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With the rapid development of the general aviation industry in China, the influence of high-impact aeronautical weather events, such as aircraft icing, on flight safety has become more and more prominent. On 1 March 2021, an aircraft conducting weather modification operations crashed over Ji'an City, due to severe icing. Using multi-source meteorological observations and atmospheric numerical simulations, we analyzed the meteorological causes of this icing accident. The results indicate that a cold front formed in northwestern China and then moved southward, which is the main weather system in the icing area. Based on the icing index, we conducted an analysis of the temperature, relative humidity, cloud liquid water path, effective particle radius, and vertical flow field, it was found that aircraft icing occurred behind the ground front, where warm-moist airflows rose along the front to result in a rapid increase of water vapor in 600–500 hPa. The increase of water vapor, in conjunction with low temperature, led to the formation of a cold stratiform cloud system. In this cloud system, there were a large number of large cloud droplets. In addition, the frontal inversion increased the atmospheric stability, allowing cloud droplets to accumulate in the low-temperature region and forming meteorological conditions conducive to icing. The Weather Research and Forecasting model was employed to provide a detailed description of the formation process of the atmospheric conditions conducive to icing, such as the uplifting motion along the front and supercooled water. Based on a real case, we investigated the formation process of icing-inducing meteorological conditions under the influence of a front in detail in this study and verified the capability of a numerical model to simulate the meteorological environment of frontal icing, in order to provide a valuable reference for meteorological early warnings and forecasts for general aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aircraft propulsion electrification is currently being considered by industry and academia as one of the most promising strategies to reduce air transport emissions and increase overall efficiency levels. In the past decade, several papers were published on this subject, with the majority indicating encouraging fuel burn benefits versus conventional, fossil-fuel-based propulsion systems when future technologies, novel aircraft configurations, and synergistic propulsive-airframe integration are employed. However, a much smaller effort has been applied to the economic aspects of hybrid and fully electric propulsion, which are crucial for a successful product introduction. The present paper describes the modeling of a baseline general-aviation-type aircraft and its propulsion system retrofit with electrified architectures, exploring different electrification strategies for a fixed airframe design. Analyses are performed at the aircraft level, comparing recurring and cash operating costs for several cost and durability scenarios. While considerable CO2 reductions may be achieved in some electrification strategies, aircraft performance is significantly penalized, and important improvements in economic figures of merit are needed in order to make electrified propulsion cost-competitive. Electrified architectures tend to increase costs: turboelectric increases recurring equipment costs, while hybrid-electric increases recurring and direct maintenance costs, especially at higher degrees of energy hybridization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Civil aviation comprises airlines/charters and general aviation (GA). Currently, airlines are experiencing a pilot shortage, partly reflecting scheduled retirements mandatory for airline (but not GA) pilots aged 65 years, fueling a debate as to whether the retirement age should be increased. Herein, using 16–40 years-of-age aviators as a reference, we determined whether GA pilots aged 60+ years (i) incurred an elevated accident rate, employing, for the first time, age-tiered flight time as a measure of risk exposure and (ii) carried an excess risk for cognitive deficiency-related fatal accidents. Methods. Airplane accidents (2002–2016) involving Class 3 medical certificated pilots were per the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) databases. Age-tiered pilot risk exposure represented a summation of flight hours per Class 3 medical applications. Cognitive decline measures were per NTSB field codes. Statistical analyses employed Chi-Square, Mann–Whitney, logistic regression, and binomial tests. Results. Using flight hours as the denominator, the fatal accident rate for older pilots (41–80 years) was unchanged compared with aviators aged 16–40 years. In the logistic regression, no cognitive deficiency measure was predictive (p = 0.11, p = 0.15) for pilots aged 61+ years who were involved in fatal accidents. Conclusion. These findings question the necessity of an automatic disqualification of air transport pilots at 65 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Numerous accidents occur with General Aviation aircraft every year. To date, pre-emptive prediction of survival or death is impossible. The current study aims to identify significant factors elementary to predict survival after General Aviation (GA) aircraft accidents. The Implementation of a scoring system, including these factors, may facilitate emergency control centre response. Data of flight accidents over a 20-year period (extracted from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation [BFU]) was analysed for fixed-wing motorized small aircrafts below 5,700 kg MTOW. Factors of interest were analysed using Chi2- and Mann–Whitney-U-Tests. Logistic regression was used to establish a score to calculate the probability of a fatal outcome after an aircraft accident. The BFU lists 1,595 GA aircraft accidents between 2000 and 2019. The factors “third quarter of the year” (p = 0.04), “last quarter of the year” (p = 0.002), “fire” (p 10 km” (p

Threat and Error Management (TEM) is one of recent safety initiatives to further improve the overall aviation safety level. In response to the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for TEM to be introduced to all pilot training syllabi, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in Australia mandated TEM as an additional assessment item for various levels of flight tests and ground examinations in 2009. The current study adopted a two-pronged approach: A case study to highlight the importance of TEM training, followed by gaining an in-depth appreciation as to how TEM was implemented and its effects of the use of TEM training. A semi-structured interview of five highly experienced general aviation Flight Examiners (FE) was conducted, and thematic analysis was performed for the interview data from which four main themes emerged: 1) Impracticality; 2) Lack of guidance and support; 3) TEM implementation; and 4) TEM in practice. All participants shared the same view that TEM was not implemented well. It is expected that the findings from this study add to the body of knowledge to better inform and provide guidance and reference for National Aviation Authorities (NAA) to develop an implementation plan when considering the implementation of TEM training in their regulatory framework. Our study highlights a notable disconnect in CASA’s operational workforce’s grasp of TEM, impacting trust in the general aviation sector in its significance and application. It should be also noted that since our study, to address this and foster innovation in safety projects, CASA has initiated comprehensive strategies such as workforce planning and actively engaging in Technical Working Groups (TWGs) to harness community expertise for safety improvements. Nevertheless, the findings have the potential to provide information regarding pilot attitudes to future safety initiatives in other rapidly growing sectors such as Recreational Aviation (RA) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).

INTRODUCTION: A gricultural aircraft operations are associated with unique challenges. In particular, these include maintaining awareness of obstacles associated with flight at very low altitudes. Wire strikes are a common cause of accidents in these operations. METHODS: Focus groups were completed during the 2022 Ag Aviation Expo hosted by the National Agricultural Aviation Association with pilots who had experienced wire-strike events (N = 22). The researchers coded the transcripts using a human factors framework. RESULTS: Notably, unplanned "trim passes" were a key stage of flight during wire-strike events. Cognitive risk factors that may have affected their performance included situation awareness, decision-making choices, and pressure to perform. Over half of subjects reported being aware of the wire before collision. Possible prevention strategies include not spraying the field due to safety risks, paying better attention to where they were in the field, and avoiding deviation from the planned route. DISCUSSION: Wire-strike events often occur due to momentary lapses in attention, even when the pilot is already aware of the wire. This study shows that targeted approaches to prevent wire strikes in agricultural aviation operations require addressing a number of cognitive risks and human factors, rather than implementing increased preflight surveillance. These results have implications for preventing future wire-strike accidents based directly on pilot perceptions, both within agricultural operations and general aviation more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to address the lack of research on the application of AIXM dataset (aeronautical information exchange model dataset) in general aviation, as well as the issue of excessive turning nodes in helicopter path planning when using the classical A* algorithm. An improved A* algorithm helicopter path planning method based on AIXM dataset was proposed. Firstly, the spacetime attribute of the AIXM dataset was analyzed, and a query method for AIXM obstacle data based on space-time attribute search was designed, thereby establishing the foundational data environment for helicopter path planning. Then the collision judgment bounding box was constructed according to the performance constraints of the helicopter. Based on this collision bounding box, an improved classical A* algorithm was utilized to propose a method for helicopter path planning using AIXM data of obstacle and route. The simulation experiments conducted using Python and Luaid AIXM 5 Viewer demonstrate that the proposed method for helicopter path planning exhibits a reduced number of turning nodes, decreased frequency of helicopter turns, and ensures a shorter planned path while maintaining the necessary safety distance from obstacles. The method simultaneously represents an efficient endeavor to utilize the AIXM dataset in general aviation scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study highlights the disproportionate number of fatal and non-fatal accidents in general aviation (GA) compared to airline carriers, emphasizing the need to investigate the contributing factors to these incidents. It identifies poor decision-making and a lack of situational awareness as key issues and presents a systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to analyze preflight information used by GA pilots. The findings underscore the significance of operational factors in ensuring a successful flight and suggest modifications to pilot license renewal processes, with an emphasis on the adoption of digital preflight tools. A new theoretical framework based on the operational factors identified is also introduced, which could serve as a foundation for future studies and interventions aimed at enhancing safety in general aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the general aviation industry in China, the influence of high-impact aeronautical weather events, such as aircraft icing, on flight safety has become more and more prominent. On 1 March 2021, an aircraft conducting weather modification operations crashed over Ji’an City, due to severe icing. Using multi-source meteorological observations and atmospheric numerical simulations, we analyzed the meteorological causes of this icing accident. The results indicate that a cold front formed in northwestern China and then moved southward, which is the main weather system in the icing area. Based on the icing index, we conducted an analysis of the temperature, relative humidity, cloud liquid water path, effective particle radius, and vertical flow field, it was found that aircraft icing occurred behind the ground front, where warm-moist airflows rose along the front to result in a rapid increase of water vapor in 600–500 hPa. The increase of water vapor, in conjunction with low temperature, led to the formation of a cold stratiform cloud system. In this cloud system, there were a large number of large cloud droplets. In addition, the frontal inversion increased the atmospheric stability, allowing cloud droplets to accumulate in the low-temperature region and forming meteorological conditions conducive to icing. The Weather Research and Forecasting model was employed to provide a detailed description of the formation process of the atmospheric conditions conducive to icing, such as the uplifting motion along the front and supercooled water. Based on a real case, we investigated the formation process of icing-inducing meteorological conditions under the influence of a front in detail in this study and verified the capability of a numerical model to simulate the meteorological environment of frontal icing, in order to provide a valuable reference for meteorological early warnings and forecasts for general aviation.

Introduction: Flights of general aviation aircraft in icing conditions pose safety hazards especially since few airplanes are equipped with ice protection systems (FIKI). Herein, we sought to answer the following questions not previously addressed: (i) Has the general aviation icing-related accident rate declined over time? (ii) Which phase(s) of flight lead(s) to the highest fraction of fatal accidents? (iii) Do general aviation pilots adhere to safe practices when operating in forecasted icing? Methods: Retrospectively, icing-related accidents were per the National Transportation Safety Board database. Prospectively, non-FIKI single-engine airplanes, operating in forecasted icing, were tracked (January-March 2023) using FlightAwareR. Presumptive icing was determined with METARs/modelled Skew-T data. Statistical tests employed Poisson distributions/Pearson chi-square analyses. Results: In a retrospective analysis, despite a nonstatistical (p 5 0.621) downward trend in icing-related accidents (2000-2019), over half of mishaps were fatal, a fraction unchanged (p 5 0.842) over the two decades. Loss-of-control represented the terminating event with the highest proportion of fatal outcomes (85%). Accidents involving takeoff-climb ice accretion were overrepresented for fatal outcomes (66%). In a prospective study arm, of 300 non-FIKI flights operating in forecasted icing and tracked in real time, 65% departed or descended/landed (44%) in presumptive icing. Conclusions: A modest downward trend in icing-related accident rate and an undiminished high fraction of fatal mishaps rationalize focused training of pilots operating non-FIKI aircraft in areas prone to icing. Specifically, two novel observations warrant emphasis: (i) an approximately threefold higher icing-related fatal accident fraction compared with all general aviation accidents and (ii) the high proportion of lethal mishaps due to takeoff-climb ice accretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While commercial aviation has received considerable social, political, and scholarly attention, general aviation (GA) has largely operated beneath the radar of sustainability discourse. GA grapples with a spectrum of sustainability challenges, encompassing the persistent use of leaded aviation gasoline, outdated technology, evolving demographics, escalating operational costs, noise pollution, adverse environmental perceptions, and public discontent. The sustainability transition in GA, akin to other transport sectors, is an intricate, sociotechnical process necessitating the integration of stakeholder and community perspectives. Existing literature primarily concentrates on technological aspects, offering a partial view of GA stakeholder viewpoints. This paper draws on quantitative methodology and conducts several statistical analyses, foremost ANOVA, t-tests, and regressions, of data from a 2022 online survey (N = 427) involving a diverse range of GA stakeholders. This study examines sustainability consciousness and perceptions within the GA community. The findings underscore shared sustainability concerns among GA stakeholders and illustrate how sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, income, and education exert varying degrees of influence on these perceptions. Additionally, a positive relationship emerges between non-aviation-related and aviation-related sustainability consciousness. Lastly, pilots with prior experience in electric aircraft display a more favorable view of electric aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Civil aviation comprises airlines/charters and general aviation (GA). Currently, airlines are experiencing a pilot shortage, partly reflecting scheduled retirements mandatory for airline (but not GA) pilots aged 65 years, fueling a debate as to whether the retirement age should be increased. Herein, using 16–40 years-of-age aviators as a reference, we determined whether GA pilots aged 60+ years (i) incurred an elevated accident rate, employing, for the first time, age-tiered flight time as a measure of risk exposure and (ii) carried an excess risk for cognitive deficiency-related fatal accidents. Methods. Airplane accidents (2002–2016) involving Class 3 medical certificated pilots were per the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) databases. Age-tiered pilot risk exposure represented a summation of flight hours per Class 3 medical applications. Cognitive decline measures were per NTSB field codes. Statistical analyses employed Chi-Square, Mann–Whitney, logistic regression, and binomial tests. Results. Using flight hours as the denominator, the fatal accident rate for older pilots (41–80 years) was unchanged compared with aviators aged 16–40 years. In the logistic regression, no cognitive deficiency measure was predictive (p = 0.11, p = 0.15) for pilots aged 61+ years who were involved in fatal accidents. Conclusion. These findings question the necessity of an automatic disqualification of air transport pilots at 65 years of age.

This article presents a model enabling more effcient air traffic management achieved by better data use. Appropriate resource allocation is possible if it is based on a high quality air traffic volume forecast. The proposed approach is inspired by procedures used in flow management in air traffic control. Staff planning in controlled airspace is easier because almost all operations are communicated in the submitted flight plan. Short-term prediction of the number of operations in uncontrolled airspace is a much more challenging task. It is correlated with weather parameters and moreover, it naturally fluctuates throughout the day and the season. The relationship between General Aviation (GA) traffic volume and meteorological conditions were modeled using neural network. The obtained results confirm that it is possible to use the decision support system to plan the number of operational sectors. The described results open a scientific discussion about designing tools predicting air traffic volume in uncontrolled airspace. The accuracy of the model can be improved by processing data from additional sources, but it is associated with a significant increase in the complexity of the solution.

A numerical study of the dynamic performance of a circulation controlled (CC) airfoil is performed to explore the feasibility of using circulation control as means of gust suppression. Steady and unsteady two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were initially validated using published data. The dynamic performance of a CC airfoil was subsequently assessed. The response of the CC airfoil to step and sinusoidal inputs were obtained from unsteady CFD simulations. It was found that the actuation speed of circulation control is significantly faster than a conventional mechanical flap at the same flight condition. Additionally, the lift response to a step input was found to be very similar to the Küssner function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A safety management system may benefit General Aviation by increasing safety and reducing accident rates. This paper aims to systematically review the existing literature in targeted databases for gaps concerning general aviation safety management systems. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology provided the overall structure. Science Direct®, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's Scholarly Commons, and the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) website were the three publicly available sources. Initial search criteria included PDF research articles (2006-2022), including the terms safety management system and general aviation. Additionally, keyword searches for the terms policy, promotion, risk management, and assurance guided the analysis. A final case review was conducted to eliminate faulty connections and false positive word matches. Bias may exist in this project due to the single author and lack of additional reviewers. However, two strategies were employed to maximally reduce unintended bias: (1) software-generated keyword searches and (2) a 1-week delay between reviews. The initial search returned 197 listings. Twenty-nine records remained after multiple rounds of elimination and review. The results suggest that general aviation participants receive minimalistic exposure to the benefits of the safety management system. Seven FAA publications showed little evidence of a safety management system within general aviation. Twenty-two research articles demonstrated a strong understanding of the safety management system's components, especially safety risk management. As a result of this review, it is recommended that the FAA explore the feasibility of incorporating additional safety management system education, awareness, and best practices. Additionally, future research should explore contributing factors related to the benefits of establishing a safety management system in general aviation operations. This project did not require any funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Wire strikes and in-air collisions with obstacles are a leading cause of accidents in the aerial application industry. While some of these collisions occur due to unseen obstacles, some pilots report being previously aware of the obstacles that they collide with. Whether or not pilots are aware of obstacles pre-collision is an important factor to inform methods of accident prevention. METHODS: Final reports from the National Transportation Safety Board were analyzed for Part 137 Agricultural Operation accidents that took place between January 2020 and December 2022. A deeper analysis of cases that involved an in-air collision with an obstacle was performed, excluding cases that were attributable to an external cause (e.g., aerodynamic stall). The pilot's awareness of the obstacle pre-accident was inferred from accident narratives if available. RESULTS: Nearly half of all accidents (N = 45 of 107) involved an in-air collision with an obstacle (e.g., wire, tree, pole) as the defining event. In cases where pilot awareness of the obstacle was determinable through the accident report, over half of pilots (N = 21 of 39) had previously seen this obstacle yet still made contact with it. DISCUSSION: In-air obstacle collisions make up a substantial portion of accidents within Part 137 Agricultural Operations. Nearly half of pilots were already aware of the obstacle before collision, indicating that inadequate preparation in scoping the field is not a predominant driver of these events. Instead, these findings suggest that other factors including distractions, high task difficulty, and errors in decision-making may contribute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: General aviation (GA), mainly comprised of light (=12,500 lb) aircraft, maintains an inferior safety record compared with air carriers. To improve safety, aeronautical decision-making (ADM) practices have been advocated to GA pilots since 1991. Herein, we determined the extent to which GA pilots disregard such practices. METHODS: Fatal accidents (1991-2019) involving private pilots (PPLs) in single-engine airplanes were identified (N = 1481) from the National Transportation Safety Board AccessR database. Of these, deficient go/no-go and in-flight ADM-related mishaps were scored using the PAVE (pilot, aircraft, environment, external pressure)/IMSAFE (illness, medicine, stress, alcohol, fatigue, eating) and PPP (perceive, process, perform) models, respectively. Statistical testing used Poisson distributions, Fisher exact tests, and Mann-Whitney U-tests. RESULTS: Of the 1481 accidents, 846 were identified as deficient ADM-related. Electing to depart into a hazardous environment (PAVE), disregarding wellness (IMSAFE), and poor aircraft familiarity (PAVE) represented the most common categories (54%, 21%, and 20%, respectively) of errant go/no-go ADM. A 64% decline in fatal accidents related to errant go/no-go decisions for the environment category was evident over the 30-yr period, with little decrements in the other domains. Within the errant environment-related category accidents, the decision to depart into forecasted adverse weather (e.g., degraded visibility, icing, thunderstorms) constituted the most prevalent subcategory (56%, N = 195). Surprisingly, of this subcategory, accidents were overrepresented by over nine- and threefold for instrument-rated PPLs disregarding icing and thunderstorm forecasts, respectively. CONCLUSION: With little decrement in ADM-related accidents in the pilot, aircraft, and external pressure domains, new strategies to address such deficiencies for PPLs are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aviation gasoline is a fuel for spark-ignition piston internal combustion engines, which are usually used in light aircraft (small aviation and general aviation). This technique is widely used for regional and interregional transportation, for the initial training and retraining of aviation staff, for private use, for agricultural purposes, for the development of aviation sports and tourism, and for combat and rescue operations. This article gives some estimates of the production and consumption of aviation gasoline in the EU, North and South America, Asia–Pacific, Africa, and CIS countries. Export possibilities and the reliance on import within different regions are analyzed. Economic indicators for aviation gasoline are calculated by assessing the share of its production in the GDP and per capita consumption. In the context of the transition to unleaded aviation gasoline, the structure of the piston aviation fleet and its readiness for the transition are considered. The paper also analyzes the following existing components of unleaded aviation gasoline: technical capabilities and promising components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stall/spin is the most serious safety problem faced by general aviation aircraft in left boundary of flight envelope. The statistics of stall/spin accidents show that, the catastrophic consequences of stall/spin cannot be avoided although the aircraft has the ability to recover from spin. In order to avoid the tendency of aircraft to inadvertently depart controlled flight, the construction method of a layered defense system for the safety of general aviation aircraft in left boundary of flight envelope is proposed by improving the pilot′s state awareness, enhancing the aircraft deviation resistance and reducing the damage of loss of control, which is based on the concept of "layered defenses", and analysis of revised stall/spin clause in the new FAR-23 airworthiness standards and the accepted compliance methods. The proposed method can help the general aviation aircraft better meet the requirements of the stall/spin airworthiness standards, and achieve the purpose of improving flight safety in left boundary of flight envelope.

This study highlights the disproportionate number of fatal and non-fatal accidents in general aviation (GA) compared to airline carriers, emphasizing the need to investigate the contributing factors to these incidents. It identifies poor decision-making and a lack of situational awareness as key issues and presents a systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to analyze preflight information used by GA pilots. The findings underscore the significance of operational factors in ensuring a successful flight and suggest modifications to pilot license renewal processes, with an emphasis on the adoption of digital preflight tools. A new theoretical framework based on the operational factors identified is also introduced, which could serve as a foundation for future studies and interventions aimed at enhancing safety in general aviation.

To address the route optimization problem in the dispatching of different aircraft types for forest fire rescue in general aviation, a multi-aircraft adaptive three-dimensional improved A ∗ route optimization algorithm was proposed. The traditional A ∗ algorithm was known for its drawbacks such as high search node count, slow computation speed, and restricted two-dimensional space. To overcome these challenges, the performance limitations of different rescue aircraft was comprehensively considered during actual flight and improves search nodes in three-dimensional space. Additionally, a cost function that accounts for rescue cost was proposed, and an adaptive method was utilized to dynamically adjust weight. Simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm can effectively reduce route planning time and route length, accelerate the generation speed of rescue plans, and improve the efficiency of fleet dispatching for rescue operations. This algorithm is more consistent with the actual flight for forest fire rescue in general aviation. The research findings can provide a theoretical basis for improving the efficiency of forest fire rescue in general aviation and have some reference value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the shortcomings of the previous latitude and longitude based airspace usage and expression methods in terms of precision and dynamics of rescue mission modeling, a rasterized modeling method was proposed for forest fire rescue flight airspace. Corresponding to the key points of forest fire rescue such as water sources, flight routes, fire areas, the basic elements of low-altitude rescue flight airspace was designed as point airspace, linear airspace and surface airspace three categories. Based on the GeoSOT grid modeling method, the dynamic airspace model of the airspace in the horizontal and vertical directions was constructed by using a positive hexagonal grid to dissect the emergency flight airspace based on the mean sea level. Design an airspace grid coding system that includes attributes such as grid address, altitude, and use type, which can support the establishment of a dynamic management structure for emergency flight airspace. A forest fire rescue flight operation scenario was used as an example to verify the feasibility of the given airspace rasterization modeling method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The geographical circumstances, such as mountains and ocean, and specific aviation operations, especially sightseeing, make the state of Hawaii stand out in aviation. These conditions support a regional approach to aviation accident analysis. METHODS: Accident reports of aviation accidents collected from the online National Transportation Safety Board database were used to study a 10-yr time period between 2008 and 2017. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher proportion of fatal accidents during night, dawn, and dusk (6 out of 13) than during daytime (13 out of 74). In addition, a significantly higher proportion of accidents occurred in diminished light conditions among fixed wing airplanes (11 out of 48) as opposed to other aircraft (2 out of 39), and among twin-engine aircraft (6 out of 12) as opposed to single-engine aircraft (7 out of 74). Out of seven weight-shift control aviation accidents, four were reported to be fatal; the latter all took place during instruction. DISCUSSION: Light conditions are the main environmental concern in Hawaiian aviation that particularly affect twin-engine fixed wing aircraft and warrant specific attention in advanced training exercises. Helicopter operations have not exhibited a diminished safety record since the 1990s, showing a lasting effect of a previous safety intervention. A relatively high number of fatal weight-shift control aircraft accidents requires further research in other parts of the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel use of in-flight data to proactively inform safety deficiencies in light aircraft operating in mountainous regions. • Majority of aviators traversing mountainous terrain disregarded ridge-level winds hazardous to light aircraft. • The majority of aviators failed to plan adequately for powerplant failure regarding glide distance to level terrain. • Expanded use of satellite-based in-flight data to inform safety deficiencies/implement corrective measures for improved light aircraft safety is advocated. Background: Air carriers, but not general aviation, have long employed in-flight data to identify risks/implement corrective measures for improved safety. Herein, using in-flight data, aircraft (in non-instrument-rated private pilots (PPLs) ownership) operations in two potentially hazardous environments (mountains, degraded visibility) were researched for safety practice deficiencies. Four questions were posed, the first two related to mountainous terrain operations: were aircraft (a) flown with hazardous ridge-level winds, (b) within gliding distance of level terrain? Regarding degraded visibility, did aviators (c) depart with low cloud ceilings (≤3,000 ft.), (d) fly at night away from urban lighting? Methods: The study cohort comprised: (a) single engine aircraft in sole PPL proprietorship (b) registered in Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B-Out) equipage-required locations prone to low cloud ceilings in three mountainous states. ADS-B-Out data for cross-country flights (>200 nm) were collected. Results: 250 flights (50 airplanes) were tracked (spring/summer 2021). For aircraft transiting areas subject to mountain winds influences, 65% completed one/multiple flights with potentially hazardous ridge-level winds. Two thirds of airplanes traversing mountainous topography would have, for at least one flight, been unable to glide to level terrain with a powerplant failure. Encouragingly, flight departures for 82% of the aircraft were with >3,000 ft. cloud ceilings. Likewise, flights for >86% of the study cohort were undertaken during daylight. Employing a risk scale, operations for 68% of the study cohort did not exceed low-risk (i.e., ≤1 unsafe practice) and high-risk flight(s) (three concurrent unsafe practices) were rare (4% of airplanes). In log-linear analysis, no interactions were evident between the four unsafe practices (p = 0.602). Discussion: Hazardous winds and inadequate engine failure planning were identified as safety deficiencies for general aviation mountain operations. Practical Application : This study advocates for the expanded use of ADS-B-Out in-flight data to inform safety deficiencies/implement corrective measures toward improving general aviation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article defines the dominant position of general aviation to ensure passenger transportation, to render the sanitary aviation and the Ministry of Emergencies services, taking into consideration the natural and climatic conditions of the Russian Federation Eastern Arctic. It analyzes the current state of the transport system of this territory, which is characterized by the railway communication lack, available roads for only seasonal purpose – winter roads, and the key role of water transport in the organization of freight transport based on the complex long-term (more than one year) multimodal delivery schemes, extremely high cost of regional and local air transportation. The purpose of the study is to analyze the state of the general aviation system in the Eastern Arctic of Russia and identify the factors, constraining its development, and to formulate proposals for their elimination. The article examines the state of the operating airport network, route network and operators’ fleet of aircraft – in service which render services to these territories. The limited airport network does not provide aviation accessibility to each settlement of the Arctic zone and causes transport discrimination. The lack of scheduled flights in local communication leads to increased waiting time for transportation and reduces demand. The outdated general aviation fleet with low economic efficiency is outcompeted by the helicopter service. The cost of a helicopter flight hour in the Arctic is 500–650 thousand rubles. The article considers the legal restrictions, that are associated with overstated requirements for companies and aviation enterprises serving the general aviation activities and hinder the development of local air transportation in the Arctic zone. Based on the analysis of foreign experience, the areas of focus to improve the Russian legislation, regulating the general aviation activities, which will allow us to reduce the costs to maintain the airport network, thereby stimulating its expansion for the purpose of increasing the level of transport accessibility to remote settlements of the Arctic zone, are proposed. The proposed measures to improve the air transport system in the Arctic zone are aimed to achieve the formulated targets.

Aviation gasoline is a fuel for spark-ignition piston internal combustion engines, which are usually used in light aircraft (small aviation and general aviation). This technique is widely used for regional and interregional transportation, for the initial training and retraining of aviation staff, for private use, for agricultural purposes, for the development of aviation sports and tourism, and for combat and rescue operations. This article gives some estimates of the production and consumption of aviation gasoline in the EU, North and South America, Asia–Pacific, Africa, and CIS countries. Export possibilities and the reliance on import within different regions are analyzed. Economic indicators for aviation gasoline are calculated by assessing the share of its production in the GDP and per capita consumption. In the context of the transition to unleaded aviation gasoline, the structure of the piston aviation fleet and its readiness for the transition are considered. The paper also analyzes the following existing components of unleaded aviation gasoline: technical capabilities and promising components.

The traditional assessment method of airport apron operation has the disadvantage of determining the index weight,and there are too many subjective judgment for membership degree determining in the fuzzy evaluation method. In combination with the operation characteristics of general airport apron,the assessment index system is established,and the variable weight and relative difference function method is used to assess the safety risks of general airport apron operations. Firstly,the variable weight theory is used to adjust the constant weight of each evaluation index. And then the relative difference function is used to determine the single factor on membership degree of each safety level,so as to eliminate the limitation of fuzzy adjustment membership vector given by experts’experience and knowledge. Finally,the risk value is calculated to obtain the risk level of airport apron operation. The results show that the risk level calculation result is correct,and the proposed method can reflect the impact of risk sources on risk assessment value objectively.

Despite increasing discussions concerning the recently published wing spar airworthiness directive (AD) that affects many training aircraft and several current ADs for wing struts, there remains limited objective literature on incidents of wing separation or mid-air breakup. This paper attempts to report and analyse instances of wing separation and mid-air breakup of light training aircraft. A careful review of the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aircraft accident database revealed that wing separations were more likely occur as mid-air breakup in PA28s than 172s/182s (OR: 3.06, 95 % CI: 1.3682 to 6.8536, p = .008). Additionally, wing separations were less likely to occur as mid-air breakups in the strutted 172s/182s than 177s/210s that don’t have a wing strut (OR: 0.11, 95 % CI: 0.04 to 0.29, p =

• In general aviation, the proportion of fatal go-around accidents has increased. • The timing of the go-around decision in various circumstances needs more training. • Recent training updates have not resulted in better go-around accident statistics. Introduction: Changes in General Aviation (GA) accident rates, specifically in the go-around phase, are examined by comparing the number of accidents, the proportion of fatal accidents, and the proportion of certain causes of accidents over time. Methods: Two sets of accidents from 2000 to 2004 and from 2013 to 2017 were extracted from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) online database. Results: Although the total number of GA accidents per landing significantly decreased over time, the proportion of fatal accidents in the go-around phase increased. Fatalities most often occurred in instrument meteorological conditions. Conclusion: Advances in technology and training show improvements in GA accident rates, but not for accidents in the go-around phase. Practical Applications: Scenario-based learning is recommended to include specific instruction concerning the timing of go-around procedures in unstable flights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the maximum take-off mass ( M T O M ) of a 19-seat fuel cell aircraft with similar characteristics to a conventional 19-seat aircraft is estimated using the combination of a rapid method and semi-empirical equations. The study shows that the M T O M of a 19-seat fuel cell aircraft with current technology would be 25% greater than that of a conventional aircraft. However, with the expected technological improvements, the M T O M of a 19-seat fuel cell aircraft could reach lower values than that of a conventional aircraft. The most important parameter affecting the M T O M of fuel cell aircraft is the power-to-weight ratio of the fuel cells. If this ratio of fuel cell aircraft does not improve significantly in the future, fuel cell aircraft with lower power loading will become the preferred choice; thus, certain trade-offs in flight performance, such as a longer takeoff distance, will be accepted. The study provides the basis for further economic analysis of fuel cell aircraft, which has yet to be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a model enabling more effcient air traffic management achieved by better data use. Appropriate resource allocation is possible if it is based on a high quality air traffic volume forecast. The proposed approach is inspired by procedures used in flow management in air traffic con trol. Staff planning in controlled airspace is easier because almost all operations are communicated in the submitted flight p lan. Short-term prediction of the number of operations in uncontrolled airspace is a much more challenging task. It is correlated with weather parameters and moreover, it naturally fluctuates throughout the day and the season. The relationship between General Aviation (GA) traffic volume and meteorological conditions were modeled using neural network. The obtained results confirm that it is possible to use the decision support system to plan the number of operational sectors. The described results open a scientific discussion about designing tools predicting air traffic volume in uncontrolled air space. The accuracy of the model can be improved by processing data from additional sources, but it is associated with a significant increase in the complexity of the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Accidents during start-up and shut-down procedures of aircraft can lead to fatalities or destroyed aircraft. Start-up procedures for propeller aircraft include the possibility of hand-propping, which may increase the occurrence of injuries from propeller strikes. METHODS: A set of 142 accidents from a 10-yr period were selected from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board online database. Only fixed-wing aircraft in the "standing" phase of flight were included in the dataset. The significance of differences was determined using Pearson's Chi-squared analysis. RESULTS: The severity of the injuries sustained in the accidents were inversely related to the amount of damage to the aircraft. Hand-propping without properly securing the aircraft was more likely to result in substantial damage to the aircraft. Pilots with less than a thousand hours of flight experience were significantly more likely to use an incorrect handpropping procedure. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended to make the advisory on hand-propping a regulatory article of the Federal Aviation Administration so that pilots' knowledge of this procedure is mandatory and part of their initial training, especially securing the aircraft during hand-propping. Highlighting throttle positions in both regular and hand-propping procedures may optimize checklist design and further mitigate accidents during start-up procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sightseeing operations are characterized by the presence of passengers as well as favorable light and weather conditions. They include both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, an aspect that allows for a comparison of these two types of aircraft in similar operations. METHODS: A total of 95 accident reports from 2008 until 2018 were extracted from the NTSB online database, with each mentioning commercial sightseeing as their operation. RESULTS: O ut of a total of 95 accidents, 16 were fatal with a total of 58 people suffering fatal injuries. On average 3.625 people died in each fatal accident. There were significantly more accidents in Alaska and Hawaii than expected. There were significantly more accidents caused by the maintenance crew in helicopters than in airplanes, but significantly more pilot-related accidents in fixed-wing aircraft compared to helicopters. Despite favorable light and weather conditions, 37 accidents reported the environment as a contributing factor to the accident. CONCLUSION: Sightseeing accidents show a pronounced difference between helicopters and airplane accidents that point to different approaches when improving safety in either category. Although night and instrument meteorological conditions are largely absent in the dataset, wind conditions and unsuitable terrain are frequently mentioned. The experience of the pilots and the specific geography of the sightseeing area are likely to affect operational safety the most. The specific dangers of unsuitable terrain affect both helicopters and fixed-wing operations and may be assuaged by specific training or briefings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: there is a paucity of research on general aviation accidents in Germany. the authorities investigate only a fraction of all national accidents. the current study analyzes existing accident reports and aims to identify injury severity in regard to concomitant risk factors. METHODS: Data of flight accidents was analyzed for aircraft of,5700 kg maximum takeoff weight (MtOW) over a 20-yr period. Besides descriptive data, concomitant factors (type and category of aircraft, date, occupants and outcome, flight phase, etc.) were analyzed. statistical analysis was performed using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: the authorities list 1595 aircraft accidents between 2000 and 2019, but only 17.9% of these were analyzed in detail. accidents of aircraft of,2000 kg MtOW were over-represented between May and september and between Friday and sunday. the fraction of fatal accidents was highest during cruise. During landing, significantly more mishaps of larger aircraft occurred. the number of seriously injured or deceased occupants was significantly higher for accidents involving private pilots. an occupancy rate of more than three persons on board correlated significantly with fewer number of deaths. CONCLUSIONS: the annual count of aircraft accidents has almost halved during the previous 20 yr. Unfortunately, only a small number of mishaps were further investigated by authorities, which leads to a lack of evaluable data needed for in-depth investigations. the accumulation of larger aircraft mishaps in winter and the superior outcome of professional pilots in terms of safety, as well as the fewer number of mishaps in larger aircraft, should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]