Collegiate Aviation Research Articles

Contributory Factors of Fatigue Among Collegiate Aviation Pilots: An Ordinal Regression Analysis

Fatigue is a pervasive safety hazard in aviation affecting several aspects of a pilot's’ ability to safely perform their jobs. Several factors can contribute to fatigue, including inadequate sleep, stress, long work hours, excessive workload, and inadequate nutritional habits. In addition to flight training, some factors including academic, social, part-time work, and emerging time management skills are unique for Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 141 collegiate aviation pilots. By utilizing the Collegiate Aviation Fatigue Inventory (CAFI-II) at eight flight programs (n = 422), the current study examined factors such as fatigue training received, time spent working/studying and socializing, and enrollment level. Ordinal regression was used to assess the odds ratios of fatigue among demographic study groups. Notable results indicated approximately fifty percent of respondents reported not having fatigue training, Juniors and Seniors reported a less frequency of fatigue training when compared to the other two enrollment levels, and they also had a higher probability of flying while fatigued. The researchers suggested improved targeted training as well as recommendations for fatigue risk management strategies.

Analysis of the Differences in Perceptions of Safety reporting Systems between Collegiate Aviation Students and Airline Pilots

Collegiate education and training prepare students to enter the workforce, and the collegiate experience should reflect practices in use within an industry. Collegiate aviation combines academic and practical experience with the integration of an industry-standard safety emphasis from the beginning of training. One facet of this safety emphasis, safety reporting, is an integral part of safety management systems (SMS) used in professional aviation. This study examined the differences in the perceptions of safety reporting systems between the pilots of a U.S. major air carrier and the collegiate students enrolled in the aviation program at a U.S. university. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from these two groups. Statistical analysis found that collegiate aviation students and airline pilots witnessed a similar number of safety-related issues during the study period. Airline pilots submitted safety reports with greater frequency than did students. Collegiate aviation students in this study indicated that report confidentiality concerns were a factor in this lower reporting rate. The study also found that the perceived effectiveness of organizational safety policies and procedures is influenced by, and inversely proportional to, the number of safety-related issues witnessed by study participants.

Assessing Motivation as Predictors of Academic Success in Collegiate Aviation Classrooms

Assessing Motivation as Predictors of Academic Success in Collegiate Aviation Classrooms

Effective Social Media Strategy for Collegiate Aviation Programs

Effective Social Media Strategy for Collegiate Aviation Programs

Editorial

This JCBE issue, #3 of Volume 5, is the first under my guidance as the Acting Editor-in-Chief (EIC). Sally Johnston, the EIC since the journal's inception, is a hard act to follow. I want to thank Sally for her visionary leadership up to this time in the Journal's evolution. This issue has six articles that complement each other when clustered under two themes: (a) CBE implementation in diverse contexts and (b) assessment and grading for CBE. The articles related to CBE implementation come from diverse settings of context and program. Competency-based education in undergraduate clinical prosthodontics: A paradigm shift in training comes to JCBE from Dr. Mohamed Alkhodary and his colleagues at Qassim University in Saudi Arabia. They explore student outcomes from CBE and traditional approaches in a clinical setting. Concluding that the CBE approach resulted in better outcomes and facilitated increased communication and calibration among faculty, the article contributes insights into CBE in a medical field and raises the issue of faculty subjectivity in traditional approaches to clinical practice and evaluation of student competency. Dr. Julius Keller et al. at Purdue University explore the development of core competencies for an aviation flight program in their article, Justification and development of competencies to transform a collegiate aviation flight program. Their manuscript presents their process in developing competencies in this unique program setting that contributes insights into how a program is moving toward CBE implementation through direct assessment and standards alignment. Development of competency-based training system in Assiut-ITEC: A case study illuminates how CBE is being developed in an Egyptian technical/vocational school focused on training electrical technology to meet local workforce needs. De. Adel Ahmed and his colleague at Assiut University describe how CBE was implemented throughout the training process and provide insights into the intricacies of implementation with lessons learned. The assessment-focused manuscripts raise compelling questions for discussion and debate. Frank Harrison's article, A common grading table inspiring meaningful feedback, presents a grading rubric anchored in cognitive performance. One of the intriguing points for discussion is the issue of converting a rubric level to a grade, a much-debated issue in CBE where demonstrated competency is the end goal of assessment rather than a grade. Alternative grading practices: an entry point for faculty in competency-based education distinguishes mastery- versus standards- versus specification-based grading practices. Dr. Matt Townsley and his colleague at the University of Northern Iowa suggest that grading practices can be an entry point for individual faculty to progress toward CBE prior to full institutional commitment. Dr. Mary Tkatchov and her colleagues at Western Governors University address the issue of “double” assessment in CBE in their article, Reconciling assessment quality standards and double assessment in competency-based higher education. They contrast the distinction between the need for multiple assessments of student competency with the prohibition against double assessment of a competency once demonstrated. My hope is that these diverse, but complementary, articles contribute to the global conversation about CBE, the process of implementation, the outcomes achieved in diverse settings, and the nuances of assessments and grading practices when faculty shift the paradigm from traditional approaches to the opportunities within competency-based education.

Assessing the relationship between organizational management factors and a resilient safety culture in a collegiate aviation program with Safety Management Systems (SMS)

Extant research advocates for assessing and continuously improving resilient safety culture in high-reliability organizations (HROs) such as aviation that has a fully functional Safety Management Systems (SMS). Perceptions on the relationship between four (4) organizational management factors (Principles, Policy, Procedures, Practices) and resilient safety culture in a collegiate aviation program was assessed using an online survey instrument drafted using Reason (2011) concept on safety resilience. Sample was drawn from aviation students, flight instructors, faculty and administrators. Structural Equation Model (SEM) and Causal Path Analysis (CPA) techniques were used to assess conceptual models. Results suggest good reliability and construct validity for survey instrument. All the measurement models had acceptable fit based on various goodness-of-fit indices. The results suggest all four management factors had significant predictive relationship with resilient safety culture. Practices had the weakest predictive relationship and Policy had the highest. Procedures strongly mediated path between Policies and Practices and there was no significant causal relationship between Principles and Practices. Results suggest that more focus should be placed on resilient safety practices in the collegiate aviation program. Significant benefit of this study is the validation of an instrument that explores the relationship between resilient safety culture and organizational management factors and adds to literature on resilient safety culture in collegiate aviation programs. Future studies using this survey instrument and models in other collegiate aviation programs, airlines and airports are highly recommended.

Justification and development of competencies to transform a collegiate aviation flight program

AbstractBackgroundThe aviation industry is facing a substantial shortage of pilots. Per the International Civil Aviation Organization, it is projected airlines will need 350,000 pilots globally.AimsDue to the demand of pilots, most of the conversations are focused on quantity rather than quality of the workforce. Educators and researchers in several industries have advocated competency‐based education in aviation for decades.MethodMembers of the research team documented the consensus decision‐making process which determined which competencies would be incorporated into the flight program.ResultsSix competencies were selected for the hybrid competency‐based education model. Teamwork, decision‐making, communication, resilience, leadership, and technical excellence were extensively defined for the aviation program.Discussion/ConclusionShifting toward a hybrid competency‐based education model is challenging within a large flight program. However, the members of the research team believe the transformation process will improve program outcomes. Next steps include assessment plan development and data collection.

Assessing Cultural Drivers of Safety Resilience in a Collegiate Aviation Program

Organizational safety resilience is a key factor in sustaining an effective safety management system (SMS) in high-reliability organizations (HROs) such as aviation. Extant research advocates for monitoring, assessing and continuously improving safety in an organization that has a fully-functional SMS. Safety resilience provides a buffer against vulnerabilities. Extant research also suggests a paucity in terms of a measurement framework for organizational safety resilience in collegiate aviation operations. A quantitative approach using Reason’s safety resilience concept (Reason, 2011) is used to assess organizational safety resilience in a collegiate aviation program with an active conformance SMS accepted by the FAA. A sample of 516 research participants responded to an online survey instrument derived from Reason (2011). Structural Equation Model (SEM)/Path Analysis (PA) techniques are used to assess models that measure the strength of relationships between three cultural drivers (Commitment, Cognizance, Competence) of safety and safety resilience. There were strong significant relationships between these cultural drivers and safety resilience. Path analysis suggests that Commitment significantly mediates the path between Cognizance and Competence and highlights its important role in sustaining safety competencies. There were significant differences in the perceptions of safety resilience among top-level leadership, flight operations and ground operations. Flight operations and ground operations had higher mean scores on safety resilience than top-level leadership. Study provides a validated model of safety resilience that is essential for SMS improvements in collegiate aviation programs. Future studies will utilize this safety resilience model to assess other collegiate aviation programs in various phases of SMS implementation, airlines, and air traffic control operations.Key words: SMS, safety culture, safety resilience, collegiate aviation

An Analysis of Self-Reported Sleepiness and Fatigue Measures from Collegiate Aviation Pilots

Fatigue can be deleterious to pilot performance. The National Transportation Safety Board has called on the aviation community to reduce fatigue related accidents. Currently, there are few studies and guidance specific to collegiate aviation pilots. The current study is part of a larger effort by the authors to gain a clearer understanding of fatigue within the collegiate aviation environment. Collegiate aviation pilots are a unique group with different schedules, lifestyles, and demands when compared to airline, military, and on-demand pilots. The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported fatigue and sleepiness measures. Research instruments included the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and the Samn-Perelli Fatigue Scale. The research team recruited thirty-two collegiate aviation pilots from a large Midwestern university. Participants were asked to record their sleepiness and fatigue ratings four times a day, at intervals, for a total of four weeks over four months. Approximately 5,000 total data points were collected. Results indicated a significant difference between the times of day. The 8:00 a.m. recording time had the highest median fatigue and sleepiness score. There were no significant differences between the days of the week. However, overall median fatigue and sleepiness scores indicated participants were slightly fatigued and sleepy throughout the data collection period.

Collegiate Aviation Students Perceptions of Female Representation in Collegiate Aviation and the U.S. Aviation Industry

Collegiate Aviation Students Perceptions of Female Representation in Collegiate Aviation and the U.S. Aviation Industry

Collaborating to train the next generation of pilots: Exploring partnerships between higher education and the airline industry

The airline industry is experiencing a pilot supply problem that has dominated headlines across the world. Boeing estimates over 790,000 pilots are needed worldwide in the next 20 years to accommodate growth and staffing retirements. Regulatory reforms implemented in the aftermath of the crash of Colgan Air 3407 resulted in collegiate aviation programs playing a larger role in supplying pilots for the airlines. As a result of the fierce competition for pilots, airlines and higher education institutions (HEIs) have entered into a variety of partnership programs that develop career pathways for students while allowing carriers to secure talent earlier in the training process. Despite the proliferation of these programs, little is known about their structure, effectiveness, and potential challenges. The purpose of this research is to develop a framework of the types of partnerships that exist between HEIs and airlines for the purpose of addressing workforce development. Potential program benefits and challenges are examined from the perspective of HEIs. The methodology includes a review of existing programs and interviews with program coordinators. The research will provide new knowledge about the role of partnerships in meeting the needs of collegiate aviation programs.

Lifestyle and Solutions: An Investigation of Fatigue in Collegiate Aviation Aaron Teo, Purdue University

Lifestyle and Solutions: An Investigation of Fatigue in Collegiate Aviation Aaron Teo, Purdue University

Competency-based Education: A Framework for Aviation Management Programs

In recent years, the agencies that accredit collegiate aviation programs have moved to outcomes-based models. These models benefit from defined core competencies that can be used to drive the development of related program goals and student learning outcomes to ensure program consistency and quality. This article provides a brief description of the process that the faculty at a large midwestern university utilized to develop core competencies for its aviation management programs, and the set of competencies that resulted from the process.

Fatigue In Collegiate Aviation

Fatigue In Collegiate Aviation

Fatigue Identification and Management in Flight Training: An Investigation of Collegiate Aviation Pilots

Fatigue Identification and Management in Flight Training: An Investigation of Collegiate Aviation Pilots

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.

Personality Types and Learning Styles of Collegiate Aviation Students

Personality Types and Learning Styles of Collegiate Aviation Students

Electronic Flight Bag Policies at Collegiate Aviation Programs

Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) are now standard in the commercial aviation industry. Air carriers must implement and maintain EFB training and policies according to FAA regulations. Pilots are also using EFBs at collegiate aviation programs.This study investigated EFB practices at collegiate aviation programs, and how well these practices complied with FAA recommendations. Specifically, the research investigated whether or not the presence of an official EFB policy at a flight program had any relation to the quality of the EFB program. Results indicated that most programs somewhat conform to FAA policies, and in some cases, programs without policies had more effective EFB practices.

An Evaluation of the Relationships between Collegiate Aviation Safety Management System Initiative, Self-Efficacy, Transformational Safety Leadership and Safety Behavior mediated by Safety Motivation

An Evaluation of the Relationships between Collegiate Aviation Safety Management System Initiative, Self-Efficacy, Transformational Safety Leadership and Safety Behavior mediated by Safety Motivation

Personality types of pilot students: A study of an Australian collegiate aviation program

Personality types of pilot students: A study of an Australian collegiate aviation program