Aeronautical Science

Noise Pollution        If you have ever lived near an airport, I'm sure you are well aware of the loud noises coming from aircrafts departing and landing. Noise management has become more and more of a problem for airports around the world due to urbanization around airports. People living near a major airport experience around 65 decibels of noise every time an aircraft passes near them wether it is during the day or night. Since this has become more of a problem for local communities, airports have been proactive in finding new solutions to combat aircraft noise.      One of the most common techniques airports have used to reduce noise is to reshape approach and departure routes. They find the least populated area from which an approach or departure can be made, and put the routes over that area. With technology such as RNAV's and FMS, it can allow aircrafts to descend from a higher altitude to reduce the noise over these areas. "The h...

 Air Commerce Act of 1926     In 1926, the Air Commerce Act was passed because leaders did not believe airplanes could not reach their full potential without new regulations and standards for safety. " This landmark legislation charged the Secretary of Commerce with fostering air commerce, issuing and enforcing air traffic rules, licensing pilots, certifying aircraft, establishing airways, and operating and maintaining aids to air navigation." (FAA) A new aeronautics branch was also created in the Department of Commerce to oversee all aviation regulations.      After this act was passed, aircrafts had to be inspected for airworthiness and they were required to have markings on the outside of the plane for identification purposes. Airmen were required to pass a physical  examination to ensure they were fit to fly, they were tested on aeronautical knowledge, and required to be licensed. The government  was also in charge of building new airports, or...

 Controlled Flight Into Terrain     On August 14, 2013, a UPS cargo plane crashed during an approach into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. After investigation from the NTSB, they determined that the crash was caused due to an unstabilized approach and descending below the minimum descent altitude before the runway was in sight. The board also found that the flight crew’s failure to properly configure the on-board flight management computer, the first officer’s failure to make required call-outs, the captain’s decision to change the approach strategy without communicating his change to the first officer, and flight crew fatigue all contributed to the accident. (ISHN, 2014)  Since the first officer did not program the flight management computer correctly, the autopilot was not able to fly the desired path to the runway. When the flight path was not captured, the captain changed the autopilot mode without informing the first officer and started to descend...