Aviation Education and Research Symposium
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- ItemPilots’ cognition of airport movement area guidance signs(2010) Lewis, RaymondMovement Area Guidance Signs (MAGS) are designed to assist pilots when they manoeuvre or taxi an aircraft on the airport prior to take-off and after landing. MAGS are standardized by ICAO and are installed on most major airports. Nevertheless, accident and incident surveys indicate the continuing prevalence of runway incursions and incorrect taxi procedures. The current study extends the findings of work carried out by the University of Newcastle into pilot perception and comprehension of airport movement signs. 18 pilot candidates with a mean age of 20 years and a mean flying experience of 25 hours were tested on their interpretation of MAGS during three simulated taxi manoeuvres. The experimental paradigm was more realistic than the University of Newcastle study in that the simulated taxi manoeuvre was performed with reference to a specific aerodrome chart. Subjects were instructed to taxi from a nominated position at Canberra airport to another nominated position at Canberra airport and were tested on their understanding of MAGS encountered en route. Participants displayed an excellent knowledge of the meaning of the MAGS. The mean score was 56.5 out of a possible 60 points or 94.25%. These results contradict the Newcastle study and indicate that MAGS are effective as a navigation aid for ground-based aircraft operations. Further work is indicated where pilots are tested on their cognition of MAGS when they simultaneously taxi an aircraft whilst performing other tasks associated with ground manoeuvres (for example, reading a pre take-off checklist).
- ItemNew technologies in general aviation(2010) Pérezgonzález, Jose D.; Gilbey, Andrew; Diaz Vilela, LuisThis research explored the technological needs of GA pilots at international levels. Overall, single pilot operators tend to value costs as the most important feature of any technology, followed by technology that helps with pre-flight tasks as well as during flight. Remote monitoring, post-flight analysis and 3-D displays are technological features of lesser importance.
- ItemReliability analysis of assisted-GPS technologies for post-flight analysis(2010) Pérezgonzález, Jose D.This research analysed the reliability of an assisted-GPS mobile phone in tracking several flight parameters during a typical flight. The reliability was assessed against that of a GPS-based remote tracking device of common use in aviation. The results suggest that the reliability of both devices is similar, which may prove advantageous to those pilots with lesser resources or less interested on a dedicated tracking device.
- ItemNet profitability of airline alliances, an empirical study(2010) Pérezgonzález, Jose D.; Lin, BoThis study examines the net return for airlines before and after joining an alliance. The research database was compiled from ICAOData, and comprised 15 international airlines as subjects and their net financial results for a period of 11 years as primary research variables. Two variables, the averages of five and three years net performance before joining an alliance, were tested against another variable, the average net performance five years after joining the alliance. Results show a deterioration of net profits after joining an alliance, although this trend was only significant when comparing performance over the short-term. However, the performance of American airlines accounted for most of this trend, which may have being partly affected by the consequences of September 11 2001.
- ItemTeaching an aviation course via video conference – comments and observations on the attainment of graduate attributes and learning outcomes(2010) Lewis, RaymondWhile the author was at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs; Colorado, the author taught an Introduction to Aviation course at the School of Engineering and Information Technology located at the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra. This paper describes the method of teaching this course via video conference. In this instance, teaching via video conference is markedly different to the techniques employed in distance education. This paper will describe the experience of teaching via video conference as well as some of the perceived shortcomings and pitfalls of being a ‘talking head’. The paper also describes some of the techniques developed in order to ameliorate some of the perceived difficulties of teaching via video conference. The results of a student questionnaire and overall learning outcomes will be discussed with reference to University of New South Wales graduate attributes.
- ItemThe effect of propaganda about climate change on people’s desire to fly(2010) Gilbey, Andrew; Pérezgonzález, Jose; Tani, KawtarThe theory of Psychological Reactance suggests that in response to regulations or impositions that impinge upon real or perceived freedoms and autonomy, people may find the restricted behaviour or product appeared more desirable. This reaction is especially common when individuals feel obliged to adopt a particular opinion or engage in a specific behaviour (Brehm & Brehm, 1981). Many sources suggest that aviation has a significant effect on global warming (e.g., Greenpeace). This pilot study explored whether, via the phenomenon of Psychological Reactance, people’s desire for air travel increases following exposure to propaganda about climate change and global warming.
- ItemAirline passengers’ rights to information and the strange case of the right to be informed about destinations(2010) Pérezgonzález, Jose D.; Gilbey, AndrewThis research explored whether airline passengers wanted more rights to know about the safety and economic conditions of their flights, as well as the right to be reimbursed if they decided not to flight because of perceived risks. Overall, passengers agreed somehow on having more safety rights, but not so regarding financial rights. Surprisingly, they also wanted to have the right to be informed about their destinations (hotels, attractions, etc), something that is foreign to the purpose and duties of air transport.
- ItemA pilot test of the effect of mild-hypoxia on unrealistically optimistic risk judgements(2010) Gilbey, Andrew; Mundel, Toby; Legg, Stephen; Hill, Stephen; Schlader, Zac; Ramon, AaronAlthough hypoxia is believed to occur above altitudes of 10,000 ft, some have suggested that effects may occur at lower altitudes. This pilot study explored risk judgments under conditions of mild hypoxia (simulated altitude of 8,000 ft). Some evidence of an increased optimism was found at this level, suggesting the need for a larger scale study with more experimental power.
- ItemIncreased risk of multi-crew operations: examining the effect of group polarisation on perceived invulnerability in general aviation pilots(2010) Lee, Seung Yong; Gilbey, AndrewAccording to the theory of group polarisation, perceived invulnerability could be greater in multi-crew operations than for single pilots. The purpose of this study was to measure the level of perceived invulnerability among general aviation pilots in New Zealand and to examine whether the level of perceived invulnerability was influenced by the presence of other pilots. Whilst it is of some concern that the majority of the pilots exhibited perceived invulnerability, no evidence was found to suggest that the level of perceived invulnerability is affected by a group polarisation effect, although further replication of this study is recommended.
- ItemThe net profitability of airline alliances using referential dollars(2011) Pérezgonzález, Jose D.; Lin, BoThis study revises a previous research in which we analysed the net profitability of airline alliances but did not control for the impact of inflation on such profitability. Using the same methodology, 15 international airlines as subjects and their net financial results for a period of 11 years as primary research variables, we now compared the performance of airlines before and after joining their respective alliances using referential dollars (i.e., constant dollars with 2010 as base year) instead of nominal dollars. The results showed a similar deterioration in short-term net profits after joining an alliance as the previous study did, and a similar behaviour of statistics tests. Thus, the conclusion then achieved still stand after this revision.
