General Aviation Research
General aviation:
General aviation (GA) is defined as all aviation other than military and commercial airlines. GA aircraft range from small, single-engine planes to mid-size turboprops to the larger turbofans capable of intercontinental nonstop flying.
Making up more than 90 percent of the entire U.S. civilian fleet, general aviation supports business and recreation and serves a diversity of needs from emergency medical evacuations to border patrols, fire fighting, state governments, universities, companies, and individuals.
General aviation serves 13,000 U.S. airports and thousands more heliports and seaplane facilities.
Embry-Riddle and the FAA Center of Excellence for General Aviation
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established a Center of Excellence (COE) for general aviation in 2001, choosing Embry-Riddle as the lead institution. Other member schools are Florida A&M University, University of Alaska, Wichita State University, and the University of North Dakota.
The Center for General Aviation Research (CGAR) is a research consortium of the Center of Excellence schools, industry, and government that addresses the needs of general aviation. Embry-Riddle, as the lead university, handles the management of the organization, but, all of the universities are viewed as equal contributors to research activities.
CGAR is concerned with the following GA research areas: safety, management, communications, icing, runways, fuel system safety technologies, aircraft standards, training of pilots and inspectors, and airport studies.
To learn more about the FAA Center for Excellence for General Aviation, visit the Web site.
Research projects awarded to Embry-Riddle through CGAR:
Effect of ADS-B on Near Mid-Air Collision Rates of GA Aircraft ( 2003-2006)
ADS-B is Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, a new aircraft collision-avoidance system that is being hailed as a breakthrough equal to the invention of radar. ADS-B systems have been installed on aircraft at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, campuses.
The introduction of this ADS-B technology, developed by UPS Aviation Technologies, promises to be the start of a revolution in the way general aviation aircraft are controlled in flight. By giving pilots of small aircraft unprecedented awareness of their surroundings, the system has the potential to significantly decrease hazards associated with traffic, weather, and terrain -- the three greatest threats to general aviation aircraft.
Over a period of at least two years, investigators will measure the rate of near mid-air collisions in the subject group of Embry-Riddle aircraft configured with ADS-B as they operate at controlled, nontowered airfields nationally. The hypothesis presumes that those aircraft will experience fewer near mid-air collisions than they experienced in the benchmark data. At the end of the experiment, historical data will be compared to data collected during the experiment period to determine the validity of the hypothesis.
Joint Training Standards Development for New Technology General Aviation Aircraft under the FAA/Industry Training Standards(FITS) program (2002-2006)
Embry-Riddle's partner in this initiative is the University of North Dakota. The FAA/Industry Training Standards (FITS) Program was implemented by the FAA to develop training focused on developing pilot judgment and decision-making skills in a new generation of technologically sophisticated and extremely capable aircraft entering the general aviation fleet (GA aircraft equipped with topographical displays, weather and glass cockpits). See an update/summary of the Fall 2004 research.
Analysis and Evaluation of Green LED Threshold Lights Installed at PHX and GFK
The runway threshold lights used at most commercial airports are incandescent lamps that are inefficient and must be replaced often, a waste of energy and money. At two major airports, researchers from Embry-Riddle's Prescott, Arizona, campus are field-testing an alternative technology -- specially designed light-emitting diode (LED) lamps similar to those used in highway traffic signals. Learn more about this research.
Wildlife Strike Database and Website Maintenance and Expansion of Graphics Applications to Web Search For General Aviation
Researchers at Embry-Riddle's Prescott, Arizona, campus have developed and maintain a Web site for collecting and disseminating data about wildlife incursion incidents with aircraft. The Airport Wildlife Hazard Mitigation Web site allows personnel at airports around the country to file online reports of wildlife strikes at their facilities. At many airports, these are daily occurrences, particularly involving birds. The site also shares information that helps users better understand and practice wildlife hazard mitigation at airports through wildlife control. Learn more about the project.
