Thesis (M.S. in Human Systems Integration)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2006. / "June 2009." Thesis advisor: Paul E. O'Connor. Performed by the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. "Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Human Systems Integration from the Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009."--P. iii. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Dudley Knox Library Web site and the DTIC Online Web site.

Thesis (M.S. in Computer Science)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 1990. / Thesis Advisor(s): Rowe, Neil C. Second Reader: Thurmond, George. "June 1990." Description based on title page as viewed on October 15, 2009. DTIC Identifier(s): Computers, Artificial Intelligence, Prolog, Heuristics, Naval Personnel, Flight Schedule, Flight Training. Author(s) subject terms: Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Prolog, Heuristics, Scheduling. Includes bibliographical references (p. 130-131). Also available online.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Bowling Green State University, 2008. / Document formatted into pages; contains x, 130 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references.

The ability of the United States Air Force (USAF) to sustain a high level of operational ability and readiness is dependent on the proficiency and expertise of its pilots. Recruitment, education, training, and retention of its pilot force are crucial factors in the USAF's attainment of its operational mission: defense of this nation and its allies. Failure of a student pilot during a training program does not only represent a loss of costly training expenditures to the American public, but often consists of loss of human life, aircraft, and property. This research focused on the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps' (AFROTC) selection method for student pilots for the light aircraft training (LATR) program. The LATR program is an intense 16 day flight training program that precedes the Air Force's undergraduate pilot training (UPT) program. The study subjects were 265 AFROTC cadets in the LATR program. A variety of independent variables from each subject's higher education curricular background as well as results of preselection tests, participation in varsity athletics, prior flying experience and gender were evaluated against subsequent performance in LATR. Performance was measured by a quantitative performance score developed by this researcher based on 28 graded training factors as well as overall pass or fail of the LATR program. Study results showed participation in university varsity athletics was very significantly and positively related to performance in the LATR program, followed by prior flying experience and to a very slight degree portions of the Air Force Officers Qualifying Test. Not significantly related to success in the LATR program were independent variables such as grade point average, scholastic aptitude test scores, academic major, gender and the AFROTC selection and ranking system.

The use of computer graphics has brought about a universal means of depicting phenomena or solving engineering problems. The combination of graphic and computer skills offers a solution to a number of technical needs. One major area that computer graphics can be used is in the field of flight simulation. The software packages necessary to project three-dimensional scenes for flight training are not very common. The purpose of this paper is to generate the programs necessary to allow the pilot to observe a three-dimensional scene from any location and angle. The report discusses some of the basic aspects of computer graphics and presents specific computer software for projecting simulated flight landings at Herndon Airport in Orlando, Florida. The three-dimensional projections are calculated and displayed on the video monitor in the form of two-dimensional scenes. The Southwest Terminal System hardware was used as the interface to the video monitor. A description of the various operating parameters for simulated flight landings is presented. Included in the discussion are various pictorial representations of simulated landing approaches at Herndon Airport. Suggestions for additional work that could be undertaken in this research area concludes the report.

It has long been desired to simulate a non-preprogrammed controllable visual scene of the real world in a limited area for the purpose of training, in particular for aviation training. There presently exists a point light source projection system designed to accomplish this, however due to physical limitations, the display image, as compared to the corresponding real world scene which is being simulated, is somewhat distorted and limited. This point light source system is analyzed to determine the distortions and deviations from reality and methods are proposed to improve the display by minimizing the distortions and deviations.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Psychology. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Decision making is fundamental to all aspects of flying operations. The results that flow from poor aeronautical decision making can be both swift and devastating. The work of this thesis uses data from a variety of sources to investigate the following aspects of aeronautical decision making; accident and incident case histories and pilot decision making, case-based versus rule-based pilot decision training, pilot behaviours in the face of adverse weather. The first part of thesis uses survey data to gain a better understanding of the role of accident and incident case histories in aviation safety and training. Anecdotal evidence suggests that exposure to case-based information can leave a lasting impression on a pilot and significantly influence their flying behaviour. To investigate this aspect more formally, information was obtained from a survey of 138 pilots. A questionnaire was then distributed to pilots worldwide and responses were received from 409 pilots, from all areas of aviation. The combined experience of pilots who responded was over 700,000 hours flying time. The second part of the thesis uses experimental data to compare the effectiveness of aviation safety training using case-based material or rule-based material. Two experiments were carried out, based on the two areas that account for the majority of fatal general aviation accidents: flight into adverse weather and low flying. A total of 114 participants took part in the experimental studies. The third part of the thesis is based on a set of 491 aviation accident and incident reports drawn from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau occurrence database. The study compares three groups of pilots who differed in their response to adverse weather conditions, as demonstrated by the following behaviours; VFR flight into IMC, a weather-related precautionary landing, some other significant weather avoidance action. A number of common themes emerged from the three parts of the thesis. There is strong support for the importance of case-based material in aviation safety and training. However, the results also suggest that aeronautical decision making can be best understood in terms of a model that combines both case-based and rule-based reasoning. Rule-based material provides a basic framework of standard procedures and recommended practices, particularly for novices, while case-based material adds detail and salience to the framework, particularly in the form of affective markers linked to particular case histories. One important aspect of the results can be summed up by the adage that 'a safe pilot is a proactive pilot'. That is, it is imperative for a pilot to take control of the situation before the situation takes control of them. The results also emphasise the dynamic nature of aeronautical decision making. A pilot may make a series of good decisions, but that is no automatic protection against a subsequent poor decision putting the safety of the flight at risk. Hence, it is critical that a pilot does not fly to the limit of their abilities, or let past success breed complacency.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009. / "June 2009." Thesis advisor: Michael E. McCauley. Performed by the The Modeling, Virtual Environment, and Simulation Institute at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. "Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation from the Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009."--P. iii. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Dudley Knox Library Web site and the DTIC Online Web site.