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•All constructs of the research model correlate positively with a high ECI.•Minimized work benefits and maximized demands facilitate human errors.•Key changes have occurred in ...employment conditions of safety-critical staff.•Safety and security risks are directly linked with work deterioration.•Security risks may lead to safety hazards.
The aim of this study is to map the interrelations among Human Resource Management (HRM) austerity practices, work deterioration and safety and security risks in commercial aviation, during the 2008-–2016 economic crisis in Europe. We initially deployed an online survey among 120 aviation employees from 40 airports located in 22 European countries. An Economic Crisis Index (ECI) was created for each country, combining the macroeconomic figures during the economic crisis. The results of the survey establish a positive correlation between escalating ECI and the four study constructs and detected statistical differences in particular safety and security variables among the sample groups. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews with 23 aviation experts from the survey sample were conducted to explore in depth the reported changes in working conditions and aviation safety. The research model was then tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), confirming that austerity HRM practices indirectly increase safety and security risks through the mediation of the deteriorated working environment. The results of this study highlight the importance of human factors in the technically dominated area of aviation safety and suggest that safety and security should be addressed under a more systemic approach. These findings forewarn of the cost-minimizing policies currently dominating commercial air transport and their adverse safety and security implications, drawing the attention on new and emerging threats such as pandemics that were underestimated until recently.
•A single reaction mechanism capable to model a spectrum of different fuels, includes variety of hydrocarbon molecules of varying degree of complexity and carbon numbers.•The semi-detailed mechanism ...consisting 238 species and 1814 reactions is rigorously validated for multiple neat components for hydrocarbon combustion.
Conventional transportation fuels used in aviation (jet fuel) or in ground transportation (gasoline, diesel) contain multitude of hydrocarbon components and are difficult to be modeled, if one has to consider each of the component present. A typical approach is the definition of a fuel surrogate with a limited number of fuel components. In this context, a single semi-detailed high temperature reaction kinetic mechanism is presented in this work, which contains all the important molecular classes required for the detailed surrogate modeling of a hydrocarbon fuel. The appeal of the mechanism is the suitability for a broad range of technical fuels covering gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. The reaction mechanism for hydrocarbon combustion is consisted of 238 species and 1814 reactions and is rigorously validated for 70 neat hydrocarbon components over a wide range of experimental conditions including combustion setups such as shock-tubes, laminar flames, jet-stirred and flow reactors.
The purpose of this study is to provide a single reaction model that (1) includes variety of hydrocarbon molecules of varying degree of complexity and carbon numbers, (2) has capability to model a spectrum of different fuels, initially aviation fuels, and (3) is compact to apply both in simple (fundamental kinetic investigations) and complex geometries (CFD studies) of combustion system enabled through customized mechanism reductions. The ultimate goal is to resolve the fuel differences using the model predictions obtained from the reaction mechanism that will supply parameters for fuel design and optimization of fuels. Extensive supporting information is available in this work.
Abstract Global aviation emissions have been growing despite international efforts to limit climate change. Quantifying the status quo of domestic and international aviation emissions is necessary ...for establishing an understanding of current emissions and their mitigation. Yet, a majority of the United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC)-ratifying parties have infrequently disclosed aviation emissions within the international framework, if at all. Here, we present a set of national aviation emission and fuel burn inventories for these 197 individual parties, as calculated by the high-resolution aviation transport emissions assessment model (AviTeam) model. In addition to CO 2 emissions, the AviTeam model calculates pollutant emissions, including NO x , SO x , unburnt hydrocarbons, black carbon, and organic carbon. Emission inventories are created in aggregated and gridded format and rely on Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast combined with schedule data. The cumulative global fuel burn is estimated at 291 Tg for the year 2019. This corresponds to CO 2 emissions of 920 Tg, with 306 Tg originating from domestic aviation. We present emissions from 151 countries that have yet to report their emissions for 2019, which sum to 417 TgCO 2 . The improved availability of national emissions data facilitated by this inventory could support mitigation efforts in developed and developing countries and shows that such tools could bolster sector reporting to the UNFCCC.
In aviation, accidents are usually highly visible, and as a result aviation has developed standardized methods of investigating, documenting, and disseminating errors and their lessons. Although ...operating theatres are not cockpits, medicine could learn from aviation.
Chair's Message Span, Robert S
The Air and space lawyer,
01/2014, Volume:
27, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
If so, you are enjoying an unparalleled opportunity to network with and learn from leading authorities and industry experts, including preeminent aviation and aerospace lawyers, senior airline ...executives, and key government decision makers. 1 also hope that you were able to attend our Space Law Conference in June in Washington, D.C. Attendees experienced a full day of panel discussions, kicked off by our keynote speaker, NASA General Counsel Sumara M. Thompson-King.
Fatigue-Related Aviation Mishaps Gaines, Alex R.; Morris, Megan B.; Gunzelmann, Glenn
Aerospace medicine and human performance,
05/2020, Volume:
91, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
INTRODUCTION: Fatigue is a critical safety issue to U.S. Air Force (USAF) flight and ground crew. Nearly 15 yr of mishap reports were analyzed to determine how fatigue affects USAF operations with ...the goal of improving fatigue risk management policies and tools.METHODS:
Summary data for 19,920 aviation mishap reports dating back to 2003 were collected from the Air Force Safety Automated System (AFSAS). Fatigue-related mishaps were identified based on designations provided within AFSAS. Other metrics examined were characteristics such as timing, cost, and
aircraft metrics, among others. Contingency tables built from these metrics were used to assess fatigue-related trends across the aviation community.RESULTS: While only 3.88% of all mishaps were identified as fatigue-related, they are associated with 2.1 billion of medical expenses
and property damage, or 18% of the 11.7 billion total cost of all mishaps included in the study. Nearly a quarter of the fatigue-related mishaps fall into the most severe mishap category and more than half occurred between 0100 and 0700, local time. Fatigue-related mishaps tended to be more
common for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and ground operations.DISCUSSION: Fatigue is very costly to the USAF despite the relatively low incidence rate of fatigue-related mishaps. This is because larger proportions of severe mishaps were found to be fatigue-related. RPA and ground
maintenance operators might be especially susceptible to fatigue and potentially lack adequate fatigue mitigation support and training tailored to their unique operational environment, suggesting a need to improve upon fatigue mitigation tools and strategies.Gaines AR, Morris MB, Gunzelmann
G. Fatigue-related aviation mishaps. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(5):440447.
The global market based measure (MBM) for international flight emissions is poised for launch in 2020, creating additional pressure for improvements of aviation environmental performance. Due to high ...R&D costs and long lifecycle of aircrafts, drop-in biofuels stand as a promising solution for addressing aviation's environmental sustainability. The transition to commercial aviation biofuels remains stagnant, however, despite the continuing progress made in overcoming technological and economic challenges of aviation biofuels. This paper investigates the key barriers and opportunities for biofuels transition from a comprehensive socio-technical standpoint. A multi-level perspective (MLP) system dynamics model of aviation biofuel industry is developed to investigate the adoption process. We assess the interactive mechanisms between existing regimes, landscape pressures, and niche innovations, and propose four possible scenarios of aviation biofuel adoption. From this, we provide policy recommendations and industry level strategies for accelerating the transition to aviation biofuels that balance environmental sustainability and economic benefits.
•From a socio-technical perspective, this paper analyzes technological transition to a sustainable aviation fuel source.•With a system dynamics model, four possible scenarios of aviation biofuel adoption are assessed.•Biofuel adoption is determined primarily by current fuel prices and international pressure for emissions reduction.•With biofuel prices remaining high, balancing economic and environmental performance of biofuels is required.
Although a relatively small contributor to annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions (~2.6%), commercial aviation activity is growing at ~5% per annum. As a result, alternative jet fuel (AJF) technologies ...have garnered interest as a means to achieve large, near-term emissions reductions for the industry. This analysis quantifies the potential for AJF to reduce aviation's CO2 emissions by assessing: the availability of AJF feedstock; AJF volumes that could be produced from that feedstock; the lifecycle emissions of AJF compared to petroleum-derived jet fuel; and the number of bio-refineries and capital investment required to achieve the calculated emission reductions. We find that, if the use of AJF is to reduce aviation's lifecycle GHG emissions by 50% or more by 2050, prices or policies will have to significantly incentivize the production of bioenergy and waste feedstocks, and AJF production will need to be prioritized over other potential uses of these resources. Reductions of 15% by 2050 would require construction of ~60 new bio-refineries annually (similar to growth in global biofuel production capacity in the early 2000s), and capital investment of ~12 billion USD2015 per year (~1/5 of annual capital investment in petroleum refining).
•Alternative jet fuel (AJF) could contribute to aviation industry CO2e reductions.•Significant feedstock & AJF production incentives needed for 50% reduction by 2050.•15% reduction requires ~60 new bio-refineries and ~$12b CapEx per year, globally.•Aviation's CO2 reduction goals will likely require offsets from other industries.
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