Helicopter Pilot Performance for Discrete-maneuver Flight Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Heffley, R. K.; Bourne, S. M.; Hindson, W. S.

1984-01-01

This paper describes a current study of several basic helicopter flight maneuvers. The data base consists of in-flight measurements from instrumented helicopters using experienced pilots. The analysis technique is simple enough to apply without automatic data processing, and the results can be used to build quantitative matah models of the flight task and some aspects of the pilot control strategy. In addition to describing the performance measurement technqiue, some results are presented which define the aggressiveness and amplitude of maneuvering for several lateral maneuvers including turns and sidesteps.

A pilot study to evaluate the safety and clinical performance of Leucopatch, an autologous, additive-free, platelet-rich fibrin for the treatment of recalcitrant chronic wounds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Bo; Karlsmark, Tonny; Vogensen, Hanne

2011-01-01

This prospective, uncontrolled pilot study evaluated the safety and clinical performance of Leucopatch an additive-free, autologous platelet-rich fibrin in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic wounds. Fifteen patients, with 16 lower extremity chronic wounds of varying etiologies were treated...

Performance of a solar chimney by varying design parameters

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kumirai, T

2015-08-01

Full Text Available the design of solar chimneys to ensure optimal performance. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the performance of an example solar chimney by varying the design parameters and examining their effects on the interior ventilation performance... chimney by varying design parameters Tichaona Kumirai, Researcher, Built Environment CSIR Jan-Hendrik Grobler, DPSS CSIR Dr D.C.U. Conradie, Senior researcher, Built Environment CSIR 1 Introduction Trombe walls and solar chimneys are not widely...

Combining control input with flight path data to evaluate pilot performance in transport aircraft.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebbatson, Matt; Harris, Don; Huddlestone, John; Sears, Rodney

2008-11-01

When deriving an objective assessment of piloting performance from flight data records, it is common to employ metrics which purely evaluate errors in flight path parameters. The adequacy of pilot performance is evaluated from the flight path of the aircraft. However, in large jet transport aircraft these measures may be insensitive and require supplementing with frequency-based measures of control input parameters. Flight path and control input data were collected from pilots undertaking a jet transport aircraft conversion course during a series of symmetric and asymmetric approaches in a flight simulator. The flight path data were analyzed for deviations around the optimum flight path while flying an instrument landing approach. Manipulation of the flight controls was subject to analysis using a series of power spectral density measures. The flight path metrics showed no significant differences in performance between the symmetric and asymmetric approaches. However, control input frequency domain measures revealed that the pilots employed highly different control strategies in the pitch and yaw axes. The results demonstrate that to evaluate pilot performance fully in large aircraft, it is necessary to employ performance metrics targeted at both the outer control loop (flight path) and the inner control loop (flight control) parameters in parallel, evaluating both the product and process of a pilot's performance.

The relationship between manual handling performance and recent flying experience in air transport pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebbatson, Matt; Harris, Don; Huddlestone, John; Sears, Rodney

2010-02-01

Modern jet transport aircraft are typically flown using the on-board automation by the pilot programming commands into the auto-flight systems. Anecdotal evidence exists suggesting that pilots of highly automated aircraft experience manual flying skills decay as a result of a lack of opportunity to practise hand-flying during line operations. The ability of a pilot to revert to basic manual control is essential, for example, in cases where the aircraft's automatic capability is diminished or when reconfiguring the automatics is an ineffective use of crew capacity. However, there is a paucity of objective data to substantiate this perceived threat to flight safety. Furthermore, traditional performance measurement techniques may lack the ability to identify subtle but significant differences in pilots' manual handling ability in large transport aircraft. This study examines the relationship between pilot manual handling performance and their recent flying experience using both traditional flight path tracking measures and frequency-based control strategy measures. Significant relationships are identified between pilots' very recent flying experience and their manual control strategy. Statement of Relevance: The study demonstrates a novel application of frequency analysis, which produces a broader and more sensitive analysis of pilot performance than has been offered in previous research. Additionally, the relationships that are found to exist between recent flying experience and manual flying performance will help to guide future pilot assessment and training.

Pilot performance: assessing how scan patterns & navigational assessments vary by flight expertise.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ji Hyun; Kennedy, Quinn; Sullivan, Joseph; Fricker, Ronald D

2013-02-01

Helicopter overland navigation is a cognitively complex task that requires continuous monitoring of system and environmental parameters and many hours of training to master. This study investigated the effect of expertise on pilots' gaze measurements, navigation accuracy, and subjective assessment of their navigation accuracy in overland navigation on easy and difficult routes. A simulated overland task was completed by 12 military officers who ranged in flight experience as measured by total flight hours (TFH). They first studied a map of a route that included both easy and difficult route sections, and then had to 'fly' this simulated route in a fixed-base helicopter simulator. They also completed pre-task estimations and post-task assessments of the navigational difficulty of the transit to each waypoint in the route. Their scan pattern was tracked via eye tracking systems, which captured both the subject's out-the-window (OTW) and topographical map scan data. TFH was not associated with navigation accuracy or root mean square (RMS) error for any route section. For the easy routes, experts spent less time scanning out the window (p = 0.61) and had shorter OTW dwell (p = -0.66). For the difficult routes, experts appeared to slow down their scan by spending as much time scanning out the window as the novices while also having fewer Map fixations (p = -0.65) and shorter OTW dwell (p = -0.69). However, TFH was not significantly correlated with more accurate estimates of route difficulty. This study found that TFH did not predict navigation accuracy or subjective assessment, but was correlated with some gaze parameters.

Performance of water distribution systems in a pilot cooling tower

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tognotti, L.; Giacomelli, A.; Zanelli, S.; Bellagamba, B.; Lotti, G.; Mattachini, F.

1990-01-01

An experimental study has been carried out on the water distribution system of a Pilot cooling tower of 160 m 3 /hr The performances of different industrial water distributors have been evaluated by changing the operative conditions of the pilot tower. In particular, the efficiency and the uniformity of the water distribution have been investigated and compared with the results obtained in a small-scale loop, in which the single nozzles were tested. Measurements in both systems, pilot tower and small scale loop, included the geometric characteristics of the jet umbrella by ensemble photography, the wetted zone by measuring the specific flowrate, the drop-size distribution and liquid concentration by high-speed photography. The results show that correlations exist between the nozzle behaviour in single and pilot tower configuration. The uniformity of water distribution in the pilot tower is strongly related to the nozzle installation pattern and to the operative conditions. Coalescence plays an important role on the drop size distribution in the pilot-tower. Comments upon the influence of these parameters on tower behaviour are also included

performance evaluation of a pilot paraplegic centricity mobility aid

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A PILOT PARAPLEGIC CENTRICITY. MOBILITY AID. MOBILITY ... The result of the test showed a remarkable improvement in. Wilcoxin's signed rank test. .... RESEARCH METHOD. RESEARCH METHOD.

Psychophysiological Assessment in Pilots Performing Challenging Simulated and Real Flight Maneuvers.

Science.gov (United States)

Johannes, Bernd; Rothe, Stefanie; Gens, André; Westphal, Soeren; Birkenfeld, Katja; Mulder, Edwin; Rittweger, Jörn; Ledderhos, Carla

2017-09-01

The objective assessment of psychophysiological arousal during challenging flight maneuvers is of great interest to aerospace medicine, but remains a challenging task. In the study presented here, a vector-methodological approach was used which integrates different psychophysiological variables, yielding an integral arousal index called the Psychophysiological Arousal Value (PAV). The arousal levels of 15 male pilots were assessed during predetermined, well-defined flight maneuvers performed under simulated and real flight conditions. The physiological data, as expected, revealed inter- and intra-individual differences for the various measurement conditions. As indicated by the PAV, air-to-air refueling (AAR) turned out to be the most challenging task. In general, arousal levels were comparable between simulator and real flight conditions. However, a distinct difference was observed when the pilots were divided by instructors into two groups based on their proficiency in AAR with AWACS (AAR-Novices vs. AAR-Professionals). AAR-Novices had on average more than 2000 flight hours on other aircrafts. They showed higher arousal reactions to AAR in real flight (contact: PAV score 8.4 ± 0.37) than under simulator conditions (7.1 ± 0.30), whereas AAR-Professionals did not (8.5 ± 0.46 vs. 8.8 ± 0.80). The psychophysiological arousal value assessment was tested in field measurements, yielding quantifiable arousal differences between proficiency groups of pilots during simulated and real flight conditions. The method used in this study allows an evaluation of the psychophysiological cost during a certain flying performance and thus is possibly a valuable tool for objectively evaluating the actual skill status of pilots.Johannes B, Rothe S, Gens A, Westphal S, Birkenfeld K, Mulder E, Rittweger J, Ledderhos C. Psychophysiological assessment in pilots performing challenging simulated and real flight maneuvers. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(9):834-840.

Performance Comparison of BPL, EtherLoop and SHDSL technology performance on existing pilot cable circuits under the presence of induced voltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Che, Y X; Ong, H S; Lai, L C; Ong, X J; Do, N Q; Karuppiah, S

2013-01-01

Pilot cable is originally used for utility protection. Then, pilot cable is further utilized for SCADA communication with low frequency PSK modem in the early 1990. However, the quality of pilot cable communication drops recently. Pilot cable starts to deteriorate due to aging and other unknown factors. It is also believed that the presence of induced voltage causes interference to existing modem communication which operates at low frequency channel. Therefore, BPL (Broadband Power Line), EtherLoop and SHDSL (Symmetrical High-speed Digital Subscriber Line) modem technology are proposed as alternative communication solutions for pilot cable communication. The performance of the 3 selected technologies on existing pilot cable circuits under the presence of induced voltage are measured and compared. Total of 11 pilot circuits with different length and level of induced voltage influence are selected for modem testing. The performance of BPL, EtherLoop and SHDSL modem technology are measured by the delay, bandwidth, packet loss and the long term usability SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) application. The testing results are presented and discussed in this paper. The results show that the 3 selected technologies are dependent on distance and independent on the level of induced voltage.

Performance of Traffic Noise Barriers with Varying Cross-Section

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanja Grubeša

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The efficiency of noise barriers largely depends on their geometry. In this paper, the performance of noise barriers was simulated using the numerical Boundary Element Method (BEM. Traffic noise was particularly considered with its standardized noise spectrum adapted to human hearing. The cross-section of the barriers was varied with the goal of finding the optimum shape in comparison to classical rectangular barriers. The barrier performance was calculated at different receiver points for a fixed barrier height and source position. The magnitude of the insertion loss parameter was used to evaluate the performance change, both in one-third octave bands and as the broadband mean insertion loss value. The proposed barriers of varying cross-section were also compared with a typical T-shape barrier of the same height.

Performance of a pilot-scale compost biofilter treating gasoline vapor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, W.F.; Schroeder, E.D.; Chang, D.P.Y.

1997-01-01

A pilot-scale compost biofiltration system was operated as gasoline soil vapor extraction site in Hayward, California for one year. The media was composed of equal volumes of compost and perlite, a bulking agent. Supplements added included nitrogen (as KNO 3 ), a gasoline degrading microbial inoculum, buffer (crushed oyster shell), and water. The biofiltration system was composed of four identical units with outside dimensions of 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.2 m (4 x 4 x 4 ft) operated in an up-flow mode. The units were configured in parallel during the first eight months and then reconfigured to two parallel systems of two units in series. Air flux values ranged from 0.29 to 1.0 m 3 /m 2 per min. Inlet total petroleum hydrogen hydrocarbon (TPH gas ) concentrations ranged from 310 to 2,700 mg/m 3 . The average empty bed contact time was 2.2 min. Following start-up, performance of the individual biofilters varied considerably for a seven-month period. The principal factor affecting performance appeared to be bed moisture content. Overall TPH gas removals reached 90% for short periods in one unit, and BTEX removals were typically above 90%. Drying resulted in channeling and loss of bed activity. Management of bed moisture content improved over the study period, and recovery of system performance was achieved without replacement of bed media. Overall TPH gas removals exceeded 90% during the final 50 days of the study

Development of a Field-Deployable Psychomotor Vigilance Test to Monitor Helicopter Pilot Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Terry W; Newman, David G

2016-04-01

Flying a helicopter is a complex psychomotor skill. Fatigue is a serious threat to operational safety, particularly for sustained helicopter operations involving high levels of cognitive information processing and sustained time on task. As part of ongoing research into this issue, the object of this study was to develop a field-deployable helicopter-specific psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) for the purpose of daily performance monitoring of pilots. The PVT consists of a laptop computer, a hand-operated joystick, and a set of rudder pedals. Screen-based compensatory tracking task software includes a tracking ball (operated by the joystick) which moves randomly in all directions, and a second tracking ball which moves horizontally (operated by the rudder pedals). The 5-min test requires the pilot to keep both tracking balls centered. This helicopter-specific PVT's portability and integrated data acquisition and storage system enables daily field monitoring of the performance of individual helicopter pilots. The inclusion of a simultaneous foot-operated tracking task ensures divided attention for helicopter pilots as the movement of both tracking balls requires simultaneous inputs. This PVT is quick, economical, easy to use, and specific to the operational flying task. It can be used for performance monitoring purposes, and as a general research tool for investigating the psychomotor demands of helicopter operations. While reliability and validity testing is warranted, data acquired from this test could help further our understanding of the effect of various factors (such as fatigue) on helicopter pilot performance, with the potential of contributing to helicopter operational safety.

Back pain and its consequences among Polish Air Force pilots flying high performance aircraft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandra Truszczyńska

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Back pain in Air Force fast jet pilots has been studied by several air forces and found to be relatively common. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and degree of the pain intensity in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, subjective risk factors and their effect on the pilots' performance while flying high maneuver aircrafts and the consequences for cognitive deficiencies. Material and Methods: The study was designed as a retrospective, anonymous questionnaire survey, collecting data on the age, aircraft type, flying hours, pain characteristics, physical activity, etc. The study was participated by 94 pilots aged 28-45 years (mean age: 35.9±3.3 years, actively flying fast jet aircrafts Su-22, Mig-29 and F-16. The estimates regarding the level of the subjective back pain were established using visual analogue scales (VAS. Results: The values of the Cochran and Cox T-test for heterogeneous variances are as follows: for the total number of flying hours: F = 2.53, p = 0.0145, for the pilot's age: F = 3.15, p = 0.003, and for the BMI factor F = 2.73, p = 0.008. Conclusions: Our questionnaire survey showed a significant problem regarding spinal conditions in high performance aircraft pilots. The determination of the risk factors may lead to solving this problem and help eliminate the effect of the unfavorable environment on piloting jet aircrafts. Experiencing back pain during the flight might influence the mission performance and flight safety. The costs of pilots education are enormous and inability to fly, or even disability, leads to considerable economic loss. More research on specific prevention strategies is warranted in order to improve the in-flight working environment of fighter pilots.

An Annotated Bibliography of Objective Pilot Performance Measures

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

realism . (Author) 224 NAVTRAEQUIPCEN IH-330 t 667. PROPHET, Wallace W., and Caro, Paul W., Simulation and Aircrew Training and Performance, Human... cinematic simulation and air training appears to be the most promising cost-effective method of developing NOE visual perception skills. Of other...flight and control dynamics. Informal trials were run with research staff and carrier-qualified pilots to evaluate realism of the displays; amount of

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF PILOT BASED CHANNEL ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES IN MB OFDM SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Madheswaran

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Ultra wideband (UWB communication is mainly used for short range of communication in wireless personal area networks. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM is being used as a key physical layer technology for Fourth Generation (4G wireless communication. OFDM based communication gives high spectral efficiency and mitigates Inter-symbol Interference (ISI in a wireless medium. In this paper the IEEE 802.15.3a based Multiband OFDM (MB OFDM system is considered. The pilot based channel estimation techniques are considered to analyze the performance of MB OFDM systems over Liner Time Invariant (LTI Channel models. In this paper, pilot based Least Square (LS and Least Minimum Mean Square Error (LMMSE channel estimation technique has been considered for UWB OFDM system. In the proposed method, the estimated Channel Impulse Responses (CIRs are filtered in the time domain for the consideration of the channel delay spread. Also the performance of proposed system has been analyzed for different modulation techniques for various pilot density patterns.

Experimental investigations of the effect of pilot injection on performance, emissions and combustion characteristics of Karanja biodiesel fuelled CRDI engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhar, Atul; Agarwal, Avinash Kumar

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Effect of multiple injections on CRDI engine performance, emission and combustion. • Effect of multiple injections, injection pressures and injection timings on biodiesel. • Lower biodiesel blends showed lower BSCO, BSHC but higher BSNOx emissions. • Maximum cylinder pressure at higher FIP was higher at same SOPI and SOMI. • Combustion duration of KOME50 was higher than mineral diesel. - Abstract: Pilot and post injections are being used in modern diesel engines for improving engine performance in addition to meeting stringent emission norms. Biodiesel produced from different feedstocks is gaining global recognition as partial replacement for mineral diesel in compression ignition (CI) engines. In this study, 10%, 20% and 50% Karanja biodiesel blends were used for investigation of pilot injections, injection pressures and injection timings on biodiesel blends. Experiments were carried out in a single cylinder CRDI research engine in multiple injection mode at 500 and 1000 bar fuel injection pressure (FIP) under varying start of pilot injection (SOPI) and start of main injection (SOMI) timings. Brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) increased with increasing Karanja biodiesel concentration in test fuels however brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of biodiesel blends was slightly higher than mineral diesel. Lower biodiesel blends showed lower brake specific carbon monoxide (BSCO) and brake specific hydrocarbon (BSHC) emissions than mineral diesel. Brake specific nitrogen oxides (BSNOx) emissions from KOME20 and KOME10 were higher than mineral diesel. Combustion duration of KOME50 was also higher than mineral diesel

Increasing Performance of Professional Soccer Players and Elite Track and Field Athletes with Peak Performance Training and Biofeedback: A Pilot Study

OpenAIRE

Rijken, Noortje H.; Soer, Remko; de Maar, Ewold; Prins, Hilco; Teeuw, Wouter B.; Peuscher, Jan; Oosterveld, Frits G. J.

2016-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of an intervention consisting of mental coaching combined with either electro encephalogram (EEG) alpha power feedback or heart rate variability (HRV) feedback on HRV, EEG outcomes and self-reported factors related to stress, performance, recovery and sleep quality in elite athletes. A prospective pilot study was performed with two distinct cohorts. Soccer players were provided with four sessions of mental coaching combined with daily...

Pilot Preference, Compliance, and Performance With an Airborne Conflict Management Toolset

Science.gov (United States)

Doble, Nathan A.; Barhydt, Richard; Krishnamurthy, Karthik

2005-01-01

A human-in-the-loop experiment was conducted at the NASA Ames and Langley Research Centers, investigating the En Route Free Maneuvering component of a future air traffic management concept termed Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM). NASA Langley test subject pilots used the Autonomous Operations Planner (AOP) airborne toolset to detect and resolve traffic conflicts, interacting with subject pilots and air traffic controllers at NASA Ames. Experimental results are presented, focusing on conflict resolution maneuver choices, AOP resolution guidance acceptability, and performance metrics. Based on these results, suggestions are made to further improve the AOP interface and functionality.

Effect of pilot fuel quantity on the performance of a dual fuel engine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abd Alla, G.H.; Soliman, H.A.; Badr, O.A.; Abd Rabbo, M.F. [Zagazig University, Cairo (Egypt). Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

2000-04-01

It is well known that the operation of dual fuel engines at lower loads suffers from lower thermal efficiency and higher unburned percentages of fuel. To rectify this problem, tests have been conducted on a special single cylinder compression ignition research engine (Ricardo E6) to investigate the effect of pilot fuel quantity on the performance of an indirect injection diesel engine fuelled with gaseous fuel. Diesel fuel was used as the pilot fuel and methane or propane was used as the main fuel which was inducted into the intake manifold to mix with the intake air. Through experimental investigations, it is shown that, the low efficiency and excess emissions at light loads can be improved significantly by increasing the amount of pilot fuel, while increasing the amount of pilot fuel at high loads led to early knocking. (author)

Effects of Spatio-Temporal Aliasing on Pilot Performance in Active Control Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Zaal, Peter; Sweet, Barbara

2010-01-01

Spatio-temporal aliasing affects pilot performance and control behavior. For increasing refresh rates: 1) Significant change in control behavior: a) Increase in visual gain and neuromuscular frequency. b) Decrease in visual time delay. 2) Increase in tracking performance: a) Decrease in RMSe. b) Increase in crossover frequency.

The effect of visual-motion time-delays on pilot performance in a simulated pursuit tracking task

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, G. K., Jr.; Riley, D. R.

1977-01-01

An experimental study was made to determine the effect on pilot performance of time delays in the visual and motion feedback loops of a simulated pursuit tracking task. Three major interrelated factors were identified: task difficulty either in the form of airplane handling qualities or target frequency, the amount and type of motion cues, and time delay itself. In general, the greater the task difficulty, the smaller the time delay that could exist without degrading pilot performance. Conversely, the greater the motion fidelity, the greater the time delay that could be tolerated. The effect of motion was, however, pilot dependent.

Simulating extreme environments: Ergonomic evaluation of Chinese pilot performance and heat stress tolerance.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing; Tian, Yinsheng; Ding, Li; Zou, Huijuan; Ren, Zhaosheng; Shi, Liyong; Feathers, David; Wang, Ning

2015-06-05

High-temperatures in the cockpit environment can adversely influence pilot behavior and performance. To investigate the impact of high thermal environments on Chinese pilot performance in a simulated cockpit environment. Ten subjects volunteered to participate in the tests under 40°C and 45°C high-temperature simulations in an environmentally controlled chamber. Measures such as grip strength, perception, dexterity, somatic sense reaction, and analytical reasoning were taken. The results were compared to the Combined Index of Heat Stress (CIHS). CIHS exceeded the heat stress safety limit after 45 min under 40°C, grip strength decreased by 12% and somatic perception became 2.89 times larger than the initial value. In the case of 45°C, CIHS exceeded the safety limit after only 20 min, while the grip strength decreased just by 3.2% and somatic perception increased to 4.36 times larger than the initial value. Reaction and finger dexterity were not statistically different from baseline measurements, but the error rate of analytical reasoning test rose remarkably. Somatic perception was the most sensitive index to high-temperature, followed by grip strength. Results of this paper may help to improve environmental control design of new fighter cockpit and for pilot physiology and cockpit environment ergonomics research for Chinese pilots.

A comprehensive small and pilot-scale fixed-bed reactor approach for testing Fischer–Tropsch catalyst activity and performance on a BTL route

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piyapong Hunpinyo

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Ruthenium (Ru-based catalysts were prepared by the sol–gel technique for biomass-to-liquid (BTL operation and had their performance tested under different conditions. The catalytic study was carried out in two steps using a simple and reliable method. In the first step, the effects of reaction temperatures and inlet H2/CO molar feed ratios obtained from biomass gasification were investigated on the catalyst performance. A set of experimental results obtained in a laboratory fixed bed reactor was described and summarized. Moreover, a simplified Langmuir–Hinshelwood–Hougen–Watson (LHHW kinetic model was proposed with two promising models, where the surface decomposition of carbon monoxide was assumed as the rate determining step (RDS. In the second step, a FT pilot plant was conducted to validate the catalyst performance, especially the conversion efficiency, heat and mass transfer effects, and system controllability. The results indicated that our catalyst performances under mild conditions were not significantly different in many regards from those previously reported for a severe condition, as especially Ru-based catalyst can be performed to vary over a wide range of conditions to yield specific liquid productivity. The results in terms of the hydrocarbon product distribution obtained from the pilot scale operations were similar with that obtained from the related lab scale experiments.

The influence of floc size and hydraulic detention time on the performance of a dissolved air flotation (DAF) pilot unit in the light of a mathematical model.

Science.gov (United States)

Moruzzi, R B; Reali, M A P

2014-12-01

The influence of floc size and hydraulic detention time on the performance of a dissolved air flotation (DAF) pilot unit was investigated in the light of a known mathematical model. The following design and operational parameters were considered: the hydraulic detention time (tdcz) and hydraulic loading rate in the contact zone, the down-flow loading rate in the clarification zone, the particle size distribution (d F), and the recirculation rate (p). As a reference for DAF performance analysis, the proposed β.td parameter from the above mentioned mathematical model was employed. The results indicated that tdcz is an important factor in DAF performance and that d F and floc size are also determinants of DAF efficiency. Further, β.td was sensitive to both design and operational parameters, which were varied in the DAF pilot plant. The performance of the DAF unit decreases with increasing β.td values because a higher td (considering a fixed β) or a higher β (e.g., higher hydrophobicity of the flocs for a fixed td) would be necessary in the reaction zone to reach desired flotation efficiency.

Incorporating long-term climate change in performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swift, P.N.; Baker, B.L.; Economy, K.; Garner, J.W.; Helton, J.C.; Rudeen, D.K.

1993-01-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is developing the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico for the disposal of transuranic wastes generated by defense programs. Applicable regulations (40 CFR 191) require the DOE to evaluate disposal-system performance for 10,000 yr. Climatic changes may affect performance by altering groundwater flow. Paleoclimatic data from southeastern New Mexico and the surrounding area indicate that the wettest and coolest Quaternary climate at the site can be represented by that at the last glacial maximum, when mean annual precipitation was approximately twice that of the present. The hottest and driest climates have been similar to that of the present. The regularity of global glacial cycles during the late Pleistocene confirms that the climate of the last glacial maximum is suitable for use as a cooler and wetter bound for variability during the next 10,000 yr. Climate variability is incorporated into groundwater-flow modeling for WIPP PA by causing hydraulic head in a portion of the model-domain boundary to rise to the ground surface with hypothetical increases in precipitation during the next 10,000 yr. Variability in modeled disposal-system performance introduced by allowing head values to vary over this range is insignificant compared to variability resulting from other causes, including incomplete understanding of transport processes. Preliminary performance assessments suggest that climate variability will not affect regulatory compliance

Incorporating long-term climate change in performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swift, P.N.; Baker, B.L.; Economy, K.; Garner, J.W.; Helton, J.C.; Rudeen, D.K.

1994-03-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is developing the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico for the disposal of transuranic wastes generated by defense programs. Applicable regulations (40 CFR 191) require the DOE to evaluate disposal-system performance for 10,000 yr. Climatic changes may affect performance by altering groundwater flow. Paleoclimatic data from southeastern New Mexico and the surrounding area indicate that the wettest and coolest Quaternary climate at the site can be represented by that at the last glacial maximum, when mean annual precipitation was approximately twice that of the present. The hottest and driest climates have been similar to that of the present. The regularity of global glacial cycles during the late Pleistocene confirms that the climate of the last glacial maximum is suitable for use as a cooler and wetter bound for variability during the next 10,000 yr. Climate variability is incorporated into groundwater-flow modeling for WIPP PA by causing hydraulic head in a portion of the model-domain boundary to rise to the ground surface with hypothetical increases in precipitation during the next 10,000 yr. Variability in modeled disposal-system performance introduced by allowing had values to vary over this range is insignificant compared to variability resulting from other causes, including incomplete understanding of transport processes. Preliminary performance assessments suggest that climate variability will not affect regulatory compliance

Performance and cost implication of finisher turkeys fed varying ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A 28-day experiment was conducted to determine the effect of feeding varying levels of rice milling waste as a substitute on maize on the performance, nutrient utilization and the economics implication on finisher turkeys. Five turkey finisher diets were formulated by substituting maize with rice milling waste at 0%, 25%, 50%, ...

Time-varying output performances of piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting under nonstationary random vibrations

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Heonjun; Kim, Miso; Park, Choon-Su; Youn, Byeng D.

2018-01-01

Piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting (PVEH) has received much attention as a potential solution that could ultimately realize self-powered wireless sensor networks. Since most ambient vibrations in nature are inherently random and nonstationary, the output performances of PVEH devices also randomly change with time. However, little attention has been paid to investigating the randomly time-varying electroelastic behaviors of PVEH systems both analytically and experimentally. The objective of this study is thus to make a step forward towards a deep understanding of the time-varying performances of PVEH devices under nonstationary random vibrations. Two typical cases of nonstationary random vibration signals are considered: (1) randomly-varying amplitude (amplitude modulation; AM) and (2) randomly-varying amplitude with randomly-varying instantaneous frequency (amplitude and frequency modulation; AM-FM). In both cases, this study pursues well-balanced correlations of analytical predictions and experimental observations to deduce the relationships between the time-varying output performances of the PVEH device and two primary input parameters, such as a central frequency and an external electrical resistance. We introduce three correlation metrics to quantitatively compare analytical prediction and experimental observation, including the normalized root mean square error, the correlation coefficient, and the weighted integrated factor. Analytical predictions are in an excellent agreement with experimental observations both mechanically and electrically. This study provides insightful guidelines for designing PVEH devices to reliably generate electric power under nonstationary random vibrations.

The effect of visual-motion time delays on pilot performance in a pursuit tracking task

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, G. K., Jr.; Riley, D. R.

1976-01-01

A study has been made to determine the effect of visual-motion time delays on pilot performance of a simulated pursuit tracking task. Three interrelated major effects have been identified: task difficulty, motion cues, and time delays. As task difficulty, as determined by airplane handling qualities or target frequency, increases, the amount of acceptable time delay decreases. However, when relatively complete motion cues are included in the simulation, the pilot can maintain his performance for considerably longer time delays. In addition, the number of degrees of freedom of motion employed is a significant factor.

A new pilot absorber for CO2 capture from flue gases: Measuring and modelling capture with MEA solution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sønderby, Tim L.; Carlsen, Kim B.; Fosbøl, Philip Loldrup

2013-01-01

A pilot absorber column for CO2 recovery from flue gases was constructed and tested with aqueous 30wt% monoethanolamine (MEA), a primary amine, as capture solvent. The pilot plant data were compared with a mathematical rate based packed-column model. The simulation results compared well...... with the pilot plant data. The packed height of the column can be varied from 1.6 to 8.2. m by means of five different liquid inlets. The column has an inner diameter of 100. mm and is packed with structured Mellapak 250Y packing. Counter-current flow is used. The pilot plant performance was investigated...

Linking the Pilot Structural Model and Pilot Workload

Science.gov (United States)

Bachelder, Edward; Hess, Ronald; Aponso, Bimal; Godfroy-Cooper, Martine

2018-01-01

Behavioral models are developed that closely reproduced pulsive control response of two pilots using markedly different control techniques while conducting a tracking task. An intriguing find was that the pilots appeared to: 1) produce a continuous, internally-generated stick signal that they integrated in time; 2) integrate the actual stick position; and 3) compare the two integrations to either issue or cease a pulse command. This suggests that the pilots utilized kinesthetic feedback in order to sense and integrate stick position, supporting the hypothesis that pilots can access and employ the proprioceptive inner feedback loop proposed by Hess's pilot Structural Model. A Pilot Cost Index was developed, whose elements include estimated workload, performance, and the degree to which the pilot employs kinesthetic feedback. Preliminary results suggest that a pilot's operating point (parameter values) may be based on control style and index minimization.

Maintain and Regain Well Clear: Maneuver Guidance Designs for Pilots Performing the Detect-and-Avoid Task

Science.gov (United States)

Monk, Kevin J.; Roberts, Zachary

2017-01-01

In order to support the future expansion and integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), ongoing research efforts have sought to produce findings that inform the minimum display information elements required for acceptable UAS pilot response times and traffic avoidance. Previous simulations have revealed performance benefits associated with DAA displays containing predictive information and suggestive maneuver guidance tools in the form of banding. The present study investigated the impact of various maneuver guidance display configurations on detect-and-avoid (DAA) task performance in a simulated airspace environment. UAS pilots ability to maintain DAA well clear was compared between displays with either the presence or absence of green DAA bands, which indicated conflict-free flight regions. Additional display comparisons assessed pilots ability to regain DAA well clear with two different guidance presentations designed to aid in DAA well clear recovery during critical encounters. Performance implications and display considerations for future UAS DAA systems are discussed.

Visual and flight performance recovery after PRK or LASIK in helicopter pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Van de Pol, Corina; Greig, Joanna L; Estrada, Art; Bissette, Gina M; Bower, Kraig S

2007-06-01

Refractive surgery, specifically photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), is becoming more accepted in the military environment. Determination of the impact on visual performance in the more demanding aviation environment was the impetus for this study. A prospective evaluation of 20 Black Hawk pilots pre-surgically and at 1 wk, 1 mo, and 6 mo postsurgery was conducted to assess both PRK and LASIK visual and flight performance outcomes on the return of aviators to duty. Of 20 pilots, 19 returned to flight status at 1 mo after surgery; 1 PRK subject was delayed due to corneal haze and subjective visual symptoms. Improvements were seen under simulator night and night vision goggle flight after LASIK; no significant changes in flight performance were measured in the aircraft. Results indicated a significantly faster recovery of all visual performance outcomes 1 wk after LASIK vs. PRK, with no difference between procedures at 1 and 6 mo. Low contrast acuity and contrast sensitivity only weakly correlated to flight performance in the early post-operative period. Overall flight performance assessed in this study after PRK and LASIK was stable or improved from baseline, indicating a resilience of performance despite measured decrements in visual performance, especially in PRK. More visually demanding flight tasks may be impacted by subtle changes in visual performance. Contrast tests are more sensitive to the effects of refractive surgical intervention and may prove to be a better indicator of visual recovery for return to flight status.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Performance Assessment Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, J.; Coons, W.E.; Eastmond, R.; Morse, J.; Chakrabarti, S.; Zurkoff, J.; Colton, I.D.; Banz, I.

1986-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Performance Assessment Program involves a comprehensive analysis of the WIPP project with respect to the recently finalized Environmental Protection Agency regulations regarding the long-term geologic isolation of radioactive wastes. The performance assessment brings together the results of site characterization, underground experimental, and environmental studies into a rigorous determination of the performance of WIPP as a disposal system for transuranic radioactive waste. The Program consists of scenario development, geochemical, hydrologic, and thermomechanical support analyses and will address the specific containment and individual protection requirements specified in 40 CFR 191 sub-part B. Calculated releases from these interrelated analyses will be reported as an overall probability distribution of cumulative release resulting from all processes and events occurring over the 10,000 year post-closure period. In addition, results will include any doses to the public resulting from natural processes occurring over the 1,000 year post-closure period. The overall plan for the WIPP Performance Assessment Program is presented along with approaches to issues specific to the WIPP project

Attention in aviation. [to aircraft design and pilot performance

Science.gov (United States)

Wickens, Christopher D.

1987-01-01

The relevance of four principles or mechanisms of human attention to the design of aviation systems and the performance of pilots in multitask environments, including workload prediction and measurement, control-display integration, and the use of voice and head-up displays is discussed. The principles are: the mental energy that supplies task performance (resources), the resulting cross-talk between tasks as they are made more similar (confusion), the combination of different task elements (integration), and the way in which one task is processed and another is ignored (selection or tunneling). The introduction of greater levels of complexity into the validation of attentional theories in order to approach the demands of the cockpit or ATC console is proposed.

A pilot study to evaluate the safety and clinical performance of Leucopatch, an autologous, additive-free, platelet-rich fibrin for the treatment of recalcitrant chronic wounds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Bo; Karlsmark, Tonny; Vogensen, Hanne

2011-01-01

This prospective, uncontrolled pilot study evaluated the safety and clinical performance of Leucopatch an additive-free, autologous platelet-rich fibrin in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic wounds. Fifteen patients, with 16 lower extremity chronic wounds of varying etiologies were treated...... events. Two adverse events, one of noncompliance and one infection, were observed; neither was considered to be related to treatment. The results indicate that Leucopatch is easy to prepare and apply in the clinic, is safe, and may be a clinically effective treatment of recalcitrant chronic wounds....

Turbulent piloted partially-premixed flames with varying levels of O2/N2: stability limits and PDF calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Juddoo, Mrinal; Masri, Assaad R.; Pope, Stephen B.

2011-12-01

This paper reports measured stability limits and PDF calculations of piloted, turbulent flames of compressed natural gas (CNG) partially-premixed with either pure oxygen, or with varying levels of O2/N2. Stability limits are presented for flames of CNG fuel premixed with up to 20% oxygen as well as CNG-O2-N2 fuel where the O2 content is varied from 8 to 22% by volume. Calculations are presented for (i) Sydney flame B [Masri et al. 1988] which uses pure CNG as well as flames B15 to B25 where the CNG is partially-premixed with 15-25% oxygen by volume, respectively and (ii) Sandia methane-air (1:3 by volume) flame E [Barlow et al. 2005] as well as new flames E15 and E25 that are partially-premixed with 'reconstituted air' where the O2 content in nitrogen is 15 and 25% by volume, respectively. The calculations solve a transported PDF of composition using a particle-based Monte Carlo method and employ the EMST mixing model as well as detailed chemical kinetics. The addition of oxygen to the fuel increases stability, shortens the flames, broadens the reaction zone, and shifts the stoichiometric mixture fraction towards the inner side of the jet. It is found that for pure CNG flames where the reaction zone is narrow (∼0.1 in mixture fraction space), the PDF calculations fail to reproduce the correct level of local extinction on approach to blow-off. A broadening in the reaction zone up to about 0.25 in mixture fraction space is needed for the PDF/EMST approach to be able to capture these finite-rate chemistry effects. It is also found that for the same level of partial premixing, increasing the O2/N2 ratio increases the maximum levels of CO and NO but shifts the peak to richer mixture fractions. Over the range of oxygenation investigated here, stability limits have shown to improve almost linearly with increasing oxygen levels in the fuel and with increasing the contribution of release rate from the pilot.

Comparison of NASA-TLX scale, Modified Cooper-Harper scale and mean inter-beat interval as measures of pilot mental workload during simulated flight tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansikka, Heikki; Virtanen, Kai; Harris, Don

2018-04-30

The sensitivity of NASA-TLX scale, modified Cooper-Harper (MCH) scale and the mean inter-beat interval (IBI) of successive heart beats, as measures of pilot mental workload (MWL), were evaluated in a flight training device (FTD). Operational F/A-18C pilots flew instrument approaches with varying task loads. Pilots' performance, subjective MWL ratings and IBI were measured. Based on the pilots' performance, three performance categories were formed; high-, medium- and low-performance. Values of the subjective rating scales and IBI were compared between categories. It was found that all measures were able to differentiate most task conditions and there was a strong, positive correlation between NASA-TLX and MCH scale. An explicit link between IBI, NASA-TLX, MCH and performance was demonstrated. While NASA-TLX, MCH and IBI have all been previously used to measure MWL, this study is the first one to investigate their association in a modern FTD, using a realistic flying mission and operational pilots.

Fluid intellingence and spatial reasoning as predictors of pilot training performance in the South African Air Force (SAAF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François de Kock

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Pilot selection is a form of high-stakes selection due to the massive costs of training, high trainee ability requirements and costly repercussions of poor selection decisions. This criterion-related validation study investigated the predictive ability of fluid intelligence and spatial reasoning in predicting three criteria of pilot training performance, using an accumulated sample of South African Air Force pilots (N = 108. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses with training grade achieved as criterion were performed for each of the phases of training, namely practical flight training, ground school training, and officers’ formative training. Multiple correlations of 0.35 (p 0.05 and 0.23 (p > 0.05 were obtained for flight, ground school and formative training results, respectively. Spatial ability had incremental validity over fluid intelligence for predicting flight training performance.

Application of a pilot control strategy identification technique to a joint FAA/NASA ground-based simulation of head-up displays for CTOL aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Jewell, W. F.

1982-01-01

A technique for measuring a pilot's control strategy was developed, evaluated, and applied to a joint FAA-NASA ground-based simulation of two competing concepts of head-up displays for use in conventional takeoff and landing aircraft. The technique, called the Non-Intrusive Pilot Identification Program (NIPIP), estimates the pilot's input-output describing function and combined pilot-vehicle performance parameters such as crossover frequency and phase margin by using a time domain model of the pilot and a least-squares identification algorithm. NIPIP functions in realtime and uses a sliding time window to maintain freshness in the data; thus time-varying characteristics in the pilot's control strategy can be measured.

Performance analysis of Cognitive Pilot Channel in wireless Heterogeneous networks

OpenAIRE

Hussein, Tahseen Ali

2009-01-01

This thesis aims to investigate and analyze the performance of the Cognitive Pilot Channel (CPC) in heterogeneous network. The thesis uses simulation to simulate the environment and the scenarios and by using this simulation, the analysis is done. First task this thesis carrying is the validation the simulation results with the numerical results. This is done by introducing a single cell scenario and validates the results out of this scenario with the numerical calculation. Ana...

An Evaluation of Detect and Avoid (DAA) Displays for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: The Effect of Information Level and Display Location on Pilot Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Fern, Lisa; Rorie, R. Conrad; Pack, Jessica S.; Shively, R. Jay; Draper, Mark H.

2015-01-01

A consortium of government, industry and academia is currently working to establish minimum operational performance standards for Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Control and Communications (C2) systems in order to enable broader integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). One subset of these performance standards will need to address the DAA display requirements that support an acceptable level of pilot performance. From a pilot's perspective, the DAA task is the maintenance of self separation and collision avoidance from other aircraft, utilizing the available information and controls within the Ground Control Station (GCS), including the DAA display. The pilot-in-the-loop DAA task requires the pilot to carry out three major functions: 1) detect a potential threat, 2) determine an appropriate resolution maneuver, and 3) execute that resolution maneuver via the GCS control and navigation interface(s). The purpose of the present study was to examine two main questions with respect to DAA display considerations that could impact pilots' ability to maintain well clear from other aircraft. First, what is the effect of a minimum (or basic) information display compared to an advanced information display on pilot performance? Second, what is the effect of display location on UAS pilot performance? Two levels of information level (basic, advanced) were compared across two levels of display location (standalone, integrated), for a total of four displays. The authors propose an eight-stage pilot-DAA interaction timeline from which several pilot response time metrics can be extracted. These metrics were compared across the four display conditions. The results indicate that the advanced displays had faster overall response times compared to the basic displays, however, there were no significant differences between the standalone and integrated displays. Implications of the findings on understanding pilot performance on the DAA task, the

Synthetic Vision Systems in GA Cockpit-Evaluation of Basic Maneuvers Performed by Low Time GA Pilots During Transition from VMC to IMC

Science.gov (United States)

Takallu, M. A.; Wong, D. T.; Uenking, M. D.

2002-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the effectiveness of modern flight displays in general aviation cockpits for mitigating Low Visibility Loss of Control and the Controlled Flight Into Terrain accidents. A total of 18 General Aviation (GA) pilots with private pilot, single engine land rating, with no additional instrument training beyond private pilot license requirements, were recruited to evaluate three different display concepts in a fixed-based flight simulator at the NASA Langley Research Center's General Aviation Work Station. Evaluation pilots were asked to continue flight from Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) while performing a series of 4 basic precision maneuvers. During the experiment, relevant pilot/vehicle performance variables, pilot control inputs and physiological data were recorded. Human factors questionnaires and interviews were administered after each scenario. Qualitative and quantitative data have been analyzed and the results are presented here. Pilot performance deviations from the established target values (errors) were computed and compared with the FAA Practical Test Standards. Results of the quantitative data indicate that evaluation pilots committed substantially fewer errors when using the Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) displays than when they were using conventional instruments. Results of the qualitative data indicate that evaluation pilots perceived themselves to have a much higher level of situation awareness while using the SVS display concept.

Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

This volume documents model parameters chosen as of July 1992 that were used by the Performance Assessment Department of Sandia National Laboratories in its 1992 preliminary performance assessment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Ranges and distributions for about 300 modeling parameters in the current secondary data base are presented in tables for the geologic and engineered barriers, global materials (e.g., fluid properties), and agents that act upon the WIPP disposal system such as climate variability and human-intrusion boreholes. The 49 parameters sampled in the 1992 Preliminary Performance Assessment are given special emphasis with tables and graphics that provide insight and sources of data for each parameter

Comparison of in-flight and ground-based simulator derived flying qualities and pilot performance for approach and landing tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Grantham, William D.; Williams, Robert H.

1987-01-01

For the case of an approach-and-landing piloting task emphasizing response to the landing flare, pilot opinion and performance parameters derived from jet transport aircraft six-degree-of-freedom ground-based and in-flight simulators were compared in order to derive data for the flight-controls/flying-qualities engineers. The data thus obtained indicate that ground simulation results tend to be conservative, and that the effect of control sensitivity is more pronounced for ground simulation. The pilot also has a greater tendency to generate pilot-induced oscillation in ground-based simulation than in flight.

Intraindividual variability in basic reaction time predicts middle-aged and older pilots' flight simulator performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Quinn; Taylor, Joy; Heraldez, Daniel; Noda, Art; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Yesavage, Jerome

2013-07-01

Intraindividual variability (IIV) is negatively associated with cognitive test performance and is positively associated with age and some neurological disorders. We aimed to extend these findings to a real-world task, flight simulator performance. We hypothesized that IIV predicts poorer initial flight performance and increased rate of decline in performance among middle-aged and older pilots. Two-hundred and thirty-six pilots (40-69 years) completed annual assessments comprising a cognitive battery and two 75-min simulated flights in a flight simulator. Basic and complex IIV composite variables were created from measures of basic reaction time and shifting and divided attention tasks. Flight simulator performance was characterized by an overall summary score and scores on communication, emergencies, approach, and traffic avoidance components. Although basic IIV did not predict rate of decline in flight performance, it had a negative association with initial performance for most flight measures. After taking into account processing speed, basic IIV explained an additional 8%-12% of the negative age effect on initial flight performance. IIV plays an important role in real-world tasks and is another aspect of cognition that underlies age-related differences in cognitive performance.

Effects of DME pilot quantity on the performance of a DME PCCI-DI engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ying; He Li; Zhou Longbao; Li Wei

2010-01-01

The combination of premixed charge compression ignition and conventional direct-injection compression ignition combustion is studied in a DME engine. This combustion mode is referred to as PCCI-DI combustion. The pilot quantity is found to be one of main variables affecting the PCCI-DI combustion. So, the main objectives of this paper are to examine the effect of different DME pilot quantities on combustion and emission characteristics in a single-cylinder direct-injection DME engine and to determine whether PCCI-DI is a viable in-cylinder NO x emissions reduction technology. In order to evaluate the characteristics of PCCI-DI combustion, the conventional direct-injection compression-ignition engine performance is supplied to make a comparison with their results. Furthermore, special emphasis is put upon the combined combustion process analysis. Results show that DME engine can operate at a wide range of speeds and loads at PCCI-DI mode. In comparison to the conventional DME CI combustion, the brake thermal efficiency slightly increases for DME PCCI-DI operation. PCCI-DI is capable to decrease NO x effectively for all loads. NO x emission shows an obviously descending tendency with an increase in DME pilot quantity at low loads, while it shows a mildly elevating tendency with an increase in DME pilot quantity at high loads. HC and CO emissions increase for DME PCCI-DI operation under various DME pilot quantities.

Kvanefjeld refinery pilot plant operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krebs, Damien; Furfaro, Domenic

2016-01-01

Greenland Minerals and Energy is a junior project development company which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (asx:GGG). It is developing the Kvanefjeld rare earth and uranium project located in the southern tip of Greenland. The project has completed a Feasibility Study and is currently in the permitting phase. Last year was a busy time for the company as it completed a Feasibility Study, a mining licence application (draft submitted in December 2015) and pilot plant operations. Beneficiation pilot plant operations were completed at GTK in Finland in April 2015. This pilot plant treated approximately 30 tonnes of ore to producing almost 2 tonnes of rare earth mineral concentrate. Later in the year a hydrometallurgical pilot plant was performed which mimicked the Refinery process. This pilot plant was performed at Outotec’s Pori Research laboratories in Finland from September till October 2015. The pilot plant treated approximately 200 kilograms of concentrate over 4 split operating campaigns. Each campaign was performed to focus on the performance of a specific part of the refinery flowsheet. This allowed for full operating focus on a single unit operation to ensure that it was operating correctly. The pilot plant operations were quite successful with no major issues with the flowsheet identified through continuous operation. Some fine tuning of conditions was required to ensure adequate removal of impurities was performed with recycle streams incorporated. Overall the leach extractions observed in the pilot plant exceeded the design assumptions in the Feasibility Study. These programs were partially funded by the EURARE program. The EURARE program aims to encourage the sustainable development of European based rare earth projects. This has the goal of allowing Europe to become less reliant on importation of these key raw materials. The professionalism and performance of both GTK and Outotec contributed significantly to the success of the pilot plant

Piloted simulation study of an ILS approach of a twin-pusher business/commuter turboprop aircraft configuration

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Donald R.; Brandon, Jay M.; Glaab, Louis J.

1994-01-01

A six-degree-of-freedom nonlinear simulation of a twin-pusher, turboprop business/commuter aircraft configuration representative of the Cessna ATPTB (Advanced turboprop test bed) was developed for use in piloted studies with the Langley General Aviation Simulator. The math models developed are provided, simulation predictions are compared with with Cessna flight-test data for validation purposes, and results of a handling quality study during simulated ILS (instrument landing system) approaches and missed approaches are presented. Simulated flight trajectories, task performance measures, and pilot evaluations are presented for the ILS approach and missed-approach tasks conducted with the vehicle in the presence of moderate turbulence, varying horizontal winds and engine-out conditions. Six test subjects consisting of two research pilots, a Cessna test pilot, and three general aviation pilots participated in the study. This effort was undertaken in cooperation with the Cessna Aircraft Company.

Pilot implementation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hertzum, Morten; Bansler, Jørgen P.; Havn, Erling C.

2012-01-01

A recurrent problem in information-systems development (ISD) is that many design shortcomings are not detected during development, but first after the system has been delivered and implemented in its intended environment. Pilot implementations appear to promise a way to extend prototyping from...... the laboratory to the field, thereby allowing users to experience a system design under realistic conditions and developers to get feedback from realistic use while the design is still malleable. We characterize pilot implementation, contrast it with prototyping, propose a iveelement model of pilot...... implementation and provide three empirical illustrations of our model. We conclude that pilot implementation has much merit as an ISD technique when system performance is contingent on context. But we also warn developers that, despite their seductive conceptual simplicity, pilot implementations can be difficult...

Towards artificial intelligence based diesel engine performance control under varying operating conditions using support vector regression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naradasu Kumar Ravi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Diesel engine designers are constantly on the look-out for performance enhancement through efficient control of operating parameters. In this paper, the concept of an intelligent engine control system is proposed that seeks to ensure optimized performance under varying operating conditions. The concept is based on arriving at the optimum engine operating parameters to ensure the desired output in terms of efficiency. In addition, a Support Vector Machines based prediction model has been developed to predict the engine performance under varying operating conditions. Experiments were carried out at varying loads, compression ratios and amounts of exhaust gas recirculation using a variable compression ratio diesel engine for data acquisition. It was observed that the SVM model was able to predict the engine performance accurately.

The performance of broiler finisher birds fed varying levels of feather ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The performance of broiler finisher birds fed varying levels of feather meal as replacement for soya bean meal. ... meal increased, feed cost/ kg weight gain increased and both differed significantly (P<0.05) between treatment means, while the birds tolerated feather meal up to 7.5% inclusion level, 2.5% was the optimal.

Measuring mental workload and physiological reactions in marine pilots: Building bridges towards redlines of performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Orlandi, Luca; Brooks, Benjamin

2018-05-01

This paper investigates the effects of shiphandling manoeuvres on mental workload and physiological reactions in ten marine pilots. Each pilot performed four berthings in a ship simulator. Those berthings were differentiated by two factors, level of difficulty and familiarity with the port. Each berthing could also be divided into five phases, three during the execution and two resting periods, one before and one after the execution (dedicated to baseline physiological data collection). Mental workload was measured through two self assessment scales: the NASA TLX and a Likert scale. Power spectral densities on Beta bands 1 and 2 were obtained from EEG. Heart rate and heart rate variability were obtained from ECG. Pupil dilation was obtained from eye tracking. Workload levels were higher as berthings increased in difficulty level and/or the pilots completed the berthings in unfamiliar ports. Responses differed across specific phases of the berthings. Physiological responses could indirectly monitor levels of mental workload, and could be adopted in future applications to evaluate training improvements and performance. This study provides an example of an applied methodology aiming to define an upper redline of task demands in the context of marine pilotage. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Conflict Resolution Automation and Pilot Situation Awareness

Science.gov (United States)

Dao, Arik-Quang V.; Brandt, Summer L.; Bacon, Paige; Kraut, Josh; Nguyen, Jimmy; Minakata, Katsumi; Raza, Hamzah; Rozovski, David; Johnson, Walter W.

2010-01-01

This study compared pilot situation awareness across three traffic management concepts. The Concepts varied in terms of the allocation of traffic avoidance responsibility between the pilot on the flight deck, the air traffic controllers, and a conflict resolution automation system. In Concept 1, the flight deck was equipped with conflict resolution tools that enable them to fully handle the responsibility of weather avoidance and maintaining separation between ownship and surrounding traffic. In Concept 2, pilots were not responsible for traffic separation, but were provided tools for weather and traffic avoidance. In Concept 3, flight deck tools allowed pilots to deviate for weather, but conflict detection tools were disabled. In this concept pilots were dependent on ground based automation for conflict detection and resolution. Situation awareness of the pilots was measured using online probes. Results showed that individual situation awareness was highest in Concept 1, where the pilots were most engaged, and lowest in Concept 3, where automation was heavily used. These findings suggest that for conflict resolution tasks, situation awareness is improved when pilots remain in the decision-making loop.

Performance evaluation model of a pilot food waste collection system in Suzhou City, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Zongguo; Wang, Yuanjia; De Clercq, Djavan

2015-05-01

This paper analyses the food waste collection and transportation (C&T) system in a pilot project in Suzhou by using a novel performance evaluation method. The method employed to conduct this analysis involves a unified performance evaluation index containing qualitative and quantitative indicators applied to data from Suzhou City. Two major inefficiencies were identified: a) low system efficiency due to insufficient processing capacity of commercial food waste facilities; and b) low waste resource utilization due to low efficiency of manual sorting. The performance evaluation indicated that the pilot project collection system's strong points included strong economics, low environmental impact and low social impact. This study also shows that Suzhou's integrated system has developed a comprehensive body of laws and clarified regulatory responsibilities for each of the various government departments to solve the problems of commercial food waste management. Based on Suzhou's experience, perspectives and lessons can be drawn for other cities and areas where food waste management systems are in the planning stage, or are encountering operational problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Investigation of Sensory Information, Levels of Automation, and Piloting Experience on Unmanned Aircraft Pilot Performance

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

Development.of. NASA - TLX .(Task.Load.Index):.Results.of.empiri- cal.and.theoretical.research ..In.P .A ..Hancock.&.N .. Meshkati.(Eds .),.Human...8 Automated Manual Level of Automation Hi gh Z oo m M an ip ul at io n Pilot Non-pilot Figure 4. Number of participants with high levels of zoom

Quality Assurance in Environmental Technology Verification (ETV): Analysis and Impact on the EU ETV Pilot Programme Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Molenda, Michał; Ratman-Kłosińska, Izabela

2018-03-01

Many innovative environmental technologies never reach the market because they are new and cannot demonstrate a successful track record of previous applications. This fact is a serious obstacle on their way to the market. Lack of credible data on the performance of a technology causes mistrust of investors in innovations, especially from public sector, who seek effective solutions however without compromising the technical and financial risks associated with their implementation. Environmental technology verification (ETV) offers a credible, robust and transparent process that results in a third party confirmation of the claims made by the providers about the performance of the novel environmental technologies. Verifications of performance are supported by high quality, independent test data. In that way ETV as a tool helps establish vendor credibility and buyer confidence. Several countries across the world have implemented ETV in the form of national or regional programmes. ETV in the European Union was implemented as a voluntary scheme if a form of a pilot programme. The European Commission launched the Environmental Technology Pilot Programme of the European Union (EU ETV) in 2011. The paper describes the European model of ETV set up and put to operation under the Pilot Programme of Environmental Technologies Verification of the European Union. The goal, objectives, technological scope, involved entities are presented. An attempt has been made to summarise the results of the EU ETV scheme performance available for the period of 2012 when the programme has become fully operational until the first half of 2016. The study was aimed at analysing the overall organisation and efficiency of the EU ETV Pilot Programme. The study was based on the analysis of the documents the operation of the EU ETV system. For this purpose, a relevant statistical analysis of the data on the performance of the EU ETV system provided by the European Commission was carried out.

A pilot scale electrical infrared dry-peeling system for tomatoes: design and performance evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

A pilot scale infrared dry-peeling system for tomatoes was designed and constructed. The system consisted of three major sections including the IR heating, vacuum, and pinch roller sections. The peeling performance of the system was examined under different operational conditions using tomatoes with...

Piloted Well Clear Performance Evaluation of Detect and Avoid Systems with Suggestive Guidance

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Eric; Santiago, Confesor; Watza, Spencer

2016-01-01

Regulations to establish operational and performance requirements for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are being developed by a consortium of government, industry and academic institutions (RTCA, 2013). Those requirements will apply to the new detect-and-avoid (DAA) systems and other equipment necessary to integrate UAS with the United States (U.S) National Airspace System (NAS) and will be determined according to their contribution to the overall safety case. That safety case requires demonstration that DAA-equipped UAS collectively operating in the NAS meet an airspace safety threshold (AST). Several key gaps must be closed in order to link equipment requirements to an airspace safety case. Foremost among these is calculation of the systems risk ratio, the degree to which a particular system mitigates violation of an aircraft separation standard (FAA, 2013). The risk ratio of a DAA system, in combination with risk ratios of other collision mitigation mechanisms, will determine the overall safety of the airspace measured in terms of the number of collisions per flight hour. It is not known what the effectiveness is of a pilot-in-the-loop DAA system or even what parameters of the DAA system most improve the pilots ability to maintain separation. The relationship between the DAA system design and the overall effectiveness of the DAA system that includes the pilot, expressed as a risk ratio, must be determined before DAA operational and performance requirements can be finalized. Much research has been devoted to integrating UAS into non-segregated airspace (Dalamagkidis, 2009, Ostwald, 2007, Gillian, 2012, Hesselink, 2011, Santiago, 2015, Rorie 2015 and 2016). Several traffic displays intended for use as part of a DAA system have gone through human-in-the-loop simulation and flight-testing. Most of these evaluations were part of development programs to produce a deployable system, so it is unclear how to generalize particular aspects of those designs to general

Pre-Study Walkthrough with a Commercial Pilot for a Preliminary Single Pilot Operations Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor-Dreher, Ryan; Roberts, Z.; Ziccardi, J.; Vu, K-P. L.; Strybel, T.; Koteskey, Robert William; Lachter, Joel B.; Vi Dao, Quang; Johnson, Walter W.; Battiste, V.

2013-01-01

The number of crew members in commercial flights has decreased to two members, down from the five-member crew required 50 years ago. One question of interest is whether the crew should be reduced to one pilot. In order to determine the critical factors involved in safely transitioning to a single pilot, research must examine whether any performance deficits arise with the loss of a crew member. With a concrete understanding of the cognitive and behavioral role of a co-pilot, aeronautical technologies and procedures can be developed that make up for the removal of the second aircrew member. The current project describes a pre-study walkthrough process that can be used to help in the development of scenarios for testing future concepts and technologies for single pilot operations. Qualitative information regarding the tasks performed by the pilots can be extracted with this technique and adapted for future investigations of single pilot operations.

Increasing Performance of Professional Soccer Players and Elite Track and Field Athletes with Peak Performance Training and Biofeedback : A Pilot Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rijken, Noortje H.; Soer, Remko; de Maar, Ewold; Prins, Hilco; Teeuw, Wouter B.; Peuscher, Jan; Oosterveld, Frits G. J.

2016-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of an intervention consisting of mental coaching combined with either electro encephalogram (EEG) alpha power feedback or heart rate variability (HRV) feedback on HRV, EEG outcomes and self-reported factors related to stress, performance,

Pilot test of ANSI draft standard N13.29 environmental dosimetry -- Performance criteria for testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klemic, G.; Shebell, P.; Monetti, M.; Raccah, F.; Sengupta, S.

1998-09-01

American National Standards Institute Draft N13.29 describes performance tests for environmental radiation dosimetry providers. If approved it would be the first step toward applying the types of performance testing now required in personnel dosimetry to environmental radiation monitoring. The objective of this study was to pilot test the draft standard, before it undergoes final balloting, on a small group of dosimetry providers that were selected to provide a mix of facility types, thermoluminescent dosimeter designs and monitoring program applications. The first phase of the pilot test involved exposing dosimeters to laboratory photon, beta, and x-ray sources at routine and accident dose levels. In the second phase, dosimeters were subjected to ninety days of simulated environmental conditions in an environmental chamber that cycled through extremes of temperature and humidity. Two out of seven participants passed all categories of the laboratory testing phase, and all seven passed the environmental test phase. While some relatively minor deficiencies were uncovered in the course of the pilot test, the results show that draft N13.29 describes useful tests that could be appropriate for environmental dosimetry providers. An appendix to this report contains recommendations that should be addressed by the N13.29 working group before draft N13.29 is submitted for balloting

Performance improvement of ERP-based brain-computer interface via varied geometric patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zheng; Qiu, Tianshuang

2017-12-01

Recently, many studies have been focusing on optimizing the stimulus of an event-related potential (ERP)-based brain-computer interface (BCI). However, little is known about the effectiveness when increasing the stimulus unpredictability. We investigated a new stimulus type of varied geometric pattern where both complexity and unpredictability of the stimulus are increased. The proposed and classical paradigms were compared in within-subject experiments with 16 healthy participants. Results showed that the BCI performance was significantly improved for the proposed paradigm, with an average online written symbol rate increasing by 138% comparing with that of the classical paradigm. Amplitudes of primary ERP components, such as N1, P2a, P2b, N2, were also found to be significantly enhanced with the proposed paradigm. In this paper, a novel ERP BCI paradigm with a new stimulus type of varied geometric pattern is proposed. By jointly increasing the complexity and unpredictability of the stimulus, the performance of an ERP BCI could be considerably improved.

Trill performance components vary with age, season, and motivation in the banded wren

OpenAIRE

Vehrencamp, S. L.; Yantachka, J.; Hall, M. L.; de Kort, S. R.

2012-01-01

Acoustic displays with difficult-to-execute sounds are often subject to strong sexual selection, because performance levels are related to the sender’s condition or genetic quality. Performance may also vary with age, breeding stage, and motivation related to social context. We focused on within-male variation in four components of trill performance in banded wren (Thryophilus pleurostictus) songs: note consistency, frequency bandwidth, note rate and vocal deviation. The latter is a composite...

Pilot demonstrations of arsenic removal technologies.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siegal Malcolm D.

2004-09-01

The Arsenic Water Technology Partnership (AWTP) program is a multi-year program funded by a congressional appropriation through the Department of Energy to develop and test innovative technologies that have the potential to reduce the costs of arsenic removal from drinking water. The AWTP members include Sandia National Laboratories, the American Water Works Association (Awwa) Research Foundation and WERC (A Consortium for Environmental Education and Technology Development). The program is designed to move technologies from bench-scale tests to field demonstrations. The Awwa Research Foundation is managing bench-scale research programs; Sandia National Laboratories is conducting the pilot demonstration program and WERC will evaluate the economic feasibility of the technologies investigated and conduct technology transfer activities. The objective of the Sandia Arsenic Treatment Technology Demonstration project (SATTD) is the field demonstration testing of both commercial and innovative technologies. The scope for this work includes: (1) Identification of sites for pilot demonstrations; (2) Accelerated identification of candidate technologies through Vendor Forums, proof-of-principle laboratory and local pilot-scale studies, collaboration with the Awwa Research Foundation bench-scale research program and consultation with relevant advisory panels; and (3) Pilot testing multiple technologies at several sites throughout the country, gathering information on: (a) Performance, as measured by arsenic removal; (b) Costs, including capital and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs; (c) O&M requirements, including personnel requirements, and level of operator training; and (d) Waste residuals generation. The New Mexico Environment Department has identified over 90 public water systems that currently exceed the 10 {micro}g/L MCL for arsenic. The Sandia Arsenic Treatment Technology Demonstration project is currently operating pilots at three sites in New Mexico. The cities of

The incidence of venous thromboembolism in commercial airline pilots: a cohort study of 2630 pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuipers, S; Venemans-Jellema, A; Cannegieter, S C; van Haften, M; Middeldorp, S; Büller, H R; Rosendaal, F R

2014-08-01

Airline pilots may be at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) because air travel has recently been established as a risk factor for VTE. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of VTE in a cohort of Dutch airline pilots. Airline pilots who had been active members of the Dutch aviation society (VNV) were questioned for the occurrence of VTE, presence of risk factors for VTE and number of flight hours per year and rank. Incidence rates among pilots were compared with those of the general Dutch population and with a population of frequently flying employees of multinational organizations. A total of 2630 male pilots were followed-up for a total of 20420 person-years (py). Six venous thromboses were reported, yielding an incidence rate of 0.3 per 1000 py. The standardized morbidity ratio, comparing these pilots with the general Dutch population adjusted for age, was 0.8. Compared with the international employee cohort, the standardized morbidity ratio was 0.7 when all employees were included and 0.6 when only the frequently travelling employees were included. The incidence rate did not increase with number of flight hours per year and did not clearly vary by rank. We conclude that the risk of VTE is not increased amongst airline pilots. © 2014 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Single-Pilot Workload Management

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Jason; Williams, Kevin; Hackworth, Carla; Burian, Barbara; Pruchnicki, Shawn; Christopher, Bonny; Drechsler, Gena; Silverman, Evan; Runnels, Barry; Mead, Andy

2013-01-01

Integrated glass cockpit systems place a heavy cognitive load on pilots (Burian Dismukes, 2007). Researchers from the NASA Ames Flight Cognition Lab and the FAA Flight Deck Human Factors Lab examined task and workload management by single pilots. This poster describes pilot performance regarding programming a reroute while at cruise and meeting a waypoint crossing restriction on the initial descent.

An overview of performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jow, Hong-Nian; Anderson, D.R.; Marietta, M.

1997-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the methodology used in the recent performance assessment (PA) to support the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office's (CAO's) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Compliance Certification Application (CCA). The results of this recently completed WIPP PA will be presented. Major release modes contributing to the total radionuclide release to the accessible environment will be discussed. Comparison of the mean complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) curve against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) radionuclide release limits will be presented

Pilot pulsar surveys with LOFAR

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coenen, T.

2013-01-01

We are performing two complementary pilot pulsar surveys as part of LOFAR commissioning. The LOFAR Pilot Pulsar Survey (LPPS) is a shallow all-sky survey using an incoherent combination of LOFAR stations. The LOFAR Tied-Array Survey (LOTAS) is a deeper pilot survey using 19 simultaneous tied-array

Kinetic Interpretation of Nitrogen Removal in Pilot Scale Experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harremoës, Poul; Sinkjær, Ole

1995-01-01

with biological and chemical phosphorus removal. Nitrification and denitrification rates have been measured in batch tests on activated sludge extracted from the pilot plants and by measuring transient concentrations during the alternating mode of operation in the aerobic and anoxic tanks. The data were......Pilot plant experiments have been performed over a period of four years in order to establish an experimental basis for the upgrading of the treatment plants of The City of Copenhagen to nutrient removal. The choice of design is the alternating mode of operating biological nitrogen removal...... normalized to standard conditions by correcting them according to the kinetic theory. The average normalized nitrification rate was measured to be between 54 and 60 mg NH~-N/(g VSSn~t' h) by different test methods at 7°C. The denitrification rate was measured to vary between 0.85 and 0.95mg NO~--N/(g VSS. h...

Properties and Performance of SOFCs Produced on a Pre-Pilot Plant Scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hagen, Anke; Menon, Mohan; Barfod, Rasmus

2006-01-01

specific cell resistance at 850 °C was found to be 0.24 Ω cm2 with a standard deviation of 0.05 Ω cm2. The variation in performance between the cells can be largely attributed to variations in the cathode performance. Experimental evidence will be presented on full 4 × 4 cm2 cells, symmetric cells with two......In the present paper, anode supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), produced on a pre-pilot plant scale in ten batches of ∼100 cells, are characterised with respect to performance. The main purpose was to evaluate the reproducibility of the scaled-up process. Based on 20 tests, the average area...

Comparison of two residential Smart Grid pilots in the Netherlands and in the USA, focusing on energy performance and user experiences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Obinna, U.P.; Joore, J.P.; Wauben, L.S.G.L.; Reinders, A.H.M.E.

2017-01-01

Two residential Smart Grid pilots, PowerMatching City, Groningen (NL) and Pecan Street, Austin Texas (USA) have been compared regarding their energy performance and the experiences of users in these pilots. The objective of the comparison was to gain new insights that could support the successful

Performance Results for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gates, C. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Neuhauser, K. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2014-03-01

Between December, 2009 and December, 2012, 42 deep energy retrofit (DER) projects were completed through a pilot program sponsored by National Grid and conducted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Thirty-seven of these projects were comprehensive retrofits while five were partial DERs, meaning that high performance retrofit was implemented for a single major enclosure component or a limited number of major enclosure components. Building Science Corporation developed a consistent "package" of measures in terms of the performance targeted for major building components. Based on the community experience, this DER package is expected to result in yearly source energy use near 110 MMBtu/year or approximately 40% below the Northeast regional average.

Performance and heat release analysis of a pilot-ignited natural gas engine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krishnan, S.R.; Biruduganti, M.; Mo, Y.; Bell, S.R.; Midkiff, K.C. [Alabama Univ., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States)

2002-09-01

The influence of engine operating variables on the performance, emissions and heat release in a compression ignition engine operating in normal diesel and dual-fuel modes (with natural gas fuelling) was investigated. Substantial reductions in NO{sub x} emissions were obtained with dual-fuel engine operation. There was a corresponding increase in unburned hydrocarbon emissions as the substitution of natural gas was increased. Brake specific energy consumption decreased with natural gas substitution at high loads but increased at low loads. Experimental results at fixed pilot injection timing have also established the importance of intake manifold pressure and temperature in improving dual-fuel performance and emissions at part load. (Author)

The psychophysiological assessment method for pilot's professional reliability.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, L M; Yu, L S; Wang, K N; Jing, B S; Fang, C

1997-05-01

Previous research has shown that a pilot's professional reliability depends on two relative factors: the pilot's functional state and the demands of task workload. The Psychophysiological Reserve Capacity (PRC) is defined as a pilot's ability to accomplish additive tasks without reducing the performance of the primary task (flight task). We hypothesized that the PRC was a mirror of the pilot's functional state. The purpose of this study was to probe the psychophysiological method for evaluating a pilot's professional reliability on a simulator. The PRC Comprehensive Evaluating System (PRCCES) which was used in the experiment included four subsystems: a) quantitative evaluation system for pilot's performance on simulator; b) secondary task display and quantitative estimating system; c) multiphysiological data monitoring and statistical system; and d) comprehensive evaluation system for pilot PRC. Two studies were performed. In study one, 63 healthy and 13 hospitalized pilots participated. Each pilot performed a double 180 degrees circuit flight program with and without secondary task (three digit operation). The operator performance, score of secondary task and cost of physiological effort were measured and compared by PRCCES in the two conditions. Then, each pilot's flight skill in training was subjectively scored by instructor pilot ratings. In study two, 7 healthy pilots volunteered to take part in the experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation on pilot's PRC. Each participant had PRC tested pre- and post-8 h sleep deprivation. The results show that the PRC values of a healthy pilot was positively correlated with abilities of flexibility, operating and correcting deviation, attention distribution, and accuracy of instrument flight in the air (r = 0.27-0.40, p < 0.05), and negatively correlated with emotional anxiety in flight (r = -0.40, p < 0.05). The values of PRC in healthy pilots (0.61 +/- 0.17) were significantly higher than that of hospitalized pilots

Performance evaluation of a granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor pilot plant system used in treating real wastewater from recycled paper industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhamad, Mohd Hafizuddin; Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Rozaimah; Mohamad, Abu Bakar; Rahman, Rakmi Abdul; Kadhum, Abdul Amir Hasan

2012-01-01

A pilot scale granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor with a capacity of 2.2 m3 was operated for over three months to evaluate its performance treating real recycled paper industry wastewater under different operational conditions. In this study, dissolved air floatation (DAF) and clarifier effluents were used as influent sources of the pilot plant. During the course of the study, the reactor was able to biodegrade the contaminants in the incoming recycled paper mill wastewater in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), adsorbable organic halides (AOX; specifically 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP)) and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) removal efficiencies at varying hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 1-3 days, aeration rates (ARs) of 2.1-3.4 m3/min and influent feed concentration of 40-950 mg COD/l. Percentages of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals increased with increasing HRT, resulting in more than 90% COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals at HRT values above two days. Degradation of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N were seriously affected by variation of ARs, which resulted in significant decrease of COD, 2,4-DCP and NH3-N removals by decreasing ARs from 3.4 m3/min to 2.1 m3/min, varying in the ranges of 24-80%, 6-96% and 5-42%, respectively. In comparison to the clarifier effluent, the treatment performance of DAF effluent, containing high COD concentration, resulted in a higher COD removal of 82%. The use of diluted DAF effluent did not improve significantly the COD removal. Higher NH3-N removal efficiency of almost 100% was observed during operation after maintenance shutdown compared to normal operation, even at the same HRT of one day due to the higher dissolved oxygen concentrations (1-7 mg/l), while no significant difference in COD removal efficiency was observed.

Performance Results for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gates, C. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Neuhauser, K. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2014-03-01

Between December, 2009 and December, 2012 42 deep energy retrofit (DER) projects were completed through a DER pilot program sponsored by National Grid and conducted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 37 of these projects were comprehensive retrofits while 5 were partial DERs, meaning that high performance retrofit was implemented for a single major enclosure component or a limited number of major enclosure components. The 42 DER projects represent 60 units of housing. The comprehensive projects all implemented a consistent 'package' of measures in terms of the performance targeted for major building components. Projects exhibited some variations in the approach to implementing the retrofit package. Pre- and post-retrofit air leakage measurements were performed for each of the projects. Each project also reported information about project costs including identification of energy-related costs. Post-retrofit energy-use data was obtained for 29 of the DER projects. Post-retrofit energy use was analyzed based on the net energy used by the DER project regardless of whether the energy was generated on site or delivered to the site. Homeowner surveys were returned by 12 of the pilot participants. Based on the community experience, this DER package is expected to result in yearly source energy use near 110 MMBtu/year or approximately 40% below the Northeast regional average. Larger to medium sized homes that successful implement these retrofits can be expected to achieve source EUI that is comparable to Passive House targets for new construction. The community of DER projects show post-retrofit airtightness below 1.5 ACH50 to be eminently achievable.

Effet de l'encombrement visuel de l'ecran primaire de vol sur la performance du pilote, la charge de travail et le parcours visuel

Science.gov (United States)

Doyon-Poulin, Philippe

Flight deck of 21st century commercial aircrafts does not look like the one the Wright brothers used for their first flight. The rapid growth of civilian aviation resulted in an increase in the number of flight deck instruments and of their complexity, in order to complete a safe and ontime flight. However, presenting an abundance of visual information using visually cluttered flight instruments might reduce the pilot's flight performance. Visual clutter has received an increased interest by the aerospace community to understand the effects of visual density and information overload on pilots' performance. Aerospace regulations demand to minimize visual clutter of flight deck displays. Past studies found a mixed effect of visual clutter of the primary flight display on pilots' technical flight performance. More research is needed to better understand this subject. In this thesis, we did an experimental study in a flight simulator to test the effects of visual clutter of the primary flight display on the pilot's technical flight performance, mental workload and gaze pattern. First, we identified a gap in existing definitions of visual clutter and we proposed a new definition relevant to the aerospace community that takes into account the context of use of the display. Then, we showed that past research on the effects of visual clutter of the primary flight display on pilots' performance did not manipulate the variable of visual clutter in a similar manner. Past research changed visual clutter at the same time than the flight guidance function. Using a different flight guidance function between displays might have masked the effect of visual clutter on pilots' performance. To solve this issue, we proposed three requirements that all tested displays must satisfy to assure that only the variable of visual clutter is changed during study while leaving other variables unaffected. Then, we designed three primary flight displays with a different visual clutter level (low

Increasing Performance of Professional Soccer Players and Elite Track and Field Athletes with Peak Performance Training and Biofeedback: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rijken, Noortje H; Soer, Remko; de Maar, Ewold; Prins, Hilco; Teeuw, Wouter B; Peuscher, Jan; Oosterveld, Frits G J

2016-12-01

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of an intervention consisting of mental coaching combined with either electro encephalogram (EEG) alpha power feedback or heart rate variability (HRV) feedback on HRV, EEG outcomes and self-reported factors related to stress, performance, recovery and sleep quality in elite athletes. A prospective pilot study was performed with two distinct cohorts. Soccer players were provided with four sessions of mental coaching combined with daily HRV biofeedback (Group A); track and field athletes were provided with four sessions of mental coaching in combination with daily neurofeedback (Group B). Measurements were performed at baseline, post intervention and at 5 weeks follow-up. Objective measures: EEG and ECG. Subjective measures: Numeric Rating Scale for performance, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Rest and Stress Questionnaire and Sports Improvement-60. Group characteristics were too distinct to compare the interventions. Linear mixed models were used to analyze differences within groups over time. In Group A, significant changes over time were present in alpha power at 5 of 7 EEG locations (p HRV low frequency power and recovery scale of the REST-Q significantly increased (p = 0.02 and HRV or EEG alpha power feedback may increase HRV and alpha power and may lead to better performance-related outcomes and stress reduction. Further research is needed to elucidate the effects of either type of feedback and to compare effects with a control group.

Quantifying the Physiological Stress Response to Simulated Maritime Pilotage Tasks: The Influence of Task Complexity and Pilot Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Main, Luana C; Wolkow, Alexander; Chambers, Timothy P

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to quantify the stress associated with performing maritime pilotage tasks in a high-fidelity simulator. Eight trainee and 13 maritime pilots completed two simulated pilotage tasks of varying complexity. Salivary cortisol samples were collected pre- and post-simulation for both trials. Heart rate was measured continuously throughout the study. Significant changes in salivary cortisol (P = 0.000, η = 0.139), average (P = 0.006, η = 0.087), and peak heart rate (P = 0.013, η = 0.077) from pre- to postsimulation were found. Varying task complexity did partially influence stress response; average (P = 0.016, η = 0.026) and peak heart rate (P = 0.034, η = 0.020) were higher in the experimental condition. Trainees also recorded higher average (P = 0.000, η = 0.054) and peak heart rates (P = 0.027, η = 0.022). Performing simulated pilotage tasks evoked a measurable stress response in both trainee and expert maritime pilots.

The relationship between temperamental traits and the level of performance of an eye-hand co-ordination task in jet pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Biernacki, Marcin; Tarnowski, Adam

2008-01-01

When assessing the psychological suitability for the profession of a pilot, it is important to consider personality traits and psychomotor abilities. Our study aimed at estimating the role of temperamental traits as components of pilots' personality in eye-hand co-ordination. The assumption was that differences in the escalation of the level of temperamental traits, as measured with the Formal Characteristic of Behaviour-Temperament Inventory (FCB-TI), will significantly influence eye-hand co-ordination. At the level of general scores, enhanced briskness proved to be the most important trait for eye-hand co-ordination. An analysis of partial scores additionally underlined the importance of sensory sensitivity, endurance and activity. The application of eye-hand co-ordination tasks, which involve energetic and temporal dimensions of performance, helped to disclose the role of biologically-based personality traits in psychomotor performance. The implication of these findings for selecting pilots is discussed.

WIPP [Waste Isolation Pilot Plant] test phase plan: Performance assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-04-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for managing the disposition of transuranic (TRU) wastes resulting from nuclear weapons production activities of the United States. These wastes are currently stored nationwide at several of the DOE's waste generating/storage sites. The goal is to eliminate interim waste storage and achieve environmentally and institutionally acceptable permanent disposal of these TRU wastes. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico is being considered as a disposal facility for these TRU wastes. This document describes the first of the following two major programs planned for the Test Phase of WIPP: Performance Assessment -- determination of the long-term performance of the WIPP disposal system in accordance with the requirements of the EPA Standard; and Operations Demonstration -- evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of the DOE TRU waste management system's ability to emplace design throughput quantities of TRU waste in the WIPP underground facility. 120 refs., 19 figs., 8 tabs

COOLING COIL EFFECTS ON BLENDING IN A PILOT SCALE TANK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leishear, R.; Poirier, M.; Fowley, M.; Steeper, T.

2010-01-01

Blending, or mixing, processes in 1.3 million gallon nuclear waste tanks are complicated by the fact that miles of serpentine, vertical, cooling coils are installed in the tanks. As a step toward investigating blending interference due to coils in this type of tank, a 1/10.85 scale tank and pump model were constructed for pilot scale testing. A series of tests were performed in this scaled tank by adding blue dye to visualize blending, and by adding acid or base tracers to solution to quantify the time required to effectively blend the tank contents. The acid and base tests were monitored with pH probes, which were located in the pilot scale tank to ensure that representative samples were obtained. Using the probes, the hydronium ion concentration [H + ] was measured to ensure that a uniform concentration was obtained throughout the tank. As a result of pilot scale testing, a significantly improved understanding of mixing, or blending, in nuclear waste tanks has been achieved. Evaluation of test data showed that cooling coils in the waste tank model increased pilot scale blending times by 200% in the recommended operating range, compared to previous theoretical estimates of a 10-50% increase. Below the planned operating range, pilot scale blending times were increased by as much as 700% in a tank with coils installed. One pump, rather than two or more, was shown to effectively blend the tank contents, and dual pump nozzles installed parallel to the tank wall were shown to provide optimal blending. In short, experimental results varied significantly from expectations.

Historical Background on the Performance Assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RECHARD, ROBERT P.

1999-01-01

In 1979, six years after selecting the Delaware Basin as a potential disposal area, Congress authorized the U.S. Department of Energy to build the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as a Research and development facility for the safe management storage, and disposal of waste contaminated with transuranic radioisotopes. In 1998, 19 years after authorization and after site selection, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations. The EPA's decision was primarily based on the results from a performance. assessment conducted in 1996, which is summarized in this special issue of Reliability Engineering and System Safety. This performance assessment was the culmination of four preliminary performance assessments conducted between 1989 and 1992. This paper provides a historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed. Also included is background on political forces acting on the project

Simulating Visual Attention Allocation of Pilots in an Advanced Cockpit Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Frische, F.; Osterloh, J.-P.; Luedtke, A.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the results of experiments conducted with human line pilots and a cognitive pilot model during interaction with a new 40 Flight Management System (FMS). The aim of these experiments was to gather human pilot behavior data in order to calibrate the behavior of the model. Human behavior is mainly triggered by visual perception. Thus, the main aspect was to setup a profile of human pilots' visual attention allocation in a cockpit environment containing the new FMS. We first performed statistical analyses of eye tracker data and then compared our results to common results of familiar analyses in standard cockpit environments. The comparison has shown a significant influence of the new system on the visual performance of human pilots. Further on, analyses of the pilot models' visual performance have been performed. A comparison to human pilots' visual performance revealed important improvement potentials.

Effect of time-varying humidity on the performance of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noorani, Shamsuddin [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn (United States); Shamim, Tariq [Mechanical Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (United Arab Emirates)], E-mail: tshamim@masdar.ac.ae

2011-07-01

In the energy sector, fuel cells constitute a promising solution for the future due to their energy-efficient and environment-friendly characteristics. However, the performance of fuel cells is very much affected by the humidification level of the reactants, particularly in hot regions. The aim of this paper is to develop a better understanding of the effect of driving conditions on the performance of fuel cells. A macroscopic single-fuel-cell-based, one dimensional, isothermal model was used on a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell to carry out a computational study of the impact of humidity conditions which vary over time. It was found that the variation of humidity has a significant effect on water distribution but a much lower impact on power and current densities. This paper provided useful information on fuel cells' performance under varying conditions which could be used to improve their design for mobile applications.

A study of decision-making behavior of aircraft pilots deviating from a planned flight

Science.gov (United States)

Flather, G. W., II; Giffin, W. C.; Rockwell, T. H.

1981-01-01

This paper outlines an investigation into the worth structures of pilots facing a deviation from a planned flight. A 'paper and pencil' simulation was used to frame the situation into which pilots interjected their own decision making skills in a simple ranking of candidate diversion airports with varying locational, navigational aid, radar and weather attributes. Using the conjoint measurement technique, attribute worth functions of 30 pilots were constructed. It was discovered that systematic differences in the worth functions of the pilots did not occur as a result of dividing the pilot sample according to any measure of flight hour experience. However, differences were found when the pilot sample was grouped according to grade of pilot certificate, type of pilot training, and type of flying most commonly done.

Factors associated with malaria microscopy diagnostic performance following a pilot quality-assurance programme in health facilities in malaria low-transmission areas of Kenya, 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Odhiambo, Fredrick; Buff, Ann M; Moranga, Collins; Moseti, Caroline M; Wesongah, Jesca Okwara; Lowther, Sara A; Arvelo, Wences; Galgalo, Tura; Achia, Thomas O; Roka, Zeinab G; Boru, Waqo; Chepkurui, Lily; Ogutu, Bernhards; Wanja, Elizabeth

2017-09-13

Malaria accounts for ~21% of outpatient visits annually in Kenya; prompt and accurate malaria diagnosis is critical to ensure proper treatment. In 2013, formal malaria microscopy refresher training for microscopists and a pilot quality-assurance (QA) programme for malaria diagnostics were independently implemented to improve malaria microscopy diagnosis in malaria low-transmission areas of Kenya. A study was conducted to identify factors associated with malaria microscopy performance in the same areas. From March to April 2014, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 42 public health facilities; 21 were QA-pilot facilities. In each facility, 18 malaria thick blood slides archived during January-February 2014 were selected by simple random sampling. Each malaria slide was re-examined by two expert microscopists masked to health-facility results. Expert results were used as the reference for microscopy performance measures. Logistic regression with specific random effects modelling was performed to identify factors associated with accurate malaria microscopy diagnosis. Of 756 malaria slides collected, 204 (27%) were read as positive by health-facility microscopists and 103 (14%) as positive by experts. Overall, 93% of slide results from QA-pilot facilities were concordant with expert reference compared to 77% in non-QA pilot facilities (p malaria diagnosis. Microscopists who had recently completed refresher training and worked in a QA-pilot facility performed the best overall. The QA programme and formal microscopy refresher training should be systematically implemented together to improve parasitological diagnosis of malaria by microscopy in Kenya.

Development of quality assurance and performance testing for the Process Experimental Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dole, L.R.; McDaniel, E.W.; Robinson, S.M.

1984-08-01

The Process Experimental Pilot Plant (PREPP) is planned for operation by EG and G Idaho, Inc., to demonstrate a full-scale, cement-based, disposal process for transuranic (TRU) wastes. Procedures need to be developed to determine the quality of the waste product during processing and the durability of the final waste form produced in this facility. This report summarizes basic guidelines for the selection of the waste form composition and process conditions that affect product performance. Physical property tests that may be applicable for quality assurance during processing are also described. Approaches to accelerated performance tests needed to predict the performance of the cement-based waste form are identified, and suggestions are made for the development of processing tests to ensure the quality of the final waste-host product. 29 references, 3 figures, 4 tables

Development of quality assurance and performance testing for the Process Experimental Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dole, L.R.; McDaniel, E.W.; Robinson, S.M.

1984-06-01

The Process Experimental Pilot Plant (PREPP) is planned for operation by EG and G Idaho, Inc., to demonstrate a full-scale, cement-based, disposal process for transuranic (TRU) wastes. Procedures need to be developed to determine the quality of the waste product during processing and the durability of the final waste form produced in this facility. This report summarizes basic guidelines for the selection of the waste form composition and process conditions that affect product performance. Physical property tests that may be applicable for quality assurance during processing are also described. Approaches to accelerated performance tests needed to predict the performance of the cement-based waste form are identified, and suggestions are made for the development of processing tests to assure the quality of the final waste-host product. 29 references, 3 figures, 3 tables

Evaluating physician performance at individualizing care: a pilot study tracking contextual errors in medical decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiner, Saul J; Schwartz, Alan; Yudkowsky, Rachel; Schiff, Gordon D; Weaver, Frances M; Goldberg, Julie; Weiss, Kevin B

2007-01-01

Clinical decision making requires 2 distinct cognitive skills: the ability to classify patients' conditions into diagnostic and management categories that permit the application of research evidence and the ability to individualize or-more specifically-to contextualize care for patients whose circumstances and needs require variation from the standard approach to care. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a methodology for measuring physicians' performance at contextualizing care and compare it to their performance at planning biomedically appropriate care. First, the authors drafted 3 cases, each with 4 variations, 3 of which are embedded with biomedical and/or contextual information that is essential to planning care. Once the cases were validated as instruments for assessing physician performance, 54 internal medicine residents were then presented with opportunities to make these preidentified biomedical or contextual errors, and data were collected on information elicitation and error making. The case validation process was successful in that, in the final iteration, the physicians who received the contextual variant of cases proposed an alternate plan of care to those who received the baseline variant 100% of the time. The subsequent piloting of these validated cases unmasked previously unmeasured differences in physician performance at contextualizing care. The findings, which reflect the performance characteristics of the study population, are presented. This pilot study demonstrates a methodology for measuring physician performance at contextualizing care and illustrates the contribution of such information to an overall assessment of physician practice.

TASKILLAN II - Pilot strategies for workload management

Science.gov (United States)

Segal, Leon D.; Wickens, Christopher D.

1990-01-01

This study focused on the strategies used by pilots in managing their workload level, and their subsequent task performance. Sixteen licensed pilots flew 42 missions on a helicopter simulation, and were evaluated on their performance of the overall mission, as well as individual tasks. Pilots were divided in four groups, defined by the presence or absence of scheduling control over tasks and the availability of intelligence concerning the type and stage of difficulties imposed during the flight. Results suggest that intelligence supported strategies that yielded significant higher performance levels, while scheduling control seemed to have no impact on performance. Both difficulty type and the stage of difficulty impacted performance significantly, with strongest effects for time stresss and difficulties imposed late in the flight.

Applications of pilot scanning behavior to integrated display research

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, M. C.

1977-01-01

The oculometer is an electrooptical device designed to measure pilot scanning behavior during instrument approaches and landing operations. An overview of some results from a simulation study is presented to illustrate how information from the oculometer installed in a visual motion simulator, combined with measures of performance and control input data, can provide insight into the behavior and tactics of individual pilots during instrument approaches. Differences in measured behavior of the pilot subjects are pointed out; these differences become apparent in the way the pilots distribute their visual attention, in the amount of control activity, and in selected performance measures. Some of these measured differences have diagnostic implications, suggesting the use of the oculometer along with performance measures as a pilot training tool.

ORGANIC EMISSIONS FROM PILOT-SCALE INCINERATION OF CFCS

Science.gov (United States)

The paper gives results of the characterization of organic emissions resulting from the pilot-scale incineration of trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) and dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12) under varied feed concentrations. (NOTE: As a result of the Montreal Protocol, an international...

Pilot Certification, Age of Pilot, and Drug Use in Fatal Civil Aviation Accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Akparibo, Issaka Y; Stolfi, Adrienne

2017-10-01

This study examined the association between mean age of pilot, pilot license, pilot medical certificate and drug use trends in pilots fatally injured in aircraft accidents. The prevalence of prescription drugs, OTC drugs, controlled drugs and drugs that may be potentially impairing was also examined. This study was a descriptive observational study in which the NTSB Aviation Accident Database was searched from the period beginning January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014. During the study period a total of 706 accidents involving 711 fatalities were investigated by the NTSB. This study included 633 of these accidents, involving 646 fatalities. Of these pilots, 42.1% had drugs in their biological samples. The prevalence of prescription drugs, controlled drugs, OTC drugs, opioids, and potentially impairing drugs in the fatally injured pilot population over the study period was 28.9%, 15.0%, 20.1%, 5.1%, and 25.5%, respectively. Pilots with any drugs in their samples were significantly older than those without drugs. Medical certificate held was associated with drug use; pilots who held third class certificates had the highest prevalence at 54.1%. Pilot license was not associated with drug use. In 3.8% of the accidents, drugs were a contributing factor in the cause. Despite current FAA medical regulations, potentially impairing drugs are frequently found in biological samples of fatally injured pilots in the U.S. More education of airmen by aviation medical examiners is needed on the safety of drug use.Akparibo IY, Stolfi A. Pilot certification, age of pilot, and drug use in fatal civil aviation accidents. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(10):931-936.

Prediction of pilot opinion ratings using an optimal pilot model. [of aircraft handling qualities in multiaxis tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, R. A.

1977-01-01

A brief review of some of the more pertinent applications of analytical pilot models to the prediction of aircraft handling qualities is undertaken. The relative ease with which multiloop piloting tasks can be modeled via the optimal control formulation makes the use of optimal pilot models particularly attractive for handling qualities research. To this end, a rating hypothesis is introduced which relates the numerical pilot opinion rating assigned to a particular vehicle and task to the numerical value of the index of performance resulting from an optimal pilot modeling procedure as applied to that vehicle and task. This hypothesis is tested using data from piloted simulations and is shown to be reasonable. An example concerning a helicopter landing approach is introduced to outline the predictive capability of the rating hypothesis in multiaxis piloting tasks.

Do conventional monitoring practices indicate in situ air sparging performance?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, P.C.

1995-01-01

Short-term pilot tests play a key role in the selection and design of in situ air sparging systems. Most pilot tests are less than 24 h in duration and consist of monitoring changes in dissolved oxygen, water levels in wells, soil gas pressures, and soil gas contaminant concentrations while air is injected into the aquifer. These parameters are assumed to be indicators of air sparging feasibility and performance, and are also used in the design of full-scale systems. In this work the authors assess the validity of this critical assumption. Data are presented from a study site where a typical pilot-scale short-term test was conducted, followed by continued operation of a full-scale system for 110 days. Conventional sampling practices were augmented with more discrete and detailed assessment methods. In addition, a tracer gas was used to better understand air distributions, vapor flow paths, and vapor recovery efficiency. The data illustrate that conclusions regarding the performance and applicability of air sparging at the study site vary significantly depending on the monitoring approach used. There was no clear correlation between short-term pilot-test data and extended system performance when using data collected only from conventional groundwater monitoring wells. Attention is focused on petroleum hydrocarbons

Model versus Military Pilot: A Mixed-Methods Study of Adolescents' Attitudes toward Women in Varied Occupations

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, Elizabeth A.; Sherman, Aurora M.

2016-01-01

Using an experimental methodology, the present study investigated adolescents' attitudes toward media images of women in non-appearance-focused (CEO and military pilot) and appearance-focused occupations (model and actor). One hundred adolescent girls and 76 adolescent boys provided ratings of likability, competence, and similarity to self after…

Task complexity modulates pilot electroencephalographic activity during real flights.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Stasi, Leandro L; Diaz-Piedra, Carolina; Suárez, Juan; McCamy, Michael B; Martinez-Conde, Susana; Roca-Dorda, Joaquín; Catena, Andrés

2015-07-01

Most research connecting task performance and neural activity to date has been conducted in laboratory conditions. Thus, field studies remain scarce, especially in extreme conditions such as during real flights. Here, we investigated the effects of flight procedures of varied complexity on the in-flight EEG activity of military helicopter pilots. Flight procedural complexity modulated the EEG power spectrum: highly demanding procedures (i.e., takeoff and landing) were associated with higher EEG power in the higher frequency bands, whereas less demanding procedures (i.e., flight exercises) were associated with lower EEG power over the same frequency bands. These results suggest that EEG recordings may help to evaluate an operator's cognitive performance in challenging real-life scenarios, and thus could aid in the prevention of catastrophic events. © 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Historical Background on Assessingt the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rechard, R.P.

1999-01-01

In 1979, six years after selecting the Delaware Basin as a potential disposal area, Congress authorized the US Department of Energy to build the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as a research and development facility for the safe management, storage, and disposal of waste contaminated with transuranic radioisotopes. In 1998, 19 years after authorization and 25 years after site selection, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations. The EPA's decision was primarily based on the results from a performance assessment conducted in 1996. This performance assessment was the culmination of four preliminary performance assessments conducted between 1989 and 1992. This report provides a historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed. Also included is background on political forces acting on the project. For example, the federal requirement to provide environmental impact statements and negotiated agreements with the State of New Mexico influenced the type of scientific areas that were investigated and the engineering analysis prior to 1989 for the WIPP

Improving the performance of dual fuel engines running on natural gas/LPG by using pilot fuel derived from jojoba seeds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selim, Mohamed Y.E. [Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, UAE University, Jimmi, Al-Ain, P.O. Box 17555, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Radwan, M.S.; Saleh, H.E. [Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering at Mattaria, Helwan University, Cairo (Egypt)

2008-06-15

The use of jojoba methyl ester as a pilot fuel was investigated for almost the first time as a way to improve the performance of dual fuel engine running on natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at part load. The dual fuel engine used was Ricardo E6 variable compression diesel engine and it used either compressed natural gas (CNG) or LPG as the main fuel and jojoba methyl ester as a pilot fuel. Diesel fuel was used as a reference fuel for the dual fuel engine results. During the experimental tests, the following have been measured: engine efficiency in terms of specific fuel consumption, brake power output, combustion noise in terms of maximum pressure rise rate and maximum pressure, exhaust emissions in terms of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, knocking limits in terms of maximum torque at onset of knocking, and cyclic variability data of 100 engine cycles in terms of maximum pressure and its pressure rise rate average and standard deviation. The tests examined the following engine parameters: gaseous fuel type, engine speed and load, pilot fuel injection timing, pilot fuel mass and compression ratio. Results showed that using the jojoba fuel with its improved properties has improved the dual fuel engine performance, reduced the combustion noise, extended knocking limits and reduced the cyclic variability of the combustion. (author)

Performance of a system with full- and pilot-scale sludge drying reed bed units treating septic tank sludge in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderón-Vallejo, Luisa Fernanda; Andrade, Cynthia Franco; Manjate, Elias Sete; Madera-Parra, Carlos Arturo; von Sperling, Marcos

2015-01-01

This study investigated the performance of sludge drying reed beds (SDRB) at full- and pilot-scale treating sludge from septic tanks in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The treatment units, planted with Cynodon spp., were based on an adaptation of the first-stage of the French vertical-flow constructed wetland, originally developed for treating sewage. Two different operational phases were investigated; in the first one, the full-scale unit was used together with six pilot-scale columns in order to test different feeding strategies. For the second phase, only the full-scale unit was used, including a recirculation of the filtered effluent (percolate) to one of the units of the French vertical wetland. Sludge application was done once a week emptying a full truck, during 25 weeks. The sludge was predominantly diluted, leading to low solids loading rates (median values of 18 kgTS m(-2) year(-1)). Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency in the full-scale unit was reasonable (median of 71%), but the total solids removal was only moderate (median of 44%) in the full-scale unit without recirculation. Recirculation did not bring substantial improvements in the overall performance. The other loading conditions implemented in the pilot columns also did not show statistically different performances.

The Application of Biocybernetic Techniques to Enhance Pilot Performance during Tactical missions.

Science.gov (United States)

1979-10-01

and observe the altitude indicator ( meatball ) at the end of the runway. At touchdown, the pilot must apply thrust until the arresting hook catches. 103...l PILOT TASES 3 ~ CRITICALI DIFFICULTY J.[ 27 COMMAND TYRUST FOR BOLTER LT SAFETY" D’ENM .....MM................. ...... I.26 MONITOR MEATBALL FLT...THRUST FOR BOLTER ............................................................................ X MONITOR MEATBALL

Experience from a pilot based system for ATLAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, P

2008-01-01

The PanDA software provides a highly performing distributed production and distributed analysis system. It is the first system in the ATLAS experiment to use a pilot based late job delivery technique. This paper describes the architecture of the pilot system used in PanDA. Unique features have been implemented for high reliability automation in a distributed environment. Performance of PanDA is analyzed from one and a half years of experience of performing distributed computing on the Open Science Grid (OSG) infrastructure. Experience with pilot delivery mechanism using Condor-G, and a glide-in factory developed under OSG will be described

A history match of the 1993 ESAGD pilot performance in the Peace River reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, M.; Whale, L. [Shell Canada Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2006-07-01

This paper described a history matching procedure conducted to examine the performance of an enhanced steam assisted gravity drainage (ESAGD) pilot project originally initiated in 1993. The ESAGD process began as a conventional SAGD process, but when the steam chambers were fully developed, a pressure differential between the chambers was added to increase the steam drive component. A numerical planning simulation predicted cumulative average bitumen production rates of between 80 m{sup 3} per day per well pair. However, the actual average day bitumen rate was 22.5 m{sup 3} per day. The oil to steam ratio was 0.1. Final estimated recovery efficiency rates were estimated at 10 per cent. The simulated history match deviated in its predictions after the application of the pressure differential between the 2 well pairs during the ESAGD process. Results from a series of sensitivity studies demonstrated that well performance relied on the presence of high water saturation zones and on the petrophysical properties assigned within the model for horizontal and vertical permeability. The history match demonstrated that the majority of the bitumen produced during the pilot scheme came from the highly permeable bottom zone of the reservoir. It was concluded that steam zones did not rise far above the basal zone, and was limited by the vertical permeability of the reservoir. 6 refs., 2 tabs., 13 figs.

Piloted "Well Clear" Performance Evaluation of Detect-and-Avoid Systems with Suggestive Guidance

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Eric R.; Santiago, Confesor; Watza, Spencer

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the performance of four prototype unmanned aircraft detect-and-avoid (DAA) display configurations, each with different informational elements driven by alerting and guidance algorithms. Sixteen unmanned aircraft pilots flew each combination of the display configurations, with half being given zero DAA surveillance sensor uncertainty and the other half experiencing errors that were comparable, and in some cases slightly better than, errors that were measured in DAA system flight tests. The displays that showed intruder alert information in altitude and heading bands had significantly fewer losses of well clear compared with alternative displays that lacked that information. This difference was significant from a statistical and practical perspective: those losses that did occur lasted for shorter periods and did not penetrate as far into the geometric "separation cylinder" as those in the non-banded displays. A modest level of DAA surveillance sensor uncertainty did not affect the proportion of losses of well clear or their severity. It is recommended that DAA traffic displays implement a band-type display in order to improve the safety of UAS operations in the National Airspace System. Finally, this report provides pilot response time distributions for responding to DAA alerts.

Pilot-Streaming: Design Considerations for a Stream Processing Framework for High-Performance Computing

OpenAIRE

Andre Luckow; Peter Kasson; Shantenu Jha

2016-01-01

This White Paper (submitted to STREAM 2016) identifies an approach to integrate streaming data with HPC resources. The paper outlines the design of Pilot-Streaming, which extends the concept of Pilot-abstraction to streaming real-time data.

The performance of the backpropagation algorithm with varying slope of the activation function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai Yanping; Zhang Haixia; Hao Yilong

2009-01-01

Some adaptations are proposed to the basic BP algorithm in order to provide an efficient method to non-linear data learning and prediction. In this paper, an adopted BP algorithm with varying slope of activation function and different learning rates is put forward. The results of experiment indicated that this algorithm can get very good performance of training. We also test the prediction performance of our adopted BP algorithm on 16 instances. We compared the test results to the ones of the BP algorithm with gradient descent momentum and an adaptive learning rate. The results indicate this adopted BP algorithm gives best performance (100%) for test example, which conclude this adopted BP algorithm produces a smoothed reconstruction that learns better to new prediction function values than the BP algorithm improved with momentum.

Analysis of Pilot-Induced-Oscillation and Pilot Vehicle System Stability Using UAS Flight Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanmay K. Mandal

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of a Pilot-Induced Oscillation (PIO and human pilot control characterization study performed using flight data collected with a Remotely Controlled (R/C unmanned research aircraft. The study was carried out on the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Several existing Category 1 and Category 2 PIO criteria developed for manned aircraft are first surveyed and their effectiveness for predicting the PIO susceptibility for the R/C unmanned aircraft is evaluated using several flight experiments. It was found that the Bandwidth/Pitch rate overshoot and open loop onset point (OLOP criteria prediction results matched flight test observations. However, other criteria failed to provide accurate prediction results. To further characterize the human pilot control behavior during these experiments, a quasi-linear pilot model is used. The parameters of the pilot model estimated using data obtained from flight tests are then used to obtain information about the stability of the Pilot Vehicle System (PVS for Category 1 PIOs occurred during straight and level flights. The batch estimation technique used to estimate the parameters of the quasi-linear pilot model failed to completely capture the compatibility nature of the human pilot. The estimation results however provided valuable insights into the frequency characteristics of the human pilot commands. Additionally, stability analysis of the Category 2 PIOs for elevator actuator rate limiting is carried out using simulations and the results are compared with actual flight results.

Phonological Awareness and Vocabulary Performance of Monolingual and Bilingual Preschool Children with Hearing Loss

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, Emily; Werfel, Krystal L.; Schuele, C. Melanie

2015-01-01

This pilot study compared the phonological awareness skills and vocabulary performance of English monolingual and Spanish-English bilingual children with and without hearing loss. Preschool children with varying degrees of hearing loss (n = 18) and preschool children without hearing loss (n = 19) completed measures of phonological awareness and…

Pilot study on microvascular anastomosis: performance and future educational prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Berretti, G; Colletti, G; Parrinello, G; Iavarone, A; Vannucchi, P; Deganello, A

2017-11-30

The introduction of microvascular free flaps has revolutionised modern reconstructive surgery. Unfortunately, access to training opportunities at standardised training courses is limited and expensive. We designed a pilot study on microvascular anastomoses with the aim of verifying if a short course, easily reproducible, could transmit microvascular skills to participants; if the chosen pre-test was predictive of final performance; and if age could influence the outcome. A total of 30 participants (10 students, 10 residents and 10 surgeons) without any previous microvascular experience were instructed and tested during a single 3 to 5 hour course. The two microanastomoses evaluated were the first ever performed by each participant. More than the half of the cohort was able to produce both patent microanastomoses in less than 2 hours; two-thirds of the attempted microanastomoses were patent. The pretest predicted decent scores from poor performances with a sensitivity of 61.5%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100% and negative predictive value of 40%. Students and residents obtained significantly higher scores than surgeons. Since our course model is short, cost-effective and highly reproducible, it could be introduced and implemented anywhere as an educational prospect for preselecting young residents showing talent and natural predisposition and having ambitions towards microvascular reconstructive surgery. © Copyright by Società Italiana di Otorinolaringologia e Chirurgia Cervico-Facciale.

Historical Background on Assessment the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rechard, R.P.

1999-06-01

In 1979, six years after selecting the Delaware Basin as a potential disposal area, Congress authorized the US Department of Energy to build the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as a research and development facility for the safe management, storage, and disposal of waste contaminated with transuranic radioisotopes. In 1998, 19 years after authorization and 25 years after site selection, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations. The EPA's decision was primarily based on the results from a performance assessment conducted in 1996. This performance assessment was the culmination of four preliminary performance assessments conducted between 1989 and 1992. This report provides a historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed. Also included is background on political forces acting on the project. For example, the federal requirement to provide environmental impact statements and negotiated agreements with the State of New Mexico influenced the type of scientific areas that were investigated and the engineering analysis prior to 1989 for the WIPP.

Human Performance Considerations for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)

Science.gov (United States)

Shively, R. Jay; Hobbs, Alan; Lyall, Beth; Rorie, Conrad

2015-01-01

Successful integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) into civil airspace will not only require solutions to technical challenges, but will also require that the design and operation of RPAS take into account human limitations and capabilities. Human factors can affect overall system performance whenever the system relies on people to interact with another element of the system. Four types of broad interactions can be described. These are (1) interactions between people and hardware, such as controls and displays; (2) human use of procedures and documentation; (3) impact of the task environment, including lighting, noise and monotony; and lastly, (4) interactions between operational personnel, including communication and coordination. In addition to the human factors that have been identified for conventional aviation, RPAS operations introduce a set of unique human challenges. The purpose of document is to raise human factors issues for consideration by workgroups of the ICAO RPAS panel as they work to develop guidance material and additions to ICAO annexes. It is anticipated that the content of this document will be revised and updated as the work of the panel progresses.

ISO New England: Results of Ancillary Service Pilot Programs, Alternative Technology Regulation Pilot Program and Demand Response Reserves Pilot Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lowell, Jon [ISO New England, Holyoke, MA (United States); Yoshimura, Henry [ISO New England, Holyoke, MA (United States)

2011-10-26

This PowerPoint presentation compares performance of pilot program assets and generation resources in alternative technology regulation and demand response reserves for flywheels and residential electric thermal storage.

Helicopter pilots' views of air traffic controller responsibilities: a mismatch.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Daniel; Nixon, Jim

2018-02-21

Controllers and pilots must work together to ensure safe and efficient helicopter flight within the London control zone. Subjective ratings of pilot perception of controller responsibility for five key flight tasks were obtained from thirty helicopter pilots. Three types of airspace were investigated. Results indicate that there is variation in pilot understanding of controller responsibility compared to the formal regulations that define controller responsibility. Significant differences in the perception of controller responsibility were found for the task of aircraft separation in class D airspace and along helicopter routes. Analysis of the patterns of response suggests that task type rather than the airspace type may be the key factor. Results are framed using the concept of a shared mental model. This research demonstrates that pilots flying in complex London airspace have an expectation of controller responsibility for certain flight tasks, in certain airspace types that is not supported by aviation regulation. Practitioner Summary: The responsibility for tasks during flight varies according to the flight rules used and airspace type. Helicopter pilots may attribute responsibility to controllers for tasks when controllers have no responsibility as defined by regulation. This variation between pilot perceptions of controller responsibility could affect safety within the London control zone.

Regional ventricular performance and exercise training in children and young adults after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: randomized controlled pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Duppen, Nienke; Geerdink, Lianne M; Kuipers, Irene M; Bossers, Sjoerd S M; Koopman, Laurens P; van Dijk, Arie P J; Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W; De Korte, Chris L; Helbing, Willem A; Kapusta, Livia

2015-04-01

Public-health guidelines recommend patients with congenital heart disease to exercise. Studies have shown that patients with congenital heart disease can improve physical exercise capacity. The effect of training on regional ventricular performance has hardly been studied. We performed a pilot study to assess whether an exercise training program would result in adverse changes of regional ventricular performance in patients with corrected tetralogy of Fallot. Multicenter prospective randomized controlled pilot study in patients with tetralogy of Fallot aged 10 to 25 years. A 12-week standardized aerobic dynamic exercise training program (3 one-hour sessions per week) was used. Pre- and post-training cardiopulmonary exercise tests, MRI, and echocardiography, including tissue-Doppler imaging, were performed. Patients were randomized to the exercise group (n=28) or control group (n=20). One patient in the exercise group dropped out. Change in tissue-Doppler imaging parameters was similar in the exercise group and control group (change in right ventricle free wall peak velocity E' exercise group, 0.8±2.6 cm/s; control group, 0.9±4.1; peak velocity A' exercise group, 0.4±2.4 m/s; control group 4.6±18.1 cm/s). This randomized controlled pilot study provides preliminary data suggesting that regional ventricular performance is well maintained during 3-month aerobic dynamic exercise training in children and young adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. This information might help patients adhere to current public-health guidelines. URL: http//:www.trialregister.nl. Unique identifier: NTR2731. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Conceptual structure of performance assessments conducted for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, J.C.; Marietta, M.G.; Rechard, R.P.

1993-04-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico is being developed by the US Department of Energy as a disposal facility for transuranic waste. In support of this project, Sandia National Laboratories is conducting an ongoing performance assessment (PA) for the WIPP. The ordered triple representation for risk proposed by Kaplan and Garrick is used to provide a clear conceptual structure for this PA. This presentation describes how the preceding representation provides a basis in the WIPP PA for (1) the definition of scenarios and the calculation of scenario probabilities and consequences, (2) the separation of subjective and stochastic uncertainties, (3) the construction of the complementary cumulative distribution functions required in comparisons with the US Environmental Protection Agency's standard for the geologic disposal of radioactive waste (i.e., 40 CFR Part 191, Subpart B), and (4) the performance of uncertainty and sensitivity studies. Results obtained in a preliminary PA for the WIPP completed in December of 1991 are used for illustration

Consistency of Pilot Trainee Cognitive Ability, Personality, and Training Performance in Undergraduate Pilot Training

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-09

multivariate correction method (Lawley, 1943) was used for all scores except the MAB FSIQ which used the univariate ( Thorndike , 1949) method. FSIQ... Thorndike , R. L. (1949). Personnel selection. NY: Wiley. Tupes, E. C., & Christal, R. C. (1961). Recurrent personality factors based on trait ratings... Thorndike , 1949). aThe correlations for 1995 were not corrected due to the small sample size (N = 17). *p< .05 Consistency of Pilot Attributes

A formal expert judgment procedure for performance assessments of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trauth, K.M.; Guzowski, R.V.; Hora, S.C.

1994-09-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is an experimental facility located in southeastern New Mexico. It has been designed to determine the feasibility of the geologic disposal of defense-generated transuranic waste in a deep bedded-salt formation. The WIPP was also designed for disposal and will operate in that capacity if approved. The WIPP Performance Assessment Department at Sandia National Laboratories has been conducting analyses to assess the long-term performance of the WIPP. These analyses sometimes require the use of expert judgment. This Department has convened several expert-judgment panels and from that experience has developed an internal quality-assurance procedure to guide the formal elicitation of expert judgment. This protocol is based on the principles found in the decision-analysis literature

A formal expert judgment procedure for performance assessments of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trauth, K.M. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Guzowski, R.V. [Science Applications International Corp., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hora, S.C. [Univ. of Hawaii, Hilo, HI (United States). Business Administration & Economics Div.

1994-09-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is an experimental facility located in southeastern New Mexico. It has been designed to determine the feasibility of the geologic disposal of defense-generated transuranic waste in a deep bedded-salt formation. The WIPP was also designed for disposal and will operate in that capacity if approved. The WIPP Performance Assessment Department at Sandia National Laboratories has been conducting analyses to assess the long-term performance of the WIPP. These analyses sometimes require the use of expert judgment. This Department has convened several expert-judgment panels and from that experience has developed an internal quality-assurance procedure to guide the formal elicitation of expert judgment. This protocol is based on the principles found in the decision-analysis literature.

A formal expert judgment procedure for performance assessments of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trauth, K.M.; Guzowski, R.V.; Hora, S.C.

1993-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is an experimental facility located in southeastern New Mexico. It has been designed to determine the feasibility of the geologic disposal of defense-generated transuranic waste in a deep bedded-salt formation. The WIPP was also designed for disposal and will operate in that capacity if approved. The WIPP Performance Assessment Department at Sandia National Laboratories has been conducting analyses to assess the long-term performance of the WIPP. These analyses sometimes require the use of expert judgment. This Department has convened several expert-judgment panels and from that experience has developed an internal quality-assurance procedure to guide the formal elicitation of expert judgment. This protocol is based on the principles found in the decision-analysis literature

The 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, D.R.; Jow, H.N.; Marietta, M.G.; Chu, M.S.Y.; Shephard, L.E.; Helton, J.C.; Basabilvazo, G.

1998-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste that has been generated at government defense installations in the United States. The WIPP is located in an area of low population density in southeastern New Mexico. Waste disposal will take place in excavated chambers in a bedded salt formation approximately 655 m below the land surface. This presentation describes a performance assessment (PA) carried out at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to support the Compliance Certification Application (CCA) made by the DOE to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October, 1996, for the certification of the WIPP for the disposal of TRU waste. Based on the CCA supported by the PA described in this presentation, the EPA has issued a preliminary decision to certify the WIPP for the disposal of TRU waste. At present (April 1998), it appears likely that the WIPP will be in operation by the end of 1998

Cognitive Evaluation of Israeli Air Force Pilot Cadets.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Shirley; Goren, Chen; Carmon, Erez; Shelef, Leah

2017-04-01

In aviation psychology, there is a constant need for the cognitive evaluation of pilots as part of operational fitness and safety criteria. A cross-sectional study with comparison between the performance of Israeli Air Force pilot cadets (N = 318) and U.S. Air Force pilot training candidates (N = 512) as assessed by a cognitive battery was undertaken. The data of the comparison group was collected from Callister, King, and Retzlaff, as published in 1996. In general, the means in the three components composing the battery-speed, accuracy, and throughput variables-indicated that the Israeli Air Force pilot cadets' scores were higher than those of the U.S. Air Force pilot candidates' scores in 50 of 53 variables. Nonsignificant differences were found in Accuracy of shifting attention-arrow color (SATAC), pathfinder-combined (PFC), and pathfinder-letter (PFL). The difference in performance between the two groups may be due to differences in population characteristics. However, these results need to be considered cautiously, as the groups were sampled at a sizeable time gap (1996 for the U.S. Air Force vs. 2013 for the Israeli Air Force), with each time period characterized by different cultural and technological influences.Gordon S, Goren C, Carmon E, Shelef L. Cognitive evaluation of Israeli Air Force pilot cadets. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(4):392-398.

Pilot Convective Weather Decision Making in En Route Airspace

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shu-Chieh; Gooding, Cary L.; Shelley, Alexandra E.; Duong, Constance G.; Johnson, Walter W.

2012-01-01

The present research investigates characteristics exhibited in pilot convective weather decision making in en route airspace. In a part-task study, pilots performed weather avoidance under various encounter scenarios. Results showed that the margins of safety that pilots maintain from storms are as fluid as deviation decisions themselves.

Effects of varying the longitudinal dispersion and no drip cask rate failures upon Yucca Mountain site performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winterle, Bret

2001-01-01

Proposed changes in the regulatory time limits used for viability assessments of the proposed national high-level radioactive waste repository in Yucca Mountain, Nevada from 10,000 years to 100,000 or even 1,000,000 years call into question both the modelling techniques used to represent the repository's long-term performance, and our ability to extrapolate technological, climatological and geological phenomenon. Using a high-powered risk-assessment software program called Goldsim that a simplified total system performance assessment (STSPA) was designed for, the effects of varying the performance parameters of two barrier systems, one natural and one man-made, upon the total system performance were observed. The conclusion reached by varying these two parameters is that for a regulatory guideline of 10,000 years, there is no noticeable effect on the total system performance, but at 300,000 years, it appears that the effect of reducing the longitudinal dispersion rate (a natural barrier) by one order of magnitude produced an astronomically high receptor dose, indicating that as predicted, our abilities to model situations beyond our ability to accurately extrapolate current scientific research is futile. (author)

Effects of varying the longitudinal dispersion and no drip cask rate failures upon Yucca Mountain site performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winterle, Bret

2001-07-01

Proposed changes in the regulatory time limits used for viability assessments of the proposed national high-level radioactive waste repository in Yucca Mountain, Nevada from 10,000 years to 100,000 or even 1,000,000 years call into question both the modelling techniques used to represent the repository's long-term performance, and our ability to extrapolate technological, climatological and geological phenomenon. Using a high-powered risk-assessment software program called Goldsim that a simplified total system performance assessment (STSPA) was designed for, the effects of varying the performance parameters of two barrier systems, one natural and one man-made, upon the total system performance were observed. The conclusion reached by varying these two parameters is that for a regulatory guideline of 10,000 years, there is no noticeable effect on the total system performance, but at 300,000 years, it appears that the effect of reducing the longitudinal dispersion rate (a natural barrier) by one order of magnitude produced an astronomically high receptor dose, indicating that as predicted, our abilities to model situations beyond our ability to accurately extrapolate current scientific research is futile. (author)

Performance of A Pilot-Scale Vermifilter for the Treatment of A Real Hospital Wastewater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nahid Ghobadi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, the performance of a pilot-scale vermifilter (VF for the treatment of hospital wastewater using the earthworm species Eisenia fetida was evaluated. The earthworms’ gut acts as a bioreactor and can ingest the wastewater solid and liquid organic wastes and expel these as vermicompost. A pilot-scale vermifilter was installed and operated for 133 days in one of hospitals in Hamadan city; the designed system was fed with the influent passed through coarse and fine grillage and the sedimentation tank of the hospital’s sanitary collection system. In order to study the efficiency of the system, the variations of pH value, chemical oxygen demand (COD, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5, and total suspended solids (TSS were measured. In addition, a conventional geofilter (GF without Earthworm was used as the experimental control. The vermifiltration caused a significant decrease in the levels of COD (75%, BOD5 (93%, and TSS (89% as well as neutralized pH in the wastewater. Also, these contents in the geofilter were observed to be 65%, 71%, and 71%, respectively. The vermifiltration technology can, therefore, be applied as an environmentally friendly method for hospital wastewater treatment.

Medication therapy management services in community pharmacy: a pilot programme in HIV specialty pharmacies.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenquist, Ashley; Best, Brookie M; Miller, Teresa A; Gilmer, Todd P; Hirsch, Jan D

2010-12-01

Pharmacist-provided medication therapy management services (MTMS) have been shown to increase patient's adherence to medications, improve health outcomes and reduce overall medical costs. The purpose of this study was to describe a pilot programme that provided pharmacy-based MTMS for patients with HIV/AIDS in the state of California, USA. Pharmacists from the 10 pilot pharmacies were surveyed using an online data collection tool. Information was collected to describe the types of MTMS offered, proportion of patients actively using specific MTMS, pharmacist beliefs regarding effect on patient outcomes and barriers to providing MTMS, ability to offer MTMS without pilot programme funding and specialized pharmacist or staff training. Each responding pharmacy (7 of 10) varied in the number of HIV/AIDS patients served and prescription volume. All pharmacists had completed HIV/AIDS-related continuing education programmes, and some had other advanced training. The type of MTMS being offered varied at each pharmacy with 'individualized counselling by a pharmacist when overuse or underuse was detected' and 'refill reminders by telephone' being actively used by the largest proportion of patients. Most, but not all, pharmacists cited reimbursement as a barrier to MTMS provision. Pharmacists believed the MTMS they provide resulted in improved satisfaction (patient and provider), medication usage, therapeutics response and patient quality of life. The type of MTMS offered, and proportion of patients actively using, varied among participating pilot pharmacies. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cupping Therapy Simulation Course; A Pilot Study Assessing Self Reporting of Confidence, Expectations/Satisfaction and Performance

OpenAIRE

Aboushanab, Tamer; Khalil, Mohammed; El-Olemy, Ahmed; Alsanad, Saud

2017-01-01

This paper aimed to assess self-reporting of confidence, expectations/satisfaction, and performance of medical students before and after the cupping therapy simulation training course and to validate cupping simulation training evaluation questionnaire (CSTEQ). It was a pilot study to evaluate cupping therapy simulation course provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).  The number of participants was 29/41 (70.7%) (20 females and 9 males) before train...

A pilot study of the effects of atomoxetine on driving performance in adults with ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Barkley, Russell A; Anderson, Deborah L; Kruesi, Markus

2007-02-01

There is a high risk of vehicular crashes, traffic citations, and poorer driving performance in adults with ADHD. This pilot study examines the value of a new nonstimulant (atomoxetine) for improving the driving performance of adults with ADHD. Atomoxetine (1.2 mg/kg daily for 3 weeks) and a placebo are studied on 18 adults with ADHD (M age = 37 years) using ratings of ADHD symptoms, impairment, and safe driving behavior; a virtual reality driving simulator; and ratings of simulator performance. Atomoxetine improves self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, impairments, safe driving behavior, and simulator driving performance. No effects of atomoxetine are evident on others' ratings of driving behavior or on the simulator. Practice effects on the simulator may have obscured those drug effects. The authors find a mixed pattern of results such that atomoxetine warrants further study for its effects on driving in this high-risk population.

Performance of combined production and analysis WMS in DIRAC

CERN Document Server

Paterson, S

2010-01-01

DIRAC, the LHCb community Grid solution, uses generic pilot jobs to obtain a virtual pool of resources for the VO community. In this way agents can request the highest priority user or production jobs from a central task queue and VO policies can be applied with full knowledge of current and previous activities. In this paper the performance of the DIRAC WMS will be presented with emphasis on how the system copes with many varied job requirements. In order to ensure traceability of jobs as well as security, the actual users identity has to be established before running the actual payload workflow. Generic pilot jobs take advantage of the deployment of the gLExec utility in order to achieve this. Experience with gLExec will be described.

Primary display latency criteria based on flying qualities and performance data

Science.gov (United States)

Funk, John D., Jr.; Beck, Corin P.; Johns, John B.

1993-01-01

With a pilots' increasing use of visual cue augmentation, much requiring extensive pre-processing, there is a need to establish criteria for new avionics/display design. The timeliness and synchronization of the augmented cues is vital to ensure the performance quality required for precision mission task elements (MTEs) where augmented cues are the primary source of information to the pilot. Processing delays incurred while transforming sensor-supplied flight information into visual cues are unavoidable. Relationships between maximum control system delays and associated flying qualities levels are documented in MIL-F-83300 and MIL-F-8785. While cues representing aircraft status may be just as vital to the pilot as prompt control response for operations in instrument meteorological conditions, presently, there are no specification requirements on avionics system latency. To produce data relating avionics system latency to degradations in flying qualities, the Navy conducted two simulation investigations. During the investigations, flying qualities and performance data were recorded as simulated avionics system latency was varied. Correlated results of the investigation indicates that there is a detrimental impact of latency on flying qualities. Analysis of these results and consideration of key factors influencing their application indicate that: (1) Task performance degrades and pilot workload increases as latency is increased. Inconsistency in task performance increases as latency increases. (2) Latency reduces the probability of achieving Level 1 handling qualities with avionics system latency as low as 70 ms. (3) The data suggest that the achievement of desired performance will be ensured only at display latency values below 120 ms. (4) These data also suggest that avoidance of inadequate performance will be ensured only at display latency values below 150 ms.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Performing the Airdrop Mission

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-01

appears to be true prima facie , but with improvements in sensor configuration and fidelity, as well as 29 human factors considerations for pilots...MQ-1B (United States Air Force, 2010a). While the Predator is well suited to robust ISR and limited CAS and AI duties , the MQ-9’s additional...utilizing the MQ-9 Reaper. Please note the following: 1. Survey responses are confidential. Your identity (name or duty title) will not be

Constructing probability distributions of uncertain variables in models of the performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: The 1990 performance simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tierney, M.S.

1990-12-01

A five-step procedure was used in the 1990 performance simulations to construct probability distributions of the uncertain variables appearing in the mathematical models used to simulate the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant's (WIPP's) performance. This procedure provides a consistent approach to the construction of probability distributions in cases where empirical data concerning a variable are sparse or absent and minimizes the amount of spurious information that is often introduced into a distribution by assumptions of nonspecialists. The procedure gives first priority to the professional judgment of subject-matter experts and emphasizes the use of site-specific empirical data for the construction of the probability distributions when such data are available. In the absence of sufficient empirical data, the procedure employs the Maximum Entropy Formalism and the subject-matter experts' subjective estimates of the parameters of the distribution to construct a distribution that can be used in a performance simulation. (author)

Constructing probability distributions of uncertain variables in models of the performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: The 1990 performance simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tierney, M S

1990-12-15

A five-step procedure was used in the 1990 performance simulations to construct probability distributions of the uncertain variables appearing in the mathematical models used to simulate the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant's (WIPP's) performance. This procedure provides a consistent approach to the construction of probability distributions in cases where empirical data concerning a variable are sparse or absent and minimizes the amount of spurious information that is often introduced into a distribution by assumptions of nonspecialists. The procedure gives first priority to the professional judgment of subject-matter experts and emphasizes the use of site-specific empirical data for the construction of the probability distributions when such data are available. In the absence of sufficient empirical data, the procedure employs the Maximum Entropy Formalism and the subject-matter experts' subjective estimates of the parameters of the distribution to construct a distribution that can be used in a performance simulation. (author)

Performance exploration of an energy harvester near the varying magnetic field of an operating induction motor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uzun, Yunus; Kurt, Erol

2013-01-01

Highlights: • This paper explores the piezoelectric harvester performance. • The varying magnetic field generates electricity via exciting harvester. • Generated power should be optimized via load resistance. • 0.11 mW/cm 3 Power can be generated from 500 cm 3 surrounding volume. - Abstract: This paper reports a performance exploration of a piezoelectric harvester which is positioned near an operating induction motor. The harvester includes a magnet knob in a pendulum arrangement, which ascertains mechanical vibrations under the varying magnetic field. This energy harvester transforms the ambient unused magnetic energy into the electricity due to the piezoelectric layer attached to the pendulum. It has been proven that when the motor is under operation, the varying ambient field causes a varying magnetic force at the tip of harvester, then output voltage between the terminals of piezoelectric layer is produced due to the mechanical vibrations. This output signal has some characteristics of the operating induction motor in terms of its operation frequency, number of magnetic pole and natural frequency of the harvester. Since the surrounding field of the induction motor directly depends on the current flowing through the windings and electrical parameters, both the amplitude U and the frequency ω m of the harvested voltage can be characterized after some certain parametrical explorations. It has been proven that the harvested voltage strictly depends on the electrical load, which is attached to the terminals of the harvester, after the rectifying circuit. The harvested power per surrounding volume can be increased up to 0.11 mW/cm 3 , if the entire surrounding volume of the motor is considered

Caffeinated Tube Food Effect on Pilot Performance During a 9-Hour, Simulated Nighttime U-2 Mission

Science.gov (United States)

2006-10-01

first dose), 02:00, 04:00 (second dose), and 06:00. Each dose of tube food contained either caffeinated chocolate pudding (200 mg) or plain chocolate ...on alertness and mood . Psychopharmacol- ogy 1993; 112:359–65. 19. Smith AP. Effects of caffeine on human behaviour. Food Cosmet Toxicol 2002; 40:1243...Journal Article 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 19 Jun 2002 – 1 Sep 2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Caffeinated Tube Food Effect on Pilot Performance During a

Deep shaft high rate aerobic digestion: laboratory and pilot plant performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tran, F; Gannon, D

1981-01-01

The Deep Shaft is essentially an air-lift reactor, sunk deep in the ground (100-160 m); the resulting high hydrostatic pressure together with very efficient mixing in the shaft provide extremely high O transfer efficiencies (O.T.E.) of less than or equal to 90% vs. 4-20% in other aerators. This high O.T.E. suggests real potential for Deep-Shaft technology in the aerobic digestion of sludges and animal wastes: with conventional aerobic digesters an O.T.E. over 8% is extremely difficult to achieve. Laboratory and pilot plant Deep-Shaft aerobic digester studies carried out at Eco-Research's Pointe Claire, Quebec laboratories, and at the Paris, Ontario pilot Deep-Shaft digester are described.

Slushy weightings for the optimal pilot model. [considering visual tracking task

Science.gov (United States)

Dillow, J. D.; Picha, D. G.; Anderson, R. O.

1975-01-01

A pilot model is described which accounts for the effect of motion cues in a well defined visual tracking task. The effect of visual and motion cues are accounted for in the model in two ways. First, the observation matrix in the pilot model is structured to account for the visual and motion inputs presented to the pilot. Secondly, the weightings in the quadratic cost function associated with the pilot model are modified to account for the pilot's perception of the variables he considers important in the task. Analytic results obtained using the pilot model are compared to experimental results and in general good agreement is demonstrated. The analytic model yields small improvements in tracking performance with the addition of motion cues for easily controlled task dynamics and large improvements in tracking performance with the addition of motion cues for difficult task dynamics.

75 FR 56857 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-17

...-2006-26661; Amendment No., 141-14] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School..., certification, and operating requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools...: Background On August 21, 2009, the FAA published the ``Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School...

Patent foramen ovale and asymptomatic brain lesions in military fighter pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Kyung Wook; Kim, Joon-Tae; Choi, Won-Ho; Park, Won-Ju; Shin, Young Ho; Choi, Kang-Ho

2014-10-01

Previous studies have reported higher incidence of white matter lesions (WMLs) in military pilots. The anti-gravity straining maneuver, which fighter military pilots perform numerously during a flight is identical to the valsalva maneuver. We sought to investigate the prevalence of right-to-left shunt (RLS) associated with WMLs in military pilots. A prospective study was performed involving military pilots who visited the Airomedical Center. The pilots underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and transcranial Doppler (TCD) with intravenous injection of agitated saline solution for the detection of RLS. Periventricular WMLs (PVWMLs) on MRI were graded using Fazeka's scale, and deep WMLs (DWMLs) were graded using Scheltens's scale. This study included 81 military pilots. RLS on TCD was observed less frequently in non-fighter pilots than in fighter pilots (35.5% vs. 64.5%, p=0.011). Fighter pilot was an independently associated factor with RLS on the TCD. DWMLs were independently associated with RLSs through a patent foramen ovale (PFO) (OR 3.507, 95% CI 1.223-10.055, p=0.02). The results suggest that DWMLs in military pilots may significantly be associated with RLS via PFO. Additional investigations are warranted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of control and display lag on unmanned air system internal pilot manual landing performance

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, Marshall Everett

An important characteristic of UASs is lag because it can become a considerable challenge to successful human-in-the-loop control. As such, UASs are designed and configured to minimize system lag, though this can increase acquisition and operation costs considerably. In an effort to cut costs, an organization may choose to accept greater risk and deploy a UAS with high system lag. Before this risk can be responsibly accepted, it must be quantified. While many studies have examined system lag, very few have been able to quantify the risk that various levels of lag pose to an internally piloted, manually landed UAS. This study attempted to do so by evaluating pilot landing performance in a simulator with 0 ms, 240 ms, and 1000 ms of additional lag. Various measures were used, including a novel coding technique. Results indicated that 1000 ms of lag was unsafe by all measures. They also indicate that 240 ms of lag degrades performance, but participants were able to successfully land the simulated aircraft. This study showed the utility of using several measures to evaluate the effect of lag on landing performance and it helped demonstrate that while 1000 ms poses a high risk, 240 ms of lag may be a much more manageable risk. Future research suggested by this research includes: investigating lag between 240 ms and 1000 ms, introducing different weather phenomena, developing system lag training techniques for operators, and investigating the effect of aides such as predictive displays and autopilot-assisted recovery.

Design Optimisation and Conrol of a Pilot Operated Seat Valve

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Brian; Andersen, Torben Ole; Hansen, Michael Rygaard

2004-01-01

The paper gives an approach for optimisation of the bandwidth of a pilot operated seat valve for mobile applications. Physical dimensions as well as parameters of the implemented control loop are optimised simultaneously. The frequency response of the valve varies as a function of the pressure drop...

Identifying Best Bet Entry-Level Selection Measures for US Air Force Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Pilot and Sensor Operator (SO) Occupations

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

occupations (pilots, combat system operators, air battle managers) (Carretta, 2008; Carretta & Ree, 2003; Olea & Ree, 1994). This body of knowledge...Ergonomics, 50(7), 1064-1091. O’Hare, D. (1997). Cognitive ability determinants of elite pilot performance. Human Factors, 39, 540-552. Olea

Pilot Implementations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manikas, Maria Ie

by conducting a literature review. The concept of pilot implementation, although commonly used in practice, is rather disregarded in research. In the literature, pilot implementations are mainly treated as secondary to the learning outcomes and are presented as merely a means to acquire knowledge about a given...... objective. The prevalent understanding is that pilot implementations are an ISD technique that extends prototyping from the lab and into test during real use. Another perception is that pilot implementations are a project multiple of co-existing enactments of the pilot implementation. From this perspective......This PhD dissertation engages in the study of pilot (system) implementation. In the field of information systems, pilot implementations are commissioned as a way to learn from real use of a pilot system with real data, by real users during an information systems development (ISD) project and before...

CellPilot: Seamless communication within Cell BE and heterogeneous clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girard, N; Carter, J; Gardner, W B; Grewal, G

2010-01-01

The Pilot library is targeted to novice scientific programmers within High Performance Computing. The CellPilot library extends the Pilot library to the Cell Broadband Engine processor and heterogeneous clusters. Using Pilot's process and channel abstractions, the CellPilot library can create a process on any of the processor types, both PPEs and SPEs, across the cluster. Communication is achieved by creating a channel between any two processes, and using the write/read channel functions in the participating processes. The CellPilot library uses MPI for the inter-node communication and the Cell SDK within a Cell node. All the architecture specific details of Cell communications are hidden from the user.

Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992. Volume 3, Model parameters: Sandia WIPP Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-12-29

This volume documents model parameters chosen as of July 1992 that were used by the Performance Assessment Department of Sandia National Laboratories in its 1992 preliminary performance assessment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Ranges and distributions for about 300 modeling parameters in the current secondary data base are presented in tables for the geologic and engineered barriers, global materials (e.g., fluid properties), and agents that act upon the WIPP disposal system such as climate variability and human-intrusion boreholes. The 49 parameters sampled in the 1992 Preliminary Performance Assessment are given special emphasis with tables and graphics that provide insight and sources of data for each parameter.

76 FR 54095 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-31

... [Docket No.: FAA-2008-0938; Amendment Nos. 61-128, 91-324, 141-15, and 142-7] RIN 2120-AJ18 Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification Rules AGENCY... regulations concerning pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification. This rule will require pilot...

Pilot Implementation: Learning from Field Tests in IS Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herzum, Morten; Bansler, Jørgen P.; Havn, Erling C.

2012-01-01

the laboratory to the field, thereby allowing users to experience a system design under realistic conditions and developers to get feedback from realistic use while the design is still malleable. We characterize pilot implementation, contrast it with prototyping, propose a fiveelement model of pilot...... implementation and provide three empirical illustrations of our model. We conclude that pilot implementation has much merit as an ISD technique when system performance is contingent on context. But we also warn developers that, despite their seductive conceptual simplicity, pilot implementations can be difficult...

The World Health Organization Performance Assessment Tool for Quality Improvement in Hospitals (PATH): an analysis of the pilot implementation in 37 hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groene, Oliver; Klazinga, Niek; Kazandjian, Vahé; Lombrail, Pierre; Bartels, Paul

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pilot implementation of the World Health Organization Performance Assessment Tool for Quality Improvement in hospitals (PATH). DESIGN: Semi-structured interviews with regional/country coordinators and Internet-based survey distributed to hospital coordinators. SETTING: A

Airborne Conflict Management within Confined Airspace in a Piloted Simulation of DAG-TM Autonomous Aircraft Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Barmore, Bryan; Johnson, Edward; Wing, David J.; Barhydt, Richard

2003-01-01

A human-in-the-loop experiment was performed at the NASA Langley Research Center to study the feasibility of Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM) autonomous aircraft operations in highly constrained airspace. The airspace was constrained by a pair of special use airspace (SUA) regions on either side of the pilot s planned route. The available airspace was further varied by changing the separation standard for lateral separation between 3 nm and 5 nm. The pilot had to maneuver through the corridor between the SUA s, avoid other traffic and meet flow management constraints. Traffic flow management (TFM) constraints were imposed as a required time of arrival and crossing altitude at an en route fix. This is a follow-up study to work presented at the 4th USA/Europe Air Traffic Management R&D Seminar in December 2001. Nearly all of the pilots were able to meet their TFM constraints while maintaining adequate separation from other traffic. In only 3 out of 59 runs were the pilots unable to meet their required time of arrival. Two loss of separation cases are studied and it is found that the pilots need conflict prevention information presented in a clearer manner. No degradation of performance or safety was seen between the wide and narrow corridors. Although this was not a thorough study of the consequences of reducing the en route lateral separation, nothing was found that would refute the feasibility of reducing the separation requirement from 5 nm to 3 nm. The creation of additional, second-generation conflicts is also investigated. Two resolution methods were offered to the pilots: strategic and tactical. The strategic method is a closed-loop alteration to the Flight Management System (FMS) active route that considers other traffic as well as TFM constraints. The tactical resolutions are short-term resolutions that leave avoiding other traffic conflicts and meeting the TFM constraints to the pilot. Those that made use of the strategic tools avoided

How To Make the Most of Your Human: Design Considerations for Single Pilot Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Schutte, Paul C.

2015-01-01

Reconsidering the function allocation between automation and the pilot in the flight deck is the next step in improving aviation safety. The current allocation, based on who does what best, makes poor use of the pilot's resources and abilities. In some cases it may actually handicap pilots from performing their role. Improving pilot performance first lies in defining the role of the pilot - why a human is needed in the first place. The next step is allocating functions based on the needs of that role (rather than fitness), then using automation to target specific human weaknesses in performing that role. Examples are provided (some of which could be implemented in conventional cockpits now). Along the way, the definition of human error and the idea that eliminating/automating the pilot will reduce instances of human error will be challenged.

Concurrent Pilot Instrument Monitoring in the Automated Multi-Crew Airline Cockpit.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarvis, Stephen R

2017-12-01

Pilot instrument monitoring has been described as "inadequate," "ineffective," and "insufficient" after multicrew aircraft accidents. Regulators have called for improved instrument monitoring by flight crews, but scientific knowledge in the area is scarce. Research has tended to investigate the monitoring of individual pilots when in the pilot-flying role; very little research has looked at crew monitoring, or that of the "monitoring-pilot" role despite it being half of the apparent problem. Eye-tracking data were collected from 17 properly constituted and current Boeing 737 crews operating in a full motion simulator. Each crew flew four realistic flight segments, with pilots swapping between the pilot-flying and pilot-monitoring roles, with and without the autopilot engaged. Analysis was performed on the 375 maneuvering-segments prior to localizer intercept. Autopilot engagement led to significantly less visual dwell time on the attitude director indicator (mean 212.8-47.8 s for the flying pilot and 58.5-39.8 s for the monitoring-pilot) and an associated increase on the horizontal situation indicator (18-52.5 s and 36.4-50.5 s). The flying-pilots' withdrawal of attention from the primary flight reference and increased attention to the primary navigational reference was paralleled rather than complemented by the monitoring-pilot, suggesting that monitoring vulnerabilities can be duplicated in the flight deck. Therefore it is possible that accident causes identified as "inadequate" or "insufficient" monitoring, are in fact a result of parallel monitoring.Jarvis SR. Concurrent pilot instrument monitoring in the automated multi-crew airline cockpit. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(12):1100-1106.

Effects of seasonal and well construction variables on soil vapor extraction pilot tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, R.; Hudon, N.; Bass, D.

1995-01-01

The selection and design of an effective soil vapor extraction system is dependent upon data generated from pilot testing. Therefore, it is critical to understand factors that may affect the testing prior to selecting or designing a system. In Sebago Lake Village, Maine, two adjacent gasoline stations experienced a release. Gasoline migrated through fine sand into the groundwater and discharged to a small stream. Soil vapor extraction was investigated as a remedial alternative to reduce volatile organic compounds in the unsaturated soil. Three soil vapor extraction pilot tests were performed at one of the sites and one test at the other site. The results of the testing varied. Data collected during a summer test indicated soil vapor extraction was less likely to work. The wells tested were installed using an excavator. An adequate surface seal was not present in any of the tested wells. An additional test was performed in the winter using wells installed by a drill rig. Winter test results indicated that soil vapor extraction could be effective. Another test was performed after a horizontal soil vapor extraction system with a surface seal was installed. The results of this testing indicated that soil vapor extraction was more effective than predicted by the earlier tests. Tests performed on the other property indicated that the horizontal wells were more effective than the vertical wells. Testing results were affected by the well installation method, well construction, proximity to manmade structures, and the season in which testing was performed. Understanding factors that affect the testing is critical in selecting and designing the system

Motivation and Performance of Older Australian Academics: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Little, Len; Peter, Hollis

A pilot study of the Australian higher education system was conducted to determine the following: (1) whether department heads follow a client-centered, diagnostic/prescriptive model as developed by the Australian Committee of Directors and Principals in Advanced Education (ACDP), and if not, which process is used; (2) which developmental…

A predictive pilot model for STOL aircraft landing

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinman, D. L.; Killingsworth, W. R.

1974-01-01

An optimal control approach has been used to model pilot performance during STOL flare and landing. The model is used to predict pilot landing performance for three STOL configurations, each having a different level of automatic control augmentation. Model predictions are compared with flight simulator data. It is concluded that the model can be effective design tool for studying analytically the effects of display modifications, different stability augmentation systems, and proposed changes in the landing area geometry.

Navigation performance in virtual environments varies with fractal dimension of landscape.

Science.gov (United States)

Juliani, Arthur W; Bies, Alexander J; Boydston, Cooper R; Taylor, Richard P; Sereno, Margaret E

2016-09-01

Fractal geometry has been used to describe natural and built environments, but has yet to be studied in navigational research. In order to establish a relationship between the fractal dimension (D) of a natural environment and humans' ability to navigate such spaces, we conducted two experiments using virtual environments that simulate the fractal properties of nature. In Experiment 1, participants completed a goal-driven search task either with or without a map in landscapes that varied in D. In Experiment 2, participants completed a map-reading and location-judgment task in separate sets of fractal landscapes. In both experiments, task performance was highest at the low-to-mid range of D, which was previously reported as most preferred and discriminable in studies of fractal aesthetics and discrimination, respectively, supporting a theory of visual fluency. The applicability of these findings to architecture, urban planning, and the general design of constructed spaces is discussed.

Summary of Pilot-Scale Activities with Mercury Contaminated Sludges (U)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicero, C.A.; Hutson, N.D.; Zamecnik, J.R.; Smith, M.E.; Miller, D. H.; Ritter, J.A.; Hardy, B.J.; Jantzen, C.M.

1995-01-01

Technologies for treatment of low level mixed wastes (LLMW) are currently being investigated by the Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) of the Department of Energy (DOE). The Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) has been chartered by the MWFA to study vitrification treatment of the wastes through an Office of Technology Development (OTD) Technical Task Plan (TTP). SRTC's efforts have included crucible-scale studies and pilot-scale testing on simulated LLMW sludges, resins, soils, and other solid wastes. Results from the crucible-scale studies have been used as the basis for the pilot-scale demonstrations. One of the streams to be investigated in fiscal year (FY) 1995 by SRTC was a mercury waste. In FY 1995, SRTC performed crucible-scale studies with mercury contaminated soil. This waste stream was selected because of the large number of DOE sites that have an inventory of contaminated or hazardous soil. More importantly, it was readily available for treatment. Pilot-scale studies were to be completed in FY 1995, but could not be completed due to a reduction in funding. Since the main driver for focusing on a mercury waste stream was to determine how the mercury could be treated, a compilation of pilot-scale tests with mercury sludges performed under the guidance of SRTC is provided in this report. The studies summarized in this report include several pilot-scale vitrification demonstrations with simulated radioactive sludges that contained mercury. The pilot-scale studies were performed at the SRTC in the Integrated Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Melter System (IDMS). The studies involved complete glass and offgas product characterization. Future pilot-scale studies with mercury streams will likely be performed with mercury contaminated soils, sediments, or sludges because of the need to dispose of this technically challenging waste stream. (Abstract Truncated)

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Intervention Study of a Mindfulness-Based Self-Leadership Training (MBSLT) on Stress and Performance

OpenAIRE

Sampl, Juliane; Maran, Thomas; Furtner, Marco R.

2017-01-01

The present randomized pilot intervention study examines the effects of a mindfulness-based self-leadership training (MBSLT) specifically developed for academic achievement situations. Both mindfulness and self-leadership have a strong self-regulatory focus and are helpful in terms of stress resilience and performance enhancements. Based on several theoretical points of contact and a specific interplay between mindfulness and self-leadership, the authors developed an innovative intervention p...

Pilots' Visual Scan Patterns and Attention Distribution During the Pursuit of a Dynamic Target.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Chung-San; Wang, Eric Min-Yang; Li, Wen-Chin; Braithwaite, Graham; Greaves, Matthew

2016-01-01

The current research was to investigate pilots' visual scan patterns in order to assess attention distribution during air-to-air maneuvers. A total of 30 qualified mission-ready fighter pilots participated in this research. Eye movement data were collected by a portable head-mounted eye-tracking device, combined with a jet fighter simulator. To complete the task, pilots had to search for, pursue, and lock on a moving target while performing air-to-air tasks. There were significant differences in pilots' saccade duration (ms) in three operating phases, including searching (M = 241, SD = 332), pursuing (M = 311, SD = 392), and lock-on (M = 191, SD = 226). Also, there were significant differences in pilots' pupil sizes (pixel(2)), of which the lock-on phase was the largest (M = 27,237, SD = 6457), followed by pursuit (M = 26,232, SD = 6070), then searching (M = 25,858, SD = 6137). Furthermore, there were significant differences between expert and novice pilots in the percentage of fixation on the head-up display (HUD), time spent looking outside the cockpit, and the performance of situational awareness (SA). Experienced pilots have better SA performance and paid more attention to the HUD, but focused less outside the cockpit when compared with novice pilots. Furthermore, pilots with better SA performance exhibited a smaller pupil size during the operational phase of lock on while pursuing a dynamic target. Understanding pilots' visual scan patterns and attention distribution are beneficial to the design of interface displays in the cockpit and in developing human factors training syllabi to improve the safety of flight operations.

Pilot plant for hydrogasification of coal with nuclear heat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falkenhain, G.; Velling, G.

1976-01-01

In the framework of a research and development programme sponsored by the Ministry of Research and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany, two process variants for hydrogasification of coal by means of nuclear heat have been developed by the Rheinische Braunkohlenwerke AG, Cologne. For testing these process variants a semi-technical pilot plant for gasification of coal under pressure in a fluidized bed was constructed. The pilot plant, in which the gasification of lignite and hard coal is planned, is designed for a throughput of 100kg carbon per hour corresponding to 400kg raw lignite per hour or 150kg hard coal per hour. The plant should provide data on the influence of the most essential process parameters (pressure, temperature, residence time of gas and coal, type and pre-treatment of feed coal) on the performance of gasification and raw gas composition. Different plant components will also be tested. Since the pilot plant will permit testing of both process variants of hydrogasification, it was designed in such a way that it is possible to vary a great number of process parameters. Thus, for instance, the pressure can be chosen in a range up to 100 bar and pure hydrogen or mixtures of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and steam can be applied as gasification agents. The gasifier is an internally insulated fluidized bed reactor with an inner diameter of 200mm and a height of about 8m, to which an internally insulated cyclone for separation of the entrained fines is attached. The raw gas is then cooled down by direct water scrubbing. (author)

The ATLAS PanDA Pilot in Operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, P; De, K; Stradling, A; Caballero, J; Maeno, T; Wenaus, T

2011-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) was designed to meet ATLAS requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at LHC data processing scale. Submitted jobs are executed on worker nodes by pilot jobs sent to the grid sites by pilot factories. This paper provides an overview of the PanDA pilot system and presents major features added in light of recent operational experience, including multi-job processing, advanced job recovery for jobs with output storage failures, gLExec based identity switching from the generic pilot to the actual user, and other security measures. The PanDA system serves all ATLAS distributed processing and is the primary system for distributed analysis; it is currently used at over 100 sites worldwide. We analyze the performance of the pilot system in processing real LHC data on the OSG, EGI and Nordugrid infrastructures used by ATLAS, and describe plans for its evolution.

76 FR 63183 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-12

...-0938; Amendment Nos. 61-128, 91-324, 141-15, and 142-7] RIN 2120-AJ18 Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification Rules; Correction AGENCY: Federal... regulations to revise the pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification requirements. In particular...

U.S. Airline Transport Pilot International Flight Language Experiences, Report 4: Non-Native English-Speaking Controllers Communicating with Native English-Speaking Pilots

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-01

effortless flow. Varies speech flow for stylistic effect, e.g., to emphasize a point. Uses appropriate discourse markers and connectors spontaneously. L3...were equally represented in Cognitive Aspects of Cross-Linguistic Communica- tion (15%), Pilot Controller Interactions (15%), and Verification...Confirmation of Messages (15%). Cognitive Aspects of Cross-linguistic Communication The speed of communication and understanding is probably a comfortable

14 CFR 61.73 - Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Military pilots or former military pilots... Ratings and Pilot Authorizations § 61.73 Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules. (a... a disciplinary action involving aircraft operations, a U.S. military pilot or former military pilot...

Intelligent Pilot Aids for Flight Re-Planning in Emergencies

Science.gov (United States)

Pritchett, Amy R.; Ockerman, Jennifer

2005-01-01

Effective and safe control of an aircraft may be difficult or nearly impossible for a pilot following an unexpected system failure. Without prior training, the pilot must ascertain on the fly those changes in both manual control technique and procedures that will lead to a safe landing of the aircraft. Sophisticated techniques for determining the required control techniques are now available. Likewise, a body of literature on pilot decision making provides formalisms for examining how pilots approach discrete decisions framed as the selection between options. However, other aspects of behavior, such as the task of route planning and guidance, are not as well studied. Not only is the pilot faced with possible performance changes to the aircraft dynamics, but he or she is also tasked to create a plan of actions that will effectively take the aircraft down to a safe landing. In this plan, the many actions that the pilot can perform are closely intertwined with the trajectory of the aircraft, making it difficult to accurately predict the final outcome. Coupled with the vast number of potential actions to be taken, this problem may seem intractable. This is reflected in the lack of a pre-specified procedure capable of giving pilots the ability to find a resolution for this task. This report summarizes a multi-year effort to examine methods to aid pilots in planning an approach and arrival to an airport following an aircraft systems failure. Ultimately, we hypothesize that automatic assistance to pilots can be provided in real-time in the form of improving pilot control of a damaged aircraft and providing pilots with procedural directives suitable for critical flight conditions; such systems may also benefit pilot training and procedure design. To achieve this result, a systematic, comprehensive research program was followed, building on prior research. This approach included a pencil-and-paper study with airline pilots examining methods of representing a flight route in

Prevalence of fatigue in a group of airline pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Cátia; Mestre, Catarina; Canhão, Helena

2013-08-01

Fatigue is a common phenomenon in airline pilots that can impair alertness and ability of crewmembers to safely operate an aircraft and perform safety related tasks. Fatigue can increase the risk of an incident or even an accident. This study provides the first prevalence values for clinically significant fatigue in Portuguese airline pilots. The hypothesis that medium/short-haul pilots may currently present different levels of fatigue than long-haul pilots was also tested. A survey was conducted by requesting Portuguese airline pilots to complete questionnaires placed in the pilots' personal lockers from 1 April until 15 May 2012. The questionnaire included the self-response Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) to measure subjective fatigue and some additional questions concerning perception of fatigue by pilots. The prevalence values for total and mental fatigue achieved in the Portuguese airline pilots were: 89.3% (FSS > or = 4) and 94.1% (FSS > or = 4) when splitting the sample in two subsamples, long- and medium/short-haul pilots. Levels of total and mental fatigue were higher for medium/short-haul pilots. The analysis of fatigue levels in each type of aviator showed that medium/short-haul pilots presented the highest levels of total and mental fatigue. This study produced the first prevalence values of total and mental fatigue among Portuguese airline pilots, which represents a great step to understanding and addressing this critical phenomenon.

External validity of individual differences in multiple cue probability learning: The case of pilot training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadine Matton

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Individuals differ in their ability to deal with unpredictable environments. Could impaired performances on learning an unpredictable cue-criteria relationship in a laboratory task be associated with impaired learning of complex skills in a natural setting? We focused on a multiple-cue probability learning (MCPL laboratory task and on the natural setting of pilot training. We used data from three selection sessions and from the three corresponding selected pilot student classes of a national airline pilot selection and training system. First, applicants took an MCPL task at the selection stage (N=556; N=701; N=412. Then, pilot trainees selected from the applicant pools (N=44; N=60; N=28 followed the training for 2.5 to 3 yrs. Differences in final MCPL performance were associated with pilot training difficulties. Indeed, poor MCPL performers experienced almost twice as many pilot training difficulties as better MCPL performers (44.0% and 25.0%, respectively.

Performance of a pilot-scale, steam-blown, pressurized fluidized bed biomass gasifier

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Daniel Joseph

With the discovery of vast fossil resources, and the subsequent development of the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry, the role of biomass-based products has declined. However, concerns about the finite and decreasing amount of fossil and mineral resources, in addition to health and climate impacts of fossil resource use, have elevated interest in innovative methods for converting renewable biomass resources into products that fit our modern lifestyle. Thermal conversion through gasification is an appealing method for utilizing biomass due to its operability using a wide variety of feedstocks at a wide range of scales, the product has a variety of uses (e.g., transportation fuel production, electricity production, chemicals synthesis), and in many cases, results in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. In spite of the advantages of gasification, several technical hurdles have hindered its commercial development. A number of studies have focused on laboratory-scale and atmospheric biomass gasification. However, few studies have reported on pilot-scale, woody biomass gasification under pressurized conditions. The purpose of this research is an assessment of the performance of a pilot-scale, steam-blown, pressurized fluidized bed biomass gasifier. The 200 kWth fluidized bed gasifier is capable of operation using solid feedstocks at feedrates up to 65 lb/hr, bed temperatures up to 1600°F, and pressures up to 8 atm. Gasifier performance was assessed under various temperatures, pressure, and feedstock (untreated woody biomass, dark and medium torrefied biomass) conditions by measuring product gas yield and composition, residue (e.g., tar and char) production, and mass and energy conversion efficiencies. Elevated temperature and pressure, and feedstock pretreatment were shown to have a significant influence on gasifier operability, tar production, carbon conversion, and process efficiency. High-pressure and temperature gasification of dark torrefied biomass

Regulatory basis for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant performance assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, Bryan A.; Crawford, M.B.; Galson, D.A.; Marietta, Melvin G.

2000-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the first operational repository designed for the safe disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste from the defense programs of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for certifications and regulation of the WIPP facility for the radioactive components of the waste. The EPA has promulgated general radioactive waste disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 191. and WIPP-specific criteria to implement and interpret the generic disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 194. In October 1996. the DOE submitted its Compliance Certification Application (CCA) to the EPA to demonstrate compliance with the disposal standards at Subparts B and C of 40 CFR Part 191. This paper summarizes the development of the overall legal framework for radioactive waste disposal at the WIPP, the parallel development of the WIPP performance assessment (PA), and how the EPA disposal standards and implementing criteria formed the basis for the CCA WIPP PA. The CCA resulted in a certification in May 1998 by the EPA of the WIPP'S compliance with the EPA's disposal standard, thus enabling the WIPP to begin radioactive waste disposal

Performance Evaluation of Speech Recognition Systems as a Next-Generation Pilot-Vehicle Interface Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Arthur, Jarvis J., III; Shelton, Kevin J.; Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Bailey, Randall E.

2016-01-01

During the flight trials known as Gulfstream-V Synthetic Vision Systems Integrated Technology Evaluation (GV-SITE), a Speech Recognition System (SRS) was used by the evaluation pilots. The SRS system was intended to be an intuitive interface for display control (rather than knobs, buttons, etc.). This paper describes the performance of the current "state of the art" Speech Recognition System (SRS). The commercially available technology was evaluated as an application for possible inclusion in commercial aircraft flight decks as a crew-to-vehicle interface. Specifically, the technology is to be used as an interface from aircrew to the onboard displays, controls, and flight management tasks. A flight test of a SRS as well as a laboratory test was conducted.

Landing performance by low-time private pilots after the sudden loss of binocular vision - Cyclops II

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, C. E., Jr.; Swaroop, R.; Mcmurty, T. C.; Blakeley, W. R.; Masters, R. L.

1973-01-01

Study of low-time general aviation pilots, who, in a series of spot landings, were suddenly deprived of binocular vision by patching either eye on the downwind leg of a standard, closed traffic pattern. Data collected during these landings were compared with control data from landings flown with normal vision during the same flight. The sequence of patching and the mix of control and monocular landings were randomized to minimize the effect of learning. No decrease in performance was observed during landings with vision restricted to one eye, in fact, performance improved. This observation is reported at a high level of confidence (p less than 0.001). These findings confirm the previous work of Lewis and Krier and have important implications with regard to aeromedical certification standards.

PILOT DECONTAMINATION THROUGH PILOT SEQUENCE HOPPING IN MASSIVE MIMO SYSTEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

path between one of the users and one of the base stations define one of the channels. The system comprises a pilot generation unit configured to assign pilot sequences randomly among the users and a pilot processing unit configured to filter the pilot sequences received from a user of interest so...... that the channel coefficient of the channel of the user of interest is determined. The pilot sequences received from the user of interest are contaminated by other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from other users of the cell of interest or other cells. The filter is configured so that the contamination...... caused by the other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from the other users is reduced....

Prediction of situational awareness in F-15 pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Carretta, T R; Perry, D C; Ree, M J

1996-01-01

Situational awareness (SA) is a skill often deemed essential to pilot performance in both combat and noncombat flying. A study was conducted to determine if SA in U.S. Air Force F-15 pilots could be predicted. The participants were 171 active duty F-15 A/C pilots who completed a test battery representative of various psychological constructs proposed or demonstrated to be valid for the prediction of performance in a wide variety of military and civilian jobs. These predictors encompassed measures of cognitive ability, psychomotor ability, and personality. Supervisor and peer ratings of SA were collected. Supervisors and peers showed substantial agreement on the SA ratings of the pilots. The first unrotated principle component extracted from the supervisor and peer ratings accounted for 92.5% of the variability of ratings. The unrotated first principal component served as the SA criterion. Flying experience measured in number of F-15 hours was the best predictor of SA. After controlling for the effects of F-15 flying hours, the measures of general cognitive ability based on working memory, spatial reasoning, and divided attention were found to be predictive of SA. Psychomotor and personality measures were not predictive. With additional F-15 flying hours it is expected that pilots would improve their ratings of SA.

76 FR 19267 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-07

.... No. 61-127] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical... for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. This document reinstates two... entitled, ``Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Final Rule'' (74 FR 42500). That...

Pilot-in-the-Loop Analysis of Propulsive-Only Flight Control Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Hwei-Lan; Biezad, Daniel J.

1996-01-01

Longitudinal control system architectures are presented which directly couple flight stick motions to throttle commands for a multi-engine aircraft. This coupling enables positive attitude control with complete failure of the flight control system. The architectures chosen vary from simple feedback gains to classical lead-lag compensators with and without prefilters. Each architecture is reviewed for its appropriateness for piloted flight. The control systems are then analyzed with pilot-in-the-loop metrics related to bandwidth required for landing. Results indicate that current and proposed bandwidth requirements should be modified for throttles only flight control. Pilot ratings consistently showed better ratings than predicted by analysis. Recommendations are made for more robust design and implementation. The use of Quantitative Feedback Theory for compensator design is discussed. Although simple and effective augmented control can be achieved in a wide variety of failed configurations, a few configuration characteristics are dominant for pilot-in-the-loop control. These characteristics will be tested in a simulator study involving failed flight controls for a multi-engine aircraft.

Performance-Based Contingency Management in Cognitive Remediation Training: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiluk, Brian D; Buck, Matthew B; Devore, Kathleen A; Babuscio, Theresa A; Nich, Charla; Carroll, Kathleen M

2017-01-01

Impairments in attention, working memory, and executive function are common among substance users and may adversely affect SUD treatment outcomes. The ability of cognitive remediation (CR) interventions to improve these deficits is hindered in part because levels of engagement in CR training may be inadequate to achieve benefit. This pilot study aimed to increase CR engagement and improve outcome by implementing contingency management (CM) procedures that reinforce performance improvements on CR tasks. Participants were forty individuals (50% male; 65% African American) in an outpatient substance use treatment facility with mild cognitive impairment who had ≥30-days of abstinence from alcohol and drugs. They were randomized to standard (CR-S; n=21) or CM-enhanced (CR-CM; n=19) cognitive remediation training. CR consisted of 1-hour sessions, three times per week for four weeks (12 sessions). A neuropsychological assessment battery was administered prior to and after the four-week intervention. Both groups had high rates of CR session attendance (mean CR-S=11.7, CR-CM=10.9 sessions). Performance on 8 of the 9 CR tasks significantly improved over time for both conditions, with the CR-CM condition demonstrating greater improvement on a CR Sequenced Recall task [F(1,37)=5.81, ptraining and suggest the potential value of more research in this area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-08-01

Before disposing of transuranic radioactive waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the United States Department of Energy (DOE) must evaluate compliance with applicable long-term regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sandia National Laboratories is conducting iterative performance assessments (PAs) of the WIPP for the DOE to provide interim guidance while preparing for a final compliance evaluation. This volume of the 1992 PA contains results of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with respect to the EPA's Environmental Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B). Additional information about the 1992 PA is provided in other volumes. Results of the 1992 uncertainty and sensitivity analyses indicate that, conditional on the modeling assumptions, the choice of parameters selected for sampling, and the assigned parameter-value distributions, the most important parameters for which uncertainty has the potential to affect compliance with 40 CFR 191B are: drilling intensity, intrusion borehole permeability, halite and anhydrite permeabilities, radionuclide solubilities and distribution coefficients, fracture spacing in the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Rustler Formation, porosity of the Culebra, and spatial variability of Culebra transmissivity. Performance with respect to 40 CFR 191B is insensitive to uncertainty in other parameters; however, additional data are needed to confirm that reality lies within the assigned distributions

Pilots 2.0: DIRAC pilots for all the skies

CERN Document Server

Stagni, F; McNab, A; Luzzi, C

2015-01-01

In the last few years, new types of computing infrastructures, such as IAAS (Infrastructure as a Service) and IAAC (Infrastructure as a Client), gained popularity. New resources may come as part of pledged resources, while others are opportunistic. Most of these new infrastructures are based on virtualization techniques. Meanwhile, some concepts, such as distributed queues, lost appeal, while still supporting a vast amount of resources. Virtual Organizations are therefore facing heterogeneity of the available resources and the use of an Interware software like DIRAC to hide the diversity of underlying resources has become essential. The DIRAC WMS is based on the concept of pilot jobs that was introduced back in 2004. A pilot is what creates the possibility to run jobs on a worker node. Within DIRAC, we developed a new generation of pilot jobs, that we dubbed Pilots 2.0. Pilots 2.0 are not tied to a specific infrastructure; rather they are generic, fully configurable and extendible pilots. A Pilot 2.0 can be s...

Active Job Monitoring in Pilots

Science.gov (United States)

Kuehn, Eileen; Fischer, Max; Giffels, Manuel; Jung, Christopher; Petzold, Andreas

2015-12-01

Recent developments in high energy physics (HEP) including multi-core jobs and multi-core pilots require data centres to gain a deep understanding of the system to monitor, design, and upgrade computing clusters. Networking is a critical component. Especially the increased usage of data federations, for example in diskless computing centres or as a fallback solution, relies on WAN connectivity and availability. The specific demands of different experiments and communities, but also the need for identification of misbehaving batch jobs, requires an active monitoring. Existing monitoring tools are not capable of measuring fine-grained information at batch job level. This complicates network-aware scheduling and optimisations. In addition, pilots add another layer of abstraction. They behave like batch systems themselves by managing and executing payloads of jobs internally. The number of real jobs being executed is unknown, as the original batch system has no access to internal information about the scheduling process inside the pilots. Therefore, the comparability of jobs and pilots for predicting run-time behaviour or network performance cannot be ensured. Hence, identifying the actual payload is important. At the GridKa Tier 1 centre a specific tool is in use that allows the monitoring of network traffic information at batch job level. This contribution presents the current monitoring approach and discusses recent efforts and importance to identify pilots and their substructures inside the batch system. It will also show how to determine monitoring data of specific jobs from identified pilots. Finally, the approach is evaluated.

Recent Improvements in the ATLAS PanDA Pilot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, P; De, K; Bejar, J Caballero; Maeno, T; Potekhin, M; Wenaus, T; Compostella, G; Contreras, C; Dos Santos, T

2012-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) in the ATLAS experiment uses pilots to execute submitted jobs on the worker nodes. The pilots are designed to deal with different runtime conditions and failure scenarios, and support many storage systems. This talk will give a brief overview of the PanDA pilot system and will present major features and recent improvements including CernVM File System integration, the job retry mechanism, advanced job monitoring including JEM technology, and validation of new pilot code using the HammerCloud stress-testing system. PanDA is used for all ATLAS distributed production and is the primary system for distributed analysis. It is currently used at over 130 sites worldwide. We analyze the performance of the pilot system in processing LHC data on the OSG, EGI and Nordugrid infrastructures used by ATLAS, and describe plans for its further evolution.

Drilling and associated drillhole measurements of the pilot hole ONK-PH11

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karttunen, P.; Mancini, P.; Pekkanen, J.; Poellaenen, J.; Tarvainen, A.-M.; Toropainen, V.; Pere, T.

2011-01-01

The construction of the ONKALO access tunnel started in September 2004 at Olkiluoto. Most of the investigations related to the construction of the access tunnel aim to ensure successful excavations, reinforcement and sealing. Pilot holes are drillholes, which are core drilled along the tunnel profile. The length of the pilot holes typically varies from several tens of metres to a couple of hundred metres. The pilot holes are aimed to confirm the quality of the rock mass for tunnel construction, and in particular to identify water conductive fractured zones and to provide information that could result in modifications of the existing construction plans. The pilot hole ONK-PH11 was drilled from chainage 3922 to chainage 4053 in October 2009. The length of the hole is 131.21 metres. The aim during the drilling work was to orient core samples as much as possible. The deviation of the drillhole was measured during and after the drilling phase. Electric conductivity was measured from the collected returning water samples. Hydraulic conductivity of the fractures or fractured zones was measured by Posiva Flow Log equipment. During flow measurements also electric conductivity and temperature were measured. In flow logging test sections of 0.5 m and increments of 0.1 m were used. The water loss measurements were performed after drilling was completed by the drilling company. Logging of the core samples included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracturing, RQD, fractured zones, weathering and possible intersections. The rock mechanical logging was based on Q-classification. The rock strength and deformation were determined with Rock Tester -equipment. Geophysical logging and optical imaging of the pilot hole included the fieldwork of all surveys, the integration of the data as well as interpretation of the acoustic and drillhole radar data. The groundwater samples were collected from the open hole without any packers. The collected groundwater samples were

Closed-loop, pilot/vehicle analysis of the approach and landing task

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, M. R.; Schmidt, D. K.

1986-01-01

In the case of approach and landing, it is universally accepted that the pilot uses more than one vehicle response, or output, to close his control loops. Therefore, to model this task, a multi-loop analysis technique is required. The analysis problem has been in obtaining reasonable analytic estimates of the describing functions representing the pilot's loop compensation. Once these pilot describing functions are obtained, appropriate performance and workload metrics must then be developed for the landing task. The optimal control approach provides a powerful technique for obtaining the necessary describing functions, once the appropriate task objective is defined in terms of a quadratic objective function. An approach is presented through the use of a simple, reasonable objective function and model-based metrics to evaluate loop performance and pilot workload. The results of an analysis of the LAHOS (Landing and Approach of Higher Order Systems) study performed by R.E. Smith is also presented.

Attentional models of multitask pilot performance using advanced display technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickens, Christopher D; Goh, Juliana; Helleberg, John; Horrey, William J; Talleur, Donald A

2003-01-01

In the first part of the reported research, 12 instrument-rated pilots flew a high-fidelity simulation, in which air traffic control presentation of auditory (voice) information regarding traffic and flight parameters was compared with advanced display technology presentation of equivalent information regarding traffic (cockpit display of traffic information) and flight parameters (data link display). Redundant combinations were also examined while pilots flew the aircraft simulation, monitored for outside traffic, and read back communications messages. The data suggested a modest cost for visual presentation over auditory presentation, a cost mediated by head-down visual scanning, and no benefit for redundant presentation. The effects in Part 1 were modeled by multiple-resource and preemption models of divided attention. In the second part of the research, visual scanning in all conditions was fit by an expected value model of selective attention derived from a previous experiment. This model accounted for 94% of the variance in the scanning data and 90% of the variance in a second validation experiment. Actual or potential applications of this research include guidance on choosing the appropriate modality for presenting in-cockpit information and understanding task strategies induced by introducing new aviation technology.

Human Factors Affecting Pilot Performance in Vertical and Translational Instrument Flight

Science.gov (United States)

1981-12-01

Creelman , 1955) involving rudimentary visual simulators that provided the student pilot not much more than a crude dynamic perspective view of the runwey he...to find a better terminal procedure. Creelman , J. A. Evaluation of approach training procedures. Pensacola, FL: U.S. Naval School of Aviation Medicine

Effects of malicious ocular laser exposure in commercial airline pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Palakkamanil, Mathew M; Fielden, Michael P

2015-12-01

Intentional malicious laser strikes on commercial pilots are committed by individuals who target a laser into airplane cockpits during takeoff and landing. Because laser exposure to pilots is a relatively new but growing occurrence, our study investigates the ocular effect of this laser exposure in pilots. Retrospective chart review by a single ophthalmologist. All commercial airline pilots (58 male, 3 female) who experienced a laser strike while flying between April 2012 and November 2014 who presented to our clinic were included. A retrospective chart review was performed in a retinal specialist's practice. Ocular assessment was performed within 3 days of laser exposure. A complete ophthalmic evaluation was conducted, including Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity, colour vision, visual fields, intraocular pressure, slit-lamp examination, dilated fundus examination, colour fundus photographs, and ocular coherence tomography. Sixty-four laser strike incidents involving commercial pilots were included. All pilots in the study experienced some degree of immediate ocular irritation or light sensitivity. No definite cases of ocular damage were attributed to laser strikes. No pilot had any functional ocular deficits. Our study revealed that laser strikes on aircraft did not result in permanent visual functional or structural deficits. However, laser strikes cause immediate visual effects, including glare, flash blindness, and ocular irritation that can interfere with a pilot's visual function. Given the widespread accessibility of high-power lasers and the rapid increase in incidents, laser strikes threaten to jeopardize aviation safety unless effective preventative measures are put in place. Copyright © 2015 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilot implementation Driven by Effects Specifications and Formative Usability Evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barlach, Anders; Hertzum, Morten; Simonsen, Jesper

2013-01-01

This chapter reports on the usability-engineering work performed throughout the pilot implementation of an Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR). The case describes and analyzes the use of pilot implementations to formatively evaluate whether the usability of the EHR meets the effects specified for ...

A Revised Pilot Study Examining the Effects of the Timing and Size of Classes on Student Performance in Introductory Accounting Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, David E., Sr.; Scott, John

2014-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of the timing of classes and class size on student performance in introductory accounting courses. Factors affecting student success are important to all stakeholders in the academic community. Previous studies have shown mixed results regarding the effects of class size on student success…

Discrete time modelization of human pilot behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Cavalli, D.; Soulatges, D.

1975-01-01

This modelization starts from the following hypotheses: pilot's behavior is a time discrete process, he can perform only one task at a time and his operating mode depends on the considered flight subphase. Pilot's behavior was observed using an electro oculometer and a simulator cockpit. A FORTRAN program has been elaborated using two strategies. The first one is a Markovian process in which the successive instrument readings are governed by a matrix of conditional probabilities. In the second one, strategy is an heuristic process and the concepts of mental load and performance are described. The results of the two aspects have been compared with simulation data.

Cardiovascular investigations of airline pilots with excessive cardiovascular risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Wirawan, I Made Ady; Aldington, Sarah; Griffiths, Robin F; Ellis, Chris J; Larsen, Peter D

2013-06-01

This study examined the prevalence of airline pilots who have an excessive cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score according to the New Zealand Guideline Group (NZGG) Framingham-based Risk Chart and describes their cardiovascular risk assessment and investigations. A cross-sectional study was performed among 856 pilots employed in an Oceania based airline. Pilots with elevated CVD risk that had been previously evaluated at various times over the previous 19 yr were reviewed retrospectively from the airline's medical records, and the subsequent cardiovascular investigations were then described. There were 30 (3.5%) pilots who were found to have 5-yr CVD risk score of 10-15% or higher. Of the 29 pilots who had complete cardiac investigations data, 26 pilots underwent exercise electrocardiography (ECG), 2 pilots progressed directly to coronary angiograms and 1 pilot with abnormal echocardiogram was not examined further. Of the 26 pilots, 7 had positive or borderline exercise tests, all of whom subsequently had angiograms. One patient with a negative exercise test also had a coronary angiogram. Of the 9 patients who had coronary angiograms as a consequence of screening, 5 had significant disease that required treatment and 4 had either trivial disease or normal coronary arteries. The current approach to investigate excessive cardiovascular risk in pilots relies heavily on exercise electrocardiograms as a diagnostic test, and may not be optimal either to detect disease or to protect pilots from unnecessary invasive procedures. A more comprehensive and accurate cardiac investigation algorithm to assess excessive CVD risk in pilots is required.

Impact of traffic symbol directional cues on pilot performance during TCAS events

Science.gov (United States)

2009-10-25

Implementation of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology enables aircraft to broadcast, receive and display a number of aircraft parameters that were not previously available to pilots. While significant research has been condu...

Cognitive load, emotion, and performance in high-fidelity simulation among beginning nursing students: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlairet, Maura C; Schlairet, Timothy James; Sauls, Denise H; Bellflowers, Lois

2015-03-01

Establishing the impact of the high-fidelity simulation environment on student performance, as well as identifying factors that could predict learning, would refine simulation outcome expectations among educators. The purpose of this quasi-experimental pilot study was to explore the impact of simulation on emotion and cognitive load among beginning nursing students. Forty baccalaureate nursing students participated in teaching simulations, rated their emotional state and cognitive load, and completed evaluation simulations. Two principal components of emotion were identified representing the pleasant activation and pleasant deactivation components of affect. Mean rating of cognitive load following simulation was high. Linear regression identiffed slight but statistically nonsignificant positive associations between principal components of emotion and cognitive load. Logistic regression identified a negative but statistically nonsignificant effect of cognitive load on assessment performance. Among lower ability students, a more pronounced effect of cognitive load on assessment performance was observed; this also was statistically non-significant. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Research on computer aided testing of pilot response to critical in-flight events

Science.gov (United States)

Giffin, W. C.; Rockwell, T. H.; Smith, P. J.

1984-01-01

Experiments on pilot decision making are described. The development of models of pilot decision making in critical in flight events (CIFE) are emphasized. The following tests are reported on the development of: (1) a frame system representation describing how pilots use their knowledge in a fault diagnosis task; (2) assessment of script norms, distance measures, and Markov models developed from computer aided testing (CAT) data; and (3) performance ranking of subject data. It is demonstrated that interactive computer aided testing either by touch CRT's or personal computers is a useful research and training device for measuring pilot information management in diagnosing system failures in simulated flight situations. Performance is dictated by knowledge of aircraft sybsystems, initial pilot structuring of the failure symptoms and efficient testing of plausible causal hypotheses.

Effects of Different Heave Motion Components on Pilot Pitch Control Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Zaal, Petrus M. T.; Zavala, Melinda A.

2016-01-01

The study described in this paper had two objectives. The first objective was to investigate if a different weighting of heave motion components decomposed at the center of gravity, allowing for a higher fidelity of individual components, would result in pilot manual pitch control behavior and performance closer to that observed with full aircraft motion. The second objective was to investigate if decomposing the heave components at the aircraft's instantaneous center of rotation rather than at the center of gravity could result in additional improvements in heave motion fidelity. Twenty-one general aviation pilots performed a pitch attitude control task in an experiment conducted on the Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames under different hexapod motion conditions. The large motion capability of the Vertical Motion Simulator also allowed for a full aircraft motion condition, which served as a baseline. The controlled dynamics were of a transport category aircraft trimmed close to the stall point. When the ratio of center of gravity pitch heave to center of gravity heave increased in the hexapod motion conditions, pilot manual control behavior and performance became increasingly more similar to what is observed with full aircraft motion. Pilot visual and motion gains significantly increased, while the visual lead time constant decreased. The pilot visual and motion time delays remained approximately constant and decreased, respectively. The neuromuscular damping and frequency both decreased, with their values more similar to what is observed with real aircraft motion when there was an equal weighting of the heave of the center of gravity and heave due to rotations about the center of gravity. In terms of open- loop performance, the disturbance and target crossover frequency increased and decreased, respectively, and their corresponding phase margins remained constant and increased, respectively. The decomposition point of the heave components only had limited

Simulator Investigation of Pilot Aids for Helicopter Terminal Area Operations with One Engine Inoperative

Science.gov (United States)

Iseler, Laura; Chen, Robert; Dearing, Munro; Decker, William; Aiken, Edwin W. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

Two recent piloted simulation experiments have investigated advanced display concepts applied to civil transport helicopter terminal area operations. Civil Category A helicopter operations apply to multi-engine helicopters wherein a safe recovery (land or fly out) is required in the event of a single engine failure. The investigation used the NASA Ames Research Center Vertical Motion Simulator, which has a full six degrees of freedom, to simulate the flight task as closely as possible. The goal of these experiments was to use advanced cockpit displays to improve flight safety and enhance the mission performance of Category A terminal area operations in confined areas. The first experiment investigated the use of military display formats to assist civil rotorcraft in performing a Category A takeoff in confined terminal areas. Specifically, it addressed how well a difficult hovering backup path could be followed using conventional instruments in comparison to panel mounted integrated displays. The hovering backup takeoff, which enables pilots to land back to the confined area pad in the event of an engine failure, was chosen since it is a difficult task to perform. Seven NASA and Army test pilots participated in the experiment. Evaluations, based on task performance and pilot workload, showed that an integrated display enabled the pilot to consistently achieve adequate or desired performance with reasonable pilot workload. Use of conventional instruments, however, frequently resulted in unacceptable performance (poor flight path tracking), higher pilot workload, and poor situational awareness. Although OEI landbacks were considered a visual task, the improved performance on the backup portion, in conjunction with increased situational awareness resulting from use of integrated displays, enabled the pilots to handle an engine failure and land back safely. In contrast, use of conventional instruments frequently led to excessive rates of sink at touchdown. A second

Energy Efficiency Investments in Public Facilities - Developing a Pilot Mechanism for Energy Performance Contracts (EPCs) in Russia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, Meredydd; Roshchanka, Volha; Parker, Steven A.; Baranovskiy, Aleksandr

2012-02-01

: Russian public sector buildings tend to be very inefficient, which creates vast opportunities for savings. This report overviews the latest developments in the Russian legislation related to energy efficiency in the public sector, describes the major challenges the regulations pose, and proposes ways to overcome these challenges. Given Russia’s limited experience with energy performance contracts (EPCs), a pilot project can help test an implementation mechanism. This paper discusses how EPCs and other mechanisms can help harness energy savings opportunities in Russia in general, and thus, can be applicable to any Russian region.

U.S. Airline Transport Pilot International Flight Language Experiences, Report 6: Native English-Speaking Controllers Communicating With Non-Native English-Speaking Pilots

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

phraseology exists for the same procedures, pilots must learn to develop cognitive mapping strategies to connect one set of words/phrases with that of...effortless flow. Varies speech flow for stylistic effect, e.g. to emphasize a point. Uses appropriate discourse markers and connectors spontaneously...Navigate activities and 44% on Utilize More Cognitive Resources activities. One respon- dent made no comments, while two others said they would not do

76 FR 78141 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-16

...-26661; Amdt. No. 61-129] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification... requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. This document corrects an... a practical test for the issuance of a sport pilot certificate in a light-sport aircraft other than...

Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-12-01

Before disposing of transuranic radioactive waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the United States Department of Energy (DOE) must evaluate compliance with applicable long-term regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sandia National Laboratories is conducting iterative performance assessments (PAs) of the WIPP for the DOE to provide interim guidance while preparing for a final compliance evaluation. This volume, Volume 2, contains the technical basis for the 1992 PA. Specifically, it describes the conceptual basis for consequence modeling and the PA methodology, including the selection of scenarios for analysis, the determination of scenario probabilities, and the estimation of scenario consequences using a Monte Carlo technique and a linked system of computational models. Additional information about the 1992 PA is provided in other volumes. Volume I contains an overview of WIPP PA and results of a preliminary comparison with the long-term requirements of the EPA's Environmental Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B). Volume 3 contains the reference data base and values for input parameters used in consequence and probability modeling. Volume 4 contains uncertainty and sensitivity analyses related to the preliminary comparison with 40 CFR 191B. Volume 5 contains uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of gas and brine migration for undisturbed performance. Finally, guidance derived from the entire 1992 PA is presented in Volume 6

A pilot solar water disinfecting system: performance analysis and testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saitoh, T.S.; El-Ghetany, H.H. [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan). Dept. of Aeronautics and Space Engineering

2002-07-01

In most countries, contaminated water is the major cause of most water-borne diseases. Disinfection of water may be accomplished by a number of different physical-chemical treatments including direct application of thermal energy, chemical and filtration techniques. Solar energy also can be used effectively in this field because inactivation of microorganisms is done either by heating water to a disinfecting temperature or by exposing it to ultraviolet solar radiation. A pilot solar system for disinfecting contaminated water is designed, constructed and tested. Investigations are carried out to evaluate the performance of a wooden hot box solar facility as a solar disinfectant. Experimental data show that solar energy is viable for the disinfection process. A solar radiation model is presented and compared with the experimental data. A mathematical model of the solar disinfectant is also presented. The governing equations are solved numerically via the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. The effects of environmental conditions (ambient temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, etc.) on the performance of the solar disinfectant are examined. Results showed that the system is affected by ambient temperature, wind speed, ultraviolet solar radiation intensity, the turbidity of the water, the quantity of water exposed, the contact area between the transparent water container in the solar disinfectant and the absorber plate as well as the geometrical parameters of the system. It is pointed out that for partially cloudy conditions with a low ambient temperature and high wind speeds, the thermal efficiency of the solar disinfectant is at a minimum. The use of solar energy for the disinfection process will increase the productivity of the system while completely eliminating the coliform group bacteria at the same time. (author)

An experimental study of the effect of a pilot flame on technically pre-mixed, self-excited combustion instabilities

Science.gov (United States)

O'Meara, Bridget C.

Combustion instabilities are a problem facing the gas turbine industry in the operation of lean, pre-mixed combustors. Secondary flames known as "pilot flames" are a common passive control strategy for eliminating combustion instabilities in industrial gas turbines, but the underlying mechanisms responsible for the pilot flame's stabilizing effect are not well understood. This dissertation presents an experimental study of a pilot flame in a single-nozzle, swirl-stabilized, variable length atmospheric combustion test facility and the effect of the pilot on combustion instabilities. A variable length combustor tuned the acoustics of the system to excite instabilities over a range of operating conditions without a pilot flame. The inlet velocity was varied from 25 -- 50 m/s and the equivalence ratio was varied from 0.525 -- 0.65. This range of operating conditions was determined by the operating range of the combustion test facility. Stability at each operating condition and combustor length was characterized by measurements of pressure oscillations in the combustor. The effect of the pilot flame on the magnitude and frequency of combustor stability was then investigated. The mechanisms responsible for the pilot flame effect were studied using chemiluminescence flame images of both stable and unstable flames. Stable flame structure was investigated using stable flame images of CH* chemiluminescence emission. The effect of the pilot on stable flame metrics such as flame length, flame angle, and flame width was investigated. In addition, a new flame metric, flame base distance, was defined to characterize the effect of the pilot flame on stable flame anchoring of the flame base to the centerbody. The effect of the pilot flame on flame base anchoring was investigated because the improved stability with a pilot flame is usually attributed to improved flame anchoring through the recirculation of hot products from the pilot to the main flame base. Chemiluminescence images

76 FR 60960 - Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot) AGENCY: U.S.... SUMMARY: This notice announces the extension of SBA's GO Loan Pilot, with modifications, until December 31... processing available through the GO Loan Pilot to small businesses in the eligible parishes/counties through...

A Pilot Evaluation of On-Road Detection Performance by Drivers with Hemianopia Using Oblique Peripheral Prisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex R. Bowers

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aims. Homonymous hemianopia (HH, a severe visual consequence of stroke, causes difficulties in detecting obstacles on the nonseeing (blind side. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the effects of oblique peripheral prisms, a novel development in optical treatments for HH, on detection of unexpected hazards when driving. Methods. Twelve people with complete HH (median 49 years, range 29–68 completed road tests with sham oblique prism glasses (SP and real oblique prism glasses (RP. A masked evaluator rated driving performance along the 25 km routes on busy streets in Ghent, Belgium. Results. The proportion of satisfactory responses to unexpected hazards on the blind side was higher in the RP than the SP drive (80% versus 30%; P=0.001, but similar for unexpected hazards on the seeing side. Conclusions. These pilot data suggest that oblique peripheral prisms may improve responses of people with HH to blindside hazards when driving and provide the basis for a future, larger-sample clinical trial. Testing responses to unexpected hazards in areas of heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic appears promising as a real-world outcome measure for future evaluations of HH rehabilitation interventions aimed at improving detection when driving.

Pilot-model analysis and simulation study of effect of control task desired control response

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, J. J.; Gera, J.; Jaudon, J. B.

1978-01-01

A pilot model analysis was performed that relates pilot control compensation, pilot aircraft system response, and aircraft response characteristics for longitudinal control. The results show that a higher aircraft short period frequency is required to achieve superior pilot aircraft system response in an altitude control task than is required in an attitude control task. These results were confirmed by a simulation study of target tracking. It was concluded that the pilot model analysis provides a theoretical basis for determining the effect of control task on pilot opinions.

The Differential Effect of Sustained Operations on Psychomotor Skills of Helicopter Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Terry W; Newman, David G

2018-06-01

Flying a helicopter is a complex psychomotor skill requiring constant control inputs from pilots. A deterioration in psychomotor performance of a helicopter pilot may be detrimental to operational safety. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that psychomotor performance deteriorates over time during sustained operations and that the effect is more pronounced in the feet than the hands. The subjects were helicopter pilots conducting sustained multicrew offshore flight operations in a demanding environment. The remote flight operations involved constant workload in hot environmental conditions with complex operational tasking. Over a period of 6 d 10 helicopter pilots were tested. At the completion of daily flying duties, a helicopter-specific screen-based compensatory tracking task measuring tracking accuracy (over a 5-min period) tested both hands and feet. Data were compared over time and tested for statistical significance for both deterioration and differential effect. A statistically significant deterioration of psychomotor performance was evident in the pilots over time for both hands and feet. There was also a statistically significant differential effect between the hands and the feet in terms of tracking accuracy. The hands recorded a 22.6% decrease in tracking accuracy, while the feet recorded a 39.9% decrease in tracking accuracy. The differential effect may be due to prioritization of limb movement by the motor cortex due to factors such as workload-induced cognitive fatigue. This may result in a greater reduction in performance in the feet than the hands, posing a significant risk to operational safety.McMahon TW, Newman DG. The differential effect of sustained operations on psychomotor skills of helicopter pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(6):496-502.

An introduction to the mechanics of performance assessment using examples of calculations done for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant between 1990 and 1992. Revision

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rechard, R.P.

1996-06-01

This document provides an overview of the processes used to access the performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The quantitative metrics used in the performance-assessment (PA) process are those put forward in the Environmental Protection Agency`s Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, HIgh-LEvel and transuranic radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191).

75 FR 53007 - Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Gulf Opportunity Pilot Loan Program (GO Loan Pilot) AGENCY: U.S...'s GO Loan Pilot until September 30, 2011. Due to the scope and magnitude of the devastation to... streamlined and centralized loan processing available through the GO Loan Pilot to small businesses in the...

Working hours associated with unintentional sleep at work among airline pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Marqueze, Elaine Cristina; Nicola, Ana Carolina B; Diniz, Dag Hammarskjoeld M D; Fischer, Frida Marina

2017-06-26

Tto identify factors associated with unintentional sleep at work of airline pilots. This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted with 1,235 Brazilian airline pilots, who work national or international flights. Data collection has been performed online. We carried out a bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis, having as dependent variable unintentional sleep at work. The independent variables were related to biodemographic data, characteristics of the work, lifestyle, and aspects of sleep. The prevalence of unintentional sleep while flying the airplane was 57.8%. The factors associated with unintentional sleep at work were: flying for more than 65 hours a month, frequent technical delays, greater need for recovery after work, work ability below optimal, insufficient sleep, and excessive sleepiness. The occurrence of unintentional sleep at work of airline pilots is associated with factors related to the organization of the work and health. Identificar fatores associados aos cochilos não intencionais durante as jornadas de trabalho de pilotos da aviação regular. Estudo epidemiológico transversal conduzido com 1.235 pilotos brasileiros de avião do transporte aéreo regular, que realizavam voos nacionais ou internacionais, sendo a coleta de dados realizada on-line. Foi realizada análise de regressão logística bivariada e múltipla, tendo como variável dependente o cochilo não intencional durante o horário de trabalho. As variáveis independentes foram relacionadas a dados biodemográficos, características do trabalho, estilo de vida e aspectos do sono. A prevalência do cochilo não intencional enquanto pilotava o avião foi de 57,8%. Os fatores associados ao cochilo não intencional foram: voar por mais de 65 horas por mês, atrasos técnicos frequentes, maior necessidade de recuperação após o trabalho, capacidade para o trabalho inferior à ótima, sono insuficiente e sonolência excessiva. A ocorrência do cochilo n

Drilling and the associated drillhole measurements of the pilot hole ONK-PH7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehberg, A.; Kemppainen, K.; Lampinen, H.; Niemonen, J.; Poelloenen, J.; Rouhiainen, P.; Rautio, T.; Tarvainen, A.-M.

2007-12-01

The construction of the ONKALO access tunnel started in September 2004 at Olkiluoto. Most of the investigations related to the construction of the access tunnel aim to ensure successful excavations, reinforcement and sealing. Pilot holes are drillholes, which are core drilled along the tunnel profile. The length of the pilot holes typically varies from several tens of metres to a couple of hundred metres. The pilot holes are aimed to confirm the quality of the rock mass for tunnel construction, and in particular to identify water conductive fractured zones and to provide information that could result in modifications of the existing construction plans. The pilot hole ONK-PH7 was drilled from chainage 1880 to chainage 1980.31 in February 2007. The length of the hole is 100.31 m. The aim during the drilling work was to orient core samples as much as possible. The deviation of the drillhole was measured during and after the drilling phase. Electric conductivity was measured from the collected returning water samples. Logging of the core samples included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracturing, fracture frequency, RQD, fractured zones, core loss and weathering. The rock mechanical logging was based on Q-classification. The tests to determine rock strength and deformation properties were made with a Rock Tester-equipment. Difference Flow method was used for the determination of hydraulic conductivity in fractures and fractured zones in the drillhole. The overlapping i.e. the detailed flow logging mode was used. Besides flow logging Single Point Resistance (SPR), Electric Conductivity (EC) and temperature of the drillhole water were also measured. The flow logging was performed with 0.5 m section length and with 0.1 m depth increment. Water loss measurements were conducted between the hole depth of 1.18 m and the hole bottom. Geophysical logging and optical imaging of the pilot hole included the fieldwork of all surveys, the integration of the data as

Theoretical study of the effects of pilot fuel quantity and its injection timing on the performance and emissions of a dual fuel diesel engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papagiannakis, R.G.; Hountalas, D.T.; Rakopoulos, C.D.

2007-01-01

Various solutions have been proposed for improving the combustion process of conventional diesel engines and reducing the exhaust emissions without making serious modifications on the engine, one of which is the use of natural gas as a supplement for the conventional diesel fuel, the so called dual fuel natural gas diesel engines. The most common type of these is referred to as the pilot ignited natural gas diesel engine (PINGDE). Here, the primary fuel is natural gas that controls the engine power output, while the pilot diesel fuel injected near the end of the compression stroke auto-ignites and creates ignition sources for the surrounding gaseous fuel mixture to be burned. Previous research studies have shown that the main disadvantage of this dual fuel combustion is its negative impact on engine efficiency compared to the normal diesel operation, while carbon monoxide emissions are also increased. The pilot diesel fuel quantity and injection advance influence significantly the combustion mechanism. Then, in order to examine the effect of these two parameters on the performance and emissions, a comprehensive two-zone phenomenological model is employed and applied on a high-speed, pilot ignited, natural gas diesel engine located at the authors' laboratory. According to the results, the simultaneously increase of the pilot fuel quantity accompanied with an increase of its injection timing results to an improvement of the engine efficiency (increase) and of the emitted CO emissions (decrease) while it has a negative effect (increase) of NO emissions

Evaluation of Early Performance Results for Massachusetts Homes in the National Grid Pilot Deep Energy Retrofit Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gates, C. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Neuhauser, K. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2013-11-01

This research project evaluates post-retrofit performance measurements, energy use data and construction costs for 13 projects that participated in the National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot program. The projects implemented a package of measures defined by performance targets for building enclosure components and building enclosure air tightness. Nearly all of the homes reached a post-retrofit air tightness result of 1.5 ACH 50. Homes that used the chainsaw retrofit technique along with roof insulation, and wall insulation applied to the exterior had the best air tightness results and the lowest heating and cooling source energy use. Analysis of measure costs and project objectives yielded a categorization of costs relative to energy performance objectives. On average about 1/2 of the energy-related measure costs correspond primarily to energy-related objectives, and 20% of energy-related measure costs relate primarily to non-energy objectives.

Evaluation of Early Performance Results for Massachusetts Homes in the National Grid Pilot Deep Energy Retrofit Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neuhauser, K. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States); Gates, C. [Building Science Corporation, Somerville, MA (United States)

2013-11-01

This research project evaluates post-retrofit performance measurements, energy use data and construction costs for 13 projects that participated in the National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot program. The projects implemented a package of measures defined by performance targets for building enclosure components and building enclosure air tightness. Nearly all of the homes reached a post-retrofit air tightness result of 1.5 ACH 50. Homes that used the chainsaw retrofit technique along with roof insulation, and wall insulation applied to the exterior had the best air tightness results and the lowest heating and cooling source energy use. Analysis of measure costs and project objectives yielded a categorization of costs relative to energy performance objectives. On average about ½ of the energy-related measure costs correspond primarily to energy-related objectives, and 20% of energy-related measure costs relate primarily to non-energy objectives.

National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neuhauser, K.

2012-03-01

Through discussion of five case studies (test homes), this project evaluates strategies to elevate the performance of existing homes to a level commensurate with best-in-class implementation of high-performance new construction homes. The test homes featured in this research activity participated in Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) Pilot Program sponsored by the electric and gas utility National Grid in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Building enclosure retrofit strategies are evaluated for impact on durability and indoor air quality in addition to energy performance. Evaluation of strategies is structured around the critical control functions of water, airflow, vapor flow, and thermal control. The aim of the research project is to develop guidance that could serve as a foundation for wider adoption of high performance, 'deep' retrofit work. The project will identify risk factors endemic to advanced retrofit in the context of the general building type, configuration and vintage encountered in the National Grid DER Pilot. Results for the test homes are based on observation and performance testing of recently completed projects. Additional observation would be needed to fully gauge long-term energy performance, durability, and occupant comfort.

SHIRCO PILOT-SCALE INFRARED INCINERATION SYSTEM AT THE ROSE TOWNSHIP DEMODE ROAD SUPERFUND SITE

Science.gov (United States)

Under the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation or SITE Program, an evaluation was made of the Shirco Pilot-Scale Infrared Incineration System during 17 separate test runs under varying operating conditions. The tests were conducted at the Demode Road Superfund site in Ros...

Robust LS-SVM-based adaptive constrained control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with time-varying predefined performance

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jianjun; Wei, Caisheng; Dai, Honghua; Yuan, Jianping

2018-03-01

This paper focuses on robust adaptive control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems subject to input saturation and external disturbance with guaranteed predefined tracking performance. To reduce the limitations of classical predefined performance control method in the presence of unknown initial tracking errors, a novel predefined performance function with time-varying design parameters is first proposed. Then, aiming at reducing the complexity of nonlinear approximations, only two least-square-support-vector-machine-based (LS-SVM-based) approximators with two design parameters are required through norm form transformation of the original system. Further, a novel LS-SVM-based adaptive constrained control scheme is developed under the time-vary predefined performance using backstepping technique. Wherein, to avoid the tedious analysis and repeated differentiations of virtual control laws in the backstepping technique, a simple and robust finite-time-convergent differentiator is devised to only extract its first-order derivative at each step in the presence of external disturbance. In this sense, the inherent demerit of backstepping technique-;explosion of terms; brought by the recursive virtual controller design is conquered. Moreover, an auxiliary system is designed to compensate the control saturation. Finally, three groups of numerical simulations are employed to validate the effectiveness of the newly developed differentiator and the proposed adaptive constrained control scheme.

Identification of spatial variability and heterogeneity of the Culebra dolomite at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beauheim, R.L.

1990-01-01

The Culebra dolomite is a heterogeneous, locally fractured medium whose transmissivity varies over seven orders of magnitude in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site in southeastern New Mexico, USA. The spatial distribution of hydraulic properties within the Culebra has been defined by performing 150 hydraulic tests at 41 well locations. Different scales of tests are performing 150 hydraulic tests at 41 well locations. Different scales of tests are performed to provide data for different purposes. Small-scale tests such as drillstem tests and slug tests, and short, intermediate-scale pumping tests provide point data useful in developing initial parameters for numerical modeling. Large-scale pumping tests provide information on the distribution of fractures between widely spaced wells, and also provide data for model calibration. Tracer tests provide data on transport mechanisms needed for transport modeling. 16 refs., 7 figs

Thoughts in flight: automation use and pilots' task-related and task-unrelated thought.

Science.gov (United States)

Casner, Stephen M; Schooler, Jonathan W

2014-05-01

The objective was to examine the relationship between cockpit automation use and task-related and task-unrelated thought among airline pilots. Studies find that cockpit automation can sometimes relieve pilots of tedious control tasks and afford them more time to think ahead. Paradoxically, automation has also been shown to lead to lesser awareness. These results prompt the question of what pilots think about while using automation. A total of 18 airline pilots flew a Boeing 747-400 simulator while we recorded which of two levels of automation they used. As they worked, pilots were verbally probed about what they were thinking. Pilots were asked to categorize their thoughts as pertaining to (a) a specific task at hand, (b) higher-level flight-related thoughts (e.g.,planning ahead), or (c) thoughts unrelated to the flight. Pilots' performance was also measured. Pilots reported a smaller percentage of task-at-hand thoughts (27% vs. 50%) and a greater percentage of higher-level flight-related thoughts (56% vs. 29%) when using the higher level of automation. However, when all was going according to plan, using either level of automation, pilots also reported a higher percentage of task-unrelated thoughts (21%) than they did when in the midst of an unsuccessful performance (7%). Task-unrelated thoughts peaked at 25% when pilots were not interacting with the automation. Although cockpit automation may provide pilots with more time to think, it may encourage pilots to reinvest only some of this mental free time in thinking flight-related thoughts. This research informs the design of human-automation systems that more meaningfully engage the human operator.

COMPARISON OF USER PERFORMANCE WITH INTERACTIVE AND STATIC 3D VISUALIZATION – PILOT STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Herman

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Interactive 3D visualizations of spatial data are currently available and popular through various applications such as Google Earth, ArcScene, etc. Several scientific studies have focused on user performance with 3D visualization, but static perspective views are used as stimuli in most of the studies. The main objective of this paper is to try to identify potential differences in user performance with static perspective views and interactive visualizations. This research is an exploratory study. An experiment was designed as a between-subject study and a customized testing tool based on open web technologies was used for the experiment. The testing set consists of an initial questionnaire, a training task and four experimental tasks. Selection of the highest point and determination of visibility from the top of a mountain were used as the experimental tasks. Speed and accuracy of each task performance of participants were recorded. The movement and actions in the virtual environment were also recorded within the interactive variant. The results show that participants deal with the tasks faster when using static visualization. The average error rate was also higher in the static variant. The findings from this pilot study will be used for further testing, especially for formulating of hypotheses and designing of subsequent experiments.

The impact of physical and mental tasks on pilot mental workoad

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, S. L.; Sheridan, T. B.

1986-01-01

Seven instrument-rated pilots with a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels flew four different scenarios on a fixed-base simulator. The Baseline scenario was the simplest of the four and had few mental and physical tasks. An activity scenario had many physical but few mental tasks. The Planning scenario had few physical and many mental taks. A Combined scenario had high mental and physical task loads. The magnitude of each pilot's altitude and airspeed deviations was measured, subjective workload ratings were recorded, and the degree of pilot compliance with assigned memory/planning tasks was noted. Mental and physical performance was a strong function of the manual activity level, but not influenced by the mental task load. High manual task loads resulted in a large percentage of mental errors even under low mental task loads. Although all the pilots gave similar subjective ratings when the manual task load was high, subjective ratings showed greater individual differences with high mental task loads. Altitude or airspeed deviations and subjective ratings were most correlated when the total task load was very high. Although airspeed deviations, altitude deviations, and subjective workload ratings were similar for both low experience and high experience pilots, at very high total task loads, mental performance was much lower for the low experience pilots.

Development of Pflotran Code for Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Performance Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Zeitler, T.; Day, B. A.; Frederick, J.; Hammond, G. E.; Kim, S.; Sarathi, R.; Stein, E.

2017-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic (deep underground) disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste. Containment of TRU waste at the WIPP is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DOE demonstrates compliance with the containment requirements by means of performance assessment (PA) calculations. WIPP PA calculations estimate the probability and consequence of potential radionuclide releases from the repository to the accessible environment for a regulatory period of 10,000 years after facility closure. The long-term performance of the repository is assessed using a suite of sophisticated computational codes. There is a current effort to enhance WIPP PA capabilities through the further development of the PFLOTRAN software, a state-of-the-art massively parallel subsurface flow and reactive transport code. Benchmark testing of the individual WIPP-specific process models implemented in PFLOTRAN (e.g., gas generation, chemistry, creep closure, actinide transport, and waste form) has been performed, including results comparisons for PFLOTRAN and existing WIPP PA codes. Additionally, enhancements to the subsurface hydrologic flow mode have been made. Repository-scale testing has also been performed for the modified PFLTORAN code and detailed results will be presented. Ultimately, improvements to the current computational environment will result in greater detail and flexibility in the repository model due to a move from a two-dimensional calculation grid to a three-dimensional representation. The result of the effort will be a state-of-the-art subsurface flow and transport capability that will serve WIPP PA into the future for use in compliance recertification applications (CRAs) submitted to the EPA. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of

Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society solar energy pilot study. First follow-up report, October 1979, pilot country: United States; co-pilot countries: Denmark and France. CCMS report No. 110

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-01-01

During 1973 to 1978, over twenty nations participated in the NATO/CCMS Solar Energy Pilot Study, whose objective was to promote and accelerate the use of solar heating and cooling of buildings. The activities in this information exchange included (1) the regular reporting of national solar heating and cooling programs, (2) the development of a format for reporting the performance of solar heating and cooling systems, (3) the exchange of system performance reports, (4) the establishment of two specialized working groups for solar-assisted low energy dwellings and passive solar applications. At the conclusion of the pilot study in 1978, the participants formulated recommendations for continued action at the international level, as well as for action at the national level. This report describes the progress made in implementing those recommendations. In addition to detailing the steps taken to continue collaboration in various efforts initiated within the Solar Energy Pilot Study, the report contains papers on the 1979 status of the solar heating and cooling programs in seventeen CCMS countries.

77 FR 61721 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-11

...-26661; Amdt. No. 61-129A] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification... revise the training, qualification, certification, and operating requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. A portion of the codified text was inadvertently deleted...

Summary of pilot-scale activities with resorcinol ion exchange resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicero, C.A.; Bickford, D.F.; Sargent, T.N.; Andrews, M.K.; Bibler, J.P.; Bibler, N.E.; Jantzen, C.M.

1995-01-01

The Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) of the Department of Energy (DOE) is currently investigating vitrification technology for treatment of low level mixed wastes (LLMW). They have chartered the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) to study vitrification of the wastes through an Office of Technology Development (OTD) Technical Task Plan (TTP). SRTC's efforts have included crucible-scale studies and pilot scale testing on simulated LLMW sludges, resins, soils, and other solid wastes. Results from the crucible-scale studies have been used as the basis for the pilot-scale demonstrations. As part of the fiscal year (FY) 1995 activities, SRTC performed crucible-scale studies with organic resins. This waste stream was selected because of the large number of DOE sites, as well as commercial industries, that use resins for treatment of liquid wastes. Pilot-scale studies were to be completed in FY 1995, but could not be due to a reduction in funding. Instead, a compilation of pilot-scale tests with organic resins performed under the guidance of SRTC was provided in this report. The studies which will be discussed used a resorcinol- formaldehyde resin loaded with non-radioactive cesium, which was fed with simulated wastewater treatment sludge feed. The first study was performed at the SRTC in the mini-melter, 1/100th scale of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) melter, and also involved limited crucible-scale studies to determine the resin loading obtainable. The other study was performed at the DOE/Industrial Center for Vitrification Research (Center) and involved both crucible and pilot-scale testing in the Stir-Melter stirred-melter. Both studies were successful in vitrifying the resin in simulated radioactive sludge and glass additive feeds

Overview of the Quality Assurance Program Applied to the Performance Assessment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickering, S.Y.

1999-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the first deep geologic repository for radioactive waste disposal in the world to be certified by a regulator. Rigorous, nuclear-industry quality assurance (QA) requirements were imposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. As the Scientific Advisor to the US Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories applied these standards to the experimental studies and performance assessment used in the certification process. The QA program ensured that activities conducted by SNL were traceable, transparent, reviewed, reproducible, and retrievable. As a result, regulators and stakeholders were able to evaluate and ultimately certify and accept the WIPP

An appraisal of the 1992 preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, W.W.L.; Chaturvedi, L.; Silva, M.K.; Weiner, R.; Neill, R.H.

1994-09-01

The purpose of the New Mexico Environmental Evaluation Group is to conduct an independent technical evaluation of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project to ensure the protection of the public health and safety and the environment. The WIPP Project, located in southeastern New Mexico, is being constructed as a repository for the disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes generated by the national defense programs. The Environmental Evaluation Group (EEG) has reviewed the WIPP 1992 Performance Assessment (Sandia WIPP Performance Assessment Department, 1992). Although this performance assessment was released after the October 1992 passage of the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act (PL 102-579), the work preceded the Act. For individual and ground-water protection, calculations have been done for 1000 years post closure, whereas the US Environmental Protection Agency's Standards (40 CFR 191) issued in 1993 require calculations for 10,000 years. The 1992 Performance Assessment continues to assimilate improved understanding of the geology and hydrogeology of the site, and evolving conceptual models of natural barriers. Progress has been made towards assessing WIPP's compliance with the US Environmental Protection Agency's Standards (40 CFR 191). The 1992 Performance Assessment has addressed several items of major concern to EEG, outlined in the July 1992 review of the 1991 performance assessment (Neill et al., 1992). In particular, the authors are pleased that some key results in this performance assessment deal with sensitivity of the calculated complementary cumulative distribution functions (CCDF) to alterative conceptual models proposed by EEG -- that flow in the Culebra be treated as single-porosity fracture-flow; with no sorption retardation unless substantiated by experimental data

Characterization of subjective uncertainty in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HELTON, JON CRAIG; MARTELL, MARY-ALENA; TIERNEY, MARTIN S.

2000-01-01

The 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) maintains a separation between stochastic (i.e., aleatory) and subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty, with stochastic uncertainty arising from the possible disruptions that could occur at the WIPP over the 10,000 yr regulatory period specified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR 191,40 CFR 194) and subjective uncertainty arising from an inability to uniquely characterize many of the inputs required in the 1996 WIPP PA. The characterization of subjective uncertainty is discussed, including assignment of distributions, uncertain variables selected for inclusion in analysis, correlation control, sample size, statistical confidence on mean complementary cumulative distribution functions, generation of Latin hypercube samples, sensitivity analysis techniques, and scenarios involving stochastic and subjective uncertainty

Characterization of subjective uncertainty in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

HELTON,JON CRAIG; MARTELL,MARY-ALENA; TIERNEY,MARTIN S.

2000-05-18

The 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) maintains a separation between stochastic (i.e., aleatory) and subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty, with stochastic uncertainty arising from the possible disruptions that could occur at the WIPP over the 10,000 yr regulatory period specified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR 191,40 CFR 194) and subjective uncertainty arising from an inability to uniquely characterize many of the inputs required in the 1996 WIPP PA. The characterization of subjective uncertainty is discussed, including assignment of distributions, uncertain variables selected for inclusion in analysis, correlation control, sample size, statistical confidence on mean complementary cumulative distribution functions, generation of Latin hypercube samples, sensitivity analysis techniques, and scenarios involving stochastic and subjective uncertainty.

Development of 1000kW-class MCFC pilot plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ooue, M.; Yasue, H. [MCFC Research Association, Mie (Japan); Takasu, K.; Tsuchitori, T.

1996-12-31

This pilot plant is a part of the New Sunshine Program which has proceeded by the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. MCFC Research Association is entrusted with the development of the pilot plant, and constructing it at Kawagoe site. Following items will be verified by this pilot plant operation. (a) Development of 250kW class stack and confirmation of stack performance and decay rate. (b) System verification such as basic process, control system and operation characteristics, toward commercialization. (c) To get design data for demonstration plant.

Design of commercial dyeing wastewater treatment facility with e-beam (based on the results of pilot plant)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Bumsoo; Kim, Sung Myun; Kim, Jin-Kyu; Kim, Yuri; Yang, Mun Ho; Choi, J.S.; Ahn, S.J.; Pikaev, A.K.; Makarov, I.E.; Ponomarev, A.V.

2001-01-01

A pilot plant for a large-scale test of dyeing facility wastewater (flow rate of 1,000m 3 per day from 80,000m 3 /day of total wastewater) was constructed and operated with the electron accelerator of 1MeV, 40kW. The accelerator was installed in February 1998 and the Tower Style Biological treatment facility (TSB) was also installed in October 1998. The wastewater is injected under the e-beam irradiation area through the nozzle type injector to obtain the adequate penetration depth. The speed of injection could be varied upon the dose and dose rate. Performance statistics are given

Roll paper pilot. [mathematical model for predicting pilot rating of aircraft in roll task

Science.gov (United States)

Naylor, F. R.; Dillow, J. D.; Hannen, R. A.

1973-01-01

A mathematical model for predicting the pilot rating of an aircraft in a roll task is described. The model includes: (1) the lateral-directional aircraft equations of motion; (2) a stochastic gust model; (3) a pilot model with two free parameters; and (4) a pilot rating expression that is a function of rms roll angle and the pilot lead time constant. The pilot gain and lead time constant are selected to minimize the pilot rating expression. The pilot parameters are then adjusted to provide a 20% stability margin and the adjusted pilot parameters are used to compute a roll paper pilot rating of the aircraft/gust configuration. The roll paper pilot rating was computed for 25 aircraft/gust configurations. A range of actual ratings from 2 to 9 were encountered and the roll paper pilot ratings agree quite well with the actual ratings. In addition there is good correlation between predicted and measured rms roll angle.

A pilot modeling technique for handling-qualities research

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, R. A.

1980-01-01

A brief survey of the more dominant analysis techniques used in closed-loop handling-qualities research is presented. These techniques are shown to rely on so-called classical and modern analytical models of the human pilot which have their foundation in the analysis and design principles of feedback control. The optimal control model of the human pilot is discussed in some detail and a novel approach to the a priori selection of pertinent model parameters is discussed. Frequency domain and tracking performance data from 10 pilot-in-the-loop simulation experiments involving 3 different tasks are used to demonstrate the parameter selection technique. Finally, the utility of this modeling approach in handling-qualities research is discussed.

Identification of spatial variability and heterogeneity of the Culebra dolomite at the waste isolation pilot plant site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beauheim, R.L.

1991-01-01

The Culebra dolomite is an heterogeneous, locally fractured medium whose transmissivity varies over seven orders of magnitude in the vicinity of the Waste isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site in southeastern New Mexico, USA. The spatial distribution of hydraulic properties within the Culebra has been defined by performing 150 hydraulic tests at 41 well locations. Different scales of tests are performed to provide data for different purposes. Small-scale tests such as drillstem tests and slug tests, and intermediate-scale pumping tests provide point data useful in developing initial parameters for numerical modeling. Large-scale pumping tests provide information on the distribution of fractures between widely spaced wells, and also provide data for model calibration. Tracer tests provide data on transport mechanisms needed for transport modeling. 7 figs.; 16 refs

Brain biomarkers based assessment of cognitive workload in pilots under various task demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Gentili, Rodolphe J; Rietschel, Jeremy C; Jaquess, Kyle J; Lo, Li-Chuan; Prevost, Michael; Miller, Matt W; Mohler, Jessica M; Oh, Hyuk; Tan, Ying Ying; Hatfield, Bradley D

2014-01-01

Cognitive workload is an important element of cognitive-motor performance such as that exhibited during the piloting of an aircraft. Namely, an increase in task demands on the pilot can elevate cognitive information processing and, thus, the risk of human error. As such, there is a need to develop methods that reliably assess mental workload in pilots within operational settings. The present study contributes to this research goal by identifying physiological and brain biomarkers of cognitive workload and attentional reserve during a simulated aircraft piloting task under three progressive levels of challenge. A newly developed experimental method was employed by which electroencephalography (EEG) was acquired via a dry (i.e., gel-free sensors) system using few scalp sites. Self-reported responses to surveys and piloting performance indicators were analyzed. The findings revealed that as the challenge (task demands) increased, the perceived mental load increased, attentional reserve was attenuated, and task performance decreased. Such an increase in task demands was also reflected by changes in heart rate variability (HRV), as well as in the amplitude of the P300 component of event-related potentials to auditory probes, and in the spectral power of specific EEG frequency bands. This work provides a first step towards a long-term goal to develop a composite system of biomarkers for real-time cognitive workload assessment and state assessment of pilots in operational settings.

Quantifying Pilot Visual Attention in Low Visibility Terminal Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Kyle K.; Arthur, J. J.; Latorella, Kara A.; Kramer, Lynda J.; Shelton, Kevin J.; Norman, Robert M.; Prinzel, Lawrence J.

2012-01-01

Quantifying pilot visual behavior allows researchers to determine not only where a pilot is looking and when, but holds implications for specific behavioral tracking when these data are coupled with flight technical performance. Remote eye tracking systems have been integrated into simulators at NASA Langley with effectively no impact on the pilot environment. This paper discusses the installation and use of a remote eye tracking system. The data collection techniques from a complex human-in-the-loop (HITL) research experiment are discussed; especially, the data reduction algorithms and logic to transform raw eye tracking data into quantified visual behavior metrics, and analysis methods to interpret visual behavior. The findings suggest superior performance for Head-Up Display (HUD) and improved attentional behavior for Head-Down Display (HDD) implementations of Synthetic Vision System (SVS) technologies for low visibility terminal area operations. Keywords: eye tracking, flight deck, NextGen, human machine interface, aviation

Drilling and associated drillhole measurements of the pilot hole ONK-PH9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karttunen, P.; Pekkanen, J.; Poellaenen, J.; Tarvainen, A.-M.; Toropainen, V.; Lamminmaeki, T.; Kosunen, P.

2010-01-01

The construction of the ONKALO access tunnel started in September 2004 at Olkiluoto. Most of the investigations related to the construction of the access tunnel aim to ensure successful excavations, reinforcement and sealing. Pilot holes are drillholes, which are core drilled along the tunnel profile. The length of the pilot holes typically varies from several tens of metres to a couple of hundred metres. The pilot holes are aimed to confirm the quality of the rock mass for tunnel construction, and in particular to identify water conductive fractured zones and to provide information that could result in modifications of the existing construction plans. The pilot hole ONK-PH9 was drilled from chainage 3263 to chainage 3413.27 in November 2008. The length of the hole is 150.3 metres. The aim during the drilling work was to orient core samples as much as possible. The deviation of the drillhole was measured during and after the drilling phase. Electric conductivity was measured from the collected returning water samples. Hydraulic conductivity of the fractures or fractured zones was measured by Posiva Flow Log equipment. The measurements were done in two phases. During flow measurements also electric conductivity, grounding resistance and temperature were measured. In flow logging test sections of 0.5 m and increments of 0.1 m were used. The water loss measurements were performed after drilling was completed by the drilling company. Logging of the core samples included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracturing, fracture frequency, RQD, fractured zones, core loss, and weathering. The rock mechanical logging was based on Q-classification. The rock strength and deformation were determined with Rock Tester equipment. Geophysical logging and optical imaging of the pilot hole included the fieldwork of all surveys, the integration of the data as well as interpretation of the acoustic and drillhole radar data. One of the objectives of the geochemical study

46 CFR 163.002-15 - Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Performance. 163.002-15 Section 163.002-15 Shipping...: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL CONSTRUCTION Pilot Hoist § 163.002-15 Performance. (a) Each pilot hoist must have sufficient performance capability to pass the approval tests in § 163.002-21. (b) [Reserved] ...

HPV vaccination: Pilot study assessing characteristics of high and low performing primary care offices.

Science.gov (United States)

Lollier, Allison; Rodriguez, Elisa M; Saad-Harfouche, Frances G; Widman, Christy A; Mahoney, Martin C

2018-06-01

This pilot study was undertaken to identify characteristics and approaches (e.g., social, behavioral, and/or systems factors) which differentiate primary care medical offices achieving higher rates of HPV vaccination. Eligible primary care practice sites providing care to adolescent patients were recruited within an eight county region of western New York State between June 2016 and July 2016. Practice sites were categorized as higher (n = 3) or lower performing (n = 2) based on three dose series completion rates for HPV vaccinations among females aged 13-17 years. Interviewer administered surveys were completed with office staff (n = 37) and focused on understanding approaches to adolescent vaccination. Results were summarized using basic descriptive statistics. Higher performing offices reported more full-time clinical staff (median = 25 vs. 9.5 in lower performing clinics), larger panels of patients ages 11-17 years (median = 3541 vs. 925) and completion of NYSIIS data entry within two weeks of vaccination. (less than a month vs. two). Staff in higher performing offices reviewed medical charts prior to scheduled visits (100% vs. 50) and identified their office vaccine champion as a physician and/or a nurse manager (75% vs. 22%). Also, staffs from higher performing offices were more likely to report the combination of having an office vaccine champion, previewing charts and using standing orders. These preliminary findings support future research examining implementation of organizational processes including identifying a vaccine champion, using standing orders and previewing medical charts prior to office visits as strategies to increase rates of HPV vaccination in primary care offices.

Varied definitions of risk related to sensation seeking trait

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daastoel, P.Oe.U.; Drottz-Sjoeberg, B.M.

1999-01-01

This pilot study is based on the assumption and the knowledge that previous results show that the normal use of the word risk varies across subjects. The risk definitions the subjects use have also been shown to be related to various educational interests. A related field of research has developed measures for Sensation Seeking personality trait, with four facets. Three independent groups of first year psychology students reported their normal definition of the word risk using one of three measurement formats. The results showed, e.g. that the typical open-ended response to the personal definition of risk was danger. Subjects who defined risk as the combination of probability and consequences tended to score higher on the total Sensation Seeking Scale, as compared to those defining risk as the probability of an event

Varied definitions of risk related to sensation seeking trait

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daastoel, P.Oe.U.; Drottz-Sjoeberg, B.M. [Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology, Trondheim (Norway). Dept. of Psychology

1999-12-01

This pilot study is based on the assumption and the knowledge that previous results show that the normal use of the word risk varies across subjects. The risk definitions the subjects use have also been shown to be related to various educational interests. A related field of research has developed measures for Sensation Seeking personality trait, with four facets. Three independent groups of first year psychology students reported their normal definition of the word risk using one of three measurement formats. The results showed, e.g. that the typical open-ended response to the personal definition of risk was danger. Subjects who defined risk as the combination of probability and consequences tended to score higher on the total Sensation Seeking Scale, as compared to those defining risk as the probability of an event.

Performance and Model Calibration of R-D-N Processes in Pilot Plant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de la Sota, A.; Larrea, L.; Novak, L.

1994-01-01

This paper deals with the first part of an experimental programme in a pilot plant configured for advanced biological nutrient removal processes treating domestic wastewater of Bilbao. The IAWPRC Model No.1 was calibrated in order to optimize the design of the full-scale plant. In this first phas...

Impact of exercise programs among helicopter pilots with transient LBP.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Knut; Baardsen, Roald; Dalen, Ingvild; Larsen, Jan Petter

2017-06-20

Flight related low back pain (LBP) among helicopter pilots is frequent and may influence flight performance. Prolonged confined sitting during flights seems to weaken lumbar trunk (LT) muscles with associated secondary transient pain. Aim of the study was to investigate if structured training could improve muscular function and thus improve LBP related to flying. 39 helicopter pilots (35 men and 4 women), who reported flying related LBP on at least 1 of 3 missions last month, were allocated to two training programs over a 3-month period. Program A consisted of 10 exercises recommended for general LBP. Program B consisted of 4 exercises designed specifically to improve LT muscular endurance. The pilots were examined before and after the training using questionnaires for pain, function, quality of health and tests of LT muscular endurance as well as ultrasound measurements of the contractility of the lumbar multifidus muscle (LMM). Approximately half of the participants performed the training per-protocol. Participants in this subset group had comparable baseline characteristics as the total study sample. Pre and post analysis of all pilots included, showed participants had marked improvement in endurance and contractility of the LMM following training. Similarly, participants had improvement in function and quality of health. Participants in program B had significant improvement in pain, function and quality of health. This study indicates that participants who performed a three months exercise program had improved muscle endurance at the end of the program. The helicopter pilots also experienced improved function and quality of health. Identifier: NCT01788111 Registration date; February 5th, 2013, verified April 2016.

Differences in physical workload between military helicopter pilots and cabin crew

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Oord, Marieke H. A.; Sluiter, Judith K.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

2014-01-01

The 1-year prevalence of regular or continuous neck pain in military helicopter pilots of the Dutch Defense Helicopter Command (DHC) is 20%, and physical work exposures have been suggested as risk factors. Pilots and cabin crew perform different tasks when flying helicopters. The aims of the current

Software quality assurance in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froehlich, G.K.; Ogden, H.C.; Byle, K.A.

2000-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), located in southeast New Mexico, is a deep geologic repository for the permanent disposal of transuranic waste generated by DOE defense-related activities. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), in its role as scientific advisor to the DOE, is responsible for evaluating the long-term performance of the WIPP. This risk-based Performance Assessment (PA) is accomplished in part through the use of numerous scientific modeling codes, which rely for some of their inputs on data gathered during characterization of the site. The PA is subject to formal requirements set forth in federal regulations. In particular, the components of the calculation fall under the configuration management and software quality assurance aegis of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA) requirements. This paper describes SNL's implementation of the NQA requirements regarding software quality assurance (SQA). The description of the implementation of SQA for a PA calculation addresses not only the interpretation of the NQA requirements, it also discusses roles, deliverables, and the resources necessary for effective implementation. Finally, examples are given which illustrate the effectiveness of SNL's SQA program, followed by a detailed discussion of lessons learned

Software quality assurance in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froehlich, Gary K.; Ogden, Harvey C.; Byle, Kathleen A.

2000-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), located in southeast New Mexico, is a deep geologic repository for the permanent disposal of transuranic waste generated by DOE defense-related activities. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), in its role as scientific advisor to the DOE, is responsible for evaluating the long-term performance of the WIPP. This risk-based Performance Assessment (PA) is accomplished in part through the use of numerous scientific modeling codes, which rely for some of their inputs on data gathered during characterization of the site. The PA is subject to formal requirements set forth in federal regulations. In particular, the components of the calculation fall under the configuration management and software quality assurance aegis of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME) Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA) requirements. This paper describes SNL's implementation of the NQA requirements regarding software quality assurance (SQA). The description of the implementation of SQA for a PA calculation addresses not only the interpretation of the NQA requirements, it also discusses roles, deliverables, and the resources necessary for effective implementation. Finally, examples are given which illustrate the effectiveness of SNL's SQA program, followed by a detailed discussion of lessons learned

Classification of response-types for single-pilot NOE helicopter combat tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, David G.; Hoh, Roger H.; Atencio, Adolph, Jr.

1987-01-01

Two piloted simulations have recently been conducted to evaluate both workload and handling qualities requirements for operation of a helicopter by a single pilot in a nap-of-the-earth combat environment. An advanced cockpit, including a moving-map display and an interactive touchpad screen, provided aircraft mission, status, and position information to the pilot. The results of the simulations are reviewed, and the impact of these results on the development of a revised helicopter handling qualities specification is discussed. Rate command is preferred over attitude command in pitch and roll, and attitude hold over groundspeed hold, for low-speed precision pointing tasks. Position hold is necessary for Level 1 handling qualities in hover when the pilot is required to perform secondary tasks. Addition of a second crew member improves pilot ratings.

Waste water pilot plant research, development, and demonstration permit application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-03-01

This permit application has been prepared to obtain a research, development, and demonstration permit to perform pilot-scale treatability testing on the 242-A Evaporator process condensate waste water effluent stream. It provides the management framework, and controls all the testing conducted in the waste water pilot plant using dangerous waste. It also provides a waste acceptance envelope (upper limits for selected constituents) and details the safety and environmental protection requirements for waste water pilot plant testing. This permit application describes the overall approach to testing and the various components or requirements that are common to all tests. This permit application has been prepared at a sufficient level of detail to establish permit conditions for all waste water pilot plant tests to be conducted

Drugs and alcohol in civil aviation accident pilot fatalities from 2004-2008.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

The FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine sets medical standards needed to protect the public and pilots from death : or injury due to incapacitation of the pilot. As a part of this process, toxicology testing is performed by the FAA : on almost every pil...

PanDA Pilot Submission using Condor-G: Experience and Improvements

CERN Document Server

Zhao, Xin; The ATLAS collaboration; Wlodek, Tom; Wenaus, Torre; Frey, Jaime; Tannenbaum, Todd; Livny, Miron

2010-01-01

PanDA is the workload management system of the ATLAS experiment, used to run production and user analysis jobs on the grid. As a late-binding, pilot-based system, the maintenance of a smooth and steady stream of pilot jobs to all grid sites is critical for PanDA operation. The ATLAS Computing Facility (ACF) at BNL, as the ATLAS Tier 1 center in the US, operates the pilot submission systems for the US. This is done using the PanDA "AutoPilot" scheduler component which submits pilot jobs via Condor-G, a grid job scheduling system developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this talk, we discuss the operation and performance of the Condor-G pilot submission at BNL, with emphasis on the challenges and issues encountered in the real grid production environment. With the close collaboration of Condor and PanDA teams, the scalability and stability of the overall system has been greatly improved over the last year. We review improvements made to Condor-G resulting from this collaboration, including isolation...

Minimizing draining waste through extending the lifetime of pilot jobs in Grid environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sfiligoi, I; Martin, T; Würthwein, F; Bockelman, B P; Bradley, D C

2014-01-01

The computing landscape is moving at an accelerated pace to many-core computing. Nowadays, it is not unusual to get 32 cores on a single physical node. As a consequence, there is increased pressure in the pilot systems domain to move from purely single-core scheduling and allow multi-core jobs as well. In order to allow for a gradual transition from single-core to multi-core user jobs, it is envisioned that pilot jobs will have to handle both kinds of user jobs at the same time, by requesting several cores at a time from Grid providers and then partitioning them between the user jobs at runtime. Unfortunately, the current Grid ecosystem only allows for relatively short lifetime of pilot jobs, requiring frequent draining, with the relative waste of compute resources due to varying lifetimes of the user jobs. Significantly extending the lifetime of pilot jobs is thus highly desirable, but must come without any adverse effects for the Grid resource providers. In this paper we present a mechanism, based on communication between the pilot jobs and the Grid provider, that allows for pilot jobs to run for extended periods of time when there are available resources, but also allows the Grid provider to reclaim the resources in a short amount of time when needed. We also present the experience of running a prototype system using the above mechanism on a few US-based Grid sites.

What is a pilot or feasibility study? A review of current practice and editorial policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cooper Cindy L

2010-07-01

Pilot studies are still poorly reported, with inappropriate emphasis on hypothesis-testing. Authors should be aware of the different requirements of pilot studies, feasibility studies and main studies and report them appropriately. Authors should be explicit as to the purpose of a pilot study. The definitions of feasibility and pilot studies vary and we make proposals here to clarify terminology.

Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-24

AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0026 Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing Austin M. Fischer, BS1; William W...COVERED (From – To) April – October 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) USAF School of Aerospace

Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992. Volume 1, Third comparison with 40 CFR 191, Subpart B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-12-01

Before disposing of transuranic radioactive wastes in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the United States Department of Energy (DOE) must evaluate compliance with applicable long-term regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sandia National Laboratories is conducting iterative performance assessments of the WIPP for the DOE to provide interim guidance while preparing for final compliance evaluations. This volume contains an overview of WIPP performance assessment and a preliminary comparison with the long-term requirements of the Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B).

Preliminary performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, December 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-08-01

Before disposing of transuranic radioactive waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the United States Department of Energy (DOE) must evaluate compliance with applicable long-term regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sandia National Laboratories is conducting iterative performance assessments (PAs) of the WIPP for the DOE to provide interim guidance while preparing for a final compliance evaluation. This volume of the 1992 PA contains results of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with respect to migration of gas and brine from the undisturbed repository. Additional information about the 1992 PA is provided in other volumes. Volume 1 contains an overview of WIPP PA and results of a preliminary comparison with 40 CFR 191, Subpart B. Volume 2 describes the technical basis for the performance assessment, including descriptions of the linked computational models used in the Monte Carlo analyses. Volume 3 contains the reference data base and values for input parameters used in consequence and probability modeling. Volume 4 contains uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with respect to the EPA's Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B). Finally, guidance derived from the entire 1992 PA is presented in Volume 6. Results of the 1992 uncertainty and sensitivity analyses indicate that, conditional on the modeling assumptions and the assigned parameter-value distributions, the most important parameters for which uncertainty has the potential to affect gas and brine migration from the undisturbed repository are: initial liquid saturation in the waste, anhydrite permeability, biodegradation-reaction stoichiometry, gas-generation rates for both corrosion and biodegradation under inundated conditions, and the permeability of the long-term shaft seal

Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot Phase 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiliccote, Sila [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Homan, Gregory [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Anderson, Robert [Olivine, Inc., San Ramon, CA (United States); Hernandez, John [Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2015-04-01

The Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot - Phase 2 (IRM2) was designed to study the feasibility of demand-side resources to participate into the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale market as proxy demand resources (PDR). The pilot study focused on understanding the issues related with direct participation of third-parties and customers including customer acceptance; market transformation challenges (wholesale market, technology); technical and operational feasibility; and value to the rate payers, DR resource owners and the utility on providing an enabling mechanism for DR resources into the wholesale markets. The customer had the option of committing to either three contiguous hour blocks for 24 days or six contiguous hours for 12 days a month with day-ahead notification that aligned with the CAISO integrated forward market. As a result of their being available, the customer was paid $10/ kilowatt (kW)-month for capacity in addition to CAISO energy settlements. The participants were limited to no more than a 2 megawatt (MW) capacity with a six-month commitment. Four participants successfully engaged in the pilot. In this report, we provide the description of the pilot, participant performance results, costs and value to participants as well as outline some of the issues encountered through the pilot. Results show that participants chose to participate with storage and the value of CAISO settlements were significantly lower than the capacity payments provided by the utility as incentive payments. In addition, this pilot revealed issues both on the participant side and system operations side. These issues are summarized in the report.The Intermittent Renewable Management Pilot - Phase 2 (IRM2) was designed to study the feasibility of demand-side resources to participate into the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale market as proxy demand resources (PDR). The pilot study focused on understanding the issues related with

Circular economy practices among Chinese manufacturers varying in environmental-oriented supply chain cooperation and the performance implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Qinghua; Geng, Yong; Lai, Kee-hung

2010-06-01

The rapidly growing industrial activities in emerging economies such as China have been causing resource depletion and pollution problems. This reality requires China to adopt an integrated management approach to resolve the conflict between industrial development and environmental protection, and the concept of circular economy (CE) serves this purpose. In this paper, we examine if different types of manufacturing enterprises on environmental-oriented supply chain cooperation (ESCC) exist. We also determine if the Chinese manufacturer types varying in ESCC differ in their implementation of the CE practices towards achieving the CE-targeted goals on improving both environmental and economic performance. Our cluster analytic results with multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) among the four identified types of Chinese manufacturers varying in environmental-oriented supply chain cooperation highlight the importance to intensify the cooperation with upstream and downstream supply chain partners for a CE initiative to succeed. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

General Atomic Reprocessing Pilot Plant: engineering-scale dissolution system description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yip, H.H.

1979-04-01

In February 1978, a dissolver-centrifuge system was added to the cold reprocessing pilot plant at General Atomic Company, which completed the installation of an HTGR fuel head-end reprocessing pilot plant. This report describes the engineering-scale equipment in the pilot plant and summarizes the design features derived from development work performed in the last few years. The dissolver operating cycles for both thorium containing BISO and uranium containinng WAR fissile fuels are included. A continuous vertical centrifuge is used to clarify the resultant dissolver product solution. Process instrumentation and controls for the system reflect design philosophy suitable for remote operation

Portable Weather Applications for General Aviation Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahlstrom, Ulf; Ohneiser, Oliver; Caddigan, Eamon

2016-09-01

The objective of this study was to examine the potential benefits and impact on pilot behavior from the use of portable weather applications. Seventy general aviation (GA) pilots participated in the study. Each pilot was randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group and flew a simulated single-engine GA aircraft, initially under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The experimental group was equipped with a portable weather application during flight. We recorded measures for weather situation awareness (WSA), decision making, cognitive engagement, and distance from the aircraft to hazardous weather. We found positive effects from the use of the portable weather application, with an increased WSA for the experimental group, which resulted in credibly larger route deviations and credibly greater distances to hazardous weather (≥30 dBZ cells) compared with the control group. Nevertheless, both groups flew less than 20 statute miles from hazardous weather cells, thus failing to follow current weather-avoidance guidelines. We also found a credibly higher cognitive engagement (prefrontal oxygenation levels) for the experimental group, possibly reflecting increased flight planning and decision making on the part of the pilots. Overall, the study outcome supports our hypothesis that portable weather displays can be used without degrading pilot performance on safety-related flight tasks, actions, and decisions as measured within the constraints of the present study. However, it also shows that an increased WSA does not automatically translate to enhanced flight behavior. The study outcome contributes to our knowledge of the effect of portable weather applications on pilot behavior and decision making. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Use of a Data-Linked Weather Information Display and Effects on Pilot Navigation Decision Making in a Piloted Simulation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Yuchnovicz, Daniel E.; Novacek, Paul F.; Burgess, Malcolm A.; Heck, Michael L.; Stokes, Alan F.

2001-01-01

This study provides recommendations to the FAA and to prospective manufacturers based on an exploration of the effects of data link weather displays upon pilot decision performance. An experiment was conducted with twenty-four current instrument rated pilots who were divided into two equal groups and presented with a challenging but realistic flight scenario involving weather containing significant embedded convective activity. All flights were flown in a full-mission simulation facility within instrument meteorological conditions. The inflight weather display depicted NexRad images, graphical METARs and textual METARs. The objective was to investigate the potential for misuse of a weather display, and incorporate recommendations for the design and use of these displays. The primary conclusion of the study found that the inflight weather display did not improve weather avoidance decision making. Some of the reasons to support this finding include: the pilot's inability to easily perceive their proximity to the storms, increased workload and difficulty in deciphering METAR textual data. The compelling nature of a graphical weather display caused many pilots to reduce their reliance on corroborating weather information from other sources. Minor changes to the weather display could improve the ability of a pilot to make better decisions on hazard avoidance.

ATC/pilot voice communications: A survey of the literature

Science.gov (United States)

Prinzo, O. Veronika; Britton, Thomas W.

1993-11-01

The first radio-equipped control tower in the United States opened at the Cleveland Municipal Airport in 1930. From that time to the present, voice radio communications have played a primary role in air safety. Verbal communications in air traffic control (ATC) operations have been frequently cited as causal factors in operational errors and pilot deviations in the FAA Operational Error and Deviation System, the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), and reports derived from government sponsored research projects. Collectively, the data provided by these programs indicate that communications constitute a significant problem for pilots and controllers. Although the communications problem was well known the research literature was fragmented, making it difficult to appreciate the various types of verbal communications problems that existed and their unique influence on the quality of ATC/pilot communications. This is a survey of the voice radio communications literature. The 43 reports in the review represent survey data, field studies, laboratory studies, narrative reports, and reviews. The survey topics pertain to communications taxonomies, acoustical correlates and cognitive/psycholinguistic perspectives. Communications taxonomies were used to identify the frequency and types of information that constitute routine communications, as well as those communications involved in operational errors, pilot deviations, and other safety-related events. Acoustical correlate methodologies identified some qualities of a speaker's voice, such as loudness, pitch, and speech rate, which might be used potentially to monitor stress, mental workload, and other forms of psychological or physiological factors that affect performance. Cognitive/psycho-linguistic research offered an information processing perspective for understanding how pilots' and controllers' memory and language comprehension processes affect their ability to communicate effectively with one another. This

HPV vaccination: Pilot study assessing characteristics of high and low performing primary care offices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allison Lollier

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This pilot study was undertaken to identify characteristics and approaches (e.g., social, behavioral, and/or systems factors which differentiate primary care medical offices achieving higher rates of HPV vaccination.Eligible primary care practice sites providing care to adolescent patients were recruited within an eight county region of western New York State between June 2016 and July 2016. Practice sites were categorized as higher (n = 3 or lower performing (n = 2 based on three dose series completion rates for HPV vaccinations among females aged 13–17 years. Interviewer administered surveys were completed with office staff (n = 37 and focused on understanding approaches to adolescent vaccination. Results were summarized using basic descriptive statistics.Higher performing offices reported more full-time clinical staff (median = 25 vs. 9.5 in lower performing clinics, larger panels of patients ages 11–17 years (median = 3541 vs. 925 and completion of NYSIIS data entry within two weeks of vaccination. (less than a month vs. two. Staff in higher performing offices reviewed medical charts prior to scheduled visits (100% vs. 50 and identified their office vaccine champion as a physician and/or a nurse manager (75% vs. 22%. Also, staffs from higher performing offices were more likely to report the combination of having an office vaccine champion, previewing charts and using standing orders. These preliminary findings support future research examining implementation of organizational processes including identifying a vaccine champion, using standing orders and previewing medical charts prior to office visits as strategies to increase rates of HPV vaccination in primary care offices. Keywords: HPV vaccination, Adolescents, Primary care, Standing orders, Implementation, Vaccine champion

Design of a flight director/configuration management system for piloted STOL approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Hoh, R. H.; Klein, R. H.; Johnson, W. A.

1973-01-01

The design and characteristics of a flight director for V/STOL aircraft are discussed. A configuration management system for piloted STOL approaches is described. The individual components of the overall system designed to reduce pilot workload to an acceptable level during curved, decelerating, and descending STOL approaches are defined. The application of the system to augmentor wing aircraft is analyzed. System performance checks and piloted evaluations were conducted on a flight simulator and the results are summarized.

Drilling and the associated borehole measurements of the pilot hole ONK-PH2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehberg, A.; Aaltonen, I.; Kemppainen, K.; Mattila, J.; Heikkinen, E.; Lahti, M.; Pussinen, V.; Niemonen, J.; Paaso, N.; Rouhiainen, P.

2005-11-01

The construction of the ONKALO access tunnel started in September 2004 at Olkiluoto. Most of the investigations related to the construction of the access tunnel aim to ensure successful excavations, reinforcement and sealing. Pilot holes are boreholes, which are core drilled along the tunnel profile. The length of the pilot holes typically varies from several tens of metres to a couple of hundred metres. The pilot holes will mostly aim to confirm the quality of the rock mass for tunnel construction, and in particular at identifying water conductive fractured zones and at providing information that could result in modifications of the existing construction plans. The pilot hole ONK-PH2 was drilled in December 2004. The length of the borehole is about 122 metres. The aim during the drilling work was to orientate core samples as much as possible. The deviation of the borehole was measured during and after the drilling phase. Electric conductivity was measured from the collected returning water samples. Logging of the core samples included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracturing, fracture frequency, RQD, fractured zones, core loss and weathering. The rock mechanical logging was based on Q-classification. The tests to determine rock strength and deformation properties were made with a Rock Tester-equipment. Difference Flow method was used for the determination of hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic head in fractures and fractured zones in the borehole. The overlapping i.e. the detailed flow logging mode was used. The flow logging was performed with 0.5 m section length and with 0.1 m depth increments. Geophysical borehole logging and optical imaging surveys of the pilot hole PH2 included the field work of all the surveys, the integration of the data as well as interpretation of the acoustic and borehole radar data. One of the objectives of the geochemical study was to get information of composition of ONKALO's groundwater before the construction will

Drilling and the associated drillhole measurements of the pilot hole ONK-PH4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehberg, A.; Heikkinen, E.; Hirvonen, H.; Kemppainen, K.; Majapuro, J.; Niemonen, J.; Poellaenen, J.; Rouhiainen, P.; Rautio, T.

2006-09-01

The construction of the ONKALO access tunnel started in September 2004 at Olkiluoto. Most of the investigations related to the construction of the access tunnel aim to ensure successful excavations, reinforcement and sealing. Pilot holes are drillholes, which are core drilled along the tunnel profile. The length of the pilot holes typically varies from several tens of metres to a couple of hundred metres. The pilot holes are mostly aimed to confirm the quality of the rock mass for tunnel construction, and in particular to identify water conductive fractured zones and to provide information that could result in modifications of the existing construction plans. The pilot hole ONK-PH4 was drilled in October 2005. The length of the hole is 96.01 metres. During the drilling work core samples were oriented as much as possible. The deviation of the hole was measured during and after the drilling phase. Electric conductivity was measured from the collected returning water samples. Geological logging of the core samples included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracturing, fracture frequency, RQD, fractured zones, core loss and weathering. The rock mechanical logging was based on Q-classification. The tests to determine rock strength and deformation properties were made with a Rock Tester-equipment. Difference Flow method was used for the determination of hydraulic conductivity in fractures and fractured zones in the hole. The overlapping i.e. the detailed flow logging mode was used. The flow logging was performed with 0.5 m section length and with 0.1 m depth increment. Water loss tests (Lugeon tests) were used to give background information for the grouting design. Geophysical logging and optical imaging of the pilot hole PH4 included the field work of all surveys, the integration of the data as well as interpretation of the acoustic and drillhole radar data. One of the objectives of the geochemical study was to get information of composition of ONKALO

Drilling and the associated borehole measurements of the pilot hole ONK-PH3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehberg, A.; Heikkinen, E.; Hirvonen, H.; Kemppainen, K.; Majapuro, J.; Niemonen, J.; Poellaenen, J.; Rouhiainen, P.

2006-03-01

The construction of the ONKALO access tunnel started in September 2004 at Olkiluoto. Most of the investigations related to the construction of the access tunnel aim to ensure successful excavations, reinforcement and sealing. Pilot holes are boreholes, which are core drilled along the tunnel profile. The length of the pilot holes typically varies from several tens of metres to a couple of hundred metres. The pilot holes will mostly aim to confirm the quality of the rock mass for tunnel construction, and in particular at identifying water conductive fractured zones and at providing information that could result in modifications of the existing construction plans. The pilot hole ONK-PH3 was drilled in September 2005. The length of the borehole is 145.04 metres. The aim during the drilling work was to orientate core samples as much as possible. The deviation of the borehole was measured during and after the drilling phase. Electric conductivity was measured from the collected returning water samples. Logging of the core samples included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracturing, fracture frequency, RQD, fractured zones, core loss and weathering. The rock mechanical logging was based on Q-classification. The tests to determine rock strength and deformation properties were made with a Rock Tester-equipment. Difference Flow method was used for the determination of hydraulic conductivity in fractures and fractured zones in the borehole. The overlapping i.e. the detailed flow logging mode was used. The flow logging was performed with 0.5 m section length and with 0.1 m depth increments. Water loss tests (Lugeon tests) and a pressure build-up test were used to give background information for the grouting design. Geophysical borehole logging and optical imaging surveys of the pilot hole PH3 included the field work of all the surveys, the integration of the data as well as interpretation of the acoustic and borehole radar data. One of the objectives of the

46 CFR 163.003-15 - Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Performance. 163.003-15 Section 163.003-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) EQUIPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL CONSTRUCTION Pilot Ladder § 163.003-15 Performance. (a) Each pilot ladder must be...

Effect of NTP technology levels on engine sizing for a 2005 piloted Mars mission

Science.gov (United States)

Burr, Annette D.; Cross, Elden H.; Widman, Frederick W.; North, D. Michael

1993-01-01

Previous vehicle mass studies were performed for Mars launch windows in the 2010-2018 time frame. Within the last year, a study was performed to determine the effects of various Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) engine and mission parameters on Initial Mass in Low Earth Orbit (MLEO) for a piloted Mars mission during the 2005 opportunity. Particle Bed Reactor (PBR) and Enabler-type reactors were compared. Parameters evaluated included engine thrust, number of engines, number of Trans-Mars Injection (TMI) burns, engine thrust/weight, engine out capability, engine burn time, and Isp. Earth and Mars departure dates and outbound and return travel times were optimized for a 240-day total interplanetary transfer time (long-duration stay mission). Parameters which were seen to reduce IMLEO included a greater number of perigee burns, multiple engines, and higher Isp. Optimum engine thrust varied substantially depending on the configuration. Engine models developed jointly by Rocketdyne and Westinghouse within the last year formed the basis for the Enabler thrust optimization study.

Cognitive engineering in aerospace application: Pilot interaction with cockpit automation

Science.gov (United States)

Sarter, Nadine R.; Woods, David D.

1993-01-01

Because of recent incidents involving glass-cockpit aircraft, there is growing concern with cockpit automation and its potential effects on pilot performance. However, little is known about the nature and causes of problems that arise in pilot-automation interaction. The results of two studies that provide converging, complementary data on pilots' difficulties with understanding and operating one of the core systems of cockpit automation, the Flight Management System (FMS) is reported. A survey asking pilots to describe specific incidents with the FMS and observations of pilots undergoing transition training to a glass cockpit aircraft served as vehicles to gather a corpus on the nature and variety of FMS-related problems. The results of both studies indicate that pilots become proficient in standard FMS operations through ground training and subsequent line experience. But even with considerable line experience, they still have difficulties tracking FMS status and behavior in certain flight contexts, and they show gaps in their understanding of the functional structure of the system. The results suggest that design-related factors such as opaque interfaces contribute to these difficulties which can affect pilots' situation awareness. The results of this research are relevant for both the design of cockpit automation and the development of training curricula specifically tailored to the needs of glass cockpits.

Utilizing solar energy for the purification of olive mill wastewater using a pilot-scale photocatalytic reactor after coagulation-flocculation.

Science.gov (United States)

Michael, I; Panagi, A; Ioannou, L A; Frontistis, Z; Fatta-Kassinos, D

2014-09-01

This study investigated the application of a solar-driven advanced oxidation process (solar Fenton) combined with previous coagulation/flocculation, for the treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW) at a pilot scale. Pre-treatment by coagulation/flocculation using FeSO4·7H2O (6.67 g L(-1)) as the coagulant, and an anionic polyelectrolyte (FLOCAN 23, 0.287 g L(-1)) as the flocculant, was performed to remove the solid content of the OMW. The solar Fenton experiments were carried out in a compound parabolic collector pilot plant, in the presence of varying doses of H2O2 and Fe(2+). The optimization of the oxidation process, using reagents at low concentrations ([Fe(2+)] = 0.08 g L(-1); [H2O2] = 1 g L(-1)), led to a high COD removal (87%), while the polyphenolic fraction, which is responsible for the biorecalcitrant and/or toxic properties of OMW, was eliminated. A kinetic study using a modified pseudo first-order kinetic model was performed in order to determine the reaction rate constants. This work evidences also the potential use of the solar Fenton process at the inherent pH of the OMW, yielding only a slightly lower COD removal (81%) compared to that obtained under acidic conditions. Moreover, the results demonstrated the capacity of the applied advanced process to reduce the initial OMW toxicity against the examined plant species (Sorghum saccharatum, Lepidium sativum, Sinapis alba), and the water flea Daphnia magna. The OMW treated samples displayed a varying toxicity profile for each type of organism and plant examined in this study, a fact that can potentially be attributed to the varying oxidation products formed during the process applied. Finally, the overall cost of solar Fenton oxidation for the treatment of 50 m(3) of OMW per day was estimated to be 2.11 € m(-3). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human error analysis project (HEAP) - The fourth pilot study: verbal data for analysis of operator performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braarud, Per Oeyvind; Droeyvoldsmo, Asgeir; Hollnagel, Erik

1997-06-01

This report is the second report from the Pilot study No. 4 within the Human Error Analyses Project (HEAP). The overall objective of HEAP is to provide a better understanding and explicit modelling of how and why ''cognitive errors'' occur. This study investigated the contribution from different verbal data sources for analysis of control room operator's performance. Operator's concurrent verbal report, retrospective verbal report, and process expert's comments were compared for their contribution to an operator performance measure. This study looked into verbal protocols for single operator and for team. The main findings of the study were that all the three verbal data sources could be used to study performance. There was a relative high overlap between the data sources, but also a unique contribution from each source. There was a common pattern in the types of operator activities the data sources gave information about. The operator's concurrent protocol overall contained slightly more information on the operator's activities than the other two verbal sources. The study also showed that concurrent verbal protocol is feasible and useful for analysis of team's activities during a scenario. (author)

A Novel Switching-Based Control Framework for Improved Task Performance in Teleoperation System With Asymmetric Time-Varying Delays.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Di-Hua; Xia, Yuanqing

2018-02-01

This paper addresses the adaptive control for task-space teleoperation systems with constrained predefined synchronization error, where a novel switched control framework is investigated. Based on multiple Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals method, the stability of the resulting closed-loop system is established in the sense of state-independent input-to-output stability. Compared with previous work, the developed method can simultaneously handle the unknown kinematics/dynamics, asymmetric varying time delays, and prescribed performance control in a unified framework. It is shown that the developed controller can guarantee the prescribed transient-state and steady-state synchronization performances between the master and slave robots, which is demonstrated by the simulation study.

EMI Shielding Performance For Varies Frequency by Metal Plating on Mold Compound

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Fee Tai

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Conformal metalization on mold compound offers new possibility for IC package design to improve features such as rigidization of the flexible core, heat sink capability, 3D-circuit patterning and the electromagnetic interference (EMI shielding. With the unique processes, the fabrication technology had enabled to achieve the high reliable performance and had passed the electrical test. Following research after the reliability concern, this paper further study the shielding effectiveness of varying coating thickness with respect to laboratory simulated EMI condition, using radio frequency from 10MHz to 5.8 GHz. Different metal namely pure nickel, nickel-phosphorous and pure plated copper are studied for their effectiveness of EMI sheilding. Our first result showed over 35-40dB of shielding effectiveness is achievable on high frequency 868-5800MHz. Nevertheless on low frequency of 10MHz, the shielding effectiveness achievement is below than 25dB. To overcome the shielding need for lower frequency, we further expanded our test by choosing ferromagentic material Nicke/Ironl-alloy in combination with thick copper plating. With this new metal combination, EMI shielding effectiveness for lower frequency is improved to 40dB.

Pilot production & commercialization of LAPPD{sup ™}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Minot, Michael J., E-mail: mjm@incomusa.com [Incom Inc, 294 Southbridge Road, Charlton, MA 01507 (United States); Bennis, Daniel C.; Bond, Justin L.; Craven, Christopher A.; O' Mahony, Aileen; Renaud, Joseph M.; Stochaj, Michael E. [Incom Inc, 294 Southbridge Road, Charlton, MA 01507 (United States); Elam, Jeffrey W.; Mane, Anil U.; Demarteau, Marcellinus W.; Wagner, Robert G. [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439-4814 (United States); McPhate, Jason B.; Helmut Siegmund, Oswald [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Elagin, Andrey; Frisch, Henry J.; Northrop, Richard; Wetstein, Matthew J. [University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637 (United States)

2015-07-01

We present a progress update on plans to establish pilot production and commercialization of Large Area (400 cm{sup 2}) Picosecond Photodetector (LAPPD{sup ™}). Steps being taken to commercialize this MCP and LAPPD{sup ™} technology and begin tile pilot production are presented including (1) the manufacture of 203 mm×203 mm borosilicate glass capillary arrays (GCAs), (2) optimization of MCP performance and creation of an ALD coating facility to manufacture MCPs and (3) design, construction and commissioning of UHV tile integration and sealing facility to produce LAPPDs. Taken together these plans provide a “pathway toward commercialization”.

Selecting pilots with crew resource management skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Hedge, J W; Bruskiewicz, K T; Borman, W C; Hanson, M A; Logan, K K; Siem, F M

2000-10-01

For years, pilot selection has focused primarily on the identification of individuals with superior flying skills and abilities. More recently, the aviation community has become increasingly aware that successful completion of a flight or mission requires not only flying skills but the ability to work well in a crew situation. This project involved development and validation of a crew resource management (CRM) skills test for Air Force transport pilots. A significant relation was found between the CRM skills test and behavior-based ratings of aircraft commander CRM performance, and the implications of these findings for CRM-based selection and training are discussed.

Pilot demonstrations of arsenic treatment technologies in U.S. Department of Energy Arsenic Water Technology Partnership program.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Everett, Randy L.; Aragon, Alicia R.; Siegal Malcolm D.; Dwyer, Brian P.

2005-01-01

, waste disposal options and availability of permanent structures to house the test. Conducting pilot tests for media comparison at all sites in need of arsenic treatment would be extremely time consuming and costly. Laboratory studies are being conducted using rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs) to predict the performance of pilot-scale adsorption columns. RSSCTs are a rapid and inexpensive method of investigating innovative technologies while varying water quality and/or system design. RSSCTs are scaled down columns packed with smaller diameter adsorption media that receive higher hydraulic loading rates to significantly reduce the duration of experiments. Results for RSSCTs can be obtained in a matter of days to a few weeks, whereas pilot tests can take a number of months to over a year. In the pilot tests, the innovative technologies will be evaluated in terms of adsorptive capacity for arsenic; robustness of performance with respect to water quality parameters including pH, TDS, foulants such as Fe, Mn, silica, and organics, and other metals and radionuclides; and potentially deleterious effects on the water system such as pipe corrosion from low pH levels, fluoride removal, and generation of disinfection by-products. The new arsenic MCL will result in modification of many rural water systems that otherwise would not require treatment. Simultaneous improvement of water quality in systems that will require treatment for other contaminants such as uranium, radon and radium would be an added benefit of this program.

14 CFR 61.113 - Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command. 61.113 Section 61.113 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIRMEN CERTIFICATION: PILOTS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AND GROUND...

14 CFR 91.1089 - Qualifications: Check pilots (aircraft) and check pilots (simulator).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Qualifications: Check pilots (aircraft) and check pilots (simulator). 91.1089 Section 91.1089 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... RULES Fractional Ownership Operations Program Management § 91.1089 Qualifications: Check pilots...

The Effect of Marketing Strategies Construct on Firm Performance: Results from Pilot Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fazal Akbar

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The difficulties that face small and medium organization in any field are severe nowadays. The importance of SMEs is vital. Different researchers have proposed different success factors for small and medium organization, like finance, skilled workforce, technology, innovation and most importantly marketing. Marketing is the spine of any organization, through marketing firms bring innovation, awareness of competitors, awareness of products, building relation with customers. A good marketing strategy increases the sale of product for sure. The small and medium organization face difficulties in doing marketing, because of limited finance, limited or unskilled staff, unawareness of marketing strategies, no or less use of media. This paper presents the pilot survey result for the study of effect of marketing strategies construct (entrepreneurial, guerrilla, relationship, ambush, viral and niche marketing, on firm performance. Descriptive statistics, normality, reliability and preliminary factor analysis (EFA test were run, all the data were presented in tables below. The result shows that all the questionnaire were normally distributed, and the outcomes are all normal.

Conflict Resolution Performance in an Experimental Study of En Route Free Maneuvering Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Doble, Nathan A.; Barhydt, Richard; Hitt, James M., II

2005-01-01

NASA has developed a far-term air traffic management concept, termed Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management (DAG-TM). One component of DAG-TM, En Route Free Maneuvering, allows properly trained flight crews of equipped autonomous aircraft to assume responsibility for separation from other autonomous aircraft and from Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft. Ground-based air traffic controllers continue to separate IFR traffic and issue flow management constraints to all aircraft. To examine En Route Free Maneuvering operations, a joint human-in-the-loop experiment was conducted in summer 2004 at the NASA Ames and Langley Research Centers. Test subject pilots used desktop flight simulators to resolve traffic conflicts and adhere to air traffic flow constraints issued by subject controllers. The experimental airspace integrated both autonomous and IFR aircraft at varying traffic densities. This paper presents a subset of the En Route Free Maneuvering experimental results, focusing on airborne and ground-based conflict resolution, and the effects of increased traffic levels on the ability of pilots and air traffic controllers to perform this task. The results show that, in general, increases in autonomous traffic do not significantly impact conflict resolution performance. In addition, pilot acceptability of autonomous operations remains high throughout the range of traffic densities studied. Together with previously reported findings, these results continue to support the feasibility of the En Route Free Maneuvering component of DAG-TM.

Implementing a Pharmacist-Led Medication Management Pilot to Improve Care Transitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Root, PharmD, MS

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this project was to design and pilot a pharmacist-led process to address medication management across the continuum of care within a large integrated health-system.Summary: A care transitions pilot took place within a health-system which included a 150-bed community hospital. The pilot process expanded the pharmacist’s medication management responsibilities to include providing discharge medication reconciliation, a patient-friendly discharge medication list, discharge medication education, and medication therapy management (MTM follow-up.Adult patients with a predicted diagnosis-related group (DRG of congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admitted to the medical-surgical and intensive care units who utilized a primary care provider within the health-system were included in the pilot. Forty patients met the inclusion criteria and thirty-four (85% received an intervention from an inpatient or MTM pharmacist. Within this group of patients, 88 drug therapy problems (2.6 per patient were identified and 75% of the drug therapy recommendations made by the pharmacist were accepted by the care provider. The 30-day all-cause readmission rates for the intervention and comparison groups were 30.5% and 35.9%, respectively. The number of patients receiving follow-up care varied with 10 (25% receiving MTM follow-up, 26 (65% completing a primary care visit after their first hospital discharge, and 23 (58% receiving a home care visit.Conclusion: Implementation of a pharmacist-led medication management pilot across the continuum of care resulted in an improvement in the quality of care transitions within the health-system through increased identification and resolution of drug therapy problems and MTM follow-up. The lessons learned from the implementation of this pilot will be used to further refine pharmacy care transitions programs across the health-system.

Impact of varying levels of sanitation on mortality of Tribolium castaneum eggs and adults during heat treatment of a pilot flour mill

Science.gov (United States)

The influence of sanitation on responses of life stages of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), an economically important pest in flour mills, was investigated in a pilot flour mill subjected to two, 24-h heat treatments. One hundred eggs or 100 adults of T...

National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neuhauser, K. [Building Science Corporation (BSC), Somervgille, MA (United States)

2012-03-01

Through discussion of five case studies (test homes), this project evaluates strategies to elevate the performance of existing homes to a level commensurate with best-in-class implementation of high-performance new construction homes. The test homes featured in this research activity participated in Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) Pilot Program sponsored by the electric and gas utility National Grid in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Building enclosure retrofit strategies are evaluated for impact on durability and indoor air quality in addition to energy performance.

The HADES demonstration and pilot project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruyn, D.de; Meynendonckx, P.; Neerdael, B.; Noynaert, L.; Voet, M.; Volckaert, G.; Bonne, A.

1988-01-01

This report deals with the activities of SCK/CEN and its subcontractors performed during the years 1986-87 in the framework of the HADES demonstration and pilot project, which is carried out in the geological Boom clay formation underlying the nuclear research establishment at Mol. This demonstration and pilot project is sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities under contract number Fl1W-004 B (B) in the framework of Part B of the CEC programme on radioactive waste management and disposal. The actions undertaken and reported here deal essentially with design and engineering activities in preparation for the construction of a test drift and of a mine-by-test directly related to this construction test and of a combined irradiation/heating test to be performed later on in this test drift. A time schedule for the various tests planned to be made in the test drift has also been worked out taking into account time and spatial dependencies

Pilot scale experiment with MBR operated in intermittent aeration condition: analysis of biological performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Capodici, M; Di Bella, G; Di Trapani, D; Torregrossa, M

2015-02-01

The effect of intermittent aeration (IA) on a MBR system was investigated. The study was aimed at analyzing different working conditions and the influence of different IA cycles on the biological performance of the MBR pilot plant, in terms of organic carbon and ammonium removal as well as extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) production. The membrane modules were placed in a separate compartment, continuously aerated. This configuration allowed to disconnect from the filtration stage the biological phenomena occurring into the IA bioreactor. The observed results highlighted good efficiencies, in terms of organic carbon and ammonium removal. It was noticed a significant soluble microbial products (SMPs) release, likely related to the higher metabolic stress that anoxic conditions exerted on the biomass. However, the proposed configuration, with the membranes in a separate compartment, allowed to reduce the EPSs in the membrane tank even during the non-aerated phase, thus lowering fouling development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficient adaptive constrained control with time-varying predefined performance for a hypersonic flight vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caisheng Wei

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A novel low-complexity adaptive control method, capable of guaranteeing the transient and steady-state tracking performance in the presence of unknown nonlinearities and actuator saturation, is investigated for the longitudinal dynamics of a generic hypersonic flight vehicle. In order to attenuate the negative effects of classical predefined performance function for unknown initial tracking errors, a modified predefined performance function with time-varying design parameters is presented. Under the newly developed predefined performance function, two novel adaptive controllers with low-complexity computation are proposed for velocity and altitude subsystems of the hypersonic flight vehicle, respectively. Wherein, different from neural network-based approximation, a least square support vector machine with only two design parameters is utilized to approximate the unknown hypersonic dynamics. And the relevant ideal weights are obtained by solving a linear system without resorting to specialized optimization algorithms. Based on the approximation by least square support vector machine, only two adaptive scalars are required to be updated online in the parameter projection method. Besides, a new finite-time-convergent differentiator, with a quite simple structure, is proposed to estimate the unknown generated state variables in the newly established normal output-feedback formulation of altitude subsystem. Moreover, it is also employed to obtain accurate estimations for the derivatives of virtual controllers in a recursive design. This avoids the inherent drawback of backstepping — “explosion of terms” and makes the proposed control method achievable for the hypersonic flight vehicle. Further, the compensation design is employed when the saturations of the actuator occur. Finally, the numerical simulations validate the efficiency of the proposed finite-time-convergent differentiator and control method.

ASUPT Automated Objective Performance Measurement System.

Science.gov (United States)

Waag, Wayne L.; And Others

To realize its full research potential, a need exists for the development of an automated objective pilot performance evaluation system for use in the Advanced Simulation in Undergraduate Pilot Training (ASUPT) facility. The present report documents the approach taken for the development of performance measures and also presents data collected…

PanDA Pilot Submission using Condor-G: Experience and Improvements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Xin; Hover, John; Wlodek, Tomasz; Wenaus, Torre; Frey, Jaime; Tannenbaum, Todd; Livny, Miron

2011-01-01

PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) is the workload management system of the ATLAS experiment, used to run managed production and user analysis jobs on the grid. As a late-binding, pilot-based system, the maintenance of a smooth and steady stream of pilot jobs to all grid sites is critical for PanDA operation. The ATLAS Computing Facility (ACF) at BNL, as the ATLAS Tier1 center in the US, operates the pilot submission systems for the US. This is done using the PanDA 'AutoPilot' scheduler component which submits pilot jobs via Condor-G, a grid job scheduling system developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this paper, we discuss the operation and performance of the Condor-G pilot submission at BNL, with emphasis on the challenges and issues encountered in the real grid production environment. With the close collaboration of Condor and PanDA teams, the scalability and stability of the overall system has been greatly improved over the last year. We review improvements made to Condor-G resulting from this collaboration, including isolation of site-based issues by running a separate Gridmanager for each remote site, introduction of the 'Nonessential' job attribute to allow Condor to optimize its behavior for the specific character of pilot jobs, better understanding and handling of the Gridmonitor process, as well as better scheduling in the PanDA pilot scheduler component. We will also cover the monitoring of the health of the system.

Does the Maslach Burnout Inventory correlate with cognitive performance in anesthesia practitioners? A pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleonora Francesca Orena

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Chronic stress is a common condition among health-care operators, anesthetists in particular. It is known to cause cognitive weakening and pathological outcomes, as the Burnout syndrome. Nevertheless, the impact of clinicians′ health on their performance has received limited attention thus far. Our pilot study, aims at evaluating the influence of burnout on the cognitive performance in a population of anesthesia practitioners. Methods: In 18 practitioners we assessed attention by means of reaction times (RTs, pre- and post-shift, with a five-subtest computerized neuropsychological battery. RTs were controlled for the situational anxiety with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory X1. The burnout level was evaluated with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI. The three MBI sub-scores (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and professional achievement were combined to obtain two groups according to the burnout score (high and low. Results: Anesthetists showed a significantly worse performance in the fifth test post-shift (P=0.041 than pre-shift. The high-score burnout group reacted slower than the low-score burnout group in three of the five cognitive subtests, without reaching a statistical significance. Nevertheless, our effect size, which is independent from the sample size, is very large (d=1.165. Conclusion: We found that in a population of health-care operators, burnout may affect the cognitive and potentially, the working performance. Qualitative and quantitative measurements should be integrated to ensure a better management of burnout and its consequences in workplaces.

User Participation in Pilot Implementation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Torkilsheyggi, Arnvør Martinsdóttir á; Hertzum, Morten

2014-01-01

Pilot implementations provide users with real-work experiences of how a system will affect their daily work before the design of the system is finalized. On the basis of a pilot implementation of a system for coordinating the transport of patients by hospital porters, we investigate pilot...... implementation as a method for participatory design. We find that to foster participation and learning about user needs a pilot implementation must create a space for reflecting on use, in addition to the space for using the pilot system. The space for reflection must also exist during the activities preparing...... the use of the pilot system because the porters and nurses learned about their needs throughout the pilot implementation, not just during use. Finally, we discuss how the scope and duration of a pilot implementation influence the conditions for participation....

A pilot experiment with reactor neutrinos in Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, Henry T.; Li Jin

1999-01-01

A Collaboration comprising scientists from Taiwan, mainland China and the United States has been built up since 1996 to pursue an experimental program in neutrino and astro-particle physics in Taiwan. A pilot experiment to be performed at the Nuclear Power Station II in Taiwan is now under intense preparation. It will make use of a 500 kg CsI(Tl) crystal calorimeter to study various neutrino interactions. Various possible future directions will also be explored. The conceptual design and the physics to be addressed by the pilot experiment are discussed

Higher landing accuracy in expert pilots is associated with lower activity in the caudate nucleus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maheen M Adamson

Full Text Available The most common lethal accidents in General Aviation are caused by improperly executed landing approaches in which a pilot descends below the minimum safe altitude without proper visual references. To understand how expertise might reduce such erroneous decision-making, we examined relevant neural processes in pilots performing a simulated landing approach inside a functional MRI scanner. Pilots (aged 20-66 were asked to "fly" a series of simulated "cockpit view" instrument landing scenarios in an MRI scanner. The scenarios were either high risk (heavy fog-legally unsafe to land or low risk (medium fog-legally safe to land. Pilots with one of two levels of expertise participated: Moderate Expertise (Instrument Flight Rules pilots, n = 8 or High Expertise (Certified Instrument Flight Instructors or Air-Transport Pilots, n = 12. High Expertise pilots were more accurate than Moderate Expertise pilots in making a "land" versus "do not land" decision (CFII: d' = 3.62 ± 2.52; IFR: d' = 0.98 ± 1.04; p<.01. Brain activity in bilateral caudate nucleus was examined for main effects of expertise during a "land" versus "do not land" decision with the no-decision control condition modeled as baseline. In making landing decisions, High Expertise pilots showed lower activation in the bilateral caudate nucleus (0.97 ± 0.80 compared to Moderate Expertise pilots (1.91 ± 1.16 (p<.05. These findings provide evidence for increased "neural efficiency" in High Expertise pilots relative to Moderate Expertise pilots. During an instrument approach the pilot is engaged in detailed examination of flight instruments while monitoring certain visual references for making landing decisions. The caudate nucleus regulates saccade eye control of gaze, the brain area where the "expertise" effect was observed. These data provide evidence that performing "real world" aviation tasks in an fMRI provide objective data regarding the relative expertise of pilots and brain regions

SkyMine Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christenson, Norm; Walters, Jerel

2014-12-31

This Topical Report addresses accomplishments achieved during Phase 2b of the SkyMine® Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project. The primary objectives of this project are to design, construct, and operate a system to capture CO2 from a slipstream of flue gas from a commercial coal-fired cement kiln, convert that CO2 to products having commercial value (i.e., beneficial use), show the economic viability of the CO2 capture and conversion process, and thereby advance the technology to the point of readiness for commercial scale demonstration and deployment. The overall process is carbon negative, resulting in mineralization of CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. The project will also substantiate market opportunities for the technology by sales of chemicals into existing markets, and identify opportunities to improve technology performance and reduce costs at the commercial scale. The project is being conducted in two phases. The primary objectives of Phase 1 were to evaluate proven SkyMine® process chemistry for commercial pilot-scale operation and complete the preliminary design for the pilot plant to be built and operated in Phase 2, complete a NEPA evaluation, and develop a comprehensive carbon life cycle analysis. The objective of Phase 2b was to build the pilot plant to be operated and tested in Phase 2c.

Energy Extension Service Pilot Program: evaluation report after two years. Volume I. Evaluation summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-04-01

The EES pilot program was initiated in August 1977, when 10 states were selected on a competitive basis for participation. The pilot states (Alabama, Connecticut, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) devoted the first 6 months to start-up activities. This document is a follow-up report to the three volume Evaluation Summary of the first year of the pilot EES program published in September 1979. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the impacts and costs of the two years of the pilot program, and to check the consistency of findings over the two year period. The analysis addresses the following: (1) were the impact findings of Year I and Year II consistent, or did Year I and Year II attitudes and behavior vary. If variation existed, could it be attributed to program changes as the EES progressed from a start-up phase (Year I) to more normal service delivery (Year II); and (2) did costs of service delivery change (again reflecting start-up and normal service delivery costs). Did cost changes affect conclusions about the relative cost effectiveness of delivering services to different target audiences.

Dissolution studies with pilot plant and actual INTEC calcines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herbst, R.S.; Garn, T.G.

1999-01-01

The dissolution of Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) pilot plant calcines was examined to determine solubility of calcine matrix components in acidic media. Two representatives pilot plant calcine types were studied: Zirconia calcine and Zirconia/Sodium calcine. Dissolution of these calcines was evaluated using lower initial concentrations of nitric acid than used in previous tests to decrease the [H+] concentration in the final solutions. Lower [H+] concentrations contribute to more favorable TRUEX/SREX solvent extraction flowsheet performance. Dissolution and analytical results were also obtained for radioactive calcines produced using high sodium feeds blended with non-radioactive Al(NO 3 ) 3 solutions to dilute the sodium concentration and prevent bed agglomeration during the calcination process. Dissolution tests indicated >95 wt.% of the initial calcine mass can be dissolved using the baseline dissolution procedure, with the exception that higher initial nitric acid concentrations are required. The higher initial acid concentration is required for stoichiometric dissolution of the oxides, primarily aluminum oxide. Statistically designed experiments using pilot plant calcine were performed to determine the effect of mixing rate on dissolution efficiency. Mixing rate was determined to provide minimal effects on wt.% dissolution. The acid/calcine ratio and temperature were the predominate variables affecting the wt.% dissolution, a result consistent with previous studies using other similar types of pilot plant calcines

Healthy Efficient New Gas Homes (HENGH) Pilot Test Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chan, Wanyu R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Maddalena, Randy L [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Stratton, Chris [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Hotchi, Toshifumi [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Singer, Brett C. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Walker, Iain S. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Sherman, Max H. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-05-01

The Healthy Efficient New Gas Homes (HENGH) is a field study that will collect data on ventilation systems and indoor air quality (IAQ) in new California homes that were built to 2008 Title 24 standards. A pilot test was performed to help inform the most time and cost effective approaches to measuring IAQ in the 100 test homes that will be recruited for this study. Two occupied, single-family detached homes built to 2008 Title 24 participated in the pilot test. One of the test homes uses exhaust-only ventilation provided by a continuous exhaust fan in the laundry room. The other home uses supply air for ventilation. Measurements of IAQ were collected for two weeks. Time-resolved concentrations of particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde were measured. Measurements of IAQ also included time-integrated concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), volatile aldehydes, and NO2. Three perfluorocarbon tracers (PFTs) were used to estimate the dilution rate of an indoor emitted air contaminant in the two pilot test homes. Diagnostic tests were performed to measure envelope air leakage, duct leakage, and airflow of range hood, exhaust fans, and clothes dryer vent when accessible. Occupant activities, such as cooking, use of range hood and exhaust fans, were monitored using various data loggers. This document describes results of the pilot test.

Pilot interaction with cockpit automation - Operational experiences with the Flight Management System

Science.gov (United States)

Sarter, Nadine B.; Woods, David D.

1992-01-01

Results are presented of two studies on the potential effect of cockpit automation on the pilot's performance, which provide data on pilots' difficulties with understanding and operating one of the core systems of cockpit automation, the Flight Management System (FMS). The results of both studies indicate that, although pilots do become proficient in standard FMS operations through ground training and subsequent flight experience, they still have difficulties tracking the FMS status and behavior in certain flight contexts and show gaps in the understanding of the functional structure of the system. The results suggest that design-related factors such as opaque interfaces contribute to these difficulties, which can affect the pilot's situation awareness.

Next Generation PanDA Pilot for ATLAS and Other Experiments

CERN Document Server

Nilsson, P; The ATLAS collaboration; Caballero Bejar, J; De, K; Hover, J; Love, P; Maeno, T; Medrano Llamas, R; Walker, R; Wenaus, T

2013-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) has been in use in the ATLAS Experiment since 2005. It uses a sophisticated pilot system to execute submitted jobs on the worker nodes. While originally designed for ATLAS, the PanDA Pilot has recently been refactored to facilitate use outside of ATLAS. Experiments are now handled as plug-ins such that a new PanDA Pilot user only has to implement a set of prototyped methods in the plug-in classes, and provide a script that configures and runs the experiment specific payload. We will give an overview of the Next Generation PanDA Pilot system and will present major features and recent improvements including live user payload debugging, data access via the Federated XRootD system, stage-out to alternative storage elements, support for the new ATLAS DDM system (Rucio), and an improved integration with glExec, as well as a description of the experiment specific plug-in classes. The performance of the pilot system in processing LHC data on the OSG, LCG and Nord...

Next Generation PanDA Pilot for ATLAS and Other Experiments

CERN Document Server

Nilsson, P; The ATLAS collaboration; Caballero Bejar, J; De, K; Hover, J; Love, P; Maeno, T; Medrano Llamas, R; Walker, R; Wenaus, T

2014-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) has been in use in the ATLAS Experiment since 2005. It uses a sophisticated pilot system to execute submitted jobs on the worker nodes. While originally designed for ATLAS, the PanDA Pilot has recently been refactored to facilitate use outside of ATLAS. Experiments are now handled as plug-ins such that a new PanDA Pilot user only has to implement a set of prototyped methods in the plug-in classes, and provide a script that configures and runs the experiment specific payload. We will give an overview of the Next Generation PanDA Pilot system and will present major features and recent improvements including live user payload debugging, data access via the Federated XRootD system, stage-out to alternative storage elements, support for the new ATLAS DDM system (Rucio), and an improved integration with glExec, as well as a description of the experiment specific plug-in classes. The performance of the pilot system in processing LHC data on the OSG, LCG and Nord...

PanDA Pilot Submission using Condor-G: Experience and Improvements

CERN Document Server

Zhao, X; The ATLAS collaboration; Wlodek, T; Wenaus, T; Frey, J; Tannenbaum, T; Livny, M

2011-01-01

PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) is the workload management system of the ATLAS experiment, used to run managed production and user analysis jobs on the grid. As a late-binding, pilot-based system, the maintenance of a smooth and steady stream of pilot jobs to all grid sites is critical for PanDA operation. The ATLAS Computing Facility (ACF) at BNL, as the ATLAS Tier1 center in the US, operates the pilot submission systems for the US. This is done using the PanDA “AutoPilot” scheduler component which submits pilot jobs via Condor-G, a grid job scheduling system developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this paper, we discuss the operation and performance of the Condor-G pilot submission at BNL, with emphasis on the challenges and issues encountered in the real grid production environment. With the close collaboration of Condor and PanDA teams, the scalability and stability of the overall system has been greatly improved over the last year. We review improvements made to Condor-G resu...

Pilot power optimization for AF relaying using maximum likelihood channel estimation

KAUST Repository

Wang, Kezhi

2014-09-01

Bit error rates (BERs) for amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying systems with two different pilot-symbol-aided channel estimation methods, disintegrated channel estimation (DCE) and cascaded channel estimation (CCE), are derived in Rayleigh fading channels. Based on these BERs, the pilot powers at the source and at the relay are optimized when their total transmitting powers are fixed. Numerical results show that the optimized system has a better performance than other conventional nonoptimized allocation systems. They also show that the optimal pilot power in variable gain is nearly the same as that in fixed gain for similar system settings. andcopy; 2014 IEEE.

Effects of kinesthetic versus visual imagery practice on two technical dance movements: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Girón, Elizabeth Coker; McIsaac, Tara; Nilsen, Dawn

2012-03-01

Motor imagery is a type of mental practice that involves imagining the body performing a movement in the absence of motor output. Dance training traditionally incorporates mental practice techniques, but quantitative effects of motor imagery on the performance of dance movements are largely unknown. This pilot study compared the effects of two different imagery modalities, external visual imagery and kinesthetic imagery, on pelvis and hip kinematics during two technical dance movements, plié and sauté. Each of three female dance students (mean age = 19.7 years, mean years of training = 10.7) was assigned to use a type of imagery practice: visual imagery, kinesthetic imagery, or no imagery. Effects of motor imagery on peak external hip rotation varied by both modality and task. Kinesthetic imagery increased peak external hip rotation for pliés, while visual imagery increased peak external hip rotation for sautés. Findings suggest that the success of motor imagery in improving performance may be task-specific. Dancers may benefit from matching imagery modality to technical tasks in order to improve alignment and thereby avoid chronic injury.

Angular Domain Data-Assisted Channel Estimation for Pilot Decontamination in Massive MIMO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yihenew Beyene

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Massive Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (M-MIMO system is a promising technology that offers to mobile networks substantial increase in throughput. In Time-Division Duplexing (TDD, the uplink training allows a Base Station (BS to acquire Channel State Information (CSI for both uplink reception and downlink transmission. This is essential for M-MIMO systems where downlink training pilots would consume large portion of the bandwidth. In densely populated areas, pilot symbols are reused among neighboring cells. Pilot contamination is the fundamental bottleneck on the performance of M-MIMO systems. Pilot contamination effect in antenna arrays can be mitigated by treating the channel estimation problem in angular domain where channel sparsity can be exploited. In this paper, we introduce a codebook that projects the channel into orthogonal beams and apply Minimum Mean-Squared Error (MMSE criterion to estimate the channel. We also propose data-aided channel covariance matrix estimation algorithm for angular domain MMSE channel estimator by exploiting properties of linear antenna array. The algorithm is based on simple linear operations and no matrix inversion is involved. Numerical results show that the algorithm performs well in mitigating pilot contamination where the desired channel and other interfering channels span overlapping angle-of-arrivals.

Piloting improved cookstoves in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Jessica J; Bhojvaid, Vasundhara; Brooks, Nina; Das, Ipsita; Jeuland, Marc A; Patange, Omkar; Pattanayak, Subhrendu K

2015-01-01

Despite the potential of improved cookstoves to reduce the adverse environmental and health impacts of solid fuel use, their adoption and use remains low. Social marketing-with its focus on the marketing mix of promotion, product, price, and place-offers a useful way to understand household behaviors and design campaigns to change biomass fuel use. We report on a series of pilots across 3 Indian states that use different combinations of the marketing mix. We find sales varying from 0% to 60%. Behavior change promotion that combined door-to-door personalized demonstrations with information pamphlets was effective. When given a choice amongst products, households strongly preferred an electric stove over improved biomass-burning options. Among different stove attributes, reduced cooking time was considered most valuable by those adopting a new stove. Households clearly identified price as a significant barrier to adoption, while provision of discounts (e.g., rebates given if households used the stove) or payments in installments were related to higher purchase. Place-based factors such as remoteness and nongovernmental organization operations significantly affected the ability to supply and convince households to buy and use improved cookstoves. Collectively, these pilots point to the importance of continued and extensive testing of messages, pricing models, and different stove types before scale-up. Thus, we caution that a one-size-fits-all approach will not boost improved cookstove adoption.

Pilot plant for flue gas treatment - continuous operation tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chmielewski, A.G.; Tyminski, B.; Iller, E.; Zimek, Z.; Licki, J.; Radzio, B.

1995-01-01

Tests of continuous operation have been performed on pilot plant at EPS Kaweczyn in the wide range of SO 2 concentration (500-3000 ppm). The bag filter has been applied for aerosol separation. The high efficiencies of SO 2 and NO x removal, approximately 90% were obtained and influenced by such process parameters as: dose, gas temperature and ammonia stoichiometry. The main apparatus of the pilot plant (e.g. both accelerators) have proved their reliability in hard industrial conditions. (Author)

WTP Pilot-Scale Evaporation Tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

QURESHI, ZAFAR

2004-01-01

This report documents the design, assembly, and operation of a Pilot-Scale Evaporator built and operated by SRTC in support of Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) Project at the DOE's Hanford Site. The WTP employs three identical evaporators, two for the Waste Feed and one for the Treated LAW. The Pilot-Scale Evaporator was designed to test simulants for both of these waste streams. The Pilot-Scale Evaporator is 1/76th scale in terms of evaporation rates. The basic configuration of forced circulation vacuum evaporator was employed. A detailed scaling analysis was performed to preserve key operating parameters such as basic loop configuration, system vacuum, boiling temperature, recirculation rates, vertical distances between important hardware pieces, reboiler heat transfer characteristics, vapor flux, configuration of demisters and water spray rings. Three evaporation test campaigns were completed. The first evaporation run used water in order to shake down the system. The water runs were important in identifying a design flaw that inhibited mixing in the evaporator vessel, thus resulting in unstable boiling operation. As a result the loop configuration was modified and the remaining runs were completed successfully. Two simulant runs followed the water runs. Test 1: Simulated Ultrafiltration Recycles with HLW SBS, and Test 2: Treated AN102 with Envelop C LAW. Several liquid and offgas samples were drawn from the evaporator facility for regulatory and non-regulatory analyses. During Test 2, the feed and the concentrate were spiked with organics to determine organic partitioning. The decontamination factor (DF) for Test 1 was measured to be 110,000 (more than the expected value of 100,000). Dow Corning Q2-3183A antifoam agent was tested during both Tests 1 and 2. It was determined that 500 ppm of this antifoam agent was sufficient to control the foaminess to less than 5 per cent of the liquid height. The long-term testing (around 100 hours of operation) did not show any

A Pilot-Pattern Based Algorithm for MIMO-OFDM Channel Estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guomin Li

2016-12-01

Full Text Available An improved pilot pattern algorithm for facilitating the channel estimation in multiple input multiple output-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM systems is proposed in this paper. The presented algorithm reconfigures the parameter in the least square (LS algorithm, which belongs to the space-time block-coded (STBC category for channel estimation in pilot-based MIMO-OFDM system. Simulation results show that the algorithm has better performance in contrast to the classical single symbol scheme. In contrast to the double symbols scheme, the proposed algorithm can achieve nearly the same performance with only half of the complexity of the double symbols scheme.

Estimating varying coefficients for partial differential equation models.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xinyu; Cao, Jiguo; Carroll, Raymond J

2017-09-01

Partial differential equations (PDEs) are used to model complex dynamical systems in multiple dimensions, and their parameters often have important scientific interpretations. In some applications, PDE parameters are not constant but can change depending on the values of covariates, a feature that we call varying coefficients. We propose a parameter cascading method to estimate varying coefficients in PDE models from noisy data. Our estimates of the varying coefficients are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normally distributed. The performance of our method is evaluated by a simulation study and by an empirical study estimating three varying coefficients in a PDE model arising from LIDAR data. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

Crew workload-management strategies - A critical factor in system performance

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, Sandra G.

1989-01-01

This paper reviews the philosophy and goals of the NASA/USAF Strategic Behavior/Workload Management Program. The philosophical foundation of the program is based on the assumption that an improved understanding of pilot strategies will clarify the complex and inconsistent relationships observed among objective task demands and measures of system performance and pilot workload. The goals are to: (1) develop operationally relevant figures of merit for performance, (2) quantify the effects of strategic behaviors on system performance and pilot workload, (3) identify evaluation criteria for workload measures, and (4) develop methods of improving pilots' abilities to manage workload extremes.

Marijuana and actual driving performance

Science.gov (United States)

1993-11-01

This report concerns the effects of marijuana smoking on actual driving performance. It presents the results of one pilot and three actual driving studies. The pilot study's major purpose was to establish the THC dose current marijuana users smoke to...

Home Cervical Traction to Reduce Neck Pain in Fighter Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Chumbley, Eric M; O'Hair, Nicole; Stolfi, Adrienne; Lienesch, Christopher; McEachen, James C; Wright, Bruce A

2016-12-01

Most fighter pilots report cervical pain during their careers. Recommendations for remediation lack evidence. We sought to determine whether regular use of a home cervical traction device could decrease reported cervical pain in F-15C pilots. An institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant, controlled crossover study was undertaken with 21 male F-15C fighter pilots between February and June 2015. Of the 21 subjects, 12 completed 6 wk each of traction and control, while logging morning, postflying, and post-traction pain. Pain was compared with paired t-tests between the periods, from initial pain scores to postflying, and postflying to post-traction. In the traction phase, initial pain levels increased postflight, from 1.2 (0.7) to 1.6 (1.0) Subsequent post-traction pain levels decreased to 1.3 (0.9), with a corresponding linear decrease in pain relative to pain reported postflight. The difference in pain levels after traction compared to initial levels was not significant, indicating that cervical traction was effective in alleviating flying-related pain. Control pain increased postflight from 1.4 (0.9) to 1.9 (1.3). Daily traction phase pain was lower than the control, but insignificant. To our knowledge, this is the first study of home cervical traction to address fighter pilots' cervical pain. We found a small but meaningful improvement in daily pain rating when using cervical traction after flying. These results help inform countermeasure development for pilots flying high-performance aircraft. Further study should clarify the optimal traction dose and timing in relation to flying.Chumbley EM, O'Hair N, Stolfi A, Lienesch C, McEachen JC, Wright BA. Home cervical traction to reduce neck pain in fighter pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(12):1010-1015.

49 CFR 230.110 - Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pilots. 230.110 Section 230.110 Transportation... and Equalizing System § 230.110 Pilots. (a) General provisions. Pilots shall be securely attached... clearance. The minimum clearance of pilot above the rail shall be 3 inches and the maximum clearance shall...

Pilot chargeback system program plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, P.

1997-03-01

This planning document outlines the steps necessary to develop, test, evaluate, and potentially implement a pilot chargeback system at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory for the treatment, storage, and disposal of current waste. This pilot program will demonstrate one system that can be used to charge onsite generators for the treatment and disposal of low-level radioactive waste. In FY 1997, mock billings will begin by July 15, 1997. Assuming approvals are received to do so, FY 1998 activities will include modifying the associated automated systems, testing and evaluating system performance, and estimating the amount generators will spend for waste storage, treatment, and disposal in FY 1999. If the program is fully implemented in FY 1999, generators will pay actual, automated bills for waste management services from funds transferred to their budgets from Environmental Management

Gender differences in navigational memory: pilots vs. nonpilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Verde, Paola; Piccardi, Laura; Bianchini, Filippo; Guariglia, Cecilia; Carrozzo, Paolo; Morgagni, Fabio; Boccia, Maddalena; Di Fiore, Giacomo; Tomao, Enrico

2015-02-01

The coding of space as near and far is not only determined by arm-reaching distance, but is also dependent on how the brain represents the extension of the body space. Recent reports suggest that the dissociation between reaching and navigational space is not limited to perception and action but also involves memory systems. It has been reported that gender differences emerged only in adverse learning conditions that required strong spatial ability. In this study we investigated navigational versus reaching memory in air force pilots and a control group without flight experience. We took into account temporal duration (working memory and long-term memory) and focused on working memory, which is considered critical in the gender differences literature. We found no gender effects or flight hour effects in pilots but observed gender effects in working memory (but not in learning and delayed recall) in the nonpilot population (Women's mean = 5.33; SD= 0.90; Men's mean = 5.54; SD= 0.90). We also observed a difference between pilots and nonpilots in the maintenance of on-line reaching information: pilots (mean = 5.85; SD=0.76) were more efficient than nonpilots (mean = 5.21; SD=0.83) and managed this type of information similarly to that concerning navigational space. In the navigational learning phase they also showed better navigational memory (mean = 137.83; SD=5.81) than nonpilots (mean = 126.96; SD=15.81) and were significantly more proficient than the latter group. There is no gender difference in a population of pilots in terms of navigational abilities, while it emerges in a control group without flight experience. We found also that pilots performed better than nonpilots. This study suggests that once selected, male and female pilots do not differ from each other in visuo-spatial abilities and spatial navigation.

U.S. Army Primary Helicopter School Training Program Performance Norms.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, John A.; Statham, Flavous D.

The Helicopter Pilot Training Program of the Army differs from those of the other services in concept. It takes nonpilot servicemen and trains them to fly helicopters. The study provides normative performance data for a pilot trainee in an army light-observation helicopter as a first step toward establishing normative data for pilot performance in…

Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian pilots flying aircraft not used by SAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tveten, U.

1997-05-01

The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). The project has been partially financed by the Norwegian Research Council. Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started or are in the planning stage in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots flying a great diversity of different aircrafts. Aircrafts that appear in the time-tables of the Scandinavian Airline System (SAS) have been treated in an earlier report. The results presented in this report (radiation doserates for the different types of aircrafts in the different years) will, in a later stage of the project be utilized to estimate the individual radiation exposure histories. The major sources of information used as basis for the work in this report is information provided by several active pilots, members of the Pilots Associations, along with calculations performed using US Federal Aviation Administration's computer code CARI-3N. 2 refs

Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian pilots flying aircraft not used by SAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tveten, U.

1997-05-01

The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). The project has been partially financed by the Norwegian Research Council. Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started or are in the planning stage in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots flying a great diversity of different aircrafts. Aircrafts that appear in the time-tables of the Scandinavian Airline System (SAS) have been treated in an earlier report. The results presented in this report (radiation doserates for the different types of aircrafts in the different years) will, in a later stage of the project be utilized to estimate the individual radiation exposure histories. The major sources of information used as basis for the work in this report is information provided by several active pilots, members of the Pilots Associations, along with calculations performed using US Federal Aviation Administration`s computer code CARI-3N. 2 refs.

Study of the CMS Phase 1 Pixel Pilot Blade Reconstruction

CERN Document Server

CMS Collaboration

2017-01-01

The silicon pixel detector is the innermost component of the CMS tracking system. It was replaced in March 2017 with an upgraded one, called the Phase 1 upgrade detector. During Long Shutdown 1, a third disk was inserted into the present forward pixel detector with eight prototype blades constructed using a new digital read-out chip architecture and a prototype readout chain. Testing the performance of these pilot modules enabled us to gain experience with the Phase 1 upgrade modules. In this document, the data reconstruction with the pilot system is presented. The hit finding efficiency and residual of these new modules is also shown, and how these observables were used to adjust the timing of the pilot blades.

Report on the Fermilab pilot N ampersand S closure process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coulson, L.

1995-01-01

This document outlines the plans and protocols for conducting a pilot of the Department of Energy's Necessary ampersand Sufficient Closure Process (Attachment A) at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) in Batavia, Illinois. The result of this pilot will be a set of standards which will serve as the agreed upon basis for providing FNAL with adequate Environment, Safety and Health Protection at the lowest possible cost. This pilot will seek out and emulate compatible industry practices which have been proven successful both in terms of safety performance and cost-effectiveness. This charter has been developed as a partnership effort by the parties to this agreement (see ''Responsibilities'' below), and is considered to be a living document

On the pilot's behavior of detecting a system parameter change

Science.gov (United States)

Morizumi, N.; Kimura, H.

1986-01-01

The reaction of a human pilot, engaged in compensatory control, to a sudden change in the controlled element's characteristics is described. Taking the case where the change manifests itself as a variance change of the monitored signal, it is shown that the detection time, defined to be the time elapsed until the pilot detects the change, is related to the monitored signal and its derivative. Then, the detection behavior is modeled by an optimal controller, an optimal estimator, and a variance-ratio test mechanism that is performed for the monitored signal and its derivative. Results of a digital simulation show that the pilot's detection behavior can be well represented by the model proposed here.

Performance equations of proton exchange membrane fuel cells with feeds of varying degrees of humidification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsuen, Hsiao-Kuo; Yin, Ken-Ming

2012-01-01

Performance equations that describe the dependence of cell potential on current density for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with feeds of varying degrees of humidification have been formulated in algebraic form. The equations are developed by the reduction of a one-dimensional multi-domain model that takes into account, in details, the transport limitations of gas species, proton migration and electron conduction, electrochemical kinetics, as well as liquid water flow within the cathode, anode, and membrane. The model equations for the anode and membrane were integrated with those of the cathode developed in the previous studies to form a complete set of equations for one-dimensional single cell model. Because the transport equations for the anode diffuser can be solved analytically, calculations of integrals are only needed in the membrane and the two-phase region of cathode diffuser. The proposed approach greatly reduces the complexity of the model equations, and only iterations of a single algebraic equation are required to obtain final solutions. Since the performance equations are originated from a mechanistic one-dimensional model, all the parameters appearing in the equations are endowed with a precise physical significance.

The next generation PanDA Pilot for and beyond the ATLAS experiment

CERN Document Server

Nilsson, Paul; The ATLAS collaboration

2018-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) is a pilot-based workload management system that was originally designed for the ATLAS Experiment at the LHC to operate on grid sites. Since the coming LHC data taking runs will require more resources than grid computing alone can provide, the various LHC experiments are engaged in an ambitious program to extend the computing model to include opportunistically used resources such as High Performance Computers (HPCs), clouds and volunteer computers. To this end, PanDA is being extended beyond grids and ATLAS to be used on the new types of resources as well as by other experiments. A new key component is being developed, the next generation PanDA Pilot (Pilot 2). Pilot 2 is a complete rewrite of the original PanDA Pilot which has been used in the ATLAS Experiment for over a decade. The new Pilot architecture follows a component-based approach which improves system flexibility, enables a clear workflow control, evolves the system according to modern function...

I spy with my little eye: Analysis of airline pilots' gaze patterns in a manual instrument flight scenario.

Science.gov (United States)

Haslbeck, Andreas; Zhang, Bo

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to analyze pilots' visual scanning in a manual approach and landing scenario. Manual flying skills suffer from increasing use of automation. In addition, predominantly long-haul pilots with only a few opportunities to practice these skills experience this decline. Airline pilots representing different levels of practice (short-haul vs. long-haul) had to perform a manual raw data precision approach while their visual scanning was recorded by an eye-tracking device. The analysis of gaze patterns, which are based on predominant saccades, revealed one main group of saccades among long-haul pilots. In contrast, short-haul pilots showed more balanced scanning using two different groups of saccades. Short-haul pilots generally demonstrated better manual flight performance and within this group, one type of scan pattern was found to facilitate the manual landing task more. Long-haul pilots tend to utilize visual scanning behaviors that are inappropriate for the manual ILS landing task. This lack of skills needs to be addressed by providing specific training and more practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pilot research projects for underground disposal of radioactive wastes in the United States of America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stein, R.; Collyer, P.L.

1984-01-01

Disposal of commercial radioactive waste in the United States of America in a deep underground formation will ensure permanent isolation from the biosphere with minimal post-closure surveillance and maintenance. The siting, design and development, performance assessment, operation, licensing, certification and decommissioning of an underground repository have stimulated the development of several pilot research projects throughout the country. These pilot tests and projects, along with their resulting data base, are viewed as important steps in the overall location and construction of a repository. Beginning in the 1960s, research at pilot facilities has progressed from underground spent fuel tests in an abandoned salt mine to the production of vitrified nuclear waste in complex borosilicate glass logs. Simulated underground repository experiments have been performed in the dense basalts of Washington State, the volcanic tuffaceous rock of Nevada and both domal and bedded salts of Louisiana and Kansas. In addition to underground pilot in situ tests, other facilities have been constructed or modified to monitor the performance of spent fuel in dry storage wells and self-shielded concrete casks. As the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) programme advances to the next stage of underground site characterization for each of three different geological sites, additional pilot facilities are under consideration. These include a Test and Evaluation Facility (TEF) for site verification and equipment performance and testing, as well as a salt testing facility for verification of in situ simulation equipment. Although not associated with the NWTS programme, the construction of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in the bedded salts of New Mexico is well under way for deep testing and experimentation with the defence programme's transuranic nuclear waste. (author)

Summary discussion of the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, Jon Craig; Anderson, D. Richard; Basabilvazo, G.; Jow, Hong-Nian; Marietta, Melvin G.

2000-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic disposal of transuranic waste. The construction of complementary cumulative distribution functions (CCDFs) for total radionuclide release from the WIPP to the accessible environment is described. The resultant CCDFs (1) combine releases due to cuttings and cavings, spallings, direct brine release, and long-term transport in flowing groundwater, (2) fall substantially to the left of the boundary line specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) standard 40 CFR 191 for the geologic disposal of radioactive waste, and (3) constitute an important component of the DOE's successful Compliance Certification Application to the EPA for the WIPP. Insights and perspectives gained in the performance assessment (PA) that led to these CCDFs are described, including the importance of (1) an iterative approach to PA, (2) uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, (3) a clear conceptual model for the analysis, (4) the separation of stochastic (i.e., aleatory) and subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty, (5) quality assurance procedures, (6) early involvement of peer reviewers, regulators, and stake holders, (7) avoidance of conservative assumptions, and (8) adequate documentation

Comparison tests, in a pilot plant, of the performance of a coal-derived granular activated carbon: a comparison with coconut husk derived activated carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirata, S.; Kasahara, A.; Tsuruzono, Y.; Gotoh, M.

1986-01-01

A 160 m/sup 3//d pilot plant has been used in a series of comparison tests of the performance of coal-derived and coconut husk derived activated carbons. Activated carbons are used to remove trihalomethane precursors and malodorous substances from city water. A higher mean removal of coloration and COD/sub M//sub n/ was achieved with the coal-derived carbon (by factors of 1.5 and 1.8, respectively). The two activated carbons gave similar performances as regards turbidity, alkalinity, total iron and total manganese. 4 figures, 5 tables.

A pilot study for robot appearance preferences among high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorder: Implications for therapeutic use.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirokazu Kumazaki

Full Text Available Recent rapid technological advances have enabled robots to fulfill a variety of human-like functions, leading researchers to propose the use of such technology for the development and subsequent validation of interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD. Although a variety of robots have been proposed as possible therapeutic tools, the physical appearances of humanoid robots currently used in therapy with these patients are highly varied. Very little is known about how these varied designs are experienced by individuals with ASD. In this study, we systematically evaluated preferences regarding robot appearance in a group of 16 individuals with ASD (ages 10-17. Our data suggest that there may be important differences in preference for different types of robots that vary according to interaction type for individuals with ASD. Specifically, within our pilot sample, children with higher-levels of reported ASD symptomatology reported a preference for specific humanoid robots to those perceived as more mechanical or mascot-like. The findings of this pilot study suggest that preferences and reactions to robotic interactions may vary tremendously across individuals with ASD. Future work should evaluate how such differences may be systematically measured and potentially harnessed to facilitate meaningful interactive and intervention paradigms.

A vulnerability and risk assessment of SEPTA's regional rail : a transit climate change adaptation assessment pilot.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

This final report for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Transit Climate Change Adaptation Assessment Pilot describes the actions : taken, information gathered, analyses performed, and lessons learned throughout the pilot project. This report d...

Electrodialytic remediation of CCA treated waste wood in pilot scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Anne Juul; Christensen, Iben Vernegren; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2005-01-01

study the utility of the method Electrodialytic Remediation was demonstrated for handling of CCA treated waste wood in pilot scale. The electrodialytic remediation method, which uses a low level DC current as the cleaning agent, combines elektrokinetic movement of ions in the wood matrix with the princi......-ples of electrodialysis. It has previously been shown that it is possible to remove Cu, Cr and As from CCA treated wood using electrodialytic remediation in laboratory scale (Ribeiro et al., 2000; Kristensen et al., 2003), but until now, the method had not been studied in larger scale. The pilot scale plant used...... in this study was designed to contain up to 2 m3 wood chips. Six remediation experiments were carried out. In these experiments, the process was up-scaled stepwise by increasing the distance between the electrodes from initially 60 cm to fi-nally 150 cm. The remediation time was varied between 11 and 21 days...

Pilot test of flue gas treatment by electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokunaga, Okihiro

1995-01-01

The development of the technology of the desulfurization and denitration for flue gas by using electron beam was started in Japan in 1970s, and since then, the development research for putting it to practical use and the basic research on the subjects which must be resolved for promoting the practical use have been advanced. Based on these results, the verifying test using a pilot scale plant was carried out from 1991 to 1994 for the treatment of coal-burning flue gas, municipal waste-burning flue gas and highway tunnel exhaust gas. The operation of the pilot plant was already finished, and the conceptual design of a practical scale plant based on the results and the assessment of the economical efficiency were performed. As for the coal-burning flue gas treatment by using electron beam, the basic test, the pilot test and the conceptual design of a practical scale plant and the assessment of the economical efficiency are reported. As for the municipal waste-burning flue gas treatment by using electron beam, the basic test and the pilot test are reported. Also the pilot test on the denitration of exhaust gas in highway tunnels in reported. In Poland, the pilot test on the treatment of flue gas in coal-burning thermal power stations is carried out. In Germany, the technical development for cleaning the air contaminated by volatile organic compounds by electron beam irradiation is advanced. (K.I.)

Simulator study of the effect of visual-motion time delays on pilot tracking performance with an audio side task

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, D. R.; Miller, G. K., Jr.

1978-01-01

The effect of time delay was determined in the visual and motion cues in a flight simulator on pilot performance in tracking a target aircraft that was oscillating sinusoidally in altitude only. An audio side task was used to assure the subject was fully occupied at all times. The results indicate that, within the test grid employed, about the same acceptable time delay (250 msec) was obtained for a single aircraft (fighter type) by each of two subjects for both fixed-base and motion-base conditions. Acceptable time delay is defined as the largest amount of delay that can be inserted simultaneously into the visual and motion cues before performance degradation occurs. A statistical analysis of the data was made to establish this value of time delay. Audio side task provided quantitative data that documented the subject's work level.

Pilot Boarding Areas

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Pilot boarding areas are locations at sea where pilots familiar with local waters board incoming vessels to navigate their passage to a destination port. Pilotage is...

Qualification test of a main coolant pump for SMART pilot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sang Jin; Yoon, Eui Soo; Oh, Hyong Woo

2006-01-01

SMART Pilot is a multipurpose small capacity integral type reactor. Main Coolant Pump (MCP) of SMART Pilot is a canned-motor-type axial pump to circulate the primary coolant between nuclear fuel and steam generator in the primary system. The reactor is designed to operate under condition of 310 .deg. C and 14.7 MPa. Thus MCP has to be tested under same operating condition as reactor design condition to verify its performance and safety. In present work, a test apparatus to simulate real operating situations of the reactor has been designed and constructed to test MCP. And then functional tests, performance tests, and endurance tests have been carried out upon a prototype MCP. Canned motor characteristics, homologous head/torque curves, coast-down curves, NPSH curves and life-time performance variations were obtained from the qualification test as well as hydraulic performance characteristics of MCP

Pilot-scale tests for EB flue gas treatment process in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, S.; Tokunaga, O.; Namba, H.

1994-01-01

A review of electron beam applications for flue gas treatment in Japan has been done. Several pilot plants are being performed for commercial use of electron beams process for cleaning of flue gas from low-sulfur coal burning boiler, a municipal waste incinerator and for removal of NO x from a ventilation exhaust of a highway tunnel. Outlines of three pilot-scale tests are introduced. 9 refs, 4 figs

Contribution of components of Green Supply Chain Execution-Supply Loops in Green Supply Chain Performance measurement-A Pilot Empirical Study of the Indian Automobile Manufacturing Sector

OpenAIRE

Mohd. Asif Gandhi

2017-01-01

This paper is one of the several extensions of the research works done by [5]. Green Supply Chain Practices have been known to have an impact on Green Supply Chain Performance [5].This paper tests empirically through a pilot study of the Indian Automobile Manufacturing Sector, the contribution of the three variables constituting the construct Green Supply Chain Execution-Supply Loops in Green Supply Chain Performance measurement. Also the paper establishes the reliability of the questionnaire...

Startup pattern and performance enhancement of pilot-scale biofilm process for raw water pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guang-Feng; Feng, Li-Juan; Yang, Qi; Zhu, Liang; Xu, Jian; Xu, Xiang-Yang

2014-11-01

The quality of raw water is getting worse in developing countries because of the inadequate treatment of municipal sewage, industrial wastewater and agricultural runoff. Aiming at the biofilm enrichment and pollutant removal, two pilot-scale biofilm reactors were built with different biological carriers. Results showed that compared with the blank carrier, the biofilm was easily enriched on the biofilm precoated carrier and less nitrite accumulation occurred. The removal efficiencies of NH4(+)-N, DOC and UV254 increased under the aeration condition, and a optimum DO level for the adequate nitrification was 1.0-2.6mgL(-1) with the suitable temperature range of 21-22°C. Study on the trihalomethane prediction model indicated that the presentence of algae increased the risk of disinfection by-products production, which could be effectively controlled via manual algae removing and light shading. In this study, the performance of biofilm pretreatment process could be enhanced under the optimized condition of DO level and biofilm carrier. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Next generation PanDA pilot for ATLAS and other experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, P; De, K; Megino, F Barreiro; Llamas, R Medrano; Bejar, J Caballero; Hover, J; Maeno, T; Wenaus, T; Love, P; Walker, R

2014-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) has been in use in the ATLAS Experiment since 2005. It uses a sophisticated pilot system to execute submitted jobs on the worker nodes. While originally designed for ATLAS, the PanDA Pilot has recently been refactored to facilitate use outside of ATLAS. Experiments are now handled as plug-ins such that a new PanDA Pilot user only has to implement a set of prototyped methods in the plug-in classes, and provide a script that configures and runs the experiment-specific payload. We will give an overview of the Next Generation PanDA Pilot system and will present major features and recent improvements including live user payload debugging, data access via the Federated XRootD system, stage-out to alternative storage elements, support for the new ATLAS DDM system (Rucio), and an improved integration with glExec, as well as a description of the experiment-specific plug-in classes. The performance of the pilot system in processing LHC data on the OSG, LCG and Nordugrid infrastructures used by ATLAS will also be presented. We will describe plans for future development on the time scale of the next few years.

Piloting a programme tool to evaluate malaria case investigation and reactive case detection activities: results from 3 settings in the Asia Pacific.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotter, Chris; Sudathip, Prayuth; Herdiana, Herdiana; Cao, Yuanyuan; Liu, Yaobao; Luo, Alex; Ranasinghe, Neil; Bennett, Adam; Cao, Jun; Gosling, Roly D

2017-08-22

Case investigation and reactive case detection (RACD) activities are widely-used in low transmission settings to determine the suspected origin of infection and identify and treat malaria infections nearby to the index patient household. Case investigation and RACD activities are time and resource intensive, include methodologies that vary across eliminating settings, and have no standardized metrics or tools available to monitor and evaluate them. In response to this gap, a simple programme tool was developed for monitoring and evaluating (M&E) RACD activities and piloted by national malaria programmes. During the development phase, four modules of the RACD M&E tool were created to assess and evaluate key case investigation and RACD activities and costs. A pilot phase was then carried out by programme implementers between 2013 and 2015, during which malaria surveillance teams in three different settings (China, Indonesia, Thailand) piloted the tool over a period of 3 months each. This study describes summary results of the pilots and feasibility and impact of the tool on programmes. All three study areas implemented the RACD M&E tool modules, and pilot users reported the tool and evaluation process were helpful to identify gaps in RACD programme activities. In the 45 health facilities evaluated, 71.8% (97/135; min 35.3-max 100.0%) of the proper notification and reporting forms and 20.0% (27/135; min 0.0-max 100.0%) of standard operating procedures (SOPs) were available to support malaria elimination activities. The tool highlighted gaps in reporting key data indicators on the completeness for malaria case reporting (98.8%; min 93.3-max 100.0%), case investigations (65.6%; min 61.8-max 78.4%) and RACD activities (70.0%; min 64.7-max 100.0%). Evaluation of the SOPs showed that knowledge and practices of malaria personnel varied within and between study areas. Average monthly costs for conducting case investigation and RACD activities showed variation between study

Experiences with ATM in a multivendor pilot system at Forschungszentrum Julich

Science.gov (United States)

Kleines, H.; Ziemons, K.; Zwoll, K.

1998-08-01

The ATM technology for high speed serial transmission provides a new quality of communication by introducing novel features in a LAN environment, especially support of real time communication, of both LAN and WAN communication and of multimedia streams. In order to evaluate ATM for future DAQ systems and remote control systems as well as for a high speed picture archiving and communications system for medical images, Forschungszentrum Julich has build up a pilot system for the evaluation of ATM and standard low cost multimedia systems. It is a heterogeneous multivendor system containing a variety of switches and desktop solutions, employing different protocol options of ATM. The tests conducted in the pilot system revealed major difficulties regarding stability, interoperability and performance. The paper presents motivations, layout and results of the pilot system. Discussion of results concentrates on performance issues relevant for realistic applications, e.g., connection to a RAID system via NFS over ATM.

Characterization of stochastic uncertainty in the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, Jon Craig; Davis, Freddie J.; Johnson, J.D.

2000-01-01

The 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) maintains a separation between stochastic (i.e., aleatory) and subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty, with stochastic uncertainty arising from the possible disruptions that could occur at the WIPP over the 10,000 yr regulatory period specified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR 191, 40 CFR 194) and subjective uncertainty arising from an inability to uniquely characterize many of the inputs required in the 1996 WIPP PA. The characterization of stochastic uncertainty is discussed including drilling intrusion time, drilling location penetration of excavated/nonexcavated areas of the repository, penetration of pressurized brine beneath the repository, borehole plugging patterns, activity level of waste, and occurrence of potash mining. Additional topics discussed include sampling procedures, generation of individual 10,000 yr futures for the WIPP, construction of complementary cumulative distribution functions (CCDFs), mechanistic calculations carried out to support CCDF construction the Kaplan/Garrick ordered triple representation for risk and determination of scenarios and scenario probabilities

Metabolic Syndrome and Cardio-Cerebrovascular Risk Disparities Between Pilots and Aircraft Mechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Myeong-Bo; Kim, Hyun-Jin; Kim, Soo-Hyeon; Lee, Suk-Ho; Lee, Se-Ho; Park, Won-Ju

2017-09-01

In the Republic of Korea Air Force, the health of pilots is strictly supervised, but there is comparatively not enough interest in aircraft mechanics' health. Among mechanics, who are heavily involved in military aircraft maintenance, the occurrence of sudden cardio-cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs) is a possible risk factor during the maintenance process, which should be performed perfectly. We performed health examinations on 2123 male aircraft pilots and 1271 aircraft mechanics over 30 yr of age and determined the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), an important risk factor for CCVDs. The prevalence of MetS in the aircraft mechanics (21.3%) was significantly higher than in the pilots (12.6%), and the gap in prevalence tended to grow as age increased. Among aircraft mechanics in their 30s and 40s, the prevalence of MetS was lower than in the general population. However, the prevalence of MetS among aircraft mechanics in their 50s (36.0%) was similar to that in the general population (35.7%). Systematic health management is needed for aircraft mechanics for aviation safety and for the maintenance of military strength via the prevention of CCVDs.Kim M-B, Kim H-J, Kim S-H, Lee S-H, Lee S-H, Park W-J. Metabolic syndrome and cardio-cerebrovascular risk disparities between pilots and aircraft mechanics. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(9):866-870.

Piloted ignition of live forest fuels

Science.gov (United States)

S. McAllister; I. Grenfell; A. Hadlow; W. M. Jolly; M. Finney; J. Cohen

2012-01-01

The most unpredictable and uncontrollable wildfires are those that burn in the crowns of live vegetation. The fuels that feed these crown fires are mostly live, green foliage. Unfortunately, little is known about how live fuels combust. To understand how live fuels burn, piloted ignition experiments were performed with lodgepole pine and Douglas-fir. The thermal...

Channel Characteristics and Performance of MIMO E-SDM Systems in an Indoor Time-Varying Fading Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huu Phu Bui

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO systems employ advanced signal processing techniques. However, the performance is affected by propagation environments and antenna characteristics. The main contributions of the paper are to investigate Doppler spectrum based on measured data in a typical meeting room and to evaluate the performance of MIMO systems based on an eigenbeam-space division multiplexing (E-SDM technique in an indoor time-varying fading environment, which has various distributions of scatterers, line-of-sight wave existence, and mutual coupling effect among antennas. We confirm that due to the mutual coupling among antennas, patterns of antenna elements are changed and different from an omnidirectional one of a single antenna. Results based on the measured channel data in our measurement campaigns show that received power, channel autocorrelation, and Doppler spectrum are dependent not only on the direction of terminal motion but also on the antenna configuration. Even in the obstructed-line-of-sight environment, observed Doppler spectrum is quite different from the theoretical U-shaped Jakes one. In addition, it has been also shown that a channel change during the time interval between the transmit weight matrix determination and the actual data transmission can degrade the performance of MIMO E-SDM systems.

K-Rankine systems for piloted and cargo Mars missions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, J.C.; Rovang, R.D.; Johnson, G.A.

1992-03-01

Studies are performed to demonstrate the attractiveness of potassium-Rankine (K-Rankine) nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems for both piloted and cargo Mars missions. The key results of the piloted mission study are that a full-up piloted mission can be accomplished with a trip time of less than 390 days with an attractive initial mass in low earth orbit (IMLEO) of 700 metric tons. This is achieved by coupling two advanced cermet fuel reactors (1550 K outlet temperature) to K-Rankine power-conversion systems to produce the 46 MWe needed to power advanced ion engines. This design approach offers an alternative to a more risky split-sprint mission where comparable trip times and IMLEO can be achieved with a nearer-term reactor (SP-100 at 1350 K outlet temperature) technology. The results of the cargo-mission study indicate that a lower-power K-Rankine system (5.5 MWe) operating at SP-100 reactor conditions would best perform a representative Mars cargo transport. A round-trip mission (480 days outbound; 600 day return) to Mars requires only 225 metric tons IMLEO and permit possible system reuse. 6 refs

DIRAC universal pilots

Science.gov (United States)

Stagni, F.; McNab, A.; Luzzi, C.; Krzemien, W.; Consortium, DIRAC

2017-10-01

In the last few years, new types of computing models, such as IAAS (Infrastructure as a Service) and IAAC (Infrastructure as a Client), gained popularity. New resources may come as part of pledged resources, while others are in the form of opportunistic ones. Most but not all of these new infrastructures are based on virtualization techniques. In addition, some of them, present opportunities for multi-processor computing slots to the users. Virtual Organizations are therefore facing heterogeneity of the available resources and the use of an Interware software like DIRAC to provide the transparent, uniform interface has become essential. The transparent access to the underlying resources is realized by implementing the pilot model. DIRAC’s newest generation of generic pilots (the so-called Pilots 2.0) are the “pilots for all the skies”, and have been successfully released in production more than a year ago. They use a plugin mechanism that makes them easily adaptable. Pilots 2.0 have been used for fetching and running jobs on every type of resource, being it a Worker Node (WN) behind a CREAM/ARC/HTCondor/DIRAC Computing element, a Virtual Machine running on IaaC infrastructures like Vac or BOINC, on IaaS cloud resources managed by Vcycle, the LHCb High Level Trigger farm nodes, and any type of opportunistic computing resource. Make a machine a “Pilot Machine”, and all diversities between them will disappear. This contribution describes how pilots are made suitable for different resources, and the recent steps taken towards a fully unified framework, including monitoring. Also, the cases of multi-processor computing slots either on real or virtual machines, with the whole node or a partition of it, is discussed.

Preamble and pilot symbol design for channel estimation in OFDM systems with null subcarriers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ohno Shuichi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In this article, design of preamble for channel estimation and pilot symbols for pilot-assisted channel estimation in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system with null subcarriers is studied. Both the preambles and pilot symbols are designed to minimize the l 2 or the l ∞ norm of the channel estimate mean-squared errors (MSE in frequency-selective environments. We use convex optimization technique to find optimal power distribution to the preamble by casting the MSE minimization problem into a semidefinite programming problem. Then, using the designed optimal preamble as an initial value, we iteratively select the placement and optimally distribute power to the selected pilot symbols. Design examples consistent with IEEE 802.11a as well as IEEE 802.16e are provided to illustrate the superior performance of our proposed method over the equi-spaced equi-powered pilot symbols and the partially equi-spaced pilot symbols.

Pilot points method for conditioning multiple-point statistical facies simulation on flow data

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Wei; Jafarpour, Behnam

2018-05-01

We propose a new pilot points method for conditioning discrete multiple-point statistical (MPS) facies simulation on dynamic flow data. While conditioning MPS simulation on static hard data is straightforward, their calibration against nonlinear flow data is nontrivial. The proposed method generates conditional models from a conceptual model of geologic connectivity, known as a training image (TI), by strategically placing and estimating pilot points. To place pilot points, a score map is generated based on three sources of information: (i) the uncertainty in facies distribution, (ii) the model response sensitivity information, and (iii) the observed flow data. Once the pilot points are placed, the facies values at these points are inferred from production data and then are used, along with available hard data at well locations, to simulate a new set of conditional facies realizations. While facies estimation at the pilot points can be performed using different inversion algorithms, in this study the ensemble smoother (ES) is adopted to update permeability maps from production data, which are then used to statistically infer facies types at the pilot point locations. The developed method combines the information in the flow data and the TI by using the former to infer facies values at selected locations away from the wells and the latter to ensure consistent facies structure and connectivity where away from measurement locations. Several numerical experiments are used to evaluate the performance of the developed method and to discuss its important properties.

Prediction of the handling qualities and pilot-induced oscillation rating levels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreea-Irina AFLOARE

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The basis for the aviation development is the ambition of increasing the efficiency and safety of flight. Improvements include flight performance and extended flight envelope, new flight regimes and tasks. However, all of these factors lead to the increase of pilot workload which can reduce the accuracy and safety of flight. Fixed and rotary wing pilots are being confronted with potential instabilities or with annoying limit cycle oscillations, known as Aircraft/Rotorcraft Pilot Couplings (A/RPC that arise from the effort of controlling the vehicle with high response actuators. This paper deals with the unified theory of predicting handling qualities level (HQSF and pilot-induced oscillation rating levels (PIOR based on the structural model of human operator, developed by Hess. HQSF and PIOR are capable of capturing the prominent features of human pilot dynamics characteristics for a large class of aerial vehicles and tasks. The key element in this method is to unify the topics of vehicle handling qualities and RPC/PIO, applied to the analysis of a medium weight helicopter model.

Retaining U.S. Air Force Pilots When the Civilian Demand for Pilots Is Growing

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

compensation, so a 1-percent increase in basic pay is like a 0.6-percent increase in total pay, other things being equal . If so, the retention change...at other major airlines.3 The collective bargaining agreement called for American/US Airways pilots to reach pay parity with Delta and United pilots...non-veterans in non- pilot occupations after controlling for age, education, and gender . But the results show that pilots who are veterans earn 10 to

Whole-body vibration training improves balance control and sit-to-stand performance among middle-aged and older adults: a pilot randomized controlled trial

OpenAIRE

Ko, Ming-Chen; Wu, Long-Shan; Lee, Sangwoo; Wang, Chien-Chun; Lee, Po-Fu; Tseng, Ching-Yu; Ho, Chien-Chang

2017-01-01

Background Aging is associated with decreased balance, which increases falling risk. The objective of the current study was to determine the feasibility and effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) training on knee extensor muscle power, limits of stability, and sit-to-stand performance among community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Methods A randomized pilot study with participant blinding was conducted. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment and compliance rate....

Hydrothermal and alkaline hydrothermal pretreatments plus anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge for dewatering and biogas production: Bench-scale research and pilot-scale verification.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunxing; Wang, Xingdong; Zhang, Guangyi; Yu, Guangwei; Lin, Jingjiang; Wang, Yin

2017-06-15

To test the feasibility and practicability of the process combing hydrothermal pretreatment for dewatering with biogas production for full utilization of sewage sludge, hydrothermal/alkaline hydrothermal pretreatments and in turn anaerobic digestion of the filtrates obtained after dewatering the pretreated sludge were performed at bench- and pilot-scales. The hydrothermal temperature fell within the range of 140 °C-220 °C and the pretreatment time varied from 30 min to 120 min. For the alkaline hydrothermal pretreatment the pH value of the sludge was adjusted to 9.0-11.0 by adding Ca(OH) 2 . The results showed that the dewaterability of the sewage sludge was improved with increasing pretreatment temperature but the impact of the pretreatment time was not significant. The addition of Ca(OH) 2 gave better performance on the subsequent mechanical dewatering of the pretreated sludge compared to pure hydrothermal pretreatment, and the higher the pH value was, the better the dewaterability of the pretreated sludge was. The conditions of 180 °C/30 min and 160 °C/60 min/pH = 10.0 (for hydrothermal and alkaline hydrothermal pretreatments, respectively) resulted in relatively good results in the theoretical energy balance, which were verified in the pilot-scale tests. Based on the data from the pilot tests, the alkaline hydrothermal process realized self-sufficiency in energy at the cost of a proper amount of CaO. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maximal Ratio Combining Using Channel Estimation in Chaos Based Pilot-Added DS-CDMA System with Antenna Diversity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meher Krishna Patel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an adaptive multiuser transceiver scheme for DS-CDMA systems in which pilot symbols are added to users’ data to estimate complex channel fading coefficients. The performance of receiver antenna diversity with maximal ratio combining (MRC technique is analyzed for imperfect channel estimation in flat fading environments. The complex fading coefficients are estimated using least mean square (LMS algorithm and these coefficients are utilized by the maximal ratio combiner for generating the decision variable. Probability of error in closed form is derived. Further, the effect of pilot signal power on bit error rate (BER and BER performance of multiplexed pilot and data signal transmission scenario are investigated. We have compared the performance of added and multiplexed pilot-data systems and concluded the advantages of both systems. The proposed CDMA technique uses the chaotic sequence as spreading sequence. Assuming proper synchronization, the computer simulation results demonstrate the better bit error rate performance in the presence of channel estimator in the chaotic based CDMA system and the receiver antenna diversity technique further improves the performance of the proposed system. Also, no channel estimator is required if there is no phase distortion to the transmitted signal.

Pilot-model measurements of pilot responses in a lateral-directional control task

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, J. J.

1976-01-01

Pilot response during an aircraft bank-angle compensatory control task was measured by using an adaptive modeling technique. In the main control loop, which is the bank angle to aileron command loop, the pilot response was the same as that measured previously in single-input, single-output systems. The pilot used a rudder to aileron control coordination that canceled up to 80 percent of the vehicle yawing moment due to aileron deflection.

Enhancement of medical student performance through narrative reflective practice: a pilot project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Thomson

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Narrative Reflective Practice (NRP is a process that helps medical students become better listeners and physicians. We hypothesized that NRP would enhance students’ performance on multiple choice question exams (MCQs, on objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs, and on subjective clinical evaluations (SCEs. Methods: The MCQs, OSCEs and SCEs test scores from 139 third year University of Alberta medical students from the same class doing their Internal Medicine rotation were collected over a 12 month period. All preceptors followed the same one-hour clinical teaching format, except for the single preceptor who incorporated 2 weeks of NRP in the usual clinical teaching of 16 students. The testing was done at the end of each 8-week rotation, and all students within each cohort received the same MCQs, OSCE and SCEs Results: Independent t-tests were used to assess group differences in the mean MCQ, OSCE and SCE scores. The group receiving NRP training scored 4.7 % higher on the MCQ component than those who did not. The mean differences for OSCE and SCE scores were non-significant. Conclusions: Two weeks NRP exposure produced an absolute increase in students’ MCQ score. Longer periods of NRP exposure may also increase the OSCE and SCE scores. This promising pilot project needs to be confirmed using several trained preceptors and trainees at different levels of their clinical experience.

Early-1990 status of performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant disposal system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertram-Howery, S.G.; Swift, P.N.

1991-07-01

This paper summarizes the early-1990 status of the performance-assessment work being done to evaluate compliance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation 40 CFR Part 191, Subpart B. This regulation sets environmental standards for radioactive waste disposal (Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes). As required by Subpart B, evaluations of compliance will include probabilistic numerical simulations of repository performance and qualitative judgments. Compliance appears uncertain only in the event of human intrusion into the repository after decommissioning. Issues affecting compliance following intrusion include properties of the plugs used to seal the intruding borehole, permeability and porosity of the waste, and possible pressurization of the repository by gas generated from the organic decomposition and corrosion of the waste and containers. Research is in progress to determine the probability of intrusion and to quantify parameter uncertainties needed to include these factors in simulations of repository performance. The Department of Energy (DOE) is following two strategies to assure compliance. First, passive marker systems will be designed and implemented to reduce the likelihood of intrusion and increase the likelihood that intruders will properly reseal the repository. Second, modifications to the form of the waste and the design of the repository to achieve acceptable performance if the intruding borehole is not adequately sealed will be designed. Goals include reductions in gas generation and waste permeability and porosity. Numerous modifications are technically possible. Work in progress will evaluate proposed modifications and recommend the most promising for further testing. The DOE is confident that compliance with Subpart B of 40 CFR 191 can be established using a combination of the two strategies

Early-1990 status of performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant disposal system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bertram-Howery, S G [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Swift, P N [Tech Reps Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

1991-07-15

This paper summarizes the early-1990 status of the performance-assessment work being done to evaluate compliance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation 40 CFR Part 191, Subpart B. This regulation sets environmental standards for radioactive waste disposal (Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes). As required by Subpart B, evaluations of compliance will include probabilistic numerical simulations of repository performance and qualitative judgments. Compliance appears uncertain only in the event of human intrusion into the repository after decommissioning. Issues affecting compliance following intrusion include properties of the plugs used to seal the intruding borehole, permeability and porosity of the waste, and possible pressurization of the repository by gas generated from the organic decomposition and corrosion of the waste and containers. Research is in progress to determine the probability of intrusion and to quantify parameter uncertainties needed to include these factors in simulations of repository performance. The Department of Energy (DOE) is following two strategies to assure compliance. First, passive marker systems will be designed and implemented to reduce the likelihood of intrusion and increase the likelihood that intruders will properly reseal the repository. Second, modifications to the form of the waste and the design of the repository to achieve acceptable performance if the intruding borehole is not adequately sealed will be designed. Goals include reductions in gas generation and waste permeability and porosity. Numerous modifications are technically possible. Work in progress will evaluate proposed modifications and recommend the most promising for further testing. The DOE is confident that compliance with Subpart B of 40 CFR 191 can be established using a combination of the two strategies

From community-based pilot testing to region-wide systems change: lessons from a local quality improvement collaborative.

Science.gov (United States)

Keyser, Donna J; Pincus, Harold Alan

2010-01-01

A community-based collaborative conducted a 2-year pilot study to inform efforts for improving maternal and child health care practice and policy in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. (1) To test whether three small-scale versions of an evidence-based, systems improvement approach would be workable in local community settings and (2) to identify specific policy/infrastructure reforms for sustaining improvements. A mixed methods approach was used, including quantitative performance measurement supplemented with qualitative data about factors related to outcomes of interest, as well as key stakeholder interviews and a literature review/Internet search. Quantitative performance results varied; qualitative data revealed critical factors for the success and failure of the practices tested. Policy/infrastructure recommendations were developed to address specific practice barriers. This information was important for designing a region-wide quality improvement initiative focused on maternal depression. The processes and outcomes provide valuable insights for other communities interested in conducting similar quality improvement initiatives.

Comparison of flying qualities derived from in-flight and ground-based simulators for a jet-transport airplane for the approach and landing pilot tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Grantham, William D.

1989-01-01

The primary objective was to provide information to the flight controls/flying qualities engineer that will assist him in determining the incremental flying qualities and/or pilot-performance differences that may be expected between results obtained via ground-based simulation (and, in particular, the six-degree-of-freedom Langley Visual/Motion Simulator (VMS)) and flight tests. Pilot opinion and performance parameters derived from a ground-based simulator and an in-flight simulator are compared for a jet-transport airplane having 32 different longitudinal dynamic response characteristics. The primary pilot tasks were the approach and landing tasks with emphasis on the landing-flare task. The results indicate that, in general, flying qualities results obtained from the ground-based simulator may be considered conservative-especially when the pilot task requires tight pilot control as during the landing flare. The one exception to this, according to the present study, was that the pilots were more tolerant of large time delays in the airplane response on the ground-based simulator. The results also indicated that the ground-based simulator (particularly the Langley VMS) is not adequate for assessing pilot/vehicle performance capabilities (i.e., the sink rate performance for the landing-flare task when the pilot has little depth/height perception from the outside scene presentation).

AutoPyFactory: A Scalable Flexible Pilot Factory Implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caballero, J; Hover, J; Love, P; Stewart, G A

2012-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at the CERN LHC is one of the largest users of grid computing infrastructure, which is a central part of the experiment's computing operations. Considerable efforts have been made to use grid technology in the most efficient and effective way, including the use of a pilot job based workload management framework. In this model the experiment submits ‘pilot’ jobs to sites without payload. When these jobs begin to run they contact a central service to pick-up a real payload to execute. The first generation of pilot factories were usually specific to a single Virtual Organization (VO), and were bound to the particular architecture of that VO's distributed processing. A second generation provides factories which are more flexible, not tied to any particular VO, and provide new and improved features such as monitoring, logging, profiling, etc. In this paper we describe this key part of the ATLAS pilot architecture, a second generation pilot factory, AutoPyFactory. AutoPyFactory has a modular design and is highly configurable. It is able to send different types of pilots to sites and exploit different submission mechanisms and queue characteristics. It is tightly integrated with the PanDA job submission framework, coupling pilot flow to the amount of work the site has to run. It gathers information from many sources in order to correctly configure itself for a site and its decision logic can easily be updated. Integrated into AutoPyFactory is a flexible system for delivering both generic and specific job wrappers which can perform many useful actions before starting to run end-user scientific applications, e.g., validation of the middleware, node profiling and diagnostics, and monitoring. AutoPyFactory also has a robust monitoring system that has been invaluable in establishing a reliable pilot factory service for ATLAS.

BWR control rod drive scram pilot valve monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soden, R.A.; Kelly, V.

1984-01-01

The control rod drive system in a Boiling Water Reactor is the most important safety system in the power plant. All components of the system can be verified except the solenoid operated, scram pilot valves without scramming a rod. The pilot valve mechancial works is the weak link to the control rod drive system. These pilot valves control the hydraulic system which applies pressure to the ''insert'' side of the control rod piston and vents the ''withdraw'' side of the piston causing the rods to insert during a scam. The only verification that the valve is operating properly is to scram the rod. The concern for this portion of the system is demonstrated by the high number of redundant components and complete periodic testing of the electrical circuits. The pilot valve can become hung-up through wear, fracture of internal components, mechanical binding, foreign material or chemicals left in the valve during maintenance, etc. If the valve becomes hung-up the electrical tests performed will not indicate this condition and scramming the rod is in jeopardy. Only an attempt to scram a rod will indicate the hung-up valve. While this condition exists the rod is considered inoperative. This paper describes a system developed at a nuclear power plant that monitors the pilot valves on the control rod drive system. This system utilizes pattern recognition to assure proper internal workings of the scram pilot valves to plant operators. The system is totally automatic such that each time the valve is operated on a ''half scram'', a printout is available to the operator along with light indication that each of the 370 valves (on one unit of a BWR) is operating properly. With this monitoring system installed, all components of the control rod drive system including the solenoid pilot valves can be verified as operational without scramming any rods

BWR control rod drive scram pilot valve monitoring program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soden, R.A.; Kelly, V.

1986-01-01

The control rod drive system in a Boiling Water Reactor is the most important safety system in the power plant. All components of the system can be verified except the solenoid operated, scram pilot valves without scramming a rod. The pilot valve mechanical works is the weak link to the control rod drive system. These pilot valves control the hydraulic system which applies pressure to the insert side of the control rod piston and vents the withdraw side of the piston causing the rods to insert during a scram. The only verification that the valve is operating properly is to scram the rod. The concern for this portion of the system is demonstrated by the high number of redundant components and complete periodic testing of the electrical circuits. The pilot valve can become hung-up through wear, fracture of internal components, mechanical binding, foreign material or chemicals left in the valve during maintenance, etc. If the valve becomes hung-up the electrical tests performed will not indicate this condition and scramming the rod is in jeopardy. Only an attempt to scram a rod will indicate the hung-up valve. While this condition exists the rod is considered inoperative. This paper describes a system developed at a nuclear power plant that monitors the pilot valves on the control rod drive system. This system utilizes pattern recognition to assure proper internal workings of the scram pilot valves to plant operators. The system is totally automatic such that each time the valve is operated on a half scram, a printout is available to the operator along with light indication that each of the 370 valves (on one unit of a BWR) is operating properly. With this monitoring system installed, all components of the control rod drive system including the solenoid pilot valves can be verified as operational without scramming any rods

Introducing technology into medical education: two pilot studies.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Paul; Dumenco, Luba; Dollase, Richard; Taylor, Julie Scott; Wald, Hedy S; Reis, Shmuel P

2013-12-01

Educators are integrating new technology into medical curriculum. The impact of newer technology on educational outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to determine if two pilot interventions, (1) introducing iPads into problem-based learning (PBL) sessions and (2) online tutoring would improve the educational experience of our learners. We voluntarily assigned 26 second-year medical students to iPad-based PBL sessions. Five students were assigned to Skype for exam remediation. We performed a mixed-method evaluation to determine efficacy. Pilot 1: Seventeen students completed a survey following their use of an iPad during the second-year PBL curriculum. Students noted the iPad allows for researching information in real time, annotating lecture notes, and viewing sharper images. Data indicate that iPads have value in medical education and are a positive addition to the curriculum. Pilot 2: Students agreed that online tutoring is at least or more effective than in-person tutoring. In our pilot studies, students experienced that iPads and Skype are beneficial in medical education and can be successfully employed in areas such as PBL and remediation. Educators should continue to further examine innovative opportunities for introducing technology into medical education. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

EURObservational Research Programme: the Heart Failure Pilot Survey (ESC-HF Pilot)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maggioni, Aldo P; Dahlström, Ulf; Filippatos, Gerasimos

2010-01-01

The primary objective of the new ESC-HF Pilot Survey was to describe the clinical epidemiology of outpatients and inpatients with heart failure (HF) and the diagnostic/therapeutic processes applied across 12 participating European countries. This pilot study was specifically aimed at validating...

Analysis of empty ATLAS pilot jobs

CERN Document Server

Love, Peter; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The pilot model used by the ATLAS production system has been in use for many years. The model has proven to be a success with many advantages over push models. However one of the negative side-effects of using a pilot model is the presence of 'empty pilots' running on sites which consume a small amount of walltime and not running a useful payload job. The impact on a site can be significant with previous studies showing a total 0.5% walltime usage with no benefit to either the site or to ATLAS. Another impact is the number of empty pilots being processed by a site's Compute Element and batch system which can be 5% of the total number of pilots being handled. In this paper we review the latest statistics using both ATLAS and site data and highlight edge cases where the number of empty pilots dominate. We also study the effect of tuning the pilot factories to reduce the number of empty pilots.

Self-Testing of Vision in Age-Related Macula Degeneration: A Longitudinal Pilot Study Using a Smartphone-Based Rarebit Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Winther

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. There is a need for efficient self-tests of vision in patients with neovascular age-related macula degeneration. A new tablet/smartphone application aiming to meet this need is described and its performance is assessed in a longitudinal pilot study. Materials and Methods. The new MultiBit Test (MBT employs segmented digits defined by rarebits, that is, receptive field-size bright dots briefly presented against a dark background. The number of rarebits per digit segment was varied in a cyclic fashion, in preset steps. There were no fixation demands. Twenty-eight patients with neovascular AMD of varying severity were monitored for an average of 30 weeks. Test scores were evaluated on an individual basis, by contrasting observed trends with the clinical status recorded at independently scheduled clinical examinations. Results. Serial plots of MBT results revealed gradual improvement after successful antineovascular treatment. Recurrences were signalled by gradual deteriorations of results. Test results remained stable during clinically stable time intervals. MBT results agreed well with clinical assessments whereas an acuity test performed at chance level. The MBT was well accepted by all subjects. Conclusions. The MBT appears to have a good potential for effective self-testing of vision in AMD and merits large-scale studies. Exploration of MBT performance with other forms of macula conditions may be worthwhile.

Carotid duplex ultrasound and transcranial Doppler findings in commercial divers and pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

Dormanesh, Banafshe; Vosoughi, Kia; Akhoundi, Fahimeh H; Mehrpour, Masoud; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Esmaeili, Setareh; Sabet, Azin Shafiee

2016-12-01

The risky working environments of divers and pilots, and the possible role of extreme ambient pressure in carotid stenosis, make ischemic stroke an important occupational concern among these professionals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of being exposed to hyperbaric or hypobaric conditions with carotid artery stenosis by comparing common carotid intima-media thickness (CCIMT) and blood flow velocities of cerebral arteries in divers and pilots using carotid duplex ultrasound (CDUS) and transcranial Doppler (TCD). CDUS and transtemporal TCD were performed in 29 divers, 36 pilots and 30 control participants. Medical history, blood pressure, lipid profile and blood sugar were recorded to control the previously well-known risk factors of atherosclerosis. Findings of the CDUS and TCD [including: CCIMT and blood flow velocities of internal carotid artery (ICA), common carotid artery (CCA), and middle cerebral artery (MCA)] of divers and pilots were compared with those of the control group using regression analysis models. Both right and left side CCIMT were significantly higher in divers (P < 0.05) and pilots (P < 0.05) in comparison with the control group. Carotid index [peak systolic velocity (PSV) of ICA/PSV of CCA) of divers and pilots were also higher than the control group. TCD findings were not significantly different between divers, pilots, and the control group. Increased CCIMT and carotid index in diver and pilot groups appear to be suggestive of accelerated atherosclerosis of carotid artery in these occupational groups.

EURObservational Research Programme : The Heart Failure Pilot Survey (ESC-HF Pilot)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maggioni, Aldo P.; Dahlstrom, Ulf; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Chioncel, Ovidiu; Crespo Leiro, Marisa; Drozdz, Jaroslaw; Fruhwald, Friedrich; Gullestad, Lars; Logeart, Damien; Metra, Marco; Parissis, John; Persson, Hans; Ponikowski, Piotr; Rauchhaus, Mathias; Voors, Adriaan A.; Nielsen, Olav Wendelboe; Zannad, Faiez; Tavazzi, Luigi

2010-01-01

The primary objective of the new ESC-HF Pilot Survey was to describe the clinical epidemiology of outpatients and inpatients with heart failure (HF) and the diagnostic/therapeutic processes applied across 12 participating European countries. This pilot study was specifically aimed at validating the

Navigation performance in virtual environments varies with fractal dimension of landscape

OpenAIRE

Juliani, Arthur W.; Bies, Alexander J.; Boydston, Cooper R.; Taylor, Richard P.; Sereno, Margaret E.

2016-01-01

Fractal geometry has been used to describe natural and built environments, but has yet to be studied in navigational research. In order to establish a relationship between the fractal dimension (D) of a natural environment and humans’ ability to navigate such spaces, we conducted two experiments using virtual environments that simulate the fractal properties of nature. In Experiment 1, participants completed a goal-driven search task either with or without a map in landscapes that varied in D...

76 FR 22412 - Fellowship Placement Pilot Program Requests for Expressions of Interests To Administer Pilot...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-21

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5514-C-02] Fellowship Placement Pilot Program Requests for Expressions of Interests To Administer Pilot Contact Information Correction AGENCY... published a notice announcing HUD's proposal to conduct a Fellowship Placement Pilot (fellowship program...

The Importance of Pilot Studies

OpenAIRE

Van Teijlingen, Edwin; Hundley, Vanora

2001-01-01

The term 'pilot studies' refers to mini versions of a full-scale study (also called 'feasibility' studies), as well as the specific pre-testing of a particular research instrument such as a questionnaire or interview schedule. \\ud Pilot studies are a crucial element of a good study design. Conducting a pilot study does not guarantee success in the main study, but it does increase the likelihood. \\ud Pilot studies fulfil a range of important functions and can provide valuable insights for othe...

An Evaluation of the Application of ISD to P-3 Pilot Training.

Science.gov (United States)

1980-06-01

THESIS AN EVALUATION OF THE APPLICATION OF ISD TO P-3 PILOT TRAINING by William Allen. Snider June 1980 Thesis Advisor: J. K. Arima Approved for...also from quasi-governmental agencies such as RAND and HUMRRO, saw great potential in the use of techniques such as modelling to increase the precision...scores. The preceding discussion suggests that organizational climate , as well as experience, is strongly related to pilot performance on NATOPS

Pilot-industrial plant for radiation-chemical finishing of textiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burov, V.K.; Vanyushkin, B.M.; Voskoboev, A.E.

1976-01-01

A pilot technological radiational-chemical line for liquid-phase radiational-chemical finish of fabrics is described, which is being mounted at the Glukhov cotton group of enterprises now. It is designed primarily for the anti-microbe finish of cotton fabrics by grafting copper polyacrylate. The technological scheme is built on the principle of direct (combined) irradiation of the fabric impregnated by a monomer solution. Graft of the monomer to the fabric is performed by the radiational method. As source of radiation, an electron accelerator with the beam power of 0.4-0.7 Mev and with a biological protection has been employed. Depending on the thickness of the material irradiated and irradiation conditions, the fabric drive mechanism permits to change a number of irradiated fabric layers from 1 to 9 and by this to utilize in the most complete manner the energy of the accelerated electron beam. The nominal width of the irradiated material is 1000 m, the transportation velocity can vary in the range from 10 through 100 m/min. The radiational-chemical method of fabric finish is economical, highly productive and easily controllable

Improving Resident Performance Through a Simulated Rapid Response Team: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Peter A; Vest, Michael T; Kher, Hemant; Deutsch, Joseph; Daya, Sneha

2015-07-01

The Joint Commission requires hospitals to develop systems in which a team of clinicians can rapidly recognize and respond to changes in a patient's condition. The rapid response team (RRT) concept has been widely adopted as the solution to this mandate. The role of house staff in RRTs and the impact on resident education has been controversial. At Christiana Care Health System, eligible residents in their second through final years lead the RRTs. To evaluate the use of a team-based, interdisciplinary RRT training program for educating and training first-year residents in an effort to improve global RRT performance before residents start their second year. This pilot study was administered in 3 phases. Phase 1 provided residents with classroom-based didactic sessions using case-based RRT scenarios. Multiple choice examinations were administered, as well as a confidence survey based on a Likert scale before and after phase 1 of the program. Phase 2 involved experiential training in which residents engaged as mentored participants in actual RRT calls. A qualitative survey was used to measure perceived program effectiveness after phase 2. In phase 3, led by senior residents, simulated RRTs using medical mannequins were conducted. Participants were divided into 5 teams, in which each resident would rotate in the roles of leader, nurse, and respiratory therapist. This phase measured resident performance with regard to medical decision making, data gathering, and team behaviors during the simulated RRT scenarios. Performance was scored by an attending and a senior resident. A total of 18 residents were eligible (N=18) for participation. The average multiple choice test score improved by 20% after didactic training. The average confidence survey score before training was 3.44 out of 5 (69%) and after training was 4.13 (83%), indicating a 14% improvement. High-quality team behaviors correlated with medical decision making (0.92) more closely than did high-quality data

Conservative Management of Mechanical Neck Pain in a Helicopter Pilot.

Science.gov (United States)

Alagha, Babak

2015-10-01

Acute and chronic spinal symptoms such as neck pain may limit flying performance significantly and disqualify the pilot from flight duty. Mechanical neck pain is very common among pilots because of their exposure to vibration, +GZ forces, helmet weight, poor neck posture during air combat maneuvers, previous neck injuries, and poor treatment plans for such injuries. Successful treatment of such injuries requires appropriate therapeutic procedures as well as an aeromedical assessment. The aim of this case study was to demonstrate the benefits of conservative procedures such as spinal manipulation and mobilization therapy (SMMT) and exercise therapy (ET) in treating chronic mechanical neck pain in an Iranian commercial helicopter pilot. A 36-yr-old male patient presented to the clinic with moderate, intermittent nonradicular chronic neck pain and limited range of motion over a 2-yr period. The patient was treated with cervical and upper thoracic SMMT followed by home ET for 5 wk. After this period, the patient reported significant recovery and improvement in range of motion in his neck. Mechanical neck pain is very common among helicopter pilots. Although Air Force and Navy waiver guides recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications as well as SMMT and ET, there are currently very few published studies that examine the benefits of manual and exercise therapy for treating mechanical neck pain in commercial and military pilots. Based on the results of this study, it seems that SMMT and ET may be a safe and effective in treatment of uncomplicated mechanical neck pain in helicopter pilots. Alagha B. Conservative management of mechanical neck pain in a helicopter pilot.

Ballroom dancing as physical activity for patients with cancer: a systematic review and report of a pilot project.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolph, Ivonne; Schmidt, Thorsten; Wozniak, Tobias; Kubin, Thomas; Ruetters, Dana; Huebner, Jutta

2018-04-01

Physical activity has positive effects on cancer patients. Dancing addresses diverse bio-psycho-social aspects. Our aim was to assess the evidence on ballroom dancing and to develop the setting for a pilot project. We performed a systematic review, extracted the data and designed a pilot training based on standard curricula. We included cancer patients during or after therapy. Training duration was 90 min with one regular pause and individual pauses as needed. We retrieved two systematic reviews and six controlled studies. Types of dancing varied. Only one study used ballroom dancing. Dance training might improve well-being, physical fitness, fatigue and coping during and after therapy. Yet, evidence is scarce and data to derive the effect size are lacking; 27 patients and their partners took part in the pilot training. Patients and partners needed more time to learn the steps than is planned in regular ballroom classes. Participants were very satisfied with the adaptation of the training to their physical strength and estimated the training in a sheltered group. No side effects occurred. In spite of a high rate of participants reporting fatigue, 90 min of physical activity with only a few minutes of rest were manageable for all participants. Ballroom dancing may offer benefits for patients with respect to quality of life. Cancer patients prefer sheltered training setting and curricula of regular ballroom classes must be adapted for cancer patients. Strict curricula might reduce motivation and adherence and exclude patients with lower or variable fitness.

CC130 pilot fatigue during re-supply missions to former Yugoslavia.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, M A; Pigeau, R A; Weinberg, H

2001-11-01

Deployment of troops in foreign theaters requires a massive airlift capability. The fatigue encountered in such operations can be severe enough to pose a flight safety hazard. The current study documents sleep and the effect of fatigue on aircrew performance during re-supply missions in support of Canadian troops in Bosnia in 1996. Ten routine re-supply missions from Trenton, Canada, to Zagreb, Croatia, were studied and involved 9 pilots and 9 co-pilots. To document their sleep hygiene, all pilots wore wrist actigraphs from approximately 5 d prior to the mission, until the mission was completed. Psychomotor performance was tested during the actual flights. Three psychomotor trials during the outbound transatlantic leg (Trenton to Lyneham, UK) were employed, one trial on the Lyneham-Zagreb-Lyneham leg, and three trials on the return transatlantic leg from Lyneham to Trenton. The amount of daily sleep during the 3-d period prior to the mission steadily decreased from an average of 8 h 40 min per day to 6 h 30 min (p multitask showed probable fatigue effects during the outbound leg of the missions. Our transport pilots showed a pattern of progressively decreasing sleep. Self-rated scores for alertness, mental and physical fatigue, indicate a deterioration of alertness, and an increase in fatigue throughout the long transatlantic flights.

Preliminary plan for disposal-system characterization and long-term performance evaluation of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertram-Howery, S.G.; Hunter, R.L.

1989-04-01

The US Department of Energy is planning to dispose of transuranic wastes at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Sandia National Laboratories is responsible for evaluating the compliance of the WIPP with the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B). This plan has been developed to present the issues that will be addressed before compliance can be evaluated. These issues examine the procedural nature of the Standard, and the technical requirements for further characterizing the behavior of the disposal system, including uncertainties, to support the compliance assessment. The plan briefly describes the activities that will be conducted prior to 1993 by Sandia to characterize the WIPP disposal system's behavior and predict its performance. 41 refs., 35 figs., 21 tabs

Mental rotation task in a pilot during and after pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Piccardi, Laura; Verde, Paola; Bianchini, Filippo; Morgagni, Fabio; Guariglia, Cecilia; Strollo, Felice

2013-10-01

Discordant findings have been reported about the change in pregnant women's cognitive test performance. Visuo-spatial abilities, which are crucial in terrestrial/flight navigation, could be influenced by hormonal variations. A 32-yr-old Italian Air Force pilot underwent a 2-D Mental Rotation Task (MRT) and hormonal assessment in the second trimester of pregnancy and 1 yr after delivery. Her performance was compared with that of two nonpregnant groups of women: one with flying experience and the other without. Estradiol and progesterone were significantly higher in pregnancy compared with postpartum, while testosterone was almost unchanged. During pregnancy, we observed a significant difference in the subject's response time compared with pilots (she was slower) and nonpilots (she was faster). One year after delivery, her performance was still better than the nonpilot group and was almost the same as the pilot group. Our data are consistent with an effect of pregnancy on visuo-spatial ability that can last for some time after delivery, even with the early recovery of the hormonal levels. MRT smoothly changed in our subject, supporting previous findings that women who are experts in flight navigation are less sensitive to hormonal fluctuations. In this case, visuospatial ability requiring effortful processing underwent variations during pregnancy and postpartum. Further studies are needed in order to confirm our observations in a wider population.

46 CFR 402.220 - Registration of pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Registration of pilots. 402.220 Section 402.220 Shipping... ORDERS Registration of Pilots § 402.220 Registration of pilots. (a) Each applicant pilot must complete the number of round trips specified in this section prior to registration as a U.S. registered pilot...

46 CFR 401.220 - Registration of pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Registration of pilots. 401.220 Section 401.220 Shipping... Registration of Pilots § 401.220 Registration of pilots. (a) The Director shall determine the number of pilots... waters of the Great Lakes and to provide for equitable participation of United States Registered Pilots...

Model for measuring complex performance in an aviation environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahn, H.A.

1988-01-01

An experiment was conducted to identify models of pilot performance through the attainment and analysis of concurrent verbal protocols. Sixteen models were identified. Novice and expert pilots differed with respect to the models they used. Models were correlated to performance, particularly in the case of expert subjects. Models were not correlated to performance shaping factors (i.e. workload). 3 refs., 1 tab

Performance of a pilot-scale constructed wetland system for treating simulated ash basin water.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorman, Lane; Castle, James W; Rodgers, John H

2009-05-01

A pilot-scale constructed wetland treatment system (CWTS) was designed and built to decrease the concentration and toxicity of constituents of concern in ash basin water from coal-burning power plants. The CWTS was designed to promote the following treatment processes for metals and metalloids: precipitation as non-bioavailable sulfides, co-precipitation with iron oxyhydroxides, and adsorption onto iron oxides. Concentrations of Zn, Cr, Hg, As, and Se in simulated ash basin water were reduced by the CWTS to less than USEPA-recommended water quality criteria. The removal efficiency (defined as the percent concentration decrease from influent to effluent) was dependent on the influent concentration of the constituent, while the extent of removal (defined as the concentration of a constituent of concern in the CWTS effluent) was independent of the influent concentration. Results from toxicity experiments illustrated that the CWTS eliminated influent toxicity with regard to survival and reduced influent toxicity with regard to reproduction. Reduction in potential for scale formation and biofouling was achieved through treatment of the simulated ash basin water by the pilot-scale CWTS.

Performance assessment in support of the 1996 compliance certification application for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: A decision analysis perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, J.C.; Basabilvazo, G.

1998-01-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic disposal of transuranic waste. The primary regulatory requirements (i.e., 40 CFR 191 and 40 CFR 194) placed on the WIPP by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) involve a complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) for normalized radionuclide releases to the accessible environment. The interpretation and use of this CCDF from a decision analysis perspective is discussed and illustrated with results from the 1996 performance assessment for the WIPP, which was carried out to support a compliance certification application by the DOE to the EPA for the WIPP

14 CFR 29.1329 - Automatic pilot system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Automatic pilot system. 29.1329 Section 29... pilot system. (a) Each automatic pilot system must be designed so that the automatic pilot can— (1) Be sufficiently overpowered by one pilot to allow control of the rotorcraft; and (2) Be readily and positively...

14 CFR 27.1329 - Automatic pilot system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Automatic pilot system. 27.1329 Section 27... pilot system. (a) Each automatic pilot system must be designed so that the automatic pilot can— (1) Be sufficiently overpowered by one pilot to allow control of the rotorcraft; and (2) Be readily and positively...

Pilot Designed Aircraft Displays in General Aviation: An Exploratory Study and Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Conaway, Cody R.

From 2001-2011, the General Aviation (GA) fatal accident rate remained unchanged (Duquette & Dorr, 2014) with an overall stagnant accident rate between 2004 and 2013. The leading cause, loss of control in flight (NTSB, 2015b & 2015c) due to pilot inability to recognize approach to stall/spin conditions (NTSB, 2015b & 2016b). In 2013, there were 1,224 GA accidents in the U.S., accounting for 94% of all U.S. aviation accidents and 90% of all U.S. aviation fatalities that year (NTSB, 2015c). Aviation entails multiple challenges for pilots related to task management, procedural errors, perceptual distortions, and cognitive discrepancies. While machine errors in airplanes have continued to decrease over the years, human error still has not (NTSB, 2013). A preliminary analysis of a PC-based, Garmin G1000 flight deck was conducted with 3 professional pilots. Analyses revealed increased task load, opportunities for distraction, confusing perceptual ques, and hindered cognitive performance. Complex usage problems were deeply ingrained in the functionality of the system, forcing pilots to use fallible work arounds, add unnecessary steps, and memorize knob turns or button pushes. Modern computing now has the potential to free GA cockpit designs from knobs, soft keys, or limited display options. Dynamic digital displays might include changes in instrumentation or menu structuring depending on the phase of flight. Airspeed indicators could increase in size to become more salient during landing, simultaneously highlighting pitch angle on Attitude Indicators and automatically decluttering unnecessary information for landing. Likewise, Angle-of-Attack indicators demonstrate a great safety and performance advantage for pilots (Duquette & Dorr, 2014; NTSB, 2015b & 2016b), an instrument typically found in military platforms and now the Icon A5, light-sport aircraft (Icon, 2016). How does the design of pilots' environment---the cockpit---further influence their efficiency and

The effects of display and autopilot functions on pilot workload for Single Pilot Instrument Flight Rule (SPIFR) operations

Science.gov (United States)

Hoh, Roger H.; Smith, James C.; Hinton, David A.

1987-01-01

An analytical and experimental research program was conducted to develop criteria for pilot interaction with advanced controls and displays in single pilot instrument flight rules (SPIFR) operations. The analytic phase reviewed fundamental considerations for pilot workload taking into account existing data, and using that data to develop a divided attention SPIFR pilot workload model. The pilot model was utilized to interpret the two experimental phases. The first experimental phase was a flight test program that evaluated pilot workload in the presence of current and near-term displays and autopilot functions. The second experiment was conducted on a King Air simulator, investigating the effects of co-pilot functions in the presence of very high SPIFR workload. The results indicate that the simplest displays tested were marginal for SPIFR operations. A moving map display aided the most in mental orientation, but had inherent deficiencies as a stand alone replacement for an HSI. Autopilot functions were highly effective for reducing pilot workload. The simulator tests showed that extremely high workload situations can be adequately handled when co-pilot functions are provided.

46 CFR 15.812 - Pilots.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pilots. 15.812 Section 15.812 Shipping COAST GUARD....812 Pilots. (a) Except as specified in paragraph (f) of this section, the following vessels, not... direction and control of an individual qualified to serve as pilot under paragraph (b) or (c) of this...

Pilot Use of a Novel Tool to Assess Neurosurgical Capacity in Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Ploss, Brittany; Abdelgadir, Jihad; Smith, Emily R; Fuller, Anthony; Nickenig Vissoci, Joao Ricardo; Muhindo, Alex; Galukande, Moses; Haglund, Michael M

2017-12-01

There is a significant burden of unmet surgical need in many low- and middle-income countries (>80% in parts of Africa). This need is even larger for specialties such as neurosurgery. Surgical capacity tools have been developed and used to assess needs and plan for resource allocation. This study piloted a new tool to assess neurosurgical capacity and describes its use. A surgical capacity tool was adapted to assess neurosurgical capacity. An expert panel of neurosurgeons and researchers reviewed the Surgeons OverSeas PIPES (personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies) assessment and added additional items essential to perform common neurosurgery procedures. This tool was then piloted at 3 public hospitals in Uganda and each hospital was given a score of neurosurgical capacity. At 1 hospital, 3 respondents were asked to answer the survey to assess reliability. The hospital with the largest neurosurgery caseload and 5 neurosurgeons scored the highest on our survey, followed by a regional hospital with 1 practicing neurosurgeon. The third hospital, without a neurosurgeon, scored the lowest on the scale. At the hospital that completed the reliability assessment, scores were varied between respondents. NeuroPIPES survey scores were in keeping with the number of neurosurgeons and respective caseloads of each hospital. However, the variation in scores between respondents at the same hospital suggests that adaptations could be made to the tool that may improve reliability and validity. The methodology used to create NeuroPIPES may be successfully applied to a variety of other surgical subspecialties for similar assessments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of the Interaction of Caffeine and Water on Voice Performance: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Franca, Maria Claudia; Simpson, Kenneth O.

2013-01-01

The objective of this "pilot" investigation was to study the effects of the interaction of caffeine and water intake on voice as evidenced by acoustic and aerodynamic measures, to determine whether ingestion of 200 mg of caffeine and various levels of water intake have an impact on voice. The participants were 48 females ranging in age…

PULSE Pilot Certification Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pamela Pape-Lindstrom

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The pilot certification process is an ambitious, nationwide endeavor designed to motivate important changes in life sciences education that are in line with the recommendations of the 2011 Vision and Change Report: A Call to Action (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 2011.  It is the goal of the certification process to acknowledge departments that have progressed towards full implementation of the tenets of Vision and Change and to motivate departments that have not begun to adopt the recommendations to consider doing so.  More than 70 life science departments applied to be part of the pilot certification process, funded by a National Science Foundation grant, and eight were selected based on initial evidence of transformed and innovative educational practices.  The programs chosen represent a wide variety of schools, including two-year colleges, liberal-arts institutions, regional comprehensive colleges, research universities and minority serving institutions.  Outcomes from this pilot were released June 1, 2015 (www.pulsecommunity.org, with all eight programs being recognized as having progressed along a continuum of change.  Five levels of achievement were defined as PULSE Pilot Progression Levels.  Of the eight departments in the pilot, one achieved “PULSE Progression Level III: Accomplished”.  Six departments achieved “PULSE Progression Level II: Developing” and one pilot department achieved “PULSE Progression Level I: Beginning”.  All of the schools have made significant movement towards the recommendations of Vision and Change relative to a traditional life sciences curriculum.  Overall, the response from the eight pilot schools has been positive. 

Prediction of pilot induced oscillations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentin PANĂ

2011-03-01

Full Text Available An important problem in the design of flight-control systems for aircraft under pilotedcontrol is the determination of handling qualities and pilot-induced oscillations (PIO tendencieswhen significant nonlinearities exist in the vehicle description. The paper presents a method to detectpossible pilot-induced oscillations of Category II (with rate and position limiting, a phenomenonusually due to a misadaptation between the pilot and the aircraft response during some tasks in whichtight closed loop control of the aircraft is required from the pilot. For the analysis of Pilot in the LoopOscillations an approach, based on robust stability analysis of a system subject to uncertainparameters, is proposed. In this analysis the nonlinear elements are substituted by linear uncertainparameters. This approach assumes that PIO are characterized by a limit cycle behavior.

FlyTact : A tactile display improves a helicopter pilot's landing performance in degraded visual environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, C.; Wennemers, A.S.; Vos, W.K.; Groen, E.L.

2008-01-01

Helicopter landings are more challenging in 'brownout' conditions, in which sand and dust is stirred up by the rotary wing aircraft, obscuring visibility. Safe brownout landings require new sensor and display technologies to provide the pilot with information on helicopter motion. In this respect

Response of rabbits to varying levels of cassava and Leucaena ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Response of rabbits to varying levels of cassava and Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal diets. ... Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa ... An experiment was carried out to determine the performance, haematology, carcass characteristics and sensory evaluation of meat from rabbits (n = 30) fed varying levels of ...

14 CFR 121.437 - Pilot qualification: Certificates required.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Pilot qualification: Certificates required... Pilot qualification: Certificates required. (a) No pilot may act as pilot in command of an aircraft (or... pilots) unless he holds an airline transport pilot certificate and an appropriate type rating for that...

Prediction of musculoskeletal discomfort in a pick and place tast : a pilot

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruizinga, C.P.; Delleman, N.J.; Schellekens, J.M.H.

1998-01-01

A pilot study was conducted regarding the effects of working posture, handling frequency, and task duration on musculoskeletal discomfort. Participants rated their discomfort perceived while perform-ing a repetitive task at 8 different combinations of manipulations. Pauses between the work periods

Pilot Study for Maintenance Rule at KSNP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kwang Hee; Jeong, Hyeon Jong; Jee, Moon Hak; Hong, Sung Yull

2005-01-01

Maintenance Rule (MR), which was developed to monitor the effectiveness of maintenance in a nuclear power plant (NPP), has been received as highly successful program by and large since its implementation in 1996 in the United States. Korea has initiated two pilot programs to implement the Maintenance Rule program in 2003. Selected plants for the pilot implementation are Kori 3 and 4 units and Ulchin 3 and 4 units, where Kori 3 and 4 units are Westinghouse units and Ulchin 3 and 4 units are Korean Standardized Nuclear Power (KSNP) Plant units. This paper describes the results of each key tasks completed to date and insights gained from pilot study on the KSNP units. Currently, Scoping of the functions of maintenance rule and determination of safety significance level have been completed during first year. As first task, total 607 functions were identified and defined by detailed function analysis on 135 systems that cover all plant systems. About 55% of total functions are selected as within the scope of maintenance rule. Among these inscoped functions, 56% of scoped functions are safety related and 44% are non-safety related functions. Evaluation of safety significance for each function was determined by expert panel consist of eight experts in field of plant maintenance, operation, PSA, work schedule and system engineers. As a result, about 46% of functions were determined to be high safety significant functions and rest of the functions were classified as low safety significant. The remaining tasks that are included determination of performance criteria and preparation of implementing guideline will be performed in following years

The pilot plant for electron beam food processing

Science.gov (United States)

Migdal, W.; Walis, L.; Chmielewski, A. G.

1993-07-01

In the frames of the national programme on the application of irradiation for food preservation and hygienization an experimental plant for electron beam processing has been established in INCT. The pilot plant has been constructed inside an old fort what decreases significantly the cost of the investment. The pilot plant is equipped with a small research accelerator Pilot (10 MeV, 1 kW) and an industrial unit Elektronika (10 MeV, 10 kW). This allows both laboratory and full technological scale testing of the elaborated process to be conducted. The industrial unit is being equipped with e-/X conversion target, for high density products irradiation. On the basis of the research there were performed at different scientific institutions in Poland, health authorities have issued permissions for permanent treatment of spices, garlic, onions and temporary permissions for mushrooms, and potatoes. Dosimetric methods have been elaborated for the routine use at the plant. In the INCT laboratory methods for the control of e-/X treated food have been established.

The pilot plant for electron beam food processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migdal, W.; Kosmal, W.; Malec-Czechowska, K.; Maciszewski, W.

1992-01-01

In the frames of the national programme on the application of irradiation for food preservation and hygienization an experimental plant for electron beam processing has been established in INCT. The pilot plant has been constructed inside an old fort what decreases significantly the cost of the investment. The pilot plants is equipped with a small research accelerator Pilot (10 MeV, 1 kW) and an industrial unit Elektronika (10 MeV, 10 kW). This allows both laboratory and full technological scale testing of the elaborated process to be conducted. The industrial unit is being equipped with e-/X conversion target, for high density products irradiation. On the basis of the research there were performed at different scientific institutions in Poland, health authorities have issued permissions for permanent treatment of spices, garlic, onions and temporary permissions for mushrooms, and potatoes. Dosimetric methods have been elaborated for the routine use at the plant. In the INCT laboratory methods for the control of e-/X treated food have been established. (author). 9 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab

Greenbelt Homes Pilot Program: Summary of Building Envelope Retrofits, Planned HVAC Equipment Upgrades, and Energy Savings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiehagen, J. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Del Bianco, M. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Mallay, D. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

2015-05-01

In the fall of 2010, a multiyear pilot energy efficiency retrofit project was undertaken by Greenbelt Homes, Inc, (GHI) a 1,566 home cooperative of circa 1930 and 1940 homes in Greenbelt, Maryland. GHI established this pilot project to serve as a basis for decision making for the rollout of a decade-long community-wide upgrade program that will incorporate energy efficiency improvements to the building envelope and mechanical equipment. It presents a unique opportunity to evaluate and prioritize the wide-range of benefits of high-performance retrofits based on member experience with and acceptance of the retrofit measures implemented during the pilot project. Addressing the complex interactions between benefits, trade-offs, construction methods, project management implications, realistic upfront costs, financing, and other considerations, serves as a case study for energy retrofit projects to include high-performance technologies based on the long-term value to the homeowner. The pilot project focused on identifying the added costs and energy savings benefits of improvements.

Rand Symposium on Pilot Training and the Pilot Career. (Santa Monica, Calif., Feb. 23-27, 1970).

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, W. A.; Wainstein, E. S.

This document contains discussions of the following: The pilot career; Career and education; The pilot skill--definition, measurement, and retention; Relevance of training to combat; Selection; Motivation; Training innovations and the role of research; Simulators; The instructor pilot; Topics for research. (Author/CK)

Pilot and pilot-commercial plants for reprocessing spent fuels of FBR type reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaldaev, V.S.; Sokolova, I.D.

1988-01-01

A review of modern state of investigations on the FBR mixed oxide uranium-plutonium fuel reprocessing abroad is given. Great Britain and France occupy the leading place in this field, operating pilot plants of 5 tons a year capacity. Technology of spent fuel reprocessing and specific features of certain stages of the technological process are considered. Projects of pilot and pilot-commercial plants of Great Britain, France, Japan, USA are described. Economic problems of the FBR fuel reprocessing are touched upon

Pilot Implementation of Health Information Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bansler, Jørgen P.; Havn, Erling C.

2009-01-01

Pilot implementation is a powerful and widely used approach in identifying design flaws and implementation issues before the full-scale deployment of new health information systems. However, pilot implementations often fail in the sense that they say little about the usability and usefulness...... of the proposed system designs. This calls for studies that seek to uncover and analyze the reasons for failure, so that guidelines for conducting such pilots can be developed. In this paper, we present a qualitative field study of an ambitious, but unsuccessful pilot implementation of a Danish healthcare...... information system. Based on the findings from this study, we identify three main challenges: (1) defining an appropriate scope for pilot implementation, (2) managing the implementation process, and (3) ensuring commitment to the pilot. Finally, recommendations for future research and implications...

Simplified pilot module development and testing within the ATLAS PanDA Pilot 2.0 Project

CERN Document Server

Drizhuk, Daniil; The ATLAS collaboration; Nilsson, Paul

2016-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) system has been developed to meet ATLAS production and analysis requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at the LHC data processing scale. The PanDA pilot is one of the major components in the PanDA system. It runs on a worker node and takes care of setting up the environment, fetching and pushing data to storage, getting jobs from the PanDA server and executing them. The original PanDA Pilot was designed over 10 years ago and has since then grown organically. Large parts of the original pilot code base are now getting old and are difficult to maintain. Incremental changes and refactoring have been pushed to the limit, and the time is now right for a fresh start, informed by a decade of experience, with the PanDA Pilot 2.0 Project. To create a testing environment for module development and automated unit and functional testing for next generation pilot tasks, a simple pilot version was developed. It resembles the basic workf...

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Music Performance Anxiety: A Pilot Study with Student Vocalists.

Science.gov (United States)

Juncos, David G; Heinrichs, Glenn A; Towle, Philip; Duffy, Kiera; Grand, Sebastian M; Morgan, Matthew C; Smith, Jonathan D; Kalkus, Evan

2017-01-01

This study investigated the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a treatment for music performance anxiety (MPA) in an uncontrolled pilot design. ACT is a newer, "third-wave" therapy that differs from previous MPA treatments, because its goal is not to reduce symptoms of MPA. Rather, ACT aims to enhance psychological flexibility in the presence of unwanted symptoms through the promotion of six core processes collectively known as the ACT "Hexaflex." A small group of student vocalists ( N = 7) from an elite choral college were recruited using objective criteria for evaluating MPA. Participants received 12 ACT sessions, and their baseline functioning served as a pre-treatment control. Treatment consisted of an orientation to ACT, identifying experientially avoidant behaviors, facilitation of Hexaflex processes, group performances in which valued behaviors were practiced in front of one another, meditations, homework, and completion of self-report measures before, during, and after treatment (at a 1- and 3-month follow-up). Improvements were observed in participants' cognitive defusion, acceptance of MPA symptoms, and psychological flexibility at post-treatment and follow-ups. Students also appeared to improve their performance quality and reduce their shame over having MPA. These results add to existing research suggesting ACT is a promising intervention for MPA, while also highlighting how vocal students may be less impaired by physical MPA symptoms.

Task-Oriented and Relationship-Building Communications between Air Traffic Controllers and Pilots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inwon Kang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available By questioning the lopsided attention on task-oriented factors in air traffic controller-pilot communication, the current study places an equal weighting on both task-oriented and relationship-building communications, and investigates how each type of communication influences sustainable performance in airline operation team. Results show that both task-oriented and relationship-building communications in terms of sustainability of team process predicted greater communication satisfaction at work. Also, both task interdependence and shared leadership influenced both types of air traffic controller-pilot communication. However, only relationship-building communication had a direct influence on perceived work performance whereas task-oriented communication had not. Along with task-oriented factors, this study raises the relationship-oriented factors as important resources for the sustainable team performance in airline industry.

The Flower Workshop in psychosocial rehabilitation: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Alfredo; Pereira, Maria Alice Ornellas

2009-01-01

We report a pilot study with the Flower Workshop, a new modality of psychosocial rehabilitation group activity. Cognitive performance in schizophrenia and other mental conditions can be impaired depending on the tasks to be executed and their respective social context. The vulnerability of these individuals can be reduced by means of cognitive and socio-affective facilitation. We conducted a pilot study to introduce the Flower Workshop in a public Mental Health Service in the city of Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo-Brasil) with 12 participants during 18 months (2002-2003). With cognitive and socio-affective facilitation, participants were able to construct vases and make flower arrangements successfully.

Drilling and the associated drillhole measurements of the pilot hole ONK-PH6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehberg, A.; Hirvonen, H.; Kemppainen, K.; Niemonen, J.; Nordbaeck, N.; Poellaenen, J.; Rouhiainen, P.; Rautio, T.; Tarvainen, A.-M.

2007-08-01

The construction of the ONKALO access tunnel started in September 2004 at Olkiluoto. Most of the investigations related to the construction of the access tunnel aim to ensure successful excavations, reinforcement and sealing. Pilot holes are drillholes, which are core drilled along the tunnel profile. The length of the pilot holes typically varies from several tens of metres to a couple of hundred metres. The pilot holes are aimed to confirm the quality of the rock mass for tunnel construction, and in particular to identify water conductive fractured zones and to provide information that could result in modifications of the existing construction plans. The pilot hole ONK-PH6 was drilled from chainage 1404 to chainage 1559 in September 2006. The length of the hole is 155.04 m. The aim during the drilling work was to orient core samples as much as possible. The deviation of the drillhole was measured during and after the drilling phase. One steering operation by wedging was made at the hole depth of 94.05 metres (top of the wedge). Electric conductivity was measured from the collected returning water samples. Logging of the core samples included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracturing, fracture frequency, RQD, fractured zones, core loss and weathering. The rock mechanical logging was based on Q-classification. The tests to determine rock strength and deformation properties were made with a Rock Tester-equipment. Difference Flow method was used for the determination of hydraulic conductivity in fractures and fractured zones in the drillhole. The overlapping i.e. the detailed flow logging mode was used. Besides flow logging Single Point Resistance (SPR), Electric Conductivity (EC) and temperature of the drillhole water were also measured. The flow logging was performed with 0.5 m section length and with 0.1 m depth increment. Water loss tests were conducted in the hole excluding the section 89.04 - 101.04 metres due to the wedge. Geophysical logging

Performance evaluation of a pilot-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treating ethanol thin stillage.

Science.gov (United States)

Dereli, R K; Urban, D R; Heffernan, B; Jordan, J A; Ewing, J; Rosenberger, G T; Dunaev, T I

2012-01-01

The ethanol industry has grown rapidly during the past ten years, mainly due to increasing oil prices. However, efficient and cost-effective solutions for treating thin stillage wastewater have still to be developed. The anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) technology combines classical anaerobic treatment in a completely-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with membrane separation. The combination of these two technologies can achieve a superior effluent quality and also increase biogas production compared to conventional anaerobic solutions. A pilot-scale AnMBR treating thin stillage achieved very high treatment efficiencies in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS) removal (>98%). An average permeate flux of 4.3 L/m2 x h was achieved at relatively low transmembrane pressure (TMP) values (0.1-0.2 bars) with flat-sheet membranes. Experience gained during the pilot-scale studies provides valuable information for scaling up of AnMBRs treating complex and high-strength wastewaters.

Pilots' Attention Distributions Between Chasing a Moving Target and a Stationary Target.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wen-Chin; Yu, Chung-San; Braithwaite, Graham; Greaves, Matthew

2016-12-01

Attention plays a central role in cognitive processing; ineffective attention may induce accidents in flight operations. The objective of the current research was to examine military pilots' attention distributions between chasing a moving target and a stationary target. In the current research, 37 mission-ready F-16 pilots participated. Subjects' eye movements were collected by a portable head-mounted eye-tracker during tactical training in a flight simulator. The scenarios of chasing a moving target (air-to-air) and a stationary target (air-to-surface) consist of three operational phases: searching, aiming, and lock-on to the targets. The findings demonstrated significant differences in pilots' percentage of fixation during the searching phase between air-to-air (M = 37.57, SD = 5.72) and air-to-surface (M = 33.54, SD = 4.68). Fixation duration can indicate pilots' sustained attention to the trajectory of a dynamic target during air combat maneuvers. Aiming at the stationary target resulted in larger pupil size (M = 27,105, SD = 6565), reflecting higher cognitive loading than aiming at the dynamic target (M = 23,864, SD = 8762). Pilots' visual behavior is not only closely related to attention distribution, but also significantly associated with task characteristics. Military pilots demonstrated various visual scan patterns for searching and aiming at different types of targets based on the research settings of a flight simulator. The findings will facilitate system designers' understanding of military pilots' cognitive processes during tactical operations. They will assist human-centered interface design to improve pilots' situational awareness. The application of an eye-tracking device integrated with a flight simulator is a feasible and cost-effective intervention to improve the efficiency and safety of tactical training.Li W-C, Yu C-S, Braithwaite G, Greaves M. Pilots' attention distributions between chasing a moving target and a stationary target. Aerosp Med

Loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification for asymptomatic malaria detection in challenging field settings: Technical performance and pilot implementation in the Peruvian Amazon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisa Serra-Casas

Full Text Available Loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification (LAMP methodology offers an opportunity for point-of-care (POC molecular detection of asymptomatic malaria infections. However, there is still little evidence on the feasibility of implementing this technique for population screenings in isolated field settings.Overall, we recruited 1167 individuals from terrestrial ('road' and hydric ('riverine' communities of the Peruvian Amazon for a cross-sectional survey to detect asymptomatic malaria infections. The technical performance of LAMP was evaluated in a subgroup of 503 samples, using real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR as reference standard. The operational feasibility of introducing LAMP testing in the mobile screening campaigns was assessed based on field-suitability parameters, along with a pilot POC-LAMP assay in a riverine community without laboratory infrastructure.LAMP had a sensitivity of 91.8% (87.7-94.9 and specificity of 91.9% (87.8-95.0, and the overall accuracy was significantly better among samples collected during road screenings than riverine communities (p≤0.004. LAMP-based diagnostic strategy was successfully implemented within the field-team logistics and the POC-LAMP pilot in the riverine community allowed for a reduction in the turnaround time for case management, from 12-24 hours to less than 5 hours. Specimens with haemolytic appearance were regularly observed in riverine screenings and could help explaining the hindered performance/interpretation of the LAMP reaction in these communities.LAMP-based molecular malaria diagnosis can be deployed outside of reference laboratories, providing similar performance as qPCR. However, scale-up in remote field settings such as riverine communities needs to consider a number of logistical challenges (e.g. environmental conditions, labour-intensiveness in large population screenings that can influence its optimal implementation.

Weeks Island gravity stable CO2 pilot: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnston, J.R.; Perry, G.E.

1989-01-01

The Weeks Island ''S'' sand Reservoir B (''S'' RB) gravity-stable CO2 field test was completed during February 1988. Injection started in October 1978 and production began in January 1981 in this high-permeability, steeply-dipping sandstone reservoir. About 264,000 barrels of oil or 65 percent of the starting volume has been recovered. A 24-percent pore-volume slug of CO2 mixed with about six mole percent of natural gas (mostly methane) was injected at the start of the pilot. Since 1983, produced CO2 plus hydrocarbon gases have been recycled. CO2 usage statistics are 9.34 MCF/BO with recycle and 3.24 MCF/BO based on purchased CO2. Previous annual reports document the pilot design, implementation, and early results for the 1977 to June 1981 time period. This report is a review of early pilot history and a more detailed account of the post June 1981 results and overall interpretation. A reservoir-simulation history match of pilot performance plus core and log data from a 1983 swept-zone evaluation well are described in this report. A brief description of the production facility and an account of the corrosion control program are also included. 11 refs., 34 figs.

Physiological Indicators of Workload in a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

cognitive workload. That is, both cognitive underload and overload can negatively impact performance (Young & Stanton, 2002). One solution to...Report contains color. 14. ABSTRACT Toward preventing performance decrements associated with mental overload in remotely piloted aircraft (RPA...operations, the current research investigated the feasibility of using physiological measures to assess cognitive workload. Two RPA operators were

Security scheme in IMDD-OFDM-PON system with the chaotic pilot interval and scrambling

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qianghua; Bi, Meihua; Fu, Xiaosong; Lu, Yang; Zeng, Ran; Yang, Guowei; Yang, Xuelin; Xiao, Shilin

2018-01-01

In this paper, a random chaotic pilot interval and permutations scheme without any requirement of redundant sideband information is firstly proposed for the physical layer security-enhanced intensity modulation direct detection orthogonal frequency division multiplexing passive optical network (IMDD-OFDM-PON) system. With the help of the position feature of inserting the pilot, a simple logistic chaos map is used to generate the random pilot interval and scramble the chaotic subcarrier allocation of each column pilot data for improving the physical layer confidentiality. Due to the dynamic chaotic permutations of pilot data, the enhanced key space of ∼103303 is achieved in OFDM-PON. Moreover, the transmission experiment of 10-Gb/s 16-QAM encrypted OFDM data is successfully demonstrated over 20-km single-mode fiber, which indicates that the proposed scheme not only improves the system security, but also can achieve the same performance as in the common IMDD-OFDM-PON system without encryption scheme.

Direct-detection optical OFDM superchannel for long-reach PON using pilot regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Rong; Yang, Qi; Xiao, Xiao; Gui, Tao; Li, Zhaohui; Luo, Ming; Yu, Shaohua; You, Shanhong

2013-11-04

We demonstrate a novel long-reach PON downstream scheme based on the regenerated pilot assisted direct-detection optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DDO-OFDM) superchannel transmission. We use the optical comb source to form DDO-OFDM superchannel, and reserve the center carrier as a seed pilot. The seed pilot is further tracked and reused to generate multiple optical carriers at the local exchange. Each regenerated pilot carrier is selected to beat with an adjacent OFDM sub-band at ONU, so that the electrical bandwidth limitation can be much released compared to the conventional DDO-OFDM superchannel detection. With the proposed proof-of-concept architecture, we experimentally demonstrated a 116.7 Gb/s superchannel OFDM-PON system with transmission reach of 100 km, and 1:64 splitting ratio. We analyze the impact of carrier-to-sideband power ratio (CSPR) on system performance. The experiment result shows that, 5 dB power margin is still remained at ONU using such technique.

The use of expert elicitation to quantify uncertainty in incomplete sorption data bases for Waste Isolation Pilot Plant performance assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, D.R.; Trauth, K.M.; Hora, S.C.

1991-01-01

Iterative, annual performance-assessment calculations are being performed for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), a planned underground repository in southeastern New Mexico, USA for the disposal of transuranic waste. The performance-assessment calculations estimate the long-term radionuclide releases from the disposal system to the accessible environment. Because direct experimental data in some areas are presently of insufficient quantity to form the basis for the required distributions. Expert judgment was used to estimate the concentrations of specific radionuclides in a brine exiting a repository room or drift as it migrates up an intruding borehole, and also the distribution coefficients that describe the retardation of radionuclides in the overlying Culebra Dolomite. The variables representing these concentrations and coefficients have been shown by 1990 sensitivity analyses to be among the set of parameters making the greatest contribution to the uncertainty in WIPP performance-assessment predictions. Utilizing available information, the experts (one expert panel addressed concentrations and a second panel addressed retardation) developed an understanding of the problem and were formally elicited to obtain probability distributions that characterize the uncertainty in fixed, but unknown, quantities. The probability distributions developed by the experts are being incorporated into the 1991 performance-assessment calculations. 16 refs., 4 tabs

Clean indoor air increases physical independence : a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snijders, M.C.L.; Koren, L.G.H.; Kort, H.S.M.; Bronswijk, van J.E.M.H.

2001-01-01

Clean indoor air enhances health. In a pilot study, we examined whether a good indoor air quality increases the activity potential of older persons with chronic lung disease. Five older persons were studied while performing kitchen activities. Body movement and heart rate were monitored.

Performance of a pilot-scale continuous flow microbial electrolysis cell fed winery wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Cusick, Roland D; Bryan, Bill; Parker, Denny S; Merrill, Matthew D; Mehanna, Maha; Kiely, Patrick D; Liu, Guangli; Logan, Bruce E

2011-03-01

A pilot-scale (1,000 L) continuous flow microbial electrolysis cell was constructed and tested for current generation and COD removal with winery wastewater. The reactor contained 144 electrode pairs in 24 modules. Enrichment of an exoelectrogenic biofilm required ~60 days, which is longer than typically needed for laboratory reactors. Current generation was enhanced by ensuring adequate organic volatile fatty acid content (VFA/SCOD ≥ 0.5) and by raising the wastewater temperature (31 ± 1°C). Once enriched, SCOD removal (62 ± 20%) was consistent at a hydraulic retention time of 1 day (applied voltage of 0.9 V). Current generation reached a maximum of 7.4 A/m(3) by the planned end of the test (after 100 days). Gas production reached a maximum of 0.19 ± 0.04 L/L/day, although most of the product gas was converted to methane (86 ± 6%). In order to increase hydrogen recovery in future tests, better methods will be needed to isolate hydrogen gas produced at the cathode. These results show that inoculation and enrichment procedures are critical to the initial success of larger-scale systems. Acetate amendments, warmer temperatures, and pH control during startup were found to be critical for proper enrichment of exoelectrogenic biofilms and improved reactor performance.

Conceptual structure of the 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HELTON, JON CRAIG; ANDERSON, D. RICHARD; BASABILVAZO, G.; JOW, HONG-NIAN; MARIETTA, MELVIN G.

2000-01-01

The conceptual structure of the 1996 performance assessment (PA) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is described. This structure involves three basic entities (EN1, EN2, EN3): (1) EN1, a probabilistic characterization of the likelihood of different futures occurring at the WIPP site over the next 10,000 yr, (2) EN2, a procedure for estimating the radionuclide releases to the accessible environment associated with each of the possible futures that could occur at the WIPP site over the next 10,000 yr, and (3) EN3, a probabilistic characterization of the uncertainty in the parameters used in the definition of EN1 and EN2. In the formal development of the 1996 WIPP PA, EN1 is characterized by a probability space (S st , P st , p st ) for stochastic (i.e., aleatory) uncertainly; EN2 is characterized by a function (line i ntegral) that corresponds to the models and associated computer programs used to estimate radionuclide releases; and EN3 is characterized by a probability space (S su , P su , p su ) for subjective (i.e., epistemic) uncertainty. A high-level overview of the 1996 WIPP PA and references to additional sources of information are given in the context of (S st , P st , p st ), (line i ntegral) and (S su , P su , p su )

Rate of information processing and reaction time of aircraft pilots and non-pilots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Werner Barkhuizen

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Reaction time and rate of information processing are cited as critical components in the make-up of pilots. A need was identified to establish the validity of various chronometric measures in the selection of pilots. Fifty-eight military and commercial pilots and twenty non-pilots were subjected to Schepers’ Computerised Information Processing Test Battery, which measures reaction time, form discrimination time, colour discrimination time, rate of information processing (perceptual and rate of information processing (conceptual. Five hypotheses and one postulate were formulated and tested. The results indicate that pilots could be differentiated from non-pilots with 92,3% accuracy. However, the results need to be cross-validated before they are used for selection. Opsomming Reaksietyd en tempo van inligtingverwerking word as kritieke komponente in die samestelling van vlieëniers beskou. ‘n Behoefte is geïdentifiseer om die geldigheid van verskeie chronometriese metinge in vlieënierskeuring te bepaal. Agt en vyftig militêre en kommersiële vlieëniers en twintig nie-vlieëniers is onderwerp aan Schepers se Gerekenariseerde Inligtingverwerkingstoets-battery wat reaksietyd, vormdiskriminasietyd, kleurdiskriminasietyd, tempo van inligtingverwerking (perseptueel en tempo van inligtingverwerking (konseptueel meet. Vyf hipoteses en een postulaat is gestel en getoets. Die resultate dui daarop dat vlieëniers met 92,3% akkuraatheid van nievlieëniers onderskei kan word. Die resultate behoort egter eers gekruisvalideer te word voordat dit finaal vir keuring gebruik kan word.

SkyMine Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joe Jones; Clive Barton; Mark Clayton; Al Yablonsky; David Legere

2010-09-30

This Topical Report addresses accomplishments achieved during Phase 1 of the SkyMine{reg_sign} Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project. The primary objectives of this project are to design, construct, and operate a system to capture CO{sub 2} from a slipstream of flue gas from a commercial coal-fired cement kiln, convert that CO{sub 2} to products having commercial value (i.e., beneficial use), show the economic viability of the CO{sub 2} capture and conversion process, and thereby advance the technology to a point of readiness for commercial scale demonstration and proliferation. The project will also substantiate market opportunities for the technology by sales of chemicals into existing markets, and identify opportunities to improve technology performance and reduce costs at commercial scale. The primary objectives of Phase 1 of the project were to elaborate proven SkyMine{reg_sign} process chemistry to commercial pilot-scale operation and complete the preliminary design ('Reference Plant Design') for the pilot plant to be built and operated in Phase 2. Additionally, during Phase 1, information necessary to inform a DOE determination regarding NEPA requirements for the project was developed, and a comprehensive carbon lifecycle analysis was completed. These items were included in the formal application for funding under Phase 2. All Phase 1 objectives were successfully met on schedule and within budget.

Lung cancer in uranium miners: A tissue resource and pilot study. Final performance report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samet, J.; Gilliland, F.D.

1998-01-01

This project incorporates two related research projects directed toward understanding respiratory carcinogenesis in radon-exposed former uranium miners. The first project involved a continuation of the tissue resource of lung cancer cases from former underground uranium miners and comparison cases from non-miners. The second project was a pilot study for a proposed longitudinal study of respiratory carcinogenesis in former uranium miners. The objectives including facilitating the investigation of molecular changes in radon exposed lung cancer cases, developing methods for prospectively studying clinical, cytologic, cytogenetic, and molecular changes in the multi-event process of respiratory carcinogenesis, and assessing the feasibility of recruiting former uranium miners into a longitudinal study that collected multiple biological specimens. A pilot study was conducted to determine whether blood collection, induced sputum, bronchial brushing, washings, and mucosal biopsies from participants at two of the hospitals could be included efficiently. A questionnaire was developed for the extended study and all protocols for specimen collection and tissue handling were completed. Resource utilization is in progress at ITRI and the methods have been developed to study molecular and cellular changes in exfoliated cells contained in sputum as well as susceptibility factors

Lung cancer in uranium miners: A tissue resource and pilot study. Final performance report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samet, J.; Gilliland, F.D.

1998-08-13

This project incorporates two related research projects directed toward understanding respiratory carcinogenesis in radon-exposed former uranium miners. The first project involved a continuation of the tissue resource of lung cancer cases from former underground uranium miners and comparison cases from non-miners. The second project was a pilot study for a proposed longitudinal study of respiratory carcinogenesis in former uranium miners. The objectives including facilitating the investigation of molecular changes in radon exposed lung cancer cases, developing methods for prospectively studying clinical, cytologic, cytogenetic, and molecular changes in the multi-event process of respiratory carcinogenesis, and assessing the feasibility of recruiting former uranium miners into a longitudinal study that collected multiple biological specimens. A pilot study was conducted to determine whether blood collection, induced sputum, bronchial brushing, washings, and mucosal biopsies from participants at two of the hospitals could be included efficiently. A questionnaire was developed for the extended study and all protocols for specimen collection and tissue handling were completed. Resource utilization is in progress at ITRI and the methods have been developed to study molecular and cellular changes in exfoliated cells contained in sputum as well as susceptibility factors.

Self-administered physical exercise training as treatment of neck and shoulder pain among military helicopter pilots and crew

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Murray, Mike; Lange, Britt; Nørnberg, Bo Riebeling

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Neck pain is frequent among military helicopter pilots and crew-members, and pain may influence individual health and work performance. The aim of this study was to examine if an exercise intervention could reduce neck pain among helicopter pilots and crew-members. METHODS: Thirty......-one pilots and thirty-eight crew-members were randomized to either an exercise-training-group (n = 35) or a reference-group (n = 34). The exercise-training-group received 20-weeks of specific neck/shoulder training. The reference-group received no training. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Intensity of neck pain previous 3......-to-treat and per-protocol. Students t-test was performed (p 

Robust and Fault-Tolerant Linear Parameter-Varying Control of Wind Turbines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)