Watch out above

UAS Beyond Line of Sight Operations Many people in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) community are envisioning beyond line of sight (BLOS) operations as the key to wide-spread UAS commercial use (Kestaloo, 2018).   Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approving BLOS will catapult UAS operations into effective commercial service.   UAS BLOS operations have advantages over visual line of sight (VLOS) flying.   Some of these advantages include pre-flight mission routing, emergency planning, operating outside the limited confines of human sight and economic benefits (Shelley & Andrews, 2015).     An outstanding example of BVLOS UAS is the Global Hawk manufactured by Northrop Grumman.   The Global Hawk’s 130-foot wingspan, 400 miles per hour top speed and more than thirty hours of endurance are proving irreplaceable characteristics for many large-government operators (Northrop Grumman, 2018).   BLOS mission deployment includes real-time provision of actionable intellige

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University UAS Integration in the NAS Wilson Gilliam ASCI 638     Abstract Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) incorporation into the National Airspace System (NAS) is commencing through the introduction of additional regulations and equipment designed to prioritize safety and efficiency.   It is important that UAS and manned aircraft operators maintain situational awareness of other air traffic. Modern equipment can assist with this goal, but operators must understand human factors limitations related to NextGen and ADS-B equipment operations.                                                                  UAS Integration in the NAS The national airspace system (NAS) is becoming a more efficient mode of transportation via the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) NextGen program.   NextGen is a group of aviation industry enhancements that will reduce aircraft waiting and taxiing times, permit the assigning of more direct flight routes a

Although some unmanned aerial systems (UAS) ground control stations (GCS) are custom-made, large organizations may be provided GCS units that are built to specification.   The U.S military usually standardizes most of their GCS so that standardization can occur across operators (McHale, 2010).               In researching available data for this paper, it was evident that modern specific details of the most recent military-type GCS are not entirely available on the internet.   However, good design principles can still be discussed.   The “type” of GCS selected for this research is the container or office-based type and not the remote battlefield-based, man-type portable unit. These large, technologically advanced GCSs are the type utilized to control the Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk UAS systems.             There are specific, human factors advantages to operators being based in GCS locations like military bases and U.S. office complexes.   Some of these “pros” include ha

A paper on economic aerospace forecasting could be as thick as your computer screen is tall. Even the  FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2015 – 2035  is nearly 140 pages long. I’m glad this post is long on brevity and to the point about how you can fit into the increasingly influential world of aviation and aerospace. The word “aviation” may not capture the complete role that aeronautics will have on our world during the foreseeable future. Having  been a pilot  for almost three decades, I’ve tended to consider the flying universe in terms of my own perspective. Within the last few years, I’ve realized that the aviation / aeronautics business will have an immeasurable influence on the world and will open up a myriad of economic opportunities. There is, or will be something for everyone. Technology is driving innovation within many aerospace subsets. Innovations in imaging are permitting the use of lighter airborne equipment. Smaller, lighter aircraft can now perform aerial obser

When a pilot opens his or her certificate wallet, the  Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate  is usually the one on top. It is a diamond on a black cloth. ATP certification is a significant accomplishment, as the requirements for both the written and practical tests are demanding. I could have used all of that ATP weight shift knowledge when Target Stores hired us to fly tours around the parking lot of a grand opening in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Passengers of all sizes stepped up to be next on board and I (the pilot) just kept waving them on. I do remember politely gesturing for one excited, portly gentleman to move to the back of the group until I had burned off a little more fuel. Every take-off was a running, bumpy, pavement scratching event and the two-seat helicopter strained to clear the rooftop shingles of a nearby apartment complex. That’s the takeoff over 100 foot obstacle problem on the ATP test. Some professional pilots never venture into ATP training. This could b

I stood in front of a  Marine Corps  recruiting office in 1988. I wanted to take the aviator’s aptitude test and join the Marines as  a helicopter pilot . But, after a few minutes with the Sergeant, I realized that wouldn’t happen. Between thirteen years old and eighteen, my  visual acuity  had decreased to 20/400. Even though it was still correctable to 20/20, the heavy eyelid morning routine of prying a way in for the contacts and the saline solution was getting rough. I wanted a permanent solution to the problem of seeing only the single, large E on the  eye chart . I wanted to read the “made in USA” line without any help! I had recently read a news article about the Russian military providing a corrective surgery called  radial keratotomy  (RK) for their soldiers that were nearsighted. Some further investigation revealed that a laser version of RK, called PRK ( photorefractive keratectomy ) was already being performed by a doctor in Windsor, Canada. Although the procedure was

During my evaluation of aviation entities, I often discover a theme of weakness during inspection audits. Many companies have developed risk mitigation strategies to handle most of the larger operational pieces. But, I continue to smell James Reason’s Swiss Cheese and notice those holes through which mistakes can line up, join arms and form an accident chain. One of the most pronounced problems that I’ve noticed is the lack of follow through. There may be an appropriate process for dealing with risk, but leadership hasn’t established a means to fuel the effectiveness and dependability of the measure. For example, during one appointment, I noted that the aviation operator had instituted an aircraft tracking system and delegated project managers to follow the helicopters during all flight operations. While this was a fantastic tool to alleviate operational risk, several enabling actions were omitted from the process. The tracking devices were battery powered with no standard opera

This article may be used, with permission. Prior to September 11, 2001, the aerial banner towing business was a weekend endeavor that brought many flying families closer together. I learned how to spell while tying on those big red letters behind my Uncle Roland’s blue and white Citabria tail dragger airplane. My favorite message was heavy for the airplane to pull, but was easy to spell. We tied on super-large letters that we pulled at a NASCAR race in Rockingham, North Carolina. It read: “NO - FOR THE THIRD TIME.”  The first thing that I learned about being a pilot was that an airplane named Airbatic spelled backwards was capable of flying upside down. In 1976, the stick hit my seven-year-old right knee cap and the wings swapped places. “When you’re inverted, don’t forget to push the stick toward your shoes to go up!” Roland’s loud voice was co-mingled with laughter and competing with the induced changes in angle of attack, flashing across the prop. When the old cigar butts an

               When I first started flying helicopters, I had zero exposure to aircraft maintenance. The obvious concentration during those early years was in eliminating the sloppy manipulation of the flight controls. For me, that was enough. I stomped away many times from that unconquerable R-22, vowing never to return. The drive home allowed my heartbeat to return to normal and make excuses for that radio controlled looking agitator, promising to return the following weekend.                To foster a more thorough coordination of the “complex” flight control inputs necessary for positive aircraft control, I would sit in my recliner at home with a sawed-off broom stick. I would practice the up collective, increase throttle, left pedal over and over. If I wanted to make the process even more realistic, my little brother would rock the chair back and forth while I was twisting on the handle, screaming “ride ‘em Billy!” Once, I wore a cowboy hat. I won’t go any further with this pa