Ethics in the Aviation Profession

  The aviation industry is a busy and highly task-saturated environment. Pilots are constantly running multiple checklists, monitoring aircraft performance, and maneuvering around hazards such as weather while operating the aircraft. Air traffic control entities help relieve some stress by controlling and directing the movement of aircraft on the ground as well as in the sky. This ensures that airports are operating as efficiently as possible while reducing the probability of an aircraft collision (FAA, n.d.) Ground control is the person that is tasked with all aircraft and vehicle movement on the apron and taxiways. Clearance works with the control centers and will ensure that your flight plan is valid and current. Tower's responsibility is to control all movement on runways and local airspace surrounding the airport, approximately 5nm (FAA, n.d.). Once you are airborne and outside of the local airspace, the tower will hand you over to an Air Route Traffic Control Center that cont...

       The everyday operations of airports create a large amount of noise. The main source of noise comes from aircraft entering the traffic pattern as well as arrivals and departures from the airfield. The typical airline jet generates between 120 and 140 decibels during operation and any sound level above 85 decibels has the potential to cause hearing damage (Mayer, 2019). The noise produced from aircraft causes annoyances to the local population, impedes sleep, stresses barn animals, and interferes and distracts students in class (Visser et al., 2009). Because of this, many airports have noise abatement procedures in place to mitigate the impact of excessive noise that aircraft produce on the local area (Visser et al., 2009). The FAA established the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 to standardize and assist airport operators establish noise abatement procedures which can be found in the 14 CFR part 150 (FAA, n.d.). Noise abatement procedures include...

  In May of 1926, Congress passed the Air Commerce Act that granted the newly founded Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce the responsibility to establish airways, improve and install navigational aids, and most importantly establish and enforce safety protocol for all air traffic. The act also established the requirement for aircraft to be inspected for airworthiness, identification numbers painted on the outside of the aircraft, and Airmen to be tested in aeronautical knowledge and be physically fit to perform aeronautical duties(FAA, n.d.). This is the infant stage of what will eventually become the Federal Aviation Administration. In the 1920s, most air traffic was contracted air mail carriers flying visually with little guidance or navigational aids, and all navigational aids were maintained by the state or company that owned the airfields and did not follow any standards. The common navigational aid at the time was large concrete arrows on the ground pointing them...

  What are Human Factors in Aviation? It is estimated that 80% of all aviation accidents are been caused by pilot error and not mechanical failure. due to the human factors of the pilot in command affecting his or her aeronautical decision-making (PHAK, 2016) Human factors in aviation are the physical, behavioral, cognitive, and social characteristics sourced from the working conditions, training, and management of an aviation professional. (FAA, 2014) In other words, the conditions that affect a human's ability to work smartly and safely such as stress, experience, fatigue, mindset, etc. Identifying these factors and acknowledging them is key to mitigating risk. You can use the IMSAFE checklist to determine if your personal issues are a safety concern. Illness - am I sick? Medication - will my meds affect my mental state? Stress - am I busy thinking about other problems? Alcohol - have I been drinking or hungover? Fatigue - am I too tired? Emotion - am I upset? (PHAK, 2016) If an...

  The Transportation Security Administration is the key organization responsible for the safety of the passengers flying on commercial airlines. They use many layers of security to keep known and suspected threats from hijacking or threatening commercial flights. The first layer of security starts with intelligence. The TSA in combination with other federal agencies pre-screens passengers against a log of personnel with a history of terrorist activity or terrorist association. (TSA) If a potential hijacker makes it into the airport, the TSA has the pre-screening by Transportation Security Officers, VIPR teams, and Canine units screening all passengers for explosives or other substances that may threaten the safety of the flight. (TSA) I had the opportunity to assist in the training of these teams and canines when I was stationed in Little Rock. After some training, we acted like normal passengers but we had simulated explosive devices implanted in our luggage as a test for the TSA ...

What is a fuel system?     The fuel system is a combination of systems that stores, cleans and distributes fuel to an aircrafts engine. This can includes fuel tanks, lines, pumps, primers, strainers, sumps, drains, and the carburetor or injectors. (PHAK, 2016) The fuel tanks, usually in the aircraft wings, store the fuel. The lines are the piping or hose that the fuel travels. The pumps provide pressure to the fuel system. The primer is used during cold weather to draw fuel to the engine cylinders for engine start. The strainer removes sediment and moisture from the fuel and stores it in the sump. The drains are connected to the fuel tanks to allow samples to be pulled as well as the sump to remove the accumulated sediment and moisture. And the carburetor or fuel injectors vaporize the fuel to be combusted in the engine. (PHAK, 2016) Potential issues in the fuel system     Fuel systems are prone to issues from contaminated fuel, icing, and component failure. Fue...