AeroTech Research - News & Events

AeroTech's TAPS and Enhanced Turbulence (E-Turb) radar technologies are the subject of a just released National Geographic article entitled "Airline Passengers, Relax: Turbulence Detectors Are on the Way." The article describes the technologies and mentions the evaluations conducted with Delta under the NASA program. For more information on TAPS and E-Turb click these links.

AeroTech Research announces the award of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract from NASA to develop A Real-Time Quantitative Condition Alerting and Analysis Support System for Aircraft Maintenance.

Many of the specific conditions and events of interest to airline maintenance are not being monitored by automatic systems, and some events are being identified through a subjective determination by the aircrew. This subjective determination can result in both maintenance being performed unnecessarily and maintenance not being performed when needed.

During this Phase II contract, AeroTech will develop a multi-tier, Quantitative Condition Alerting and Analysis Support (QCAAS) system for aircraft that will in real-time, automatically downlink to maintenance personnel, reports on the occurrence of specific conditions and events. The reports will be displayed on a web based, ground station network. The system will also track individual aircraft’s exposure to particular in-flight conditions allowing airline personnel to tailor maintenance programs to individual aircraft. By providing quantifiable data in real-time, operational decisions can be made to minimize the impact and maximize the benefits of on-condition maintenance.

"Turbulence, wind shear, and fatigue topped the agenda at the agency's international air safety seminar, held in Paris in October" (Aviation International News - AIN Online). Dr. Paul Robinson presented a brief entitled "Advances in Turbulence Detection and Avoidance for Commercial Aviation" on the need for improved turbulence detection at the Flight Safety Foundation Annual International Air Safety Seminar in Paris. The brief discussed how the Enhanced Turbulence Radar and the Turbulence Auto-PIREP System (TAPS) could fill many of the user needs regarding improved turbulence information/awareness.

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Spinoff, a product of NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program, is a publication designed to highlight the advances that come out of the Agency’s pioneering work in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research. This year's publication contains an article entitled "Steering Aircraft Clear of Choppy Air" that describes the development and advantages of AeroTech's Enhanced Turbulence Radar algorithms and Turbulence Auto-PIREP System (TAPS).

NASA recently announced the selection of five prime contractors for a major NASA contract in support of aircraft flight critical systems research (FCSR). AeroTech is pleased to announce that it is a member of both the ARINC Engineering Services, LLC FCSR team and the Rannoch Corporation team. The flight critical systems research work is in four major areas: flight dynamics guidance and control; crew systems and aviation operations; reliable and robust avionics systems; and flight critical systems analysis and integration. The five NASA selected prime contractor teams will compete for task orders under the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity award that has a potential value of $35 million.

AeroTech Research announces the award of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contract from NASA to develop a turbulence hazard decision support tool (TurbDST) that will enhance controllers’ and dispatchers’ situational awareness of the location and severity of turbulence; by providing real-time quantitative turbulence information down-linked from aircraft. Every day, turbulence has an adverse effect on aircraft operations and capacity of the NAS, costing the airline industry at least $150 million annually in operational inefficiencies, unscheduled maintenance, and injuries. A contributor to these costs is that controllers’ and dispatchers’ current tactical knowledge of turbulence hazards relies heavily on verbal pilot reports of turbulence, which are often inconsistent, late, and subjective. During this Phase I contract, AeroTech will determine the feasibility of integrating, displaying, and using various turbulence information (including, but not limited to, Enhanced Turbulence Radar information and Turbulence Auto-PIREP System reports) on a ground station system to both increase the turbulence hazard situational awareness of controllers, traffic managers, and dispatchers, and enhance their decision making with regards to the safe and efficient routing of aircraft in and around regions of turbulence.

AeroTech Research announces the award of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contract from NASA to develop a multi-tier, Quantitative Condition Alerting and Analysis Support (Q-CAAS) system for aircraft that will in real-time, automatically downlink to maintenance personnel, reports on the occurrence of specific conditions and events (e.g. loads exceedance).

Financial constraints and the need for improved operational efficiency are requiring airlines to emphasize “on-condition” maintenance over scheduled maintenance where possible. The problem is that many of the specific conditions and events of interest to airline maintenance are not being monitored by automatic systems. In fact, for some of these events, such as the occurrence of severe loads and hard landings, the current method of detection is through a subjective determination by the aircrew. This subjective determination can result in both maintenance being performed unnecessarily and maintenance not being performed when needed.

During this Phase I contract, AeroTech will, with assistance from Delta Air Lines Technical Operations, determine the feasibility of developing algorithms to detect the occurrence of specific maintenance conditions and events, many of which are currently reported based on subjective analysis. Phase I will also look at the ability to gather and process flight parameters required for analysis of each event/condition occurrence, to create a maintenance report, and to deliver it to a ground station network to assist maintenance personnel in maximizing on-condition maintenance and minimizing the impact on flight operations.

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