Carrier Operations Research Articles

The Impact of Public Law 111-216: Perceptions of U.S. Collegiate Flight Students

This national research study is the second part of a three-part study examining the perceptions and effects of Public Law 111-216. Part one examined the perceptions of U.S. collegiate flight programs and part three will examine the perceptions of pilots employed with a part 121 U.S. air carrier operator. This research study examined the perceptions of United States collegiate flight students regarding the impact of Public Law 111-216 after its implementation to determine how Public Law 111-216 will affect collegiate flight students and the U.S. airline industry. This study was conducted to determine if a relationship exists between collegiate flight students’ perceptions of PL 111-216 and the possible effects it may have on collegiate flight students’ desires and ambitions to become U.S. commercial pilots and the U.S airline industry. The findings of this research study impact collegiate flight students, collegiate flight programs, and the U.S. airline industry. This research provides collegiate flight programs and the U.S. airline industry insight into flight students’ perceptions of PL 111-216. This insight may help forecast future trends in prospective enrollments and retention rates of current students in collegiate flight programs due to the significant increase of unanticipated flight costs. This study has the potential to also provide a vision of future pilot supply. The findings provide an avenue for collegiate flight programs and the U.S. airline industry to address possible areas of concerns as a result of PL 111-216 changes in pilot qualification standards.

Small regional airport performance and Low cost carrier operations

Abstract Low cost carriers have become significant players in air transport market over the past 20 years. They have a significant impact on the operation of many regional airports. Such airports are often used as secondary airports for low cost carriers operations. Because of their market power, they are able to reduce the amount of charges at the regional airports that do not have such bargaining power. This phenomenon manifests primarily in relation to small regional airports of up to 1 million passengers handled per year. The majority of such airports are unable to achieve positive economic results. The aim is to find out how LCC traffic affects small regional airports operation and efficiency. Based on the analysis of historical data from the selected airports, the author examines the impact of a significant proportion of low cost carriers on the economic performance of selected airports. He compares developed airports with an increasing share of LCCs and airports without LCC traffic. It also examines the low-developed airports with a low LCC share. His research was supplemented by expert interviews with the management of the selected regional airports. The comparison of airport performance in the passenger transport, such as passenger numbers, airport revenue, and economic outturn are described in the article. For the purpose of this research, the airport up to 1 million checked-in passengers and over 1 million checked-in passengers has been selected. In addition to the information mentioned in his research, he also included the amount of handled cargo and the performance was recalculated and compared in the Work Load Units (WLU). The author has also compared the KPI basis with the number of employees in the survey. The research findings confirm that on one hand, the Low Cost carriers operate in such manner that it increases the airport’s operating performance (number of checked-in passengers) but on the other hand, the way they operate also reduces the efficiency of the airport. If the airport operates mostly classic, network airlines and charter airlines, it can achieve a positive economic outturn even though it handles less than 1 million passengers per year.

Toward a More Generalized Doherty Power Amplifier Design for Broadband Operation

The conventional Doherty power amplifier (DPA) theory is limited to single carrier operations, leading to a nongeneric structure. This paper presents a new analysis that generalizes the conventional DPA (CDPA) theory for increased efficiency and bandwidth. We demonstrate that by introducing a theoretical parameter $\alpha$ at the output combiner, we can redefine the relationships among the output combiner elements for a greater level of design flexibility than it was possible in the CDPA. We also show that previously published works in this area can be considered as special cases of the proposed general theory. As a demonstrator, a specific design, named reduced- $\alpha$ DPA, realized using GaN HEMTs is provided to illustrate the robustness of the approach. This design proves effective for further improving the performance of the previously published 2.14-/2.655-GHz dual-band parallel DPA. A maximum drain efficiency of 84% and 67% at an average of 43-dBm peak and 6-dB back-off power levels, respectively, was measured with continuous wave signals. To quantify the linearity performance, the proposed DPA was tested using wideband CDMA and long-term evolution signals where the adjacent channel leakage ratio was recorded at −25 dBc with an average output power of 38.7 and 36.5 dBm at 2.14 and 2.655 GHz, respectively.

Baggage fees, operational performance and customer satisfaction in the US air transport industry

In recent years, there has been a “de-bundling” trend in the US airline industry, where specific services that used to be included in a ticket fare are now priced separately. Although a major reason for these fees is to raise revenues for the airlines, the fees may also impact the operations of carriers. Among the new fees implemented by most US carriers is a payment for checked baggage. This paper analyzes the association of baggage fees with airline operational service outcomes, as measured by flight delays, mishandled baggage rates and the rate of customer complaints. Using data from the US domestic air transport market over the period 2004–2012 and estimating a series of equations, our results show that, on average, an increase in baggage fees is associated with a decrease in the mishandled baggage rate and to a reduction in the percentage of delayed flights. No significant association is found between the fees and the rate of customer complaints.

Cooperation among truck carriers in seaport containerized transportation

Nowadays the majority of goods passing through seaports are transported by road, resulting in a large number of empty movements and high total costs. This paper proposes an optimization model for the cooperative planning of multiple truck carrier operations in a seaport environment for maximizing the total profit derived from their cooperation. A compensation mechanism is introduced to motivate carriers to share their trips. Time windows, trip deadlines and fleet sizes are considered. The planning approach is evaluated using real data sets from the Italian port of Genoa. Numerous scenarios are tested and an extensive computational analysis is reported.

Economic Effectiveness of Operation and Utilization of Large Container Carriers

This paper deals with operational effectiveness of large container carriers transporting standardized transportation units. The calculation is related to costs per one TEU transported. What is a very important factor in maritime transport is the vessel's speed. Speed has a considerable influence on total costs, and that's why this factor is also taken into consideration in the calculation. Besides speed, there is another important factor, i.e. the utilization of the capacity of container ships, and that's why new container ship types (Suezmax and Triple-E) were considered in the calculation. In the conclusion, other factors are stated that are of importance for establishing the utilization and economic effectiveness of the given types of container ships.

Some insights in novel risk modeling of liquefied natural gas carrier maintenance operations

This study discusses the analysis of various modeling approaches and maintenance techniques applicable to the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier operations in the maritime environment. Various novel modeling techniques are discussed; including genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic and evidential reasoning. We also identify the usefulness of these algorithms in the LNG carrier industry in the areas of risk assessment and maintenance modeling.

Novel MF-TDMA/SCPC switching algorithm for DVB-RCS/RCS2 return link in railway scenario

This work focuses on the return channel resource allocation in the DVB-RCS/RCS2 system for mobile terminals. A continuous carrier (CC) operation mode based on DVB-S2/S2X is considered and investigated. The paper focuses on the possibility of transmitting simultaneously in multifrequency–time division multiple access (MF-TDMA) or single channel per carrier (SCPC) medium access techniques, as suggested by a previous DVB-RCS+M standard. The introduction of this capability has also been analyzed for a new DVB-RCS2 standard that gives the possibility of using both return link (RL) modalities. Moreover, we propose a detailed study of the RL channel in a satellite platform in order to understand the operative range of SCPC and MF-TDMA techniques. The contribution seeks to provide some threshold indications to network operators for dynamically managing satellite resources.We considered the railway market, which is characterized by an N-LOS condition due to blockage caused by tunnels, vegetation, and buildings, as the reference scenario. Furthermore, we introduced a transparent gap filler (GF) solution to overcome this issue. Simulation campaigns are shown, in order to give satellite operators some guidelines, when they want to make use of this hybrid channel modality.

Implications for CARICOM member states in the search for a ‘liberally controlled’ air transport market: The case of regional tourism to Barbados

This study presents an analysis of the state of aviation liberalisation in CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and its implications for regional tourism to Barbados as a member state in CARICOM. The evidence shows that improvements to the regulatory aviation environment in CARICOM would aid improvements in intra-regional tourism. Given the benefits that have been obtained globally, previous studies have been deductive and analysed the benefits of a less restrictive aviation environment in the region. However, the inductive approach of this study reveals that before there can be a successful attempt at any such liberalism in CARICOM, there are pre-existing constraining factors which must be addressed since they will hinder the effectiveness of any such policy. The study therefore proposes that the effectiveness of the existing regional multilateral agreement is hindered by political interference, not only in the overall context of aviation bureaucracy, but also in the business operations of the regional carriers.

The origin–destination airport choice for all-cargo aircraft operations in Europe

In this paper, we analyze the origin–destination airport choice for freighter operations of combination and all-cargo carriers in Europe. First, we discuss the choice process of airlines qualitatively. Next, using a stated choice experiment, we show that the presence of forwarders at an airport is the primary factor in explaining airlines’ choices, especially for airlines serving main airports. For airlines primarily serving regional airports, the possibility for night-time flights is most important. Finally, the presence of passenger operations at an airport is not a significant factor and the level of origin–destination demand is of limited importance.

A Decision-Making Method for Landing Routes of Aircraft on the Carrier

The landing safety of aircraft is of great significance for the normal operation of an aircraft carrier. This paper presents an optimal method for landing routes of aircraft. Owing to the fuzziness of environmental information and human judgment, a decision-making method is introduced to reduce the workload of landing console operators (LCO). Specifically, a route option method for aircraft landing is proposed based on Fuzzy Multi-attribute Group Decision Making (FMAGDM). Firstly, the route option problem is described. Then the essential elements of route option are described. A group decision-making method is proposed, and the most reasonable landing route in current environment is obtained considering the knowledge composition and the weight of each decision maker. Finally, simulations under different environments are conducted. The results indicate that the decision-making method is able to adapt to the environment changes, and determine the most reasonable route for each validation case.

Solving a load balancing problem with a multi-objective particle swarm optimisation approach: application to aircraft cargo transportation

To make air cargo carrier operations cost-effective, a challenging task consists on making profitable the stowage step of the transported freight. This can be accomplished by maximising the weight of the loaded cargo. Owing to the nature and the urgency of the carried cargo, a priority level can also constitute a relevant potential objective to be maximised. In this paper, we present a two level load balancing problem that consists in loading items into containers which are then stowed in cargo holds of an aircraft. Two objectives are maximised: the total weight and the total priority of loaded cargo. In order to minimise fuel consumption and satisfy stability requirements, a load balancing constraints are expressed in terms of the deviation between the gravity centre after loading and its ideal position. An integer linear programming-based formulation is presented for the problem at hand. The loading process performs a discrete multi-objective particle swarm optimisation approach. In order to show the effectiveness of our algorithm and due to the importance of satisfying the load balancing constraints, a practical case study is addressed. An experimental investigation of our approach shows that the proposed approach performs well.

Preliminary suitability analysis of carrier approach guidance and recovery of land-based aircraft

Due to geopolitical, technical and economic reasons, Harrier V/STOL airplanes will soon be retired from service. Since many Navies rely on these aircraft for their combat capability, this will imply a severe operational trouble. One of the replacement possibilities is to modify ground-based designs and make them compatible with carrier operations. This paper presents the initial results of a study aimed at assessing existing ground-based combat airplanes from the point of view of their approach guidance and recovery compatibility with midsize aircraft carriers. The analysis includes operational and performance aspects, describes the complexity of these manoeuvres, and identifies the key variables intervening, crucial for carrier suitability.

An Epsilon Bargaining Game-Theoretic Formulation Between Carrier and Container Terminal Operators for Servicing Vessels During Unloading Operations

Due to globalization trends and the increasing competition between ports, the maritime policy for container shipments has witnessed a change in operations that resulted in less reliance on direct freight flows and higher transshipment operations. Motivated to investigate a soft intelligent decision-making approach using game theory in the context of servicing vessels during unloading operations in transshipment, we propose an epsilon bargaining approach between the carrier and the container terminal operator (CTO). The objective of the game is to maximize the carrier service level while minimizing operation costs for the CTO. The players' utilities, which depend on the service level and the fees for the carrier, as well as the revenues generated and the cost incurred for the CTO, are uniquely formulated and evaluated in a bargaining scenario using an ordinal ranking approach. The negotiation process is further improved between the two players based on our proposed Epsilon Bargaining Equilibrium, which to the best of our knowledge has not been used in maritime transportation problems. Results from a risk aversion case illustrate the value of the soft computing mathematical model that we formulated and motivate follow-up research.

A proposal for dynamic calibration of brake tester

In Brazil there are about 400 security inspection lines carrier operating in Inspection Bodies accredited by Cgcre Inmetro [1]. The equipment in this proposal is a Brake Tester that measure vehicle braking forces and it is a component of an inspection line. This paper proposes a dynamic Brake Tester calibration using a reference torque transducer. This article can also be the basis for future discussions of the revised standard manufacturing of vehicle inspection line according to ABNT NBR 14040 [2].

Coherent transceiver operating at 61-Gbaud/s.

We use 85-Gs/s digital-to-analog convertor (DAC), 85Gs/s analog-to-digital convertor (ADC), commercial optoelectronic (OE) components with an overall electronic 3dB-bandwidth of less than 15GHz, and novel digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms implemented in CMOS to realize real time coherent transceiver operation at a record baud rate of 61-Gbaud/s. Novel DSP approaches for mitigating narrow filtering effect is critical to acquire data clock, and to improve modem performance. With transmitter pre-emphasis, novel timing recovery, and soft output maximum likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE), we are able to achieve error free operation of single carrier 200-Gbit/s polarization division multiplexed quadrature phase shift keying (PDM-QPSK) after forward error correction (FEC) at 15.2dB OSNR with pre-FEC error rate of 1.4E-2, and single carrier 400-Gbit/s PDM 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM) after FEC at 30.2dB OSNR with pre-FEC error rate of 9.5E-3. Error free transmission for 200-Gbit/s PDM-QPSK and 400-Gbit/s PDM-16QAM was achieved after 1200km propagation with 6dB link margin and 80km propagation respectively.

Rail–Truck Multimodal Freight Collaboration: Truck Freight Carrier Perspectives in the United States

AbstractDue to the impacts of highway congestion, truck driver shortage, the need for energy security, and the increasing revenue gaps to finance highway infrastructure construction and renewal, there is a critical need to explore the opportunities and barriers to rail-truck multimodal transportation paradigms. This study proposes a two-step modeling approach to explore truck freight carrier perspectives on the factors that foster/impede their willingness to collaborate with rail freight carriers through multimodal freight collaboration, and how these factors are correlated with their operational and behavioral characteristics. Understanding these correlations can provide rail freight carrier decision makers insights for the design of targeted mechanisms that will be required for such collaborations to come to fruition, including: (1) adjusting the rail carrier operations; (2) adopting technology that is synergistic with those of truck freight carriers; (3) designs for uncontainerized cargo; and (4) impro...

Low-cost carrier competition and airline service quality in Europe

The authors are investigating whether a higher presence and more efficient operations of low-cost carriers (LCCs) can increase the service quality in terms of on-time performance of all the flights landing at an airport. We sample 100 European airports located in 76 metropolitan areas of diverse sizes in 19 countries on both a daily and flight-by-flight basis during the period from April 2011 to December 2012. We construct a panel dataset at the flight code level comprising about 3.5 million observations. We find that LCCs contribute to a reduction of delays for airlines and flights landing at the observed airport. From the customers’ point of view and taking into consideration the level of service, we conclude that the presence of LCCs represents a positive externality for an airport. Airport management may therefore consider the proactive increase of LCCs market share in their long-term business strategies.

РОЗРОБКА КОМПЛЕКСНОГО МЕХАНІЗМУ РОЗВИТКУ ТРАНСПОРТНО-ЛОГІСТИЧНОЇ ІНФРАСТРУКТУРИ ЗАЛІЗНИЦЬ

The paper found that for the modern consumer transportation services essential acts of obtaining transportation and logistics services from a single mobile carrier and logistics operator. Established that due to the low level of development of transport and logistics infrastructure and the existence of a number of reasons other industry, today rail Ukraine is unable to provide a full range of transportation and logistics services, and, respectively, and present a united transport and logistics operator in country. On this basis, developed a complex mechanism of transport and logistics infrastructure of railways and defined its characteristics. Highlight of basic tasks that will help create the conditions for improving the quality and condition of the structure of the transport and logistics infrastructure Railways, presented the principles, methods and tools development.

Sail Structure Design and Stability Calculation for Sail-assisted Ships

Ship sail-assisting is a kind of integrated technology involved in fluent dynamic analysis, sail structure design, sail rotation control, ship stability and maneuverability. This paper systematically introduces several aspects of sail-assisting technology. The paper firstly introduces sail type selection and experimental results of arc sail models. Thrust force coefficient, drifting force coefficient, lifting force coefficient, resistance coefficient and rotating torque coefficient of the sail model are discussed and optimal sail rotated angle is calculated in the paper. A control mechanism and the material of sail structure are designed for the sail operation of a ocean-going bulk carrier. Based on stability requirements of ocean-going ships, this paper proposes a stability criterion for sail-assisted ships and suggests a calculation method of stability parameter for the requirements. Comments and recommendations are finally discussed for the further application of the sail onboard ship.