University Aviation Research Articles

Designing Three-Dimensional Augmented Reality Weather Visualizations to Enhance General Aviation Weather Education

<roman xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><b>Objective</b>:</roman> We designed, developed, and evaluated a 3D augmented reality (AR) weather visualization to investigate whether it could enhance communication about weather in general aviation (GA) education. <roman xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><b>Background</b>:</roman> Evaluations of GA weather training identified gaps in training where students lack the ability to correlate weather knowledge to inflight decision making. <roman xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><b>Literature review</b>:</roman> 3D AR learning objects have been used in the sciences to make representations of multidimensional natural phenomena more accessible in classroom settings, and they offer the promise of enhancing communication about weather. <roman xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><b>Research question</b>:</roman> Can smartphone- and tablet-based 3D AR weather visualizations be effective tools to enhance current GA weather education? <roman xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><b>Methods</b>:</roman> A 3D AR thunderstorm cell lifecycle visualization was designed and developed. A preliminary evaluation of the application for GA weather training was conducted with one certified flight instructor, one university aviation meteorology instructor, one university thunderstorm expert, and three students to assess whether the AR thunderstorm visualization can communicate weather theory and whether the interfaces are usable for learning and task completion. <roman xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><b>Results</b>:</roman> Students’ knowledge of thunderstorms increased after using the visualization to explore the dynamics of the thunderstorm lifecycle and various aspects of thunderstorms. Experts felt that the learning experience met their expectations of what they wanted to communicate about thunderstorm theory. The AR interfaces were rated as usable for learning interactions and produced low levels of workload. <roman xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><b>Conclusion</b>:</roman> The communication of thunderstorm theory was supported by the animation and interactivity of the visualization, and has the potential to enhance current general aviation weather education.

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.

Образ Харкова на сторінках газет закладів вищої освіти міста у 60–80-х рр. ХХ ст.

The purpose of the study is to review the representation of the local and temporal plane of the image of the city in the newspapers of Kharkiv higher education institutions in the 1960–1980s. Th e study uses printed publications of three higher education institutions of Kharkiv – Kharkiv State University and Kharkiv Polytechnic and Aviation Institutes. The research methodology. The study of the temporal dimension of the image of the city is performed following the principles of historical urbanism and imagology. Symbolic markers of urban space have been analyzed using the method of mental mapping. Th e method of oral history has also been used in the study. Th e concept of the outstanding linguist Yu. Shevelyov, who singled out several images of Kharkiv that existed in diff erent periods of its history has come to be the matrix of the study of the temporal image of the city. The scientifi c novelty of the study is that the article explores the image of Kharkiv through the prism of printed publications of higher educational institutions of the city for the fi rst time. The study has discovered that the history of Kharkiv was covered in a rather biased way in the Soviet print media, and some events that were inconvenient for the ruling regime were completely silenced. The presentation of the history of the imperial period of Kharkiv is fully adapted to the Soviet historical concept, in which the vision of the past passes through the prism of class struggle. There is no mention of the Cossack origin of the city and the era of Ukrainization. Instead, the importance of key moments in Soviet history for Kharkiv’s development is emphasized: the establishment of Bolshevik rule and the liberation of the city from the Nazi occupation in 1943. Kharkiv appears to newspaper readers as a largely industrial city and as a center of science and educationaft erwards. Th e brand of Kharkiv is much less mentioned as a city of students and youth. Kharkiv’s urban names are completely dominated by the names of Soviet party fi gures, participants in the struggle against the Nazi occupation, who were not always associated with the city’s past. In general, the mental map of Kharkiv in the pages of periodicals of Kharkiv higher education institutions depicts the city through the prism of Soviet fi gures, values, and symbols. Instead, there is almost no trace of urbanonyms that would be related to Kharkiv’s history. Conclusions. Th rough the prism of the Soviet view, the symbolic space of the city and the idea of its past, relevant to contemporaries, appear on the pages of periodicals of Kharkiv higher education institutions. Th e image of the city disseminated in periodicals served as a repeater of the Soviet vision of history and, in general, contributed to the education of Soviet values in thestudent environment. Modern for readers, Kharkiv looked like an industrial-scientifi c, purely Soviet, denationalized city, the names of objects and monuments of which refl ect mainly the Soviet worldview.

Improving stripping efficiency of double curvature surface on a setup with turret head

The study was performed to develop a method for selecting a rational profile of a profiled flap wheel for a turret stripping head for cleaning parts with different radius of the transverse curvature. Researchers from the Irkutsk National Research Technical University and Irkutsk Aviation Plant designed and fabricated a special PFS-4 (peen forming setup) unit to implement manufacturing technology of large-scale contour-forming components. The unit is equipped with a CNC system, two movable operating elements, a shot blaster and a turret stripping head with four flap wheels. The paper offers methods and criteria for selecting the profiled flap wheel for stripping the contour-forming surfaces of the components, depending on the curvature radius of the latter. A flap wheel with an optimal curvature radius of 40 m was chosen for analysis, which allows a sufficiently large range of profile curvature of the processed components (from 8 to 40 m) to be covered. Profiled flap wheels 100 and 200 m wide with a flap profile radius of 40 m provided uniform material removal when cleaning the surface with a curvature radius from 8 to 40 m without further overlapping with a finished strip. It was shown that wider profiled flap wheels are necessary to increase stripping efficiency. In this case, a 300 mm wide flap wheel can be used for a component surface area with a transverse curvature radius over 14 m and a 400 mm wheel for surface areas with a curvature radius of over 20 m. Thus, comparing the stripping process of a curved surface by the straight flap wheel revealed that profiled flap wheels significantly expand the workability of the PFS-4 unit turret stripping head.

Assessment of Augmented Reality Technology’s Impact on Speed of Learning and Task Performance in Aeronautical Engineering Technology Education

ABSTRACT Objective: This study compared learning and skill transfer among university aviation students using interactive Augmented Reality (AR) technology versus traditional paper-based instruction. While similar AR use and research in university education exists, this study piloted a comparative method assessing knowledge retention and transfer. Background: AR technology is a popular tool used in technical education. But learner behaviors observed like game play and exploration during this study could impact future learning strategy design as AR use increases. Method: 36 university undergraduate students enrolled in a university aeronautical engineering technology program were divided into AR and paper-based groups and compared on first-time task execution times for starting an aircraft auxiliary power unit (APU). A two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test comparing times for task completion was used. Results: Learner task times using AR were consistently faster, replicating similar AR studies, compared to learners using paper-based. However, AR test subjects also took longer interacting with the technology, including gaming-style “play” and exploration of the digital twin AR flight deck environment. This is believed to enhance learner innovation, knowledge retention and transfer, warranting further study. Conclusion: AR users had significantly reduced task execution times. Pre-task “gamification and play” were also observed among the AR users, which could impact how educators and the industry assess and leverage learning strategies when using AR for job task training.

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.

Analysis of Low-Time Pilot Attitudes in University Aviation Association Member Flight Schools

Hazardous attitudes, such as antiauthority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho, and resignation, may increase the risk of accident or incident in aviation. Hazardous attitudes is an overarching term, based on different perceptions and behaviors, which may negativity affect decision making in pilots. The Aviation Safety Attitudes Scale, which addresses attitudes in three areas (Self-Confidence, Risk Orientation, and Safety Orientation), was give to 302 low-time pilots (fewer than 250 hours of flight time). The purpose of this quantitative, survey research was to determine the potential hazardous attitudes of flight school students. Factorial Analysis revealed differences in three areas among the sample: Certification by Number of hours flown in previous 90 days interaction on Safety Orientation was overall statistically significant, F (2,296)=6.333, p=0.002; Certification by Gender integration on Risk Orientation was overall statistically significant, F (1,294)=4.48, p=0.035; and Gender by Certification interaction on Self-Confidence was overall significant, F (1,294)=10.324, p=0.01. The researchers concluded that although the overall hazardous attitudes of pilots are appropriate, there may be additional opportunities for instructors and curriculum developers to continually reinforce hazardous attitude awareness.

Quantitative Evaluation of Pain with Pain Index Extracted from Electroencephalogram.

Background:The current pain assessment methods are strongly subjective and easily affected by outside influences, and there is an urgent need to develop a reliable objective and quantitative pain-monitoring indicator. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using Pain index (Pi) to assess pain symptoms in pain patients.Methods:Subjects were enrolled from patients seeking treatment at Pain Medicine Center of China Medical University Aviation General Hospital from October 2015 to December 2016, such as postherpetic neuralgia, spinal cord injury, femoral head necrosis, lumbar disc herniation, trigeminal neuralgia, complex regional pain syndrome, perineal pain, phantom limb pain, etc., (pain group, n = 111), as well as healthy volunteers without subjective pain (control group, n = 100). The subjective pain symptoms in pain patients were evaluated by Pi and visual analogue scale/numerical rating scales (VAS/NRS), respectively, and the relationship between them was analyzed using single factor correlation analysis and multiple factor regression analysis.Results:Pi levels in the pain group were significantly higher than those of the control group (t = 6.273, P < 0.001), the correlation analysis of Pi and VAS/NRS score in the pain group showed that the Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.797 (P < 0.001); After adjusted for types of pain, pain sites, medication, gender, and age, Pi was found to be independently correlated to VAS/NRS score (P < 0.001).Conclusions:Pi significantly correlates with VAS/NRS score, might be used to evaluate the subjective pain symptoms in patients and has good research and application value as an objective pain assessment tool.

Promotion and Tenure Perceptions of University Aviation Association (UAA) Collegiate Aviation Administrators and Faculty: Administration Perceptions versus Faculty Perceptions

This article reports on a study undertaken to compare the perceptions of faculty members and administrators of the value placed on promotion and tenure. The authors discuss factors including the value of publishing in various aviation publications, sole versus multi-authorship, the geographic venue for presenting scholarly research, and service. They used a database created from a survey administered by Dr. Ruiz of Southern Illinois University (see Pavel, Legier, and Ruiz, 2012). The database contains responses to 20 multiple-choice questions (with additional comments) of 19 department chairs, 10 full professors, 29 associate professors, and 24 assistant professors from four-year collegiate UAA member institutions. Department chairs were considered to be administrators because they have more supervisory duties than faculty and may have a smaller teaching load. The responses were divided by employment classification and institution type (research versus non-research). The authors of the current study found that there was generally little difference between administration and faculty perceptions to the survey questions at similar institution types. Survey responses differed more when comparing research to non-research institutions, specifically responses on the value of scholarship in the promotion and tenure process. However, teaching and service perceptions were generally similar for all groups of respondents; most respondents (87%) considered teaching to be vital.

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.

Promotion and Tenure Perceptions of University Aviation Association (UAA) Collegiate Aviation Administrators and Faculty

This article reports on an online survey study of collegiate aviation administration and faculty perceptions about promotion and tenure workload components. These components include the importance, or value of specific workload components taken into consideration during the promotion and tenure process for probationary faculty members. The authors report on their literature review which focused on teaching, scholarship, and service, the traditional “three pillars” of academe. They conducted an online survey that featured 20 multiple-choice questions with space for additional comments. Participants were 220 professional members of the University Aviation Association (UAA); 87 people responded (39.5%). The survey respondents represent a cross-section of 4-year collegiate aviation institutions and faculty. Seventy-eight of the survey respondents were faculty members of all ranks. From this quantitative/descriptive research study the authors found data to re-affirm the notion that perceptions of workload items used to determine fitness for promotion and tenure are not uniform throughout collegiate aviation. One constant perception was that the “three pillars” (scholarship, teaching and service) maintain some degree of importance in the promotion and tenure process. The authors conclude by suggesting future research that would compare the perceptions of administrators versus that of faculty on the topic of promotion and tenure. The survey instrument is included as an appendix to the article.

Disparities in Weather Education across Professional Flight Baccalaureate Degree Programs

The required meteorology coursework for 22 accredited professional flight baccalaureate degree programs was examined and compared. Significant differences were noted in both the number of required meteorology courses as well as the number of required meteorology credit hours. While all programs required at least one three-credit meteorology course, not all programs required an aviation-specific meteorology course. In addition to the required number of meteorology courses and credit hours, topics within the aviation-specific meteorology courses were also examined. The study showed the topics of “flight hazards” and “aviation weather reports and charts” were identified most frequently in course descriptions, followed third by “weather applications to flight.” However, based on the course descriptions alone, it was unclear if the meteorological theory of flight hazards was addressed in the courses or if the courses only addressed the interpretation of weather hazards charts. To improve and standardize aviation-meteorology education in professional flight-degree programs, a recommendation was made to either provide aviation-meteorology curriculum guidelines through the University Aviation Association (UAA) Curriculum Committee or to form a separate UAA Aviation-Meteorology Education Committee.

Fleet Characteristics of Collegiate Aviation Flight Programs

The University Aviation Association (1991) completed the last report on the status of collegiate aviation programs over two decades ago. The purpose of the current report is to update the field regarding the status of collegiate aviation fleet characteristics. Using existing survey data, collected in 2010 from 38 collegiate aviation programs in the United States that use aircraft or flight-training devices (FTD), fleet size, hours in use, aircraft and FTD types used, and the number of students in each program were investigated. The results indicate that collegiate aviation flight programs have increased their number of aircraft and FTD since the 1991 study.

Instrument Pilot Course Syllabi: A Content Analysis

The purpose of this research was to examine syllabi collected from four-year, University Aviation Association (UAA) member schools that offer Title 14 of the CFR Part 141 approved instrument pilot instruction through content analysis. These documents were examined for elements deemed essential by the research literature. This investigation sought to identify the inclusion of course descriptions, learning objectives, the coverage of topics required by regulation, the textbooks and other materials used, course assignments, evaluative tools (e.g. tests, quizzes, papers), instructional methods utilized, statements concerning class policies, and statements of academic integrity. Also, this study sought to determine if instrument pilot courses included contemporary issues, namely global position system navigation, and how this subject is conveyed to students. Instrument pilot course syllabi were found to vary widely on the inclusion of critical elements. Only 28.1% incorporated all of the recommended items. Few (15.6%) syllabi complied with Part 141 regulatory requirements for subject/objective coverage. The majority of syllabi (71.9%) included GPS instruction however the coverage of the material was very limited.

Why Teach Aviation? A Snapshot of the Motivations and Influences Associated with the Careers of Professional Pilot Program Faculty

The purpose of this study was to identify the motivations and influences that affect the decision of a sample of individuals to enter careers as professional pilot educators at the collegiate level. Six faculty members at four year, University Aviation Association member institutions were selected to participate in the study. Three individuals had a civilian background while the other three followed a military career path. Civilian faculty followed more varied career paths while those of military faculty were more structured. Civilian faculty pursued higher levels of education more for personal interests while military faculty did so due to expectations in the service. Familial and mentor support were both cited as important influences in most cases. The majority of faculty did not directly pursue a career in the professoriate but instead found their way to the occupation in a variety of ways. All but one faculty member were happy with their decision to enter higher education.

Barriers to Work-Based Learning in Aviation Management Programs

To what extent do practitioners of Work-based Learning (WBL) in Aviation Management (AVM) programs agree that these programs themselves, their students and faculty, and their industry partners present barriers to participation in a WBL activity? The population for this study was derived from University Aviation Association (UAA) member institutions, specifically those with an aviation management or airway science degree program that participate in some form of WBL. A Likert scale, 13 question "Survey of Work-Based Learning Within Aviation Management Programs" was developed, tested, and determined to be valid and reliable. This survey was developed to determine the population's degree of agreement/disagreement on the barriers to participation in WBL. These barriers were grouped into four areas: program, student, faculty, and industry partner. A majority of respondents "disagree/strongly disagree" on two of three statements that AVM programs themselves pose barriers to WBL participation. However, respondents "strongly agree/agree" that not requiring participation in a WBL activity was a program barrier. A majority of respondents reported that they "strongly agree/agree" that students are unaware of the potential benefits of WBL. Responses were fairly equally distributed as to whether or not faculty or student characteristics presented a barrier to WBL. For example a majority of respondents "disagree/strongly disagree" that faculty are not interested in WBL. Respondents were overall "undecided" as to whether or not industry partners played a significant role in setting up barriers to student participation in WBL.

Gender and Multi-Cultural Curriculum Issues for Undergraduate Aviation Students

St. Cloud State University aviation students were asked about their perception of completed multicultural, gender and minority (MGM) diversity course requirements and their beliefs concerning current aviation industry workplace practices regarding gender and minority issues. The authors’ goal was to examine how students are being prepared for employment in a diverse aviation work environment. Data were collected through the use of a survey questionnaire distributed amongst undergraduate students (n = 99) about their experiences with MGM coursework. Students were asked demographic related questions regarding age, school year, major area of study, and then were directed to respond to questions which used a Likert-type five point scale. The results were not generalized to the larger post secondary student population as this study is institution and domain specific. The researchers found that respondents surveyed for this study were exposed to the MGM component about non-Western societies. The respondents indicated that qualified candidates should be considered equally for employment regardless of gender and/or ethnicity. Results also indicated that respondents would like the existing work culture to be preserved and they did not believe that the courses prepared them to work in a diverse organizational environment.

The Effects of Pedagogical Paradigms on Aviation Students with Hazardous Attitudes

The Effects of Pedagogical Paradigms on Aviation Students with Hazardous Attitudes

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.