Brandon Gaines, ASCI 202

Dusty Environments  An environmental characteristic that significantly affects the operations of aircraft is dusty environments.  When I first heard this, I thought it was just people being overly dramatic because they had to clean the plane more.  However, a dusty environment can have significant effects on the daily operation of aircraft  (Szczepankowsk, Szymczak, & Przysowa, n.d.) . Reduce Visibility Reduce visibility is among one of the most significant risks of flying in a dusty environment.  When the pilot cannot see, they must rely on instruments to safely navigate the plane safely to the ground.   A Dusty environment can be catastrophic to aircraft as a pilot can easily be overcome by a condition called spatial disorientation and lose control of the plane.  This hazard is especially true to helicopter pilots  (FAA, 2011) . Increased Ware Dust can increase engine wear.  When a piece of dust becomes lodged between the fan and ...

Many states have laws on a minimum amount of training required for someone before driving a car by themselves.   Such is the case with Maryland, requiring individuals to hold a learner's permit and a provisional license prior to obtaining a valid driver's license  (MDOT, n.d.) .   With airplanes being more complicated machines than your typical car and creating more destruction, why would it be any different from requiring proper training and minimum time for someone to receive their pilot licenses?   Luckily, within The United States, a law specifies the minimum amount of flight someone can have prior to receiving their license. This law is 49 CFR §61.109.  While this law is too long to include the entire thing within this blog, some of the basics of it is below: Single Engine Multi-engine 1: 40 hours of flight time 1: 40 hours of flight 2: at least 20 hours of flight training from an authoriz...

  In 1903, 80% of aviation accidents were caused by equipment; however, as reliability has increased, accidents are rarely caused by technology.  Now, 80% of accidents and incidents are caused by human factors.  Its estimated 50% of delays due to engine issues are caused by maintenance errors, which cost the airlines up to $9000 per hour (Rankin, 2007)    What are human Factors? •         Communication problems •         Compliancy •         Lack of Knowledge •         Distractions •         Lack of Teamwork Pressure •         Lack of Assertiveness •         Stress •         Lack of awareness •         Norms   Reducing hum...

 The Changing TSA and the Layers of security: COVID-19 The TSA has many layers of security, some visible, many more not.  Like most of America, the TSA has been forced to adapt to an ever-changing world with the ongoing pandemic. Despite being forced to reduce contact, security has not decreased with the pandemic  (TSA, 2021) .  New technologies are being implemented at more airports, including plexiglass shields blocking the agents from the passengers, contactless ID checking, bag scanners that can see items in three demotions, and software upgrades to the full-body scanners  (Lanzito, 2021) . At some airports, some agents are no longer physically check identifications.  The process has become computerized, with agents merely verifying the computer's results.  A computer photographs the passenger, and the passenger inserts ID into a scanner.  The scanner determines if the traveler id is valid and verifies the travel is scheduled to travel....

The ignition system plays a vital role in the operations of an aircraft powered by a reciprocating engine. At the heart of the ignition system is the magneto.   The magneto has been used successfully since early machines, and the first patent for one was issued in 1914  (Wild & Kroes, 2013) .  Although modern engines on automobiles do not use a magneto due to being seen as outdated technology, they are still the preferred ignition system in aircraft due to the extreme reliability, general ruggedness, and proven technology  (Crane, 2018) . As the magneto is the ignition system’s heart, without a functioning magneto, an aircraft would fail.   Without the magneto producing a spark, fuel would not be able to ignite; without fuel igniting, no power would be created; without power, the aircraft is not going anywhere (except down if it’s in the air).  A failure of the magneto can be catastrophic for the airplane  (Crane, 2018) . Luckily straight...

    Wind shear: It can literally blow you out of the sky.   This deadly effect is a drastic change in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance.   Of these, one of the most dangerous types of wind shear is the microburst.     A Microburst is a downward burst of wind.    Although microbursts are most frequent with severe thunderstorms, even light thunderstorms or even clouds with isolated showers can produce a microburst  (Stiver, 2017) .   The most common cause of microburst is downward pressure produced by cooling due to evaporation within a cloud  (National Civil Aviation Agency - Brazil, n.d.) . Microbursts are most dangerous on landing and taking off, as they can rapidly change your altitude.     Many aircraft have been claimed to microburst throughout the years.  Among the most notable of them and heavily researched is Delta Airlines flight 191 tha...

       In his writing Nicomachean Ethics, the philosopher Aristotle stated, “Each person judges nobly the things he knows, and of these he is a good judge”  (Aristotle, 340bc) . As such, I think any conversation about ethics should begin with a conversation about training. Without proper training and knowledge, any aviation professional lacks the basic requirements to be able to make ethical decisions.  Only when training has been obtained can proper ethics be applied.      The Merriam-Webster Dictionary contains two definitions for ethics.  This blog will focus on the first definition, which states, “A discipline dealing with good and evil and with moral duty”  (Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2019) .        When we examine the first part, “A discipline dealing with good and evil,” we see that ethics can be good or bad.  Good ethics would be an aviation professional deciding to perform the task correctly and fo...