General aviation pilots struggle to interpret weather forecast and...
When tested on their knowledge of 23 types of weather information, from icing forecasts and turbulence reports to radar, 204 general aviation (GA) pilots were stumped by about 42 percent of the...
View ArticleGoing beyond 'human error'
A human factors study using Bayes' theorem and content analysis reveals underlying teamwork, organizational, and technological influences on severe US Naval aviation mishaps.
View ArticleFlight: Research examines wing shapes to reduce vortex and wake
Recent research demonstrated that, although most wing shapes used today create turbulent wake vortices, wing geometrics can be designed to reduce or eliminate wingtip vortices almost entirely. In the...
View ArticleAutonomous glider can fly like an albatross, cruise like a sailboat
Engineers have designed a robotic glider that can skim along the water's surface, riding the wind like an albatross while also surfing the waves like a sailboat.
View ArticleReading the minds of pilots on the fly
Wearable brain monitoring sensors allowed researchers to measure cognitive workload while aircraft pilots completed memory tasks.
View ArticleAirlines and passengers save billions through crew planning
Research explains the complex reality of airline crew scheduling and provides an inside look at the techniques used by carriers to avoid delays.
View ArticleAircraft microbiome much like that of homes and offices, study finds
What does flying in a commercial airliner have in common with working at the office or relaxing at home? According to a new study, the answer is the microbiome -- the community of bacteria found in...
View ArticleNew aircraft-scheduling models may ease air travel frustrations
Flight schedules that allow for a little carefully designed wiggle room could prevent the frustration of cascading airport delays and cancellations. By focusing on the early phases of flight schedule...
View ArticleOptimizing airport flight patterns take a toll on human health
Health costs associated with noise from changing flight patterns over populated urban landscapes far outweigh the benefits of reduced flight times, according to a new study. The researchers used...
View ArticleRobotic herding of a flock of birds using drones
Researchers made a new algorithm for enabling a single robotic unmanned aerial vehicle to herd a flock of birds away from a designated airspace. This novel approach allows a single autonomous quadrotor...
View ArticleNew smart materials could open new research field
A group of new smart materials has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of fuel burn in jet engines, cutting the cost of flying. The materials, which could also reduce airplane noise...
View ArticleOpening communication lines between propulsion and airflow poses new questions
On the runway to more fuel-efficient aircraft, one alternative propulsion scheme being explored is an array of electrically powered ducted fans. The fans are distributed across the wing span or...
View ArticleOptimizing winglets for minimum drag, more efficient flight
Although winglets have been around since the mid-1970s, there is still a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and angles. New research analyzes winglets to find the optimal characteristics to result in the...
View ArticleNew scheduling system could help reduce flight delays
Scheduling and coordinating air traffic can be difficult, but taking the airlines' and passengers' delay costs into account can actually save airlines money and result in fewer delays, according to a...
View ArticleCould an anti-global warming atmospheric spraying program really work?
A program to reduce Earth's heat capture by injecting aerosols into the atmosphere from high-altitude aircraft is possible, but unreasonably costly with current technology, and would be unlikely to...
View ArticleEngineers fly first-ever plane with no moving parts
Engineers have built and flown the first-ever plane with no moving parts. Instead of propellers or turbines, the light aircraft is powered by an 'ionic wind' -- a silent but mighty flow of ions that is...
View ArticlePutting hybrid-electric aircraft performance to the test
Although hybrid-electric cars are becoming commonplace, similar technology applied to airplanes comes with significantly different challenges. Aerospace engineers are addressing some of them toward the...
View ArticleFeathers: Better than Velcro?
The structures zipping together the barbs in bird feathers could provide a model for new adhesives and new aerospace materials, according to a new study. Researchers 3D printed models of the structures...
View ArticleRenewable energy generation with kites and drones
A group of researchers has recently developed a new software aimed at the analysis of energy generation systems based on kites and drones. They used the software to study the behavior of these systems...
View ArticleAt 3,836 mph, which way does the air flow?
Aerospace engineers extend classical kinetic theory into high-speed aerodynamics, including hypersonic speed, which begins at 3,836 mph or roughly five times the speed of sound. The new study attempt...
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