Richard O. Fanjoy

International Standardization Compliance in Aviation

The commercial aviation industry is global in the sense that passengers travel around the world from destination to destination. It is also global in that the states of the world (countries) regulate the industry domestically and internationally. There is a unique stage where the world comes together to promote aviation, discuss ideas and establish international standards. This stage is the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The 191 current member states signed treaties acknowledging their commitment to abiding by the standards and practices established by ICAO. No state is 100 percent compliant with international standards, however, and the purpose of this paper was to explore the relationship between the fulfillment of compliance by individual member states and the safety of the commercial aviation industry in terms of fatality rates. Using a Negative Binomial regression, the results suggested that there was a relationship between compliance with international safety standards and fatalities, as well as associations between fatality rates and member states levels of GDP and population. Implications of this research apply to all ICAO member states as the concerns grow over growing air travel and airspace congestion over the next several decades.

Contributing Factors in Piper PA28 and Cirrus SR20 Aircraft Accidents

A large midwestern university has recently acquired Cirrus SR20 aircraft to replace an aging Piper PA28-161 fleet. This change to new and more advanced Cirrus aircraft has led to major changes in the flight program curriculum. New training techniques, guidelines, and operating procedures have been introduced to facilitate a successful transition. This study compared contributing factors to fatal accidents in SR20 and PA28-161 aircraft to determine if there are new risks associated with the subject fleet change. Using National Transportation Safety Board data, this study examined probable cause and other pertinent data from fatal accidents over the past ten years. The data was statistically analyzed to determine if there is any correlation between contributing factors for the two aircraft types. This analysis will help university leaders to identify new risks facing participants in the flight program. Recommendations based on the findings are offered with the intent of reducing the level of new risk associated with the fleet replacement.

An Exploratory Study: Correlations Between Occupational Stressors, Coping Mechanisms, and Job Performance Among Chinese Aviation Maintenance Technicians

Aviation maintenance technicians play a vital role in air transportation. These workers are responsible for keeping aircraft airworthy and executing safety responsibilities. Undesirable stress levels may have a negative impact on work performance (Mowday, Porter, & Steers, 2013). Poor work performance may manifest in safety violations, absenteeism, turnover, and disengagement. These outcomes may disrupt an organization’s operation and negatively impact the financial bottom line. This mixed-methods exploratory research study was aimed at examining the relationships between occupational stress, coping mechanisms, and job performance. Research questionnaires were electronically distributed to frontline aviation maintenance technicians at multiple airlines in China. Eighty-two (n 5 82) completed surveys were used for data analysis. Results indicated a statistically significant negative correlation between occupational stress and job performance. A positive correlation between occupational stress and coping skills was found, but no significant correlation between job performance and coping mechanisms. Additionally, two open-ended questions were analyzed pertaining to occupational stressors and coping mechanisms. Salary, strenuous work schedule, and limited opportunities for promotion were the top three work-related stressors identified by participants. Taking a break, talking to someone, and exercising were the top three coping mechanisms identified by participants. Along with the results, recommendations for future research to identify causal relationships are discussed.

Decision to Use an Airframe Parachute in a Flight Training Environment

The purpose of this study was to complete a qualitative analysis of the decision-making process used by pilots to determine whether or not to deploy an airframe parachute system. A sample of participants from the subject university’s flight training program was selected to complete a scripted simulator flight in instrument flight conditions. During the flight, participants experienced an engine failure while enroute during IFR conditions. The script was examined and validated by an expert panel who determined use of the airframe parachute was the most appropriate outcome for the scenario. Interestingly, only 9 of the 21 participants responded as expected by the expert panel and deployed the parachute system; only three of the nine followed the correct deployment procedure as outlined in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook. Analysis of a post-flight survey completed by participants provides insights into the decision-making process used by pilots and offers explanations on why or why not participants used the airframe parachute.

Stress and Coping as a Function of Experience Level in Collegiate Flight Students

Aviation as an industry requires a high degree of precision at all times. Large amounts of stress have been known to decrease performance to undesirable levels. While stress reactions and the coping skills used after encountering stressful situations differ from person to person, generalities can be made by comparing differences between groups. A large number of pilot applicants receive initial training within a university flight program each year. In order to better understand the perceived stress level and the coping skills used by these students, the current research project administered a perceived stress test and a coping skills inventory to two groups of collegiate pilots: a first-year group (n 5 50) and a junior/senior group (n 5 32). Differences were found between the stress levels and coping skills used by this sample population. High risk industries such as aviation require consistently high levels of performance from employees, regardless of environmental pressures. This is especially the case in flight training, where flight students must adapt to the risks and hazards of the flight environment while learning a new, complex skill set. This can easily leave aviation students feeling overwhelmed. While individual differences play a large role in determining how students respond when placed in stressful situations, generalities can be made using larger groups of students. The current research study measured perceived stress levels and coping skills utilized by two groups of collegiate aviation students drawn from a large Midwestern university.

Flight Skill Proficiency Issues in Instrument Approach Accidents

Despite procedural modifications and advanced technology instrumentation, instrument approach phase accidents continue to be an issue in general aviation. This exploratory study details an analysis of instrument approach phase accidents that occurred between 2002 and 2012. Particular attention was focused on instrument proficiency check (IPC) currency for pilots involved in accidents during the approach phase of flight. An analysis suggests that more than half of instrument approach accidents evaluated during this study happened within three and half months of the last IPC. A leading cause of these accidents was failure to control the aircraft. Instrument training issues and potential follow-on studies are addressed.

Perceptions of Instructors on Student Training in a Jet Aircraft: A Preliminary Qualitative Analysis

A Midwestern university recently incorporated a very light jet aircraft into its training curriculum for the professional pilot degree. This model varies considerably from the traditional pilot training program in an academic setting. It also presented new challenges and human factors issues for the four instructors who completed training with these low time pilots. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to gather the perceptions, issues, and experiences of the instructor pilots working with the first cohort of 22 students to complete a 10-hour familiarization course in a very light jet. A longitudinal survey and a final face-to-face interview were used to gather instructor perceptions across the length of the program, provide recommendations, and summarize lessons learned that could be applied to future training environments. Preliminary findings indicate that instructors anticipated students would be most comfortable with operating procedures and use of the avionics. Instructors believed students would be most challenged by the crew environment, descent planning, and the speed of the jet.