Safety & Defense

Forecasting Trends of Safety Performance Indicators in Aviation

2023-11-27T20:56:39+01:00

The article concerns the issues of forecasting trends of safety performance indicators (SPIs)in civil aviation. The main objective was to present a proposal for the method of forecasting trends in air traffic safety performance indicators in the future. For this purpose, a SPI forecasting method based on Holt's exponential smoothing model was proposed. To confirm the correctness of the proposed method, a selected, sample safety performance indicator for Airspace Infringement occurrences was forecasted. An analysis of the obtained results was carried out, as well as the directions of further research in this area were presented. The article discusses also the issues of forecasting development trends of selected safety performance indicators and their variability over time for the Polish airspace.

Sources of Information on Weather Conditions in Connection with Air Accidents

2023-11-27T20:56:41+01:00

This article is an attempt to comprehensively identify the sources of weather condition information in relation to the occurrence of aviation accidents. This issue, according to the authors, should be considered in the following main areas: the actual weather condition at the scene of the accident and its impact on the course of the accident, the information obtained by the flight crew about the weather condition before the flight, the correctness of the crew's decision on how to carry out the flight on the basis of the information obtained about the weather condition.

This publication first discusses the legal basis and requirements for meteorological protection of aviation activities and the resulting consequences. This is followed by a discussion of the meteorological data available for use in the investigation of aviation incidents. This is realized in relation to various weather conditions. All messages and forecasts are characterized, and the possibilities for their use in conducting air accident investigations are discussed. In doing so, a selection of the main meteorological phenomena that may directly or indirectly impact flight safety is discussed.

Sources of weather information for accident investigators and their importance for the investigation are identified. Methods of cross-checking actual weather conditions at the accident scene are indicated.

Required Operational Capabilities of the Recognition Subsystem in the Anti-Access/Area Denial System

2023-12-11T13:15:57+01:00

The subject of this article is the issue of "the required operational capabilities of the reconnaissance subsystem in the anti-access/area denial system".

When defining the assumptions for the reconnaissance subsystem in the A2/AD system, several assumptions were adopted for the analyses resulting from the concept of military operations from the beginning of the 21st century. These assumptions were derived from analyses carried out as part of conferences, seminars, research work, and army command and staff exercises (see: Wrzosek, 2020). Moreover, epistemological achievements in the field of military thought were used to generate solutions.

The accumulated knowledge is the basis for concluding that the current reconnaissance subsystem does not meet the requirements, full perception of various reconnaissance data obtained from the area of operations and the translation of aggregate knowledge into the cognitive sphere of commanders and staff. Additionally, it was established that in the current organizational and functional solutions, the commander's knowledge is based on an understanding of the area of operation and the enemy troops' situation. Meanwhile, the new scope of reconnaissance tasks under the A2/AD system requires collecting knowledge from all domains where the fate of a military conflict is decided.

Impact of New Technologies on Developing Aviation Safety Training

2023-12-14T10:32:54+01:00

Aviation safety training requires meticulous procedures and constant updating. The development of new technologies in aviation makes it possible to visualize difficult situations and transfer them to various types of simulations. It is theorized that, in addition to basic textbooks, a trainee is able to absorb more material in less time thanks to new tools such as virtual reality. The purpose of this article is to compare the level of training in the traditional mode and with the use of a VR lab. The research methods presented in this article are in line with the discipline of security sciences, which arises from the social need to learn about the reality around us. Observations made in a study conducted on a group of students provided answers about the opportunities and threats that VR applications introduced in the training system.

Accidents, Aviation Incidents, Acts of Terror and Other Dangers in Aviation

2023-12-14T10:38:52+01:00

The purpose of this article is to show the relationship between international, EU and national laws, assuming primarily the nature of public and international law in the field of air traffic safety, the entities and their tasks implementing aviation safety regulations and procedures, along with a discussion of the basic concepts that allow the distinction and qualification of a given event to a specific category, along with the procedures to be undertaken by the state bodies empowered to do so. This article also reveals the issues of cooperation and exchange of information between the authorities of signatory states and the authorities of international organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as between a European Union member state and EU authorities. It also points out the responsibilities of airport operators and third parties witnessing aviation incidents.

Alternative Security of the Combat Readiness Recovery Using 3D Printing and Reverse Engineering

2023-12-20T11:00:27+01:00

Disrupting spare parts supply chains can harm the smooth running of an organization. In the case of military vehicles, weapons or other types of equipment used on the battlefield, this is a serious threat that may result in the inability to continue some tactical operations. An ad hoc way to maintain the ability to take action while the appropriate spare parts are delivered and to improve damaged devices may be to produce the damaged components locally. Such a temporary solution is possible for relatively simple elements whose structure, mechanical properties and principle of operation can be determined on a reverse engineering basis. This article describes the concept of alternative solutions for temporarily repairing damaged devices by producing spare parts in mobile specialized production subunits. This paper characterizes the types of 3D printing, contemporary examples of use in foreign armies, priorities of international alliances related to 3D printing, and a case study of repairing an unmanned aircraft by means of 3D printing. Using the experience and knowledge of foreign armies, adapting the possibilities of 3D printing applications to one's own needs, defining legal regulations and creating properly equipped subunits makes it possible to implement the presented concept. Creating conditions for implementing the described concept facilitates the production of a suitable product range in peace, crisis or conflict situations, which may significantly contribute to increasing the level of readiness of the national defense systems.

The Use of UAV in PAPI System Inspections

2023-12-23T22:15:05+01:00

This article discusses the purpose of aeronautical approach lights for landing and describes the operation of the most popular visual system. In addition, an exemplary schedule describing the periodic verification that the PAPI system must undergo has been presented. The hitherto method of carrying out the verification of indications was discussed, as well as the proposed innovative method of carrying out the verification using an UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), where its general solution concept was described.

Moreover, the structure and operation of the program responsible for the autonomous light detection of the PAPI system and verification of their indications were discussed. A simulation was carried out using the available recordings, and then the results were described.

The Legal and Organizational Aspects of Crisis Management in the Single European Sky

2023-12-23T22:21:13+01:00

Crisis situations in civil aviation pose a serious threat to the safe operation of aviation stakeholders (airports, airlines, air navigation service providers) as well as to passengers using air transport. Therefore, there is a need for an aviation crisis management system that identifies threats, assesses the risk of their occurrence and takes preventive action. The purpose of this paper is to present the determinants of air traffic crisis management in the European Air Traffic Management Network (EATMN). This paper analyses the evolution of this process from the perspective of the EU Single European Sky (SES) legislation. The author also presents lessons learned from the crisis situation that have occurred in European airspace over the last two decades and emphasizes the role of the Network Manager (NM) in resolving them. This article has been developed using a combination of research on EU aviation legislation and background documents and the case study method.

Estimating the Determinants of the Passenger Air Transport Recovery After the Crisis Caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic Based on Quantitative Methods

2023-12-30T15:32:45+01:00

For the past several decades, air transport has been developing smoothly, and forecasts were very optimistic. The Covid-19 pandemic set this development back a minimum of two decades. According to the black swan theory, this is not bad news but a stimulus for a change. Every crisis causes improvements in economic processes. The pandemic has forced every business entity present in the market to learn lessons and implement new solutions to help overcome future crises, the occurrence of which seems inevitable. This article attempts to estimate economic parameters, which are best correlated with the structure of the airline industry operation in Poland, and thus answers questions about the scope of macroeconomic decisions necessary to be taken to rebuild the volume of checked-in passengers in Polish air transport.

Space Terrorism

2024-03-07T09:40:55+01:00

The rationale behind this article is to address a critical gap in research: the evolving threat of space terrorism. As space assets increasingly become integral components of both civilian and military security systems, their vulnerability to attacks escalates. The democratization of space weaponry, including advanced cyber technologies, signals an escalating risk to these space assets and their terrestrial infrastructure. This threat extends beyond traditional space powers to include non-state actors, such as terrorist individuals and groups or various proxy forces, who were previously considered marginal threats.

This paper aims to lay a foundational framework by providing a historical overview of terrorism and security incidents involving outer space assets, their cyber systems, and ground support structures. This compilation serves as a basis for a deeper, methodological, and systematic examination of the nature and implications of space terrorism.

In order to define the initial concept of space terrorism, this paper draws on an extensive literature review. The selection of security breach cases within the broad spectrum of the space sector was guided by their novelty, diversity, and relevance, offering insights into the emerging phenomenon of space terrorism.