Improve Flight Safety Research Articles

Board 217 - Program Innovations AbstractDevelopment of an Evidence Based Critical Care Training Curriculum for General Surgery Residents using High Fidelity Simulation (Submission #532)

Introduction/Background Simulation based medical education originated in the 17th century. It is thought to have begun with birthing training. More recent and familiar is simulation associated with aviation where deliberate preparation, execution and debriefing have improved flight safety and mission effectiveness. Our general surgery residency program utilizes simulation training for laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures. This is accomplished using mostly passive trainers, although more advanced high fidelity simulators are available and used on a limited basis. A need was identified for non-procedural critical care simulation in the curriculum. Implementation of this new training was limited by the lack of a well defined curriculum or evaluation device. The appropriate amount of time to allocate was similarly unclear. Review of the literature confirms that these are common issues in the field of medical simulation and in training programs across the country. Efforts nationwide to date can best be described as trial and error. Development of a curriculum for non-procedural simulation training is the basis of this project. The desire is to replace traditional experienced based training with a competency based model. The ultimate goal is to develop curricula and simulation techniques that improve patient care. Methods SimMan 3G (Laerdal Medical, Wappingers Falls, NY) was utilized for simulation. Initial efforts followed American College of Surgeons/Association of Program Directors in Surgery suggested scenarios. Subsequently, scenarios were locally developed and founded on basic educational theory. A specific knowledge gap was identified and targeted: critical care and volume resuscitation. Learner feedback was given in formal, detailed debrief sessions as well as via real time critique during or immediately after the training. Multiple issues were examined: number of physiologic abnormalities and patients to present, number of learners involved in each scenario, scenario length, moulage techniques, use of imaging, presentation of labs, verbal interaction with the manikin, latitude given to technicians during the scenario, assessment and feedback mechanisms and overall opinion of utility of simulation training. Data were captured via survey of learners and faculty. Objective learner assessment tools were developed and revised throughout the year. Video of the scenarios was reviewed by independent faculty, verifying initial assessments. Results: Conclusion Feedback from learners and faculty regarding the utility of simulation and its impact on clinical knowledge was universally positive. Both felt learner skills improved. Data obtained so far are insufficient to objectively comment on this opinion. Efforts to date result in the following Conclusions: 1) Scenarios/rooms should run 15-20 minutes each, focus on 2-3 physiologic abnormalities per patient and use up to 2 simultaneous patient simulators/mannequins; 2) Training should include 2 of these scenarios/rooms with 10 minute feedback for each; 3) Learners prefer individual versus group training; 4) Moulage should be kept very simple; 5) Imaging/Labs should be presented similar to hospital system (ie, printed, films, computer); 6) Verbally interacting with the manikin is paramount to realism; 7) Simulation technicians should understand the clinical situations and goals of training and be given latitude to tailor the simulation to the learner in real time. This dramatically improves realism; 8) Learner assessment tools must be brief and should use a combination of Likert scales, objective data and script concordance. They should be used for trending performance and not as the only feedback mechanism to the learner; 9) Debriefing is time consuming and the most difficult event to fit in to the training. Protracted review of tapes and discussion is difficult. Immediate brief feedback at the end of the scenario has worked best. Our simulation strategy continues to evolve. An ongoing project continues to focus on evidence based curriculum development and feedback techniques. This work has advanced the state of the art and improved upon current best practice for non-procedural high-fidelity simulation in general surgery training programs. Many questions remain the targets of future research.

Flight Physiology Training Experiences and Perspectives: Survey of 117 Pilots

Human factors and awareness of flight physiology play a crucial role in flight safety. Even so, international legislation is vague relative to training requirements in hypoxia and altitude physiology. Based on a previously developed survey, an adapted questionnaire was formulated and released online for Portuguese pilots. Specific questions regarding the need for pilot attention monitoring systems were added to the original survey. There were 117 pilots, 2 of whom were women, who completed the survey. Most of the pilots had a light aviation license and flew in unpressurized cabins at a maximum ceiling of 10,000 ft (3048 m). The majority of the respondents never experienced hypoxic symptoms. In general, most of the individuals agreed with the importance of an introductory hypoxia course without altitude chamber training (ACT) for all pilot populations, and with a pilot monitoring system in order to increase flight safety. Generally, most of the pilots felt that hypoxia education and training for unpressurized aircraft is not extensive enough. However, almost all the respondents were willing to use a flight physiology monitoring system in order to improve flight safety.

A risk analysis model of flight operations based on region partition

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on flight exceedances in pilots' operations. With some bad conditions, such as a bad weather, flight exceedances might lead to serious consequences. They are significant hidden dangers of aviation. Risk analysis is carried out to identify pilots' high‐risk or low‐risk operations.Design/methodology/approachA multi‐objective optimization model is proposed for risk analysis of flight operations. An evolutionary algorithm is designed to divide flight operation state‐space into some high‐risk and low‐risk sub‐spaces.FindingsThrough the empirical study of a certain flight exceedance with the analysis model, the authors discover some high‐risk flight operations, which indicate coordination problems in coordinate control of airplane's speed, rate of descent, heading, roll and pitch, etc.Originality/valueThis paper employs a quantitative model to carry out risk analysis of flight operations. The results are useful to pilots' training and may improve flight safety fundamentally. The risk analysis of flight exceedance is one specific case in airlines safety risk management. Some other problems, such as cause analysis of flight delay, aircraft faults diagnosis, can be addressed in the same way and dealt with by specific model adjustments and algorithm designs.

Improving Patient Safety and Optimizing Nursing Teamwork Using Crew Resource Management Techniques

This project describes the application of the "sterile cockpit rule," a crew resource management (CRM) technique, targeted to improve efficacy and safety for nursing assistants in the performance of patient care duties. Crew resource management techniques have been successfully implemented in the aviation industry to improve flight safety. Application of these techniques can improve patient safety in medical settings. The Veterans Affairs (VA) National Center for Patient Safety conducted a CRM training program in select VA nursing units. One unit developed a novel application of the sterile cockpit rule to create protected time for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) while they collected vital signs and blood glucose data at the beginning of each shift. The typical nursing authority structure was reversed, with senior nurses protecting CNAs from distractions. This process led to improvements in efficiency and communication among nurses, with the added benefit of increased staff morale. Crew resource management techniques can be used to improve efficiency, morale, and patient safety in the healthcare setting.

Develop a commercial aircraft pilot job stress model through an experience ability perspective: considering the work experience

Since commercial aircraft pilots bear the duty of flight safety, their job stress is higher than other occupations. Once the sources of job stress could not be drained off, the stress will be accumulated continually. The unbearable stress will injure the commercial pilots in aspects of physiology and psychology and have a critical impact on their flying ability. Therefore, researching on job stress to improve flight safety is a critical path to increase the competitiveness of airlines. This research introduces the concept of work experience background characteristics (WEBC) and constructs a commercial pilots’ job stress theoretical model. Linear structure relation model (LISREL) is used to validate the causality relationships of this theoretical model. The result of this research could be a theory base to improve the job stress and increase job performance of the commercial pilots by adjusting WEBC.

Flying Control and Safety on Plateau Airports

This paper analyzes the various factors affecting the flying safety and flight control on plateau airports, and the problems of flying at plateau airports, pointed out the necessity to modify the pilot model on plateau airport hypoxia condition, proposed the method to analyze closed-loop stability on plateau airport conditions, and finally given some suggestions for improving flight safety on plateau airports

Prevalencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pilotos de aviación civil en Colombia en el año 2005

The human-flying machine interface relies heavily on flight safety. Coronary disease is the most commonly occurring sudden incapacitation during flight and involves factors described as leading to cardiovascular risk. Pilots probably have risk prevalence different to the rest of the population. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Medical histories from January to December 2005 for pilots certified by the Colombian Civil Aeronautic society were reviewed; these were randomly selected until 614 histories were obtained. A 95 % confidence level and 0.5 % accuracy level were used. Data was obtained regarding age, blood pressure, tobacco use, cholesterol, glycaemia, physical fitness, past history, gender, height, flying time and type of licence. STATG 6 software was used for analysing the data and the results were expressed as descriptive statistics. Percentage risk factor prevalence in pilots was as follows: 7.8 % suffered hypertension, 1.3 % diabetes, 36 % hypercholesterolemia, 36 % hypertriglyceridaemia, 36 % had low HDL, 32 % high LDL, 12.8 % tobacco use, 7 % were obese and 6 % suffered from metabolic syndrome. There were differences between pilots holding first and second class licences, more prevalent risks occurring amongst second class pilots. The prevalence of risk factors differs between pilots and the general population. According to the Framingham scale, 8 % of the pilots were in the high risk group so they require specific programmes and strict follow-up for modifying the risk profile and improving flight safety.

Photogrammetry and ballistic analysis of a high-flying projectile in the STS-124 space shuttle launch

A method combining photogrammetry with ballistic analysis is demonstrated to identify flying debris in a rocket launch environment. Debris traveling near the STS-124 Space Shuttle was captured on cameras viewing the launch pad within the first few seconds after launch. One particular piece of debris caught the attention of investigators studying the release of flame trench fire bricks because its high trajectory could indicate a flight risk to the Space Shuttle. Digitized images from two pad perimeter high-speed 16-mm film cameras were processed using photogrammetry software based on a multi-parameter optimization technique. Reference points in the image were found from 3D CAD models of the launch pad and from surveyed points on the pad. The three-dimensional reference points were matched to the equivalent two-dimensional camera projections by optimizing the camera model parameters using a gradient search optimization technique. Using this method of solving the triangulation problem, the xyz position of the object's path relative to the reference point coordinate system was found for every set of synchronized images. This trajectory was then compared to a predicted trajectory while performing regression analysis on the ballistic coefficient and other parameters. This identified, with a high degree of confidence, the object's material density and thus its probable origin within the launch pad environment. Future extensions of this methodology may make it possible to diagnose the underlying causes of debris-releasing events in near-real time, thus improving flight safety.

Constrained Control Strategies to Improve Safety and Comfort on Aircraft

The present paper explores the possibility of applying to an aircraft a novel constrained control methodology known as the command governor to improve flight safety and comfort. The proposed strategy is based on predictive control ideas and consists of the separate design of two control actions: an inner primal linear controller that guarantees the tracking of the controlled variables in the absence of constraints and an outer nonlinear static device (the command governor) that is compelled to modify, whenever necessary, the reference signals supplied to the inner controller by taking into account the limitations imposed by the aerodynamics, structures, actuators, and onboard comfort requirements. The reference signal modification is accomplished through an online constrained optimization procedure, which embodies the future plant evolution computed along a finite virtual time horizon. Two numerical examples are developed on a high-performance military aircraft and a small commercial aircraft.

Description of convective-scale numerical weather simulation use in a flight simulator within the Flysafe project

Within the framework of the Flysafe project, dedicated tools aiming at improving flight safety are developed. In particular, efforts are directed towards the development of the Next Generation-Integrated Surveillance System (NG-ISS), i.e. a combination of new on-board systems and ground-based tools which provides the pilot with integrated information on three risks playing a major role in aircraft accidents: collision with another aircraft, collision with terrain, and adverse weather conditions. For the latter, Weather Information Management Systems (WIMSs) based on nowcasts of atmospheric hazards are developed.

A Real-Time NDGPS/INS Navigation System Based on Artificial Vision for Helicopter

An artificial vision aided NDGPS/INS system has been developed and tested in the dynamic environment of a ground and flight vehicle to evaluate the overall system performance. The results show the significant advantages in position accuracy and situation awareness. Accuracy meets the CAT-I precision approach and landing using NDGPS/INS integration. Also we confirm the proposed system is effective to increase situational awareness and improve flight safety by using artificial vision. The system design, software algorithm, and flight test results are presented. We show our efforts of developing the capability of situation awareness in helicopter navigation.

Individual Protection of Aircraft as an Essential Factor of Flying in Conflict Zones and Terrorist Threat Areas

Individual Protection of Aircraft as an Essential Factor of Flying in Conflict Zones and Terrorist Threat Areas The paper presents ground-to-air weapon threats for aircraft, especially regarding man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) and the methods for reducing the threats. Polish participation in military conflicts along with international terrorism result in increasing threats for aircraft. The conducted analysis result in efforts for providing individual protection of aircraft and new countermeasures. Employment of these systems on military aircraft contributes to improved flight safety in threat areas, however expensiveness of individual protection systems make them uncommon on civil aircraft.

Aircraft Automatic Maneouvering System Using Energy-based Control Technique

Automatic control systems are implemented in aircraft systems as it contributes to improve flight safety due to minimal routine pilot interaction. In classical aircraft control systems, overlaps in control systems often reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall control of the aircraft. An integrated (robust) controller becomes a necessity especially where the stability and performance robustness are top priorities, process dynamics are known and variation ranges for uncertainties can be estimated. The success in implementing a nonlinear controller using the Nonlinear Energy Method (NEM) in the longitudinal dynamics of the aircraft has surfaced the need to design the lateral controllers and its integration to the entire aircraft control system. In this paper, a lateral controller that provides tracking of given roll and yaw commands is proposed. The controller is based on NEM. The proposed controller is applied to an aircraft model developed by Group of Aeronautical Research and Technology in Europe (GARTEUR) called the Research Civil Aircraft Model (RCAM). The robustness and disturbance rejection of the NEM controller is tested. The closed-loop responses of the aircraft in ‘extreme’ flight conditions and the presence of parameter variations indicate that the proposed controller can guarantee stability and performance robustness of the aircraft.

An operational model predicting autumn bird migration intensities for flight safety

SummaryForecasting migration intensity can improve flight safety and reduce the operational costs of collisions between aircraft and migrating birds. This is particularly true for military training flights, which can be rescheduled if necessary and often take place at low altitudes and during the night. Migration intensity depends strongly on weather conditions but reported effects of weather differ among studies. It is therefore unclear to what extent existing predictive models can be extrapolated to new situations.We used radar measurements of bird densities in the Netherlands to analyse the relationship between weather and nocturnal migration. Using our data, we tested the performance of three regression models that have been developed for other locations in Europe. We developed and validated new models for different combinations of years to test whether regression models can be used to predict migration intensity in independent years. Model performance was assessed by comparing model predictions against benchmark predictions based on measured migration intensity of the previous night and predictions based on a 6‐year average trend. We also investigated the effect of the size of the calibration data set on model robustness.All models performed better than the benchmarks, but the mismatch between measurements and predictions was large for existing models. Model performance was best for newly developed regression models. The performance of all models was best at intermediate migration intensities. The performance of our models clearly increased with sample size, up to about 90 nocturnal migration measurements. Significant input variables included seasonal migration trend, wind profit, 24‐h trend in barometric pressure and rain.Synthesis and applications. Migration intensities can be forecast with a regression model based on meteorological data. This and other existing models are only valid locally and cannot be extrapolated to new locations. Model development for new locations requires data sets with representative inter‐ and intraseasonal variability so that cross‐validation can be applied effectively. The Royal Netherlands Air Force currently uses the regression model developed in this study to predict migration intensities 3 days ahead. This improves the reliability of migration intensity warnings and allows rescheduling of training flights if needed.

Factors Affecting Task Management in Aviation

We investigated the influence of ongoing task display "compellingness" on attention allocation patterns and assessed its interaction with interrupting task salience and importance. There are some concerns that the compellingness of flight deck tunnel displays renders the task they support more resistant to interruptions, thus preventing the pilot from noticing cues signaling the need to divert attention to other tasks. Forty pilots flew three curved approaches in a high-fidelity simulation using a synthetic vision system (SVS) display. In addition to the primary task of flying, during the last approach they were required to select the approach path on the basis of environmental information concerning weather. The display layout supporting the primary flight task (tunnel vs. baseline display), the nature of the cue signaling the need to divert attention to the path selection task (visual vs. auditory-visual cue), and the cost of not performing the secondary task were manipulated to investigate their influence on task prioritization. The modality and priority of the cue affected the frequency of the switch to the secondary task. Furthermore, pilots flying with a tunnel display were more likely to detect the change in the weather and were easily interrupted by the secondary task when priority was high. Our results suggest that some of the concerns regarding the negative consequences of the compelling nature of the tunnel display may not be as pronounced as thought. This study highlights the utility of the tunnel display in improving flight safety.

MALE UAV design of an increased reliability level

PurposeThis study seeks to present the initial requirements for medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV design of an increased reliability.Design/methodology/approachShows and describes the successive design phases of PW‐103 MALE UAV.FindingsThe analysis of the performances of the PW‐103 UAV, powered by either a main or an auxiliary engine, demonstrated that auxiliary power unit improved flight safety significantly.Originality/valueSuccessive MALE UAV configurations developed in the design process were aerodynamically more efficient than their predecessors.

The Application of Scenario Based Recurrent Training to Teach Single Pilot Resource Management (SRM) Under the FAA Industry Training Standards (FITS) Program

Research indicates that improving a pilot's capability to exercise sound judgment and make informed and timely decisions may significantly improve flight safety. One approach to this problem is the introduction of scenario-based training (SBT) into flight training curriculums. At the request of the Cirrus Owner's and Pilots Association (COPA), the author developed and conducted four 3-hour scenario based seminars embodying these concepts and collected initial data from the 54 participants. A longitudinal study of this initial group will form the basis for additional research.

Electromagnetic Non-Destructive Evaluation of Fiberglass/Aluminum Laminates Using HTS SQUID Magnetometers

The aerospace and aeronautical industries pay much attention to improve flight safety of the airlines. In aircraft design it is important to couple low structural weight with high damage tolerance. For this reason, a new class of advanced composite materials, named Fiber/Metal Laminates (FML), which combine the best features of organic matrix composites and metals, are used. In this work, a nondestructive evaluation of FML specimens based on an eddy-current technique that uses an HTS SQUID (Superconductive QUantum Interference Device) magnetometer is proposed. The aim is to demonstrate that this technique is capable of detecting the presence of damage hidden by plastic deformation after impact events.

Effectiveness of 3-D Audio for Warnings in the Cockpit

We investigated the application of 3-dimensional (3-D) audio for presenting auditory warnings in the cockpit in two simulator experiments. Pilots had to respond to warnings of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System and to system malfunction warnings. Visual warning displays were always present. The first experiment showed 12% faster response times when 3-D audio was used compared to mono sound. This was only observed when flight path error information was presented on a visual head-down display. No effect was observed when an auditory error display was used because this enabled pilots to pay more attention to the visual warning displays. In the second experiment, only a visual error display was employed, and the effects of 3-D audio and verbal directional information (e.g., "up") were tested. Each type of cue resulted in a 12% reduction of response times. The combination of 3-D audio and verbal cues resulted in the best performance, with response time reductions of approximately 23%. These results indicate that 3-D audio displays can improve flight safety.

A Safer Sky: An Examination of Factors Affecting Flight Safety in Taiwan

On April 26, 1994, China Airlines (CAL) Flight 140, service from Taipei, Taiwan to Nagoya, Japan, crashed near Nagoya International Airport while attempting an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to Runway 34. The fully loaded Airbus 300-622R stalled at an altitude of approximately 1,500 feet which resulted in a fiery crash that killed all 264 onboard (Sogame, Ladkin). This tragedy was not the first fatal crash to the Taiwanese carrier. In fact, CAL has suffered numerous fatal crashes since its establishment, and it has been rated as one of the most dangerous airlines in the world (Schultz). Many argued that the carrier's infamous safety record was a direct result of the culture barriers experienced by its flight crews. Most people agree that Chinese culture is dramatically different from most other cultures. Many researchers also believe that these cultural differences are the fundamental cause of the poor safety records in most Asian nations. The purpose of this research paper is to examine the characteristics of Chinese culture and its relationship with aviation human factors (AHF). This paper will also examine the possibility of adapting the concept of Crew Resource Management (CRM) to improve flight safety.