Aircraft Recording, Tracking, and Technology - Coursework Example

Aircraft recording, tracking, and technology Insert Insert Aircraft accident investigation is a core element in effective aviation safety programmes. The fundamental importance of tracking, recording and tracking methods in an aircraft lay mainly on conditions, facts and circumstances in relation to an accident. The main causes of an accident may have establishment in this case and appropriate steps taken to prevent future recurrence. Tracking techniques like satellite trackers, air traffic controls black box, air communication addressing and reporting systems, NEXTGEN technologies and radar face thorough discussion in this paper. Introduction A new approach in the design and methods of aircraft tracking, recording and accident investigation procedures and real time aircraft monitoring is critical in air transport security. Recent technologies of artificial intelligence in aircraft tracking have improved the provision to the traditional investigative techniques. For example, the presence of intelligent software agents enables continuous communication between the air control and onboard crew which allows data collection in the instance of an accident. Collection of data using the black box technology allows the air control to detect the conditions of the aircraft on the flight; which enhances early warning in case event of an incident that threatens the safety of the aircraft. (Wood 2006). The aircraft tracking systems in most modern aircraft designs have a strong basis on past failures of the tracking systems for the sake of safety improvements. However, there is a lack of complex and systematic data in relation to any accident in relation to recording and tracking of the aircraft. In the year, 1996, for example, ‘1935 U.S.A’ registered aircrafts were involved in the 1907 accidents. These accidents result to fatalities of which the errors of the pilots is a major reason behind most accidents. The incident results from the inability by the pilot to recognize the potential threat in the aircraft that would prevent its occurrence. Time limitation during the incident on the side of the pilot is a challenge in maintaining the safety of the aircraft. All the errors encountered in the 1907 incident contributes in the development of the current aircraft tracking systems (Noor 2000). Complexity in the events leading to the crash of an aircraft crash when there is as a result of inadequacy of information to the onboard pilot. In addition, there is a need by some experienced pilots to make proper decisions that are a crucial time of the crash. The use of the latest information in tracking and recording of the possible cause of aircrafts’ crash, as well as real-time problems, ensures that pilots receive an early warning. The data collection in regard to the condition of the aircraft in flight creates enhances safety, which minimizes accident rates. In the instance of an electrical and mechanical breakdown in an aircraft, real time tracking, recording, monitoring collects data, can easily to trace aircraft maintenance and identification (Abu-Taieh 2012). Aircraft accident Investigation techniques The black box (flight recorder) The black box traced its introduction in 1950s from an Australian scientist known as Dr. Warren. During his work in Melbourne Aeronautical Research Laboratory, there was a crash of world commercial aircraft in mid 1950s. The aim of record is tracing before accident had a prompt for Warren to invent essential flight data recorder. The compulsory rule for the black box fitting was from Australian airlines after fatal and mysterious Queensland plane crash (Noor 2000). It has a major purpose to collect and record the data from airplane sensors onto an accident survival designed medium. Any corporate or commercial aircraft should have a flight data recorder and a voice recorder. The black box is composure of the voice and flight data recorders (Connelly 2012). These tools do not support a plane in flight but only crucial when a plane crashes since they help in the investigation of the crash to gain knowledge on the occurrence before the accident. The black box in today’s technology is very useful in compiling the information on the actual cause of the plane crash. For example, in Mexico plane crash, which left fourteen people dead in 2008, the discovery of the Black Box gave a hint on the main cause of the crash (Connelly 2012). In the case where the crash occurs in the sea, the Underwater Locator Beacon assists in the location of flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder after the aircraft crash. The beacon activates itself immediately after it touches the water surface and it has its place in the black box. Depending on the airplane age, the Flight Data Recorder system may comprise of either digital or analogue reception center for data inclusive of a digital a recorder. The FDR can possess either solid state or tape memory (Cheruku 2010). The data in the Flight Data Recorder can be very helpful in determining whether the accident cause is external weather events, pilot error or airplane electrical and mechanical system failure. The first generations of Black Box used to keep a record of time, airspeed, altitude, acceleration and compass heading as the five parameters of flight. The second generations of Black boxes in 1970s had weakness in timely recording of incoming sensor data. Separate flight unit for data acquisition is, therefore, present to process, format and digitalize the data from sensors before final feed to the Flight Data Recorder. The second generation uses the magnetic recording while the first generation has solid-state recording technology (Connelly 2012). Magnetic recording can withstand 18 parameters in 25 hours. The cockpit voice recorder found in the black box records any crew discussions and monitors cockpit motions and sounds before the crash. Stall warnings, emergency calls and engine noise are reliable information in accident investigations (Cheruku 2010). The sound of the plane before the accident initiated by speed and other parameters can be a good source of accident information. The ground and flight crew communication is also available in the voice recorder at the plane’s tail. The motion of wing flaps, fuel gauge and the autopilot has a store in the Flight Data Recorder for computerized flight simulation in research. The future of the black box in reliability and sophistication depends on the available technology. There is an easy time for investigators to glue information together on the causes of an accident. GPS/satellite trackers The Global Positioning System (GPS) runs most of the modern tracking implements. Most of the leading world’s air traffic controls are under radar-based management systems. GPS is applicable in the aircraft to indicate the pilot’s position in the world flight map. The data, however, has no link with the air traffic control, hence available only to the onboard pilot during the flight. Most of the modern aircraft have the ability to uplink the satellite trackers with the GPS data for easy and perfect positional data acquisition (Cheruku 2010). Handling large flight data volumes in GPS and satellite communication systems is very expensive rendering the use of these systems in remote areas where cheap radar coverage is unavailable. Transponders Transponder stands for transmitter responders. Transponder is basic equipment in all commercial airplanes. Its use is to transmit a four digit unique code after reception of the radar radio signal. The unique code provides the aircraft identity in the radar coverage systems. After this response, the radar stations attendants take the responsibility of identifying the direction and the speed of the airplane through successive monitoring of the transmissions (Nolan 2011). The air traffic controllers focus on aircraft flight data during these transmissions for effective tracking and monitoring. There is, however, a challenge in the case where the airplane is 150 miles distance limit out in the sea. At this responsive distance of approximately 240 kilometers, there is subsequently fading of radar coverage (Elbert 2008). There is an immediate prompt of the aircrew to use a very high frequency signal as the only means of communication with other aircrafts and air traffic control. Air traffic control Tracing its originality at Croydon Airport in London in 1921, Air Traffic Control (ATC) was a ground-based controller service for controlled airspace and aircraft space directives. Air traffic control can also provide advisory but limited services to airplanes present in a non-controlled airspace. Air Traffic control maintains its primary goal to prevent aircraft collisions, information and pilot support provisions and traffic flow expedite. Defensive and security role is also in the hands of Air Traffic Control but under military operation (Nolan 2011). Reinforcement of traffic separation rule and regulations helps in collision prevention. In these rules, there is maintenance of minimum levels of empty at all times. Additional safety and collision avoidance systems are also in aircrafts to warn the pilots when there is another approaching aircraft and this reinforces the efficiency of air traffic control. In most countries, air traffic control offers services to commercial aircrafts, military jets and private aircrafts in operation within the prescribed space (Nolan 2011). In response to the airspace class and flight, the ATC team might issue rules and instructions to the involved pilot and obedience is mandatory in this situation. Flight information and advisories in particular countries are bound for disregard at pilot’s discretion (Nolan 2011). Despite the rules from air traffic controls, the command pilot has the final safe aircraft operation and has provisions for few deviations in the bid to maintain the safety and proper aircraft operation in the case of emergency landings and operations (Noor 2000). Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) Each modern aircraft constitutes of radar transponder at its nose, which integrates interrogating information from any radar station and sends a unifying code in return concerning a particular aircraft and its location. More than 250 miles from the coastline is out of the range of radar. Pilots information systems in place at such a range constitutes of the digital system of messaging in the name of Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) that make use of a satellite or high frequency radio for short message transmission (Noor 2000). ACARS system provides periodic satellites pinging in case the aircraft goes off the radar. The pilots use ACARS system to communicate with the airline-operating centre in relay of information or offer on weather updates. It is very essential for most airlines to have information centers to keep in touch with all airplanes in the sky at all times. ACARS is mandatory in everyday use, which acts as a basic email system with both back and forth communication (Wyatt 2013). At a certain level in the sky, all the pilots require to report to the nearest air traffic control authorities for easy tracking in the case of disappearance. A voice communication through a satellite phone or a high frequency radio is easily applicable in this case (Nolan 2011). It is only through communication breakdown that forces the pilot not to report more about the flight position and this call for immediate attention from the ground team. The state of the aircraft and its projection speed and heading can be a matter of estimate at the verge of communication barrier until restoration is in place (Connelly, 2012). Radar Radio Detection and Ranging (Radar) is detection system that utilizes radio waves in a precise determination of the direction, speed, and altitude and object range. It is widely applicable in the aviation industry for air traffic control, and aircraft anti-collision systems for aircraft safety and tracking. The standardization practice is through the employment of both primary and secondary radar systems to monitor airspace (Meikle 2001). The primary radar constitute of the earliest form of Radar system developed back in 1930. It has its applications to use the reflected radio signals to approximate aircrafts position in real time. Secondary radar system relies on transponder-equipped aircraft and needs additional information concerning the altitude and the airplane identity in order to accomplish the requirements of tracking and recording options (Connelly, 2012). The radar system provides information such as range and bearing for positioning the object from the scanner. In the fields where positioning is critical, radar locates grounds, air and sea targets, therefore, its applications in military and civilian aircrafts investigations. Radar equipped in aircraft acts as obstacle warning for the pilots, displays information on weather and provides correct altitude readings (Meikle 2001). NEXTGEN technology The NextGen stands for Next Generation Air Transport system, which is an operations concept from the joint planning and development office. It outlines key issues in the aviation security and has a high emphasis to wide multilayered approach systems. In this technology, the passenger, aircraft, airport and the airspace security view has a great analysis. The main objective of NextGen is to have distinguished reservations at all air system levels of transportation (Connelly, 2012). There is the experience of rapid sharing of information in the aviation environments unto the net centric data exchange systems in both location and navigation cases. The new technique in NextGen technology improves not only the performance but also air traffic systems operational performance. The other significant NextGen goal is the provision of long-range security systems with the use of new effective machinery (Noor 2000). The ability of the nation to adapt rapidly to new air traffic system seems a challenge in the occurrence of a national or security system disaster. There is, therefore, some flexibility sustenance in NextGen applications to sabotage this challenge. Substantial trajectory flight management and data sharing techniques, the NextGen technology enables the air systems to adjust to the demands from potential disasters, threats, military requirements and special security. The ability to disestablish and establish special airspace usage for security and military purposes is possible with NextGen to bar air traffic from common dangers (Boeing, 2014). The long-term goal for this technological base is to modernize the security in aviation. There is dire involvement of new technologies and systems for passenger screening and use of information capabilities and data sophistication in complex monitoring of the airspace. Collaboration between agencies and departments is paramount (Noor 2000). Planning, budgeting, multi agency research and system developments are all inclusive. JPDO main purpose in this perspective is to provide guidance to NextGen processes in the present and future through an integrated plan (Boeing, 2014). Proper research, development requirements, and long-term goals focus on the NextGen goals and objectives. Redesigning of major centers of operation and decongesting the airspace creates an efficient and safe system. There is always an open opportunity for new skies to reduce the mid-air collisions by the use of Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance system. This also ensures enhancement of air and runways safety hence saving flight time for everyday million passengers travelling by air (Huff, 2013). The future of Aircraft accidents Investigation technology The world leading airlines are in the forefront to inculcate new plans and future technologies of airplane tracking, recording and accident investigation. New satellite flight technology of tracking has estimation to be in place by 2020. This technology has estimations to cover most parts of the planet in mid oceans and polar areas where the radar information becomes a challenge. A new system in the name of Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) has expectations for being the primary air traffic system of surveillance in the replacement of radar control. ADS-B will enable the aircraft to distinguish their positions by the use of GPS then relay the data to other planes and the ground team (Wyatt 2013). The only limitation of ADS-B system is that it does not extend to the oceans. Flight tracking websites are already using the system though the first system piece in modern technology is a transponder composure, which broadcasts to the tracking stations on the ground than radar. The ADS-B system pinpoints a jet location position by use of GPS to include aircraft trajectory (Boeing, 2014). As a long-range, radar sweeps around once per sixteen seconds time, the ADS-B system would have the added benefit of aircraft position fixing after every second. In the next generation, aircrafts like Airbus and Boeing ADS-B system reinstallation would be a basic requirement in both Europe and U.S.A by the year 2020 (Boeing, 2014). The ground stations in command of ADS-B systems in Canada and Australian regions are in place to capture the required signals and already in place and fully functional. Installation of additional ADS-B stations in USA is still in progress and the main target is about 600 stations (Dove, 2013). There is also a brand new step in research technology by Canada in a project, in the name of Aileron. The private air traffic control in this sector would dominate the space of low orbit satellite updates to have launching between 2015 and 2017 (Huff, 2013). The future of ADS-B system has no limitation to ground stations. It would also utilize satellite communication, therefore, accessible at any point in the planet. Precision in aircraft tracking would a high revolutionary air traffic control by use of this new technology. Once ADS-B system would be in place pilots in mid Atlantic regions would no longer rely on other current radio communication techniques. Reporting on their position would be much easier since this technology is self-sufficient (Huff, 2013). Pilot’s position would have automatic beam to the relevant air traffic screens at every convenience per second leading to a reduction of mysterious plane disappearance. In the case of a crash, the traffic controllers would be in a position to signify the crash site with the required accuracy of GPS and this shows a significance focus in a bid to build confidence in air travelling (Glancey, 2014). Conclusion There is a significant concern in aviation safety due to the increasing growth of the number of flight and passengers. Any meager investigations, tracking and aircraft investigation procedures, would directly affect the confidence in the air mode of transport, in the delivery of safe services. Due to ever-increasing population of the passengers in the aircraft industry, it is important to involve innovative and effective aircraft investigation technique to grasp a better understanding of the accidents. Accordingly, there is an added benefit in having complete understanding of the phenomenon of accident. The fertile stand for accident research and development process brings benefits on not only in the prevention but also in an excellent grasp of the process of accident occurrence (Boeing, 2014). Aircraft accidents are fatal and present multifaceted sections of problems. Concerning the above tracking techniques in the above discussion there is also some need for other complex interventions of tracking, recording and other investigative technologies. Governments and aviation corporations need to focus on modern technologies to sustain major improvements in the aviation industry for future accident prevention and easy tracking techniques to make air transport a safer and trusted mode of transport. Tracking, recording and proper investigative techniques carry a major role in accident investigation worldwide. It is, therefore, up to the governments and airplane manufacturers to consolidate various techniques for safe air travel (Abu-Taieh, 2012). References Abu-Taieh, E., El-Sheikh, A., & Jafari, M. (2012). Technology engineering and management in aviation (1st ed.). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. books.google.com/books?isbn=1609608879 Cheruku, D. (2010). Satellite communication (1st ed.). New Delhi: I.K. International Pub. House. books.google.com/books?isbn=9380026412 Connelly, M. (2012). The black box (1st ed.). Sydney: Allen & Unwin. books.google.com/books?isbn=1743432445 Elbert, B. (2008). Introduction to satellite communication (1st ed.). Boston: Artech House. books.google.com/books?isbn=1596932112 Meikle, H. (2001). Modern radar systems (1st ed.). Boston: Artech House. books.google.com/books?isbn=1580532942 Nolan, M. (2011). Fundamentals of air traffic control (1st ed.). Clifton Park, N.Y.: Delmar Cengage Learning. books.google.com/books?isbn=1435482727 Noor, A. (2000). Structures technology for future aerospace systems (1st ed.). Reston, Va.: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. books.google.com/books?isbn=1600864406 Wood, R., Sweginnis, R., & Lederer, J. (2006). Aircraft accident investigation (1st ed.). Casper, WY: Endeavor Books. books.google.com/books?isbn=1892944170 Wyatt, D., & Tooley, M. (2013). Aircraft Communications and Navigation Systems (1st ed.). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. books.google.com/books?isbn=1136079017 Boeing. (2014, March 2). Aviation Safety:Partcipating in Accident Investigation. Retrieved may 19, 2014, from Boeng:http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/safety/investigate.page Dove, B. (2013, August 10). Wings of a Dove. Retrieved May 19, 2014, from Modern http://www.wingsofadove.info/2013/08/10/modern-technology-and-aircraft-crash- investigations/ Glancey, J. (2014, April 15). The crashes that changed plane designs forever. Retrieved May 19, 2014,from BBC:Future: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140414 crashes that changedplane design Huff, J. (2013, February 2). Modern Aircraft Accident Investigation Equipment and Techniques. Retrieved May 19, 2014, from MacManX: http://macmanx.com/modern-aircraft accident investigation-equipment-and-techniques/ Read More