Purpose/Background/Audience
With the creation of new composite materials, advanced guidance systems, efficient flight systems as well as a host of new technological advancements the aviation industry has in effect expanded at a tremendous rate. This can be seen in the creation of new Technologically Advanced Airplanes (TAA) as well as the utilization of NextGen systems within aircraft resulting in a far safer and more efficient flying experience for passengers and pilots alike. What must be understood is that as technologies for certain industries get better their proliferation, commercial affordability and utilization increase as well. While there have been significant advances in both the type of technology and services utilized by the aviation industry, such progress has neglected to make significant progress in investigating the dynamics of space weather phenomena and its effect on various electronic aviation systems. Space weather phenomena is the result of bursts of protons and electrons from solar activity which create distinct inter-solar phenomena that can varied effects ranging from solar wind, coronal bursts of energy and other similar displays of energy. Certain forms of space weather phenomena such as Solar Flares have been known to interrupt High Frequency (HF) radio communications as well as satellite signals. It must be noted that the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) utilized in the NextGen systems of commercial airliners are all dependent on satellite signals and even slight interruptions can not only cause a plane to go of course but could prove disastrous should such systems malfunction resulting the possibility of mid-air collisions or even crash landings. It is based on the facts presented that this paper questions whether sufficient investigations have been conducted investigating the effect of space weather phenomena on future navigation systems and if problems have been identified what is being done to resolve it. As such this paper targets the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as a primary audience with its secondary audience being pilots and other members of the aviation industry.
Group/Individual Ethos
For this particular project it has been decided that it will be accomplished entirely by a single individual. The reason behind this is due to the fact that the researcher believes that as a student attempting to attain a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics with a Minor in Safety and Human Factors his current educational level combined with the various lessons he has attained should be sufficient in order to write the paper on his own. It is based on this that the writing process itself will consist of thorough academic research as well as constant consultation from Dr.____ in order to help build up the content of the paper. A draft will be presented on June __ for the workshop as indicated by the schedule with the analytical report similarly being submitted on June __ as per the schedule guidelines. The conclusion along with the first draft of the report will be accomplished by June 15th with the final report delivery on June _ , similarly under the indicated project schedule guidelines. It is expected by the researcher that constant meetings with Professor __ will be necessary throughout the writing process itself in order to ensure adherence to proper lesson guidelines and content.
Bibliographic Entries and Annotations
Human factors in the use of advanced aviation technologies
Thomas, L. C., & Rantanen, E. M. (2006). Human factors issues in implementation of advanced aviation technologies: a case of false alerts and cockpit displays of traffic information. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 7(5), 501-523.
This paper provides a framework for identifying and evaluating the human performance implications of new avionics technology such as the cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI). Several important human factors issues in developing and implementing the CDTI are discussed in terms of their effects on the two primary flight tasks associated with the CDTI: conflict detection and conflict resolution.
India to Have GPS-Based Navigation System: Minister
Jha, L. K. (2010). India to Have GPS-Based Navigation System: Minister. India — West. p. B6.
The article presents that views of India Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel concerning the plan of India to have a global positioning system (GPS)-based aviation navigation system by 2011.
Look at the Sun
Beasley, S. (2008). Look at the Sun. American Scholar, 77(3), 17. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
This article reports that a team of U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineers and physicists has designed the Solar Ultraviolet Magnetograph Investigation (SUMI) telescope to take measurements in the complex conditions near the sun’s corona. It is noted that resulting X-rays and ultraviolet radiation from solar flares can interfere with long-range radio communications, and strong flares can disrupt Global Positioning Systems (GPS). In order to have a clearer understanding of these phenomena, the team has designed the SUMI orbital telescope, whose data could help predict space weather, including the frequency and intensity of solar flares.
Malfunction of satellite navigation systems GPS and GLONASS caused by powerful radio emission of the Sun
Afraimovich, E. L., Demyanov, V. V., Gavrilyuk, N. S., Ishin, A. B., & Smolkov, G. a. (2009). Malfunction of satellite navigation systems GPS and GLONASS caused by powerful radio emission of the Sun.
Poor quality of functioning of GPS during solar flares on December 6 and 13, 2006 is analyzed in this paper. These flares were accompanied by extremely high (unexampled) level of the solar radio emission flux. A comparison is made of these events with the solar flare on October 28, 2003. Statistically reliable experimental evidence is obtained that GPS positioning was partially paralyzed on the sunlit side of the Earth during the strongest bursts of solar radio emission. The obtained results give a serious ground to revise the role played by space weather factors in operation of modern satellite systems and to take these factors into account more carefully, when such systems are designed and exploited.
National Airspace System: Persistent Problems in FAA’s New Navigation System Highlight Need for Periodic Reevaluation
National Airspace System: Persistent Problems in FAA’s New Navigation System Highlight Need for Periodic Reevaluation: RCED/AIMD-00-130. (2000). GAO Reports, 1.
This article discusses key issues concerning problems in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s air navigation system that warrant the periodical evaluation of the program. Key features of the national airspace system; Analysis of pertinent topics and relevant issues; Implications on the aviation industry and aviation policy.
The Fury of Solar Storms
Burch, J. L. (2004). THE FURY of SOLAR STORMS. Scientific American Special Edition, 14(4), 42.
The article describes how shock waves from the sun can trigger severe turbulence in the space around Earth which can endanger satellites and astronauts in orbit. Solar magnetic activity, which causes flares and CMEs, rises and falls every 11 years, and therefore geomagnetic storms follow the same pattern. Space weather arises from physical processes that are profoundly different from those responsible for terrestrial weather. The medium for terrestrial weather is the dense, electrically neutral gas in Earth’s lower atmosphere, whose behavior is governed by the laws of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.
Whose sky is it?
Barcheus, F. F. (2008). Whose sky is it?. Engineering & Technology (17509637), 3(1), 46-49.
Institutions as diverse as governmental agencies, professional interest groups, airline companies, air navigation service providers, universities, research institutes, and equipment and airframe manufacturers have all embarked on a joint venture to create and implement the new system. The thinking behind this development is that the current air traffic system too focused on reactive measures on a tactical scale and that this results in a sub-optimised flow management. To overcome this, the main thrust of the new development concentrates on Air Traffic Management (ATM), as opposed to Air Traffic Control (ATC). This requires that the future ATM be designed around the three basic pillars of aviation: Communication, Navigation and Surveillance and is called CNS/ ATM.
Introduction to paper: (Not to Be Submitted)
With the creation of new composite materials, advanced guidance systems, efficient flight systems as well as a host of new technological advancements the aviation industry has in effect expanded at a tremendous rate. This can be seen in the creation of new Technologically Advanced Airplanes (TAA) as well as the utilization of NextGen systems within aircraft resulting in a far safer and more efficient flying experience for passengers and pilots alike. What must be understood is that as technologies for certain industries get better their proliferation, commercial affordability and utilization increase as well. In fact this degree of technological innovation within the aviation industry has led to a distinct increase in the number of flights within the past decade easily eclipsing the number of flights taken 20 years ago. This has led to the generalized adoption of industry standard practices which has actually improved the National Air Space System (NAS). While there have been significant advances in both the type of technology and services utilized by the aviation industry such progress has neglected to make significant progress in investigating the dynamics of space weather phenomena and its effect on various electronic aviation systems. Space weather phenomena is the result of burts of protons and electrons from solar activity which create distinct inter-solar phenomena that can varied effects ranging from solar wind, coronal bursts of energy and other similar displays of energy. Though there are various different types of space weather phenomena that occur on an almost daily basis one of the most prevalent and most disturbing for pilots in the aviation industry is the so called geomagnetic storm. Geomagnetic storms are a result of solar wind that are capable of creating disturbances in a planet’s magnetosphere resulting in not only sudden changes in upper atmosphere conditions but also have the possibility of causing electrical malfunctions and failures. Other forms of space weather phenomena such as Solar Flares have been known to interrupt High Frequency (HF) radio communications as well as satellite signals. It must be noted that the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) utilized in the NextGen systems of commercial airliners are all dependent on satellite signals and even slight interruptions can not only cause a plane to go of course but could prove disastrous should such systems malfunction resulting the possibility of mid-air collisions or even crash landings. It is based on the facts presented that this paper questions whether sufficient investigations have been conducted investigating the effect of space weather phenomena on future navigation systems and if problems have been identified what is being done to resolve it. As such this paper targets the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as a primary audience with its secondary audience being pilots and other members of the aviation industry.