Featured Books
Dead Reckoning by
Vaughan unveils the complicated and high-pressure world of air traffic controllers as they navigate technology and political and public climates, and shows how they keep the skies so safe. When two airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, Americans watched in uncomprehending shock as first responders struggled to react to the situation on the ground. Congruently, another remarkable and heroic feat was taking place in the air: more than six hundred and fifty air traffic control facilities across the country coordinated their efforts to ground four thousand flights in just two hours--an achievement all the more impressive considering the unprecedented nature of the task. In Dead Reckoning, Diane Vaughan explores the complex work of air traffic controllers, work that is built upon a close relationship between human organizational systems and technology and is remarkably safe given the high level of risk. Vaughan observed the distinct skill sets of air traffic controllers and the ways their workplaces changed to adapt to technological developments and public and political pressures. She chronicles the ways these forces affected their jobs, from their relationships with one another and the layouts of their workspace to their understanding of their job and its place in society. The result is a nuanced and engaging look at an essential role that demands great coordination, collaboration, and focus--a role that technology will likely never be able to replace. Even as the book conveys warnings about complex systems and the liabilities of technological and organizational innovation, it shows the kinds of problem-solving solutions that evolved over time and the importance of people.
ISBN: 9780226796406Publication Date: 2021-09-30
Managing the Skies by
Over the past two decades, the organization and provision of air traffic control (ATC) services has been dramatically transformed. Privatization and commercialization of air navigation has become commonplace. Far-reaching reforms, under a variety of organizational structures and aviation settings, have occurred across the world, most notably in Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In contrast, innovations have lagged behind in other countries - including the United States. In addition, much recent attention has been given to aviation infrastructure and safety in Africa, in some parts of Asia and Latin America, and in rapidly growing air markets including India and China. In response, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and multilateral banks and institutions have launched a major effort to improve the performance and safety of civil aviation in developing economies. Managing the Skies has been written to provide a guide to what has been tried in air traffic management, what has worked, and what lessons might be learned. The book starts with an introduction to air navigation, its development and current state, as well as trends in aviation activity. It examines in detail the experiences of ATC in both mature and emerging markets across the world, considering many alternative models, efforts to restructure and comparisons of performance. The book contains several in-depth case studies to provide a truly global perspective of ATC practices. Particular attention is given to the FAA and its efforts and challenges in reforming ATC in the US, both historically and in the current climate. It addresses the issues of finance, organization, investment, and safety restructuring and reform options that are at the core of current debates involving air traffic control in the United States. Further to this, the authors discuss the alternatives available for future change. The book concludes by examining the cross-cutting issues of labor relations and organizational structures, presenting the lessons learned and considering what the future may hold. As the world experiences a resurgence in air travel and civil aviation, the issues discussed in Managing the Skies are particularly timely not only for industry and government leaders, but for the world's air travelers.
ISBN: 9780754670452Publication Date: 2007-12-21
Misunderstandings in ATC Communication by
Effective radio communication between ATC and pilots has long been recognized as an important element of aviation safety. In recognition of the role miscommunications play in aviation incidents and accidents, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recently introduced language proficiency requirements for all flight personnel in all ICAO member states. Using an effective and economical experimental paradigm, the research described here teases apart the complex combination of factors (e.g. speech rate, controller message length, English language proficiency, cognitive workload) believed to contribute to miscommunications between controllers and pilots. Misunderstandings in ATC Communication offers an in-depth report of a seminal study in aviation communication, which until now has only been available in the form of an unpublished dissertation. In addition, it offers a recent extension of that work, the authors' reflections on the research process, and a thorough review of the aviation communication literature. Graduate students and researchers who wish to address real-world problems will appreciate the simple elegance of the experimental paradigm that has been used to address a wide range of theoretical and applied interdisciplinary research questions. The book will appeal to scholars in the fields of human factors, linguistics, cognitive psychology, applied linguistics and second-language education and assessment. It is also of direct relevance to government and industry decision-makers and operators as they strive to implement the ICAO requirements, and to improve aviation safety.
ISBN: 9781317095415Publication Date: 2016-04-22
Fatal Words by
On March 27, 1977, 583 people died when KLM and Pan Am 747s collided on a crowded, foggy runway in Tenerife, the Canary Islands. The cause, a miscommunication between the pilot and the air traffic controller. The pilot radioed, "We are now at takeoff," meaning that the plane was lifting off, but the tower controller misunderstood and thought the plane was waiting on the runway. In "Fatal Words, " Steven Cushing explains how miscommunication has led to dozens of aircraft disasters, and he proposes innovative solutions for preventing them. He examines ambiguities in language when aviation jargon and colloquial English are mixed, when a word is used that has different meanings, and when different words are used that sound alike. To remedy these problems, Cushing proposes a visual communication system and a computerized voice mechanism to help clear up confusing language. "Fatal Words" is an accessible explanation of some of the most notorious aircraft tragedies of our time, and it will appeal to scholars in communications, linguistics, and cognitive science, to aviation experts, and to general readers.
ISBN: 9780226132006Publication Date: 1994-03-04
Aviation Safety and Security by
This book focuses on ways to better manage and prevent aircraft-based homicide events while in flight using alternate technology to replace the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and/or Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) functions. While these events are infrequent, the implementation of real-time predictive maintenance allows aircraft operators to better manage both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events. Aviation Safety and Security: Utilizing Technology to Prevent Aircraft Fatality explores historical events of in-flight homicide and includes relevant accident case study excerpts from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). FEATURES Explores historical events of in-flight homicide and offers solutions for ways to mitigate risk Explains how alternate technologies can be implemented to address in-flight safety issues Demonstrates that metrics for change are not solely for safety but also for financial savings for aircraft operation Includes relevant accident case study excerpts from the NTSB and AAIB Expresses the need for real-time predictive maintenance Stephen J Wright is an academic Professor at the faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Tampere University, Finland, specializing in aviation, aeronautical engineering, and aircraft systems.
ISBN: 9780429296451Publication Date: 2021-06-03
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