Journal of Airline Operations and Aviation Management

A Review on Weather Impact on Aviation Operations: Visibility, Wind, Precipitation, Icing

2023-08-15T07:18:26+00:00

Meteorological conditions affect aviation, marine, and land transportation, and play an important role in aviation accidents and operations. Wind (Uh), visibility (Vis), and Precipitation rate and amount (PR and PA) are the most important meteorological parameters that affect the terminal weather and in- flight conditions. Weather is considered a causal factor in about 30% of all US aviation accidents (NASA, 1999). Fatal aviation accidents based on the NTSB data related to ceiling, fog, and wind are estimated at 20%, 14%, and 10%, correspondingly. Knowing weather conditions can help to improve operational planning, including fuel consumption and people safety. Wind shear and gust, and turbulence need to be measured or predicted for the flight route and airport terminal weather. In addition, low Vis and ceiling are the second most important weather events affecting aviation operations. Lastly, precipitation type, rate and amount are the third important group of parameters that severely affect the flight operations such as de-icing. Earlier analysis of these events suggested that the meteorological conditions need to be studied in detail to better predict and monitor weather conditions for operational needs. In this respect, both observations quality and numerical weather predictions model simulations should be improved, and both new technologies and statistical models such as machine learning and artificial intelligence analysis should be developed for the aviation operations.

Challenges to the Operational Safety and Security of eVTOL Aircraft in Metropolitan Regions: A Literature Review

2023-08-17T15:29:25+00:00

The start of urban air mobility operations using helicopters began in 1940s in Los Angeles to transport passengers and mail between various locations. However, the concept of urban air mobility (UAM) only emerged in the 1960s. Its implementation used helicopters to avoid congestion by land, typical of populated metropolitan regions. However, there was a severe limitation in using these aircraft because of accidents, huge operating costs, and high noise generation levels. In 2010, a new UAM concept conceived electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. These vehicles, in principle, would be safer, with lower operating costs and less noisy than helicopters. Several aircraft manufacturers have developed dozens of eVTOL models, focusing on the feasibility of using them for UAM in some metropolitan regions. However, we must consider several challenges to materialize this new concept, including those related to operational safety and security. Among these challenges is these vehicle operations integration to the airspace structure and the air traffic control system, the new embedded and ground systems development, the ground infrastructure implementation to support the operations, the reliability of air navigation systems, the meteorological information provision in real-time and with complete coverage of metropolitan airspaces to be used by eVTOL, and others. Despite some similarities, this new UAM concept will not be identical for all urban regions due to differences related to topographies, weather, urban construction patterns and air traffic control systems. Therefore, local studies are essential to support gradual and safe implementations of operations with these vehicles. This paper presents a literature review, identifying and discussing the utmost safety and security-related challenges researchers observe.

Is Safety Always Going to be More Important Than Privacy?

2023-08-17T15:31:58+00:00

Lately Elon Musk published headlines news that has been focused on his private jet and its whereabouts, leading the billionaire to announce he is taking legal action against a 20-year-old who has been tracking his travels. The US Federal Aviation Administration is proposing an upgrade to air transportation that will fundamentally overhaul the current, aging system. A key component, the automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) system, will enhance air traffic monitoring and control by requiring aircraft to continually broadcast position, identity and velocity via unencrypted data links to ground stations. Although ADS-B may enhance air traffic safety and support the increase in traffic demands, open broadcast of clear aircraft data points raise serious security concerns. The ability to encrypt ADS-B message transactions would afford protection to ensure that the confidentiality of aircraft data is not compromised. The implementation of an encryption framework for a large, distributed and dynamic system, however, is nontrivial. This paper discusses the ADS-B as a tool — the way that it is beneficial and the way it could be exploited.

Review of the History of Mesoscale Convective System Forecasts on Aviation

2023-08-17T15:33:35+00:00

Airports are important national resources, and Aviation Weather Services are critical to the aviation industry's success. According to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) analysis of weather-related circumstances that influence near- surface aircraft operations, wind and turbulence caused 1381 accidents, visibility, ceiling height (hc), and precipitation-related accidents occurred 485 times, and aircraft icing caused 150 accidents between 2003 and 2007. Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) arise when cumulonimbus clouds merge into a single entity that can span hundreds of miles and continue for hours, posing a higher threat to aviation due to its size and duration. The mesoscale downdraft of a squall-line MCS's stratiform area sometimes merges with the convective downdrafts in the leading line of convection, and these mergers can produce strong effects, with the gust front surging forward and triggering new convection in the form of a “bow echo," according to Doppler radar. Bow echo events are of particular concern to forecasters because they are typically associated with strong, damaging surface winds. Because MCSs are still a major socioeconomic issue, it's critical to construct climate models that incorporate them, whether through cloud-resolving modeling or parameterization. MCS characteristics are influenced by the increasingly contaminated aerosol environment in most parts of the world, and as the Earth warms, MCS patterns will certainly change.

Aviation and Climate Change: Challenges and the Way Forward

2023-08-17T15:37:05+00:00

There is a broad scientific consensus that the phenomenon of global warming is very likely driving a global climate change. There is also a developing understanding that climate change and air transport have a two-way relationship. This paper aims to identify the possible impacts of climate change on the aviation sector and to discuss adaptation plans that will address the vulnerabilities and will ensure safe aviation-related operations. Climate change is known to cause disruptions in airport operations due to greater and more frequent temperature extremes and changes in precipitation and wind that are very possible to demand increased take-off distances and decreased climb rates. Extreme rainfall and rising sea levels may threaten coastal and low-lying airports with flooding. Changes in biodiversity and wildlife patterns intensify the bird strike hazard. Disruptions also occur in air operations. Increasingly frequent extreme weather events are responsible for air traffic delays. Changing atmospheric patterns and icing conditions challenge aircraft performance and rise flight duration and flight costs. The above risks may have a direct impact on travel and tourism, affecting destination favorability and the duration of the tourism season. All the above concerns call for urgent actions from the policymakers and the industry. Adaptation measures include the development of risk-assessment frameworks and action plans for the major stakeholders, technology advancements to deal with gas emissions and oil depletion, long-range infrastructure planning and investment, the introduction of climate-related regulations, as well as raising awareness and promoting collaboration as key steps in building climate change resilience for the global aviation sector.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Sustainable Aviation in the Middle East: A Study of Two UAE-Based Carriers

2023-08-17T15:39:26+00:00

Middle East aviation industry comprises 4.5 percent of the global aviation market, thanks to its strategic location between all continents of the world and its position as a hub connecting the European and Asia-Pacific markets. The UAE is the biggest aviation market in the Middle East, with a 45 percent share of the region’s aviation sector. This study evaluates the effectiveness of sustainable aviation by analysing the sustainability measures and strategies of two carriers: Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways. Thematic analysis of sustainability reports of the two carriers identified the environmental impacts of their operations and their measures and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in compliance with ICAO and IATA policies and targets within the pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. The study concludes that, despite the strategies and measures reported, the chances that both airlines would achieve 2050 net zero emissions target remains slim.