and educational pathways to reach their positions in aviation higher education. Two primary pathways were identified: the military and the non-military (civilian). Each of these sub-groups had unique attributes and distinctive career paths. Although faculty take two primary, separate paths to the professoriate, all faculty reach their current position with similar levels of academic and flight credentials as well as length of industry experience. Aviation faculty of all types were found to have significant academic and industry qualifications and certifications. In addition, these individuals had extensive aviation experience.

Recruitment and Promotion Challenges for Aviation Faculty in U.S. Universities

Unlike traditional academic disciplines that have existed since the inception of the modem university, collegiate aviation has encountered active challenges that are inherently unique. One significant challenge for university aviation search committees is to hire potential faculty member candidates that have a combination of advanced academic credentials (i.e., the doctorate) in addition to a strong aviation related employment history. Several formidable barriers present challenges in attracting candidates with industry experience into university aviation programs. For example, individuals currently employed in the aviation industry do not typically have a doctorate. Mid to high level aviation managers or professional pilots may be accustomed to making an income that can easily approach or even exceed $100,000 in the industry whereas university aviation faculty positions typically do not offer competitive salaries that effectively attract industry professionals as viable candidates. Furthermore, a master's degree educated aviation industry professional who would otherwise consider a career change to university aviation may not be particularly thrilled with the expectation to engage in research and obtain a doctoral degree for promotion and tenure considerations that ultimately leads to long term employment.

Enhancing Microburst Pedagogy: Visual Clues for Aviators

A particularly uncompromising type of wind shear results from the meteorological phenomenon known as the microburst. This paper addresses the preliminary phase of an ongoing longitudinal study designed to enhance microburst pedagogy. An initial survey has been distributed to aviation faculty members at universities across the United States to collect data on the length of time they allot to teaching microburst recognition skills. These educators have been introduced to graphics that, it is hypothesized, will make their treatment of the topic more enduring. Subsequent data will reveal whether the use of these graphics significantly increased the time spent teaching microburst recognition and avoidance.

Glass Cockpit Technology Training: How Is It Addressed in Collegiate Flight Programs?

Collegiate aviation programs provide well-trained flight personnel resources to meet critical air transportation requirements. Such programs have traditionally relied on proven flight methodologies and general aviation aircraft with simple instrumentation to prepare students for air transportation employment. As the number of experienced commercial pilots continues to decline within industry, a large number of collegiate flight program graduates may have the opportunity to quickly move into the right seat of modern regional airliners and corporate aircraft that are equipped with advanced “glass cockpit” instrumentation. A survey of current four-year collegiate aviation programs suggests that elements of glass cockpit technology, in some cases, receive little or no consideration within the flight training curriculum. In addition, after considering the cost of acquiring appropriate instructional materials, many college aviation departments have decided that responsibility for this training more appropriately belongs with the employing airlines. The authors hope that the results of this survey will lead to a dialogue between collegiate aviation faculty, airline employers, and vendors of training resources to promote low-cost training aids for glass cockpit aircraft and to discuss the issue of whether or not glass cockpit training should be an important part of the college flight training program.

An Examination of the U.S. Collegiate Aviation Workforce in Preparing the Next Generation of Aviation Faculty Members Beyond 2000

Aviation as an academic field of study has evolved in the span of a century. As the new millennium approaches, collegiate aviation will be called upon to prepare a new generation of highly skilled workers. These workers need to be educated by current and future generations of aviation faculty members. The purpose of this study was to examine the US collegiate aviation workforce to determine if the next generation of faculty members are being adequately prepared. A descriptive study survey questionnaire was used to collect data for this study which was sent to US University Aviation Association (UAA) institutional members in order to ascertain their workforce needs. The study found that a significant amount of hiring for qualified aviation faculty members is already occurring. The survey results also indicated a substantial number of retirements is either taking place or is anticipated to take place by the year 2000. A very significant finding was that almost all of the respondents believe the public at large does not have an adequate understanding of collegiate aviation.

Beyond 2000: The Undiscovered Frontier of a Career as an Aviation Professor

In an era in which aviation research and scholarly activities have increased immensely (Truitt & Kaps, 1995), the demand for qualified aviation faculty members will inevitably increase. As we approach the dawn of a new century and beyond, qualified aviation faculty members may be in short supply. Perhaps equally disturbing, the literature on current and projected needs for aviation faculty is notably silent. Uncertainties in aviation faculty recruitment issues may be further exacerbated by retirements, an inadequate supply of new entrants into the field, and increased demands for more aviation faculty members and researchers.

Measurement of Participation Levels of Women And Minorities as Collegiate Aviation Educators

This study analyzes U.s. Department of Education statistics on women and minorities in higher education and data on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificate holders. This data is then compared to data obtained on aviation faculty in higher education to establish whether or not women and minorities are under represented in the collegiate aviation faculty. The data collected demonstrates that the participation of women in the aviation faculty is representative of the participation of women in aviation overall. The fact that women comprise only 6.09 percent of all FAA certificated pilots demonstrates that they are as a group, under represented in aviation in relation to their proportion in society. Minority participation in the collegiate aviation faculty is also unrepresentative of the minority population in the United States. FAA certificate data is not maintained on ethnicity. However, data obtained on minority participation in the aviation faculty is compared to data on minority participation in higher education. The resulting fact is that minority involvement in the aviation faculty is below average in relation to the overall faculty population. This research effort confirms the assumption that women and minorities are not adequately represented in the collegiate aviation faculty. The resulting call to action must be to increase the participation levels of women and minorities as collegiate aviation educators.

Development of Aviation Management Coursework

Students graduating from aviation programs frequently move into careers that have a significant management component. As a result aviation management courses have evolved in aviation curricula to prepare graduates for these positions. However, many of these courses fall far short of their potential because relatively few aviation faculty are prepared to teach in this area, there is little interaction between these faculty, and the size of the market does not warrant publication of textbooks with adequate depth. The objective of aviation management courses should be to provide enough depth in the unique aspects of a particular field of aviation to enable the student to engage in critical analysis and problem solving in that field. In addition, the courses should be structured in a manner that allows students to integrate material and apply management skills. What is needed is a broad based organized effort to identify appropriate content for aviation management courses, and to develop activities which will meet the objectives of these courses. This paper presents a potential program to meet the first need, and two examples which illustrate the type of activities that can be used to meet the second need.