Collegiate Aviation Research Articles

Sustainable Horizons: Exploring Attitudes and Beliefs on Electric Aircraft Usage in General Aviation

This research was conducted to better understand the perceptions surrounding electrically powered aircraft in the general aviation (GA) sector. The study employed survey methodologies to collect responses from ( N = 780) participants, with an emphasis on data from collegiate aviation students as well as a broad subset of the GA community. The study focused on factors such as generational differences, gender, the impact of flight training, and prior exposure to electric or hybrid cars, and how these factors influence the aviation industry’s sustainable transformation. The results indicate a significant and positive correlation between attitudes toward electric aircraft and prior exposure to or ownership of electric or hybrid cars. Generational differences, gender-based variations, and the impact of flight training on willingness to pay for electric aircraft utilization also had significant relationships with attitudes toward electric aircraft. The findings provide valuable insights for industry stakeholders and policymakers in promoting sustainable aviation practices, and complements prior research into the feasibility of electric flight.

Quieted Voices: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Black/African-American Collegiate Aviation Students

Quieted Voices: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Black/African-American Collegiate Aviation Students

Collegiate Aviation Student Perceptions of Racial Influences in Aviation Education

The U.S. aviation industry has grown significantly in the last several decades, but existing literature identifies a gap between progress for the industry and representation of minorities (Ison et al, 2016; Stevenson et al, 2020). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2019, out of the 141,000 persons employed as either “aircraft pilots” or “flight engineers,” 2.6% were Black, 3.4% were Asian, and 2.2% were Hispanic or Latino, while 93.7% were White (BLS, 2019). What has yet to be investigated, however, is how that gap is perceived by students preparing to enter the aviation industry. This exploratory study examines the perceptions of collegiate aviation students, who represent the next generation of the aviation industry, and the impact race may have had on their choice to pursue an aeronautics or aeronautical science degree. Interviews were conducted with students currently enrolled in an aviation career degree program. Results indicated that while a slim majority of participants did not perceive race to be a barrier in aviation education, many participants identified examples of where racial barriers have played a role, in some form, during their aviation education career. In addition, several participants described the U.S. aviation industry’s lack of diversity as an obstacle after beginning their collegiate aviation program. This case study provides an opportunity for institutions to consider how current diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are impacting students, and what else may need to be done to increase minority representation within the aviation industry.

Women of Color in the Aviation Industry

Women of Color in the Aviation Industry takes a gallant position on the contemporary state of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within U.S. aviation through the lenses of several women of color working in the industry. The exploration of their experiences as women of color aviation professionals provides a compelling and nearly irrefutable backdrop for the many inequities, challenges, and barriers they face as a function of their race and/or gender. The author contends these inequities persist because aviation entities are engaged in “performative DEI” measures rather than reflecting upon their extant structures and systems to ascertain what is causing the inequities and why minoritized groups, particularly women of color, are adversely impacted. The text strives to encourage readers to critically reflect upon the reason(s) why minoritized groups, specifically women of color, continue to have low participation rates in an industry that proclaims to be committed to DEI to make a more just workforce. Such a conundrum is explored through semi-structured interviews with numerous women of color who hold various aviation positions. This approach was most apt to obtain first-person accounts of the challenges women of color and presumably other minoritized groups experience. Consequently, industry leadership can leverage these experiences and focus efforts on making equity-centric change instead of concerning themselves with remaining on the “right side” of DEI. The author provided several robust examples of how current DEI efforts, coupled with a lack of reflection, do more harm than good because they propagate a “diversity that maintains Whiteness.” Combined with the six commonly used controlling images, these examples help refute the state of social equity many believe the U.S. is in. The primary messages are written to make it easy for the layperson to understand, but the text falls short of providing actionable recommendations leadership can implement. Despite this limitation, the text may benefit a broad audience, especially for leadership overseeing commercial airlines, government, and collegiate aviation programs. Further, the experiences described have some transferability to sectors and industries external to aviation, meaning they can be incorporated within the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to enhance public administration and social policy to make a more just society.

Business Aviation Days: Mentorship and Partnership

Business aviation is a vital component of the U.S. economy, growing at a double-digit rate year-over-year since the pandemic, and offers many outstanding career opportunities for collegiate aviation program graduates. Despite the opportunities available, many students may need to be made aware of the options available in business aviation due to a lack of exposure compared to other aviation industry sectors. This paper describes one university’s efforts to advance understanding of business aviation through a new annual multi-day conference that has produced new partnership and mentorship opportunities that greatly benefit students and industry alike.

The Use of Industry Advisory Boards in Support of Collegiate Aviation Programs

Abstract-Research problem: Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI), the organization that accredits aviation degree programs, requires that programs seeking accreditation work with aviation industry professionals in the development and assessment of their programs. (AABI Accreditation Criteria Manual, February 24, 2023). There is no formal directive regarding how aviation programs and industry partners must work together, however, and no best practices relating to the use of industry advisory boards have been researched for aviation degree programs as they have been in other academic fields. Research questions: (1) How do aviation degree programs incorporate industry feedback? (2) How are industry advisory boards being used in support of aviation degree programs? Literature review: Literature in other fields regarding the use of advisory boards in the development and assessment of academic programs has offered insights into stakeholder benefits and suggested best practices, but research on the use of industry advisory boards in collegiate aviation programs is significantly lacking. Methodology: A survey link was shared with all current UAA and AABI members with the goal of determining how common it is for programs to have an industry advisory board. If the programs reported having an industry advisory board, additional survey questions sought to identify the benefits and challenges of having an industry advisory board, as well as the common characteristics of the boards. Findings: Advisory boards are commonly used to support aviation degree programs. However, there is a wide variation in terms of how they operate. This study offers a beginning framework for learning how industry partners and aviation programs are currently working together and suggests areas of additional needed research in order to identify best practices.

Sleep quality and stress: An investigation of collegiate aviation pilots

Objective: To investigate collegiate aviation pilots’ quality of sleep and psychological distress levels. Participants: Collegiate aviation pilots from a Code of Federal Regulations Part 141 four-year degree-awarding university in central Florida (N = 192). Method: The Pittsburgh Sleepiness Quality Index and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale were utilized to assess the participants’ subjective quality sleep and psychological distress levels, respectively. A Spearman’s rank-order correlation was run to assess the relationship between quality sleep and distress levels in collegiate aviation student pilots. Results: The prevalence of poor sleep quality among the collegiate aviation pilots was 69%. Mild or severe psychological distress was experienced by 32% (n = 61) of the pilots. There was a strong, positive association between quality sleep and psychological distress (rs (192) = .716, p < .05). Conclusion: Results suggested collegiate aviation programs should promote explicit strategies for students to improve their sleep habits and well-being.

Evaluating the Effects of Safety Management Systems (SMS) on Safety Culture Factors in Collegiate Aviation Operations: A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Approach

Implementing Safety Management Systems (SMS) is currently voluntary for collegiate aviation operations in the U.S. Some extant studies have advocated using Safety Management Systems (SMS) as a proactive tool to continuously improve collegiate aviation safety culture. Using a structural equation modeling/path analysis (SEM/PA) approach, the effect of SMS on factors of safety culture in multiple collegiate aviation programs in the U.S. was evaluated using a hypothesized model that measures the relationships between scales of SMS, safety motivation (mediator), and safety culture factors (safety compliance, safety reporting, and safety participation). Demographic differences in safety culture were also evaluated. Findings suggest significant predictive relationships between SMS and observed safety culture outcomes. There was also a significant mediation role of safety motivation between SMS and some observed safety culture outcomes. Results suggest that senior or upper-level students were found to have significantly lower reported safety reporting behavior as compared to lower-level students. Domestic students were found to have higher scores for safety reporting behavior compared to international students. Results also suggest an apparent SMS knowledge gap among respondents, and implementing initial and recurrent higher-level SMS courses as part of collegiate aviation program academic syllabuses may be helpful. Other implications for policy and practices in collegiate aviation safety culture and recommendations for future research are highlighted.

Technical and Regulatory Factors of Adopting Electric Training Aircraft in a Collegiate Aviation Setting

Technical and Regulatory Factors of Adopting Electric Training Aircraft in a Collegiate Aviation Setting

Evaluating the Impact of Nonconcurrent Flight Laboratory and Ground Course Progress on the Academic Outcomes of Collegiate Aviation Students

Evaluating the Impact of Nonconcurrent Flight Laboratory and Ground Course Progress on the Academic Outcomes of Collegiate Aviation Students

Collegiate Aviation Students’ Perceptions towards the Integration of Diversity and Inclusion Training: A Qualitative Case Study

Collegiate Aviation Students’ Perceptions towards the Integration of Diversity and Inclusion Training: A Qualitative Case Study

Understanding Factors Underlying Fatigue among Collegiate Aviation Pilots in the United States

An increase in evidence-based studies into the deleterious effects of fatigue on flight operations has been reported by key aviation groups globally. The collegiate aviation flight training environment has not been researched at the same level when compared to military and airline operations. College aged students are unique in the sense that they are tasked with classwork, studying, participation in student organizations, social activities, and often have part time jobs within and outside of the academic environment. These conditions may cause errors, incidents, accidents, poor academic performance, and undesirable health metrics. The purpose of this study was to understand fatigue as a multi-factorial dimension and to assess potential relationships among these factors using hypothesized measurement models. The research team distributed the Collegiate Aviation Fatigue Inventory II (CAFI-II) to eight small, medium, and large collegiate aviation programs in the United States. The CAFI-II primarily focuses on fatigue awareness, causes and symptoms of fatigue, and lifestyle choices. Four hundred and twenty-two (n = 422) valid responses were obtained. Results suggested a direct predictive relationship between fatigue in collegiate flight training and the perceptions of respondents of conditions that are known to cause fatigue. Findings also suggested that respondents who had a favorable perception of fatigue risk and management programs had a better understanding of the causes of fatigue.

Assessing Unstabilized Approaches: A Phenomenology Study of the Risk Perceptions and Decision-Making Thought Process of Collegiate Aviation Pilots

The Federal Aviation Administration emphasized the need to focus on and develop human factors training as early as 1993 in official Human Factors Policy Order 9550.8. The purpose of this study was to conduct a detailed qualitative phenomenological analysis of the risk perceptions and decision-making model of collegiate aviation pilots for unstabilized approaches. The study focused on understanding how collegiate aviation pilots perceive unstable approaches, the risk associated with unstable approaches, and the factors that trigger pilots to execute a go-around. The International Air Transportation Association warns that continuing an unstabilized approach can lead to runway excursions, hard landings causing damage to aircraft, or even controlled flight into terrain. The theoretical framework guiding this study was the risk compensation theory. The researchers recruited 15 participants through purposeful sampling for a phenomenological analysis using semi-structured interviews and a short questionnaire. A phenomenological methodology enabled the researchers to bring forth into consciousness preconceived ideas about unstabilized approaches and then set them aside. To address the research questions, information collected from individual interviews was analyzed and triangulated using a qualitative questionnaire. Three major themes emerged from the data: (a) effect of internal perceptions, (b) external pressures, and (c) unique worldviews. The findings validated the risk compensation theory’s principles by exposing the influence of mental and environmental factors impairing participants’ judgment of an unstabilized approach. Further research is required for developing standardized and objective stabilization criteria that the general aviation community can accept.

An Analysis of the Effect of Self-Efficacy of Female Students in Collegiate Flight Programs

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of self-efficacy of male and female students in collegiate flight programs to identify if a relationship exists between self-efficacy responses and gender representation in aviation. Self-efficacy, an element of social cognitive career theory’s (SCCT) behavioral factors, deals with an individual’s belief in his/her capacity to address a certain set of circumstances. No studies have been found addressing self-efficacy of students enrolled in collegiate aviation programs, specifically addressing differences between male and female students. The population for this study consisted of students enrolled in four-year collegiate aviation programs, as found through the University Aviation Association (UAA) membership rosters. The General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES) was distributed to students enrolled in collegiate aviation programs enrolled in various aviation majors. Results from this study compared 145 collegiate aviation students’ self-efficacy responses and personal comments and presented a multi-factor examination of possible influences of gender on self-efficacy for collegiate aviation students. Independent t-test results revealed male and female students had similar self-efficacy responses and associated level, but revealed a perceptual difference of gender disparity in the personal comments and responses. Additionally, an independent t-test demonstrated collegiate aviation students have statistically significant higher self-efficacy than the generalized American adult population at 95% confidence level.

Comprehensive Assessment of Fatigue and Stress Research on Collegiate Aviation Pilots in the United States

Recently, there has been a reemergence of fatigue research within the collegiate aviation environment. Nevertheless, the collegiate aviation flight training environment has not been researched as much when compared to military and airline operations creating an opportunity for examination. University students are unique in the sense that they are tasked with academic tasks such as studying, participating in student organizations, social activities, and are often employed part-time within and outside of the academic environment. The workload experienced by students may cause errors, incidents, accidents, poor academic performance, repeat flight and simulator lessons as well as undesirable health metrics. This work aims to gather data on college students in an attempt to bolster Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) concepts. The proposed implementation of psychological Fatigue Indicators identifies critical and significant risks related to the current Fatigue Risk Management System, especially in atypical periods when the aviation industry is experiencing substantial disruptions and psychological fatigue is prevalent. The purpose of this proceeding is to communicate recent research methodologies, results, and practical implications as well as ongoing studies.

A Systematic Literature Review Examining the Gender Gap in Collegiate Aviation and Aerospace Education

A Systematic Literature Review Examining the Gender Gap in Collegiate Aviation and Aerospace Education

Development of Critical Thinking Skills in Collegiate Aviation Programs

Development of Critical Thinking Skills in Collegiate Aviation Programs

Attitudes to Wearing Face Masks at US Collegiate Aviation Programs

A survey was completed by 598 respondents from 14 collegiate aviation programs. The survey queried attitudes of advantages and disadvantages of wearing face masks (FM). Over 75% of respondents were students (with the remainder about equally split between faculty and staff) and 67% who identified as pilots. Despite public guidelines supporting the advantages of FMs, there were polarized attitudes found with the employed methodology. Females were more likely to report greater values and fewer discomforts of wearing FMs. Pilots were more likely to report fewer advantages and more difficulties wearing FMs than non-pilots. Due to public health guidelines concerning FMs, negative attitudes pilots professed are concerning given the many hours they spend in a cramped cockpit.

Understanding Fatigue within a Collegiate Aviation Program

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this study was fivefold: to investigate the symptoms that would prompt collegiate aviation pilots perceive they are fatigued; to investigate the time of the day they are most fatigued; to investigate their academic and personal schedules; to investigate the methods collegiate aviation pilots utilize to ensure they are fit to fly; and to investigate whether they have received any academic and/or flight fatigue identification and management training. Background: Fatigue is a pervasive safety hazard in aviation affecting several aspects of flight crew members’ ability to perform their job. Fatigue in aviation and its consequences has been researched across military and commercial operations, but until now Part 141 collegiate aviation pilots have been neglected. Method: Data were collected using an online survey questionnaire self-report questionnaire (N = 122) consisting of items investigating fatigue identification and management by Part 141 collegiate aviation pilots. Results: Sixty percent of the participants usually experience the mental and physical symptoms of fatigue during flight activities. A finding of concern was that 43% of the participants indicated they had not received any training in fatigue identification and management during ground and flight activities. Conclusion: The safety management of fatigue in a Part 141 collegiate aviation environment is a safety issue that warrants further research, and training and education.

Divergent Attitudes Regarding the Benefits of Face Masks in Aviation Colleges and Universities

Opinions and practices regarding face masks (FM) to attenuate COVID-19’s spread remains polarized across the United States. We examined whether these attitudes extend to the aviation collegiate community. A 14-question survey was sent to 90 aviation colleges and universities throughout the country. Responses were solicited from students, faculty, and staff. Of the 598 respondents, 77% were students, 13% were faculty, and 10% were staff. Pilots comprised 66% of the respondents. A Principal Component Analysis reduced the questions to two scales: Benefits and Inconvenience. Females, non-pilots, and older respondents reported greater benefits to wearing a FM and fewer inconveniences. A multiple regression showed aviation colleges and universities located in states which had FM mandates, higher likelihood of community compliance, lower rates of COVID-19 in their state, and reports of less inconvenience predicted attitudes of greater benefits of wearing a FM. Additional comments were provided by 28% of the respondents, showing strongly polarized attitudes about the benefits of FMs. Respondents who had negative attitudes about the benefits of wearing FMs, nevertheless reported compliance on college campus. As leaders in education, collegiate aviation has a responsibility to educate their students, faculty, and staff of the importance of public health measures, dispelling misinformation, and modelling behavior to increase compliance with wearing FMs. © 2021, University Aviation Association. All rights reserved.