Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-7-2019

City

Dayton

Abstract

The School of Aviation and Transportation Technology at Purdue University utilizes a wide range of resources to train aspiring pilots, technicians, and managers. Aircraft operate in one of four practice areas located within a 30 nautical mile radius of the Purdue University Airport. Due to factors such as poor weather conditions, inexperience of student pilots, and proximity misjudgment, one aircraft could operate in close proximity to another in the same practice area, compromising the safety of both aircraft and causing a Near Midair Collision (NMAC) event due to miscommunication, misinterpretation, or failure to act on the part of the pilots involved. The objective of the research reported herein is to develop a diverse student team to evaluate and address flight training safety at Purdue University. The team comprises the research arm of the Purdue Flight Operations Center, aggregating data from sources such as weather monitoring systems, aircraft maintenance systems, ADS-B transponders, real-time dispatch systems, and air traffic systems. The collected data will be used to target common operational errors and study their frequency and nature, and to measure aircraft separation in order to develop and improve parameters for the identification and reporting of NMAC events. Techniques developed by this team will be used by the Purdue safety team to analyze each instance where an NMAC event has occurred and develop strategies to mitigate these events. The research team will, in addition, develop data dashboards and provide suggestions to help improve the overall safety of the Purdue flight program.

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