Space Tourism

February 21, 2018 

By - Kalan Foster 

Space Tourism 

Space tourism is slowly becoming a reality for space enthusiasts and explorers all over the world. In the 1960’s, the idea was explored by several different companies. During the development of the Saturn V, NASA was exploring the future possibilities of space transportation and tourism. NASA was developing the first space shuttle for an expedition to the moon. The development of space tourism has been slow due to the lack of funding and the risks associated with space travel. In 1969, the first moon expeditions were successful, and Neil Armstrong was the first man to land on the moon.

NASA was making great progress until tragedy struck in 1986, the booster engine failed which lead to the death of seven team members (“Remembering the Challenger Crew”, 2015, March 09. The tragedy was so great that they decided to step away from space tourism temporarily out of the respect they had for the crew and their family members. Two years prior Congress established the Commercial Space Launch Act in 1984, which addressed many concerns the public had with these types of programs. The government wanted these programs heavily regulated; this law addressed the basic requirement for licensing and insurance, to a type of facilities that were required, and all programs required governmental authorization. After the accident, they changed this policy and limited the role of Commercial flight operations carried out by NASA. Flight exploration is very dangerous, I believe that the technology needs to be mastered prior to space exploration to reduce the amount casualties. The other laws that went into effect were the Commercial Space Act of 1998 and Commercial Space Transportation Competitiveness Act in 2000. These two rules increased government control and regulations, space exploration is very dangerous and it should be taken very seriously.

 - The Challenger Crew

After the 1960’s, there has been a total of 550 people who have traveled in space. Most of those people were trained for two years, but between the years of 2001-2009, some of the expeditions were tourism flights (“how many people,” 2016, March 02).  Jeff Benzo, Blue origins founder, was one of the first to develop a space tourism program. The program is still in development and Jeff has stated that they plan on launching tourists into space as soon as 2019 (“Blue Origin CEO”, n.d.). Tesla is also working with SpaceX, they’re projecting that they will start launching passengers in the fourth quarter of 2018 (“Blue Origin CEO”, n.d.). I believe space exploration will be possible very soon and the initial trips will be very expensive. I believe if there aren’t any major accidents that these space tourism programs will be very accessible and affordable to the public in the next decade. I would compare space exploration to skydiving, people who are brave enough will experience it and if its something they love they will invest money and time. I think that maybe in the next century space exploration as a means of transportation will be very possible, technology is always advancing.

The qualification to work in the space tourism is very minimal, you are only required to have and private pilot certification, and sub-orbital training.

Sub-orbital training consists of the following:

• Hypobaric altitude chamber testing
• Hands-on training on Star City's many simulators.
• Orlan space suit training.
• Centrifuge training
• Vestibular training
• Personal zero-gravity flight

It takes approximately two years of flight training to become certified. I spoke with a representative from the Yankee Air Museum, I know him personally. He told me that It very difficult to enter this field because it's so specialized, he also told me a degree in physics makes it easier to be recognized by potential employers.   

Refrences 

Good Question: How Many People Have Gone To Space? (2016, March 02). Retrieved February 22, 2018, from http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/03/02/good-question-astronauts/

Smith, B. (n.d.). Blue Origin CEO: We're taking tourists to space within 18 months. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/05/technology/future/blue-origin-launch-human-space-tourism/index.html

Administrator, N. C. (2015, March 09). Remembering the Challenger Crew. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_gallery_2437.html

UAVs

February 09, 2018 

By - Kalan Foster 

The Future is UAV's 

UAVs have become very popular in the 21st century and in 2014 they became a mainstream sensation over the holidays. The drones were much more affordable, durable, and they were less sophisticated than ever before. Drones are currently being used for recreational purposes, they’re being used sports, photography, videography, and tourism. Recreational drones must be registered with the FAA, they must weigh less than 55 pounds, they must be labeled with a registration number, and the owner must be 13 years or older. 

Source - Becoming a pilot 

Part 107 consists of the following: 

Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 pounds, including payload, at takeoff

Fly in Class G airspace*

Keep the unmanned aircraft within visual line-of-sight*

Fly at or below 400 feet*

Fly during daylight or civil twilight*

Fly at or under 100 mph*

Yield right of way to manned aircraft*

Do not fly directly over people*

Do not fly from a moving vehicle, unless in a sparsely populated area*

The commercial use of UAV’s falls under part 107. However, the pilot must be certificated through the FAA; which consists of passing the aeronautical written exam, completing the RPC application, and a TSA background check. 

Commercial use of UAV

UAV’s are commercially operating in several different countries and the United States is lagging in the development of commercial operations. In a recent report UAV’s are being used for search and rescues in Australia, they are working on UAV’s that can operate in harsher climates. According to the verge “Lifeguards are testing out new drone technology in Australia have saved two people stranded off the coast of New South Wales state, as spotted by Quartz. The drone footage shows a birds-eye view of the ocean before the drone ejects the yellow floatation device, which inflates when it hits the water. The two teenage boys were caught about 700 meters (0.4 miles) offshore at Lennox Head in a swell of around three meters (9.8 feet). They were able to grab onto the floatation device and swim to shore”(PBS). 

- Little Ripper Life Saver 

In Canada UAV’s were used in an emergency. There was a fatal car accident that rolled off the road in Ontario, emergency responders were unsure that there were any victims. The terrain was difficult to navigate for responders, heavy forest coverage, and very steep. There has been a big demand from the health and administration to remove BFOV for emergency responders. In Canada it was approved, the received permission to fly UAV’s four nautical miles for search and rescues. So far, the government has been able to recognize how beneficial removing the BFOV from government entities and first responders (Theglobalandmail). 

NAS & UAVs

The integration of UAV’s into the national airspace system is imminent, they have already started testing the possibilities of integrating UAVs in simulations. NASA has a project in which they are trying to find safe and efficient was to integrates UAVs into the airspace. They are working on a system called Detect and Avoid or DAA for short. This feature will be used to program UAV’s to avoid incoming aircraft by deviating from its original course. This program will cost more money for both airport and airlines. Airports would have to restructure its operations and increase its workforce (NASA). 

Military Warfare

The military application of UAV’s has changed warfare greatly. The biggest change in drone warfare happened in 2002, the predator was used in Afghanistan to monitor al-Qaida. The predator was used as a targeting system for bombs, it was also used for search and rescues. Drones were the greatest threat to any military operation, they’re quiet, covert, and lethal. Drones are extremely efficient, and they are great for military operations. The predator is approximately $10,000 and its successor the reaper is approximately $13,000. These drones have reduced the cost of operations for the military because how efficient they are. Ethically the pilots have made great mistakes and the training required to operate these drones has increased significantly. 

Job Outlook

The association for unmanned vehicle systems international has projected that the job outlook for drones will increase by 100,000 jobs in the next decade.

 Here’s a list jobs available currently: https://momentumsolar.com/careers/ | https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-categories/transportation-and-aviation/unmanned-aerial-vehicle-operator.html | https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Minnesota-Department-of-Transportation/jobs/Unmanned-Aircraft-System-27018cac3fe8a522?q=Drone+operator&vjs=3 

References 

Becoming a Pilot. (2017, February 10). Retrieved February 09, 2018, from https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/part_107/remote_pilot_cert/

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Frequently Asked Questions. (2018, February 01). Retrieved February 09, 2018, from https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/\

Press, J. L. (2014, December 10). Other countries are surpassing the US in commercial drone flights. Retrieved February 09, 2018, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/countries-surpassing-us-commercial-drone-flights

Drones offer Ontario paramedics unprecedented and game-changing perspectives. (2018, January 17). Retrieved February 09, 2018, from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/drones-offer-ontario-paramedics-unprecedented-and-game-changing-perspective/article37631225/

Dunbar, B. (2015, April 02). Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System. Retrieved February 09, 2018, from https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-075-DFRC.html

Flight & Duty Regulations 

Febuary 2, 2018

By - Kalan Foster 

Part 117

The Colgan accident raised many questions and concerns regarding the current state of the airline industry and its approach to safety. The FAA oversaw enforcing and promoting safety, but they failed the aviation community and the public in this regard. If safety was their top priority this accident and the new unnecessary legislation could have been avoided. 

According to AC No: 117-3:

Regulatory Obligation - "Each flightcrew member must report for any FDP fit for duty, which includes being properly rested and prepared to perform his or her assigned duties. Fitness for duty is a joint responsibility between the air carrier and the flightcrew member. Part 117 imposes regulatory obligations on both air carriers and flightcrew members regarding fitness for duty. The joint responsibility is established in § 117.5(b), which requires that no certificate holder may assign and no flightcrew member may accept an assignment to a FDP if the flightcrew member has reported for a FDP too fatigued to safely perform his or her assigned duties". (AC 117)

Hours of Rest and Sleep -  "Managing rest and sleep opportunities are essential for reducing the risk of being unfit for duty due to fatigue. A joint responsibility is again placed on the air carrier and the flightcrew member in § 117.25(e)(f), which prescribes that no flightcrew member may accept an assignment for any reserve or FDP unless that flightcrew member is given a rest period of at least 10 consecutive hours immediately before beginning the reserve or FDP measured from the time the flightcrew member is released from duty. The 10-hour rest period must provide the flightcrew member with an opportunity of a minimum of 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If the flightcrew member determines that the rest period will not provide an opportunity of 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep, that flightcrew member must notify the certificate holder. The flightcrew member cannot report for the assigned FDP until he or she receives a minimum of 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep opportunity". (AC 117)

- The maximum flight per day shift is 9 hours and 8 hours per night shift. 

*Note - Previously the legislation required 9 hours of rest, which has the potential to be equal o or less than 8 hours depending on the needs of the business. 

Part 117 does not apply to 14 CFR Part 291. Cargo carriers are encouraged to comply with part 117 standards and procedures, but they are not required. The standard for cargo operations have not changed post the Colgan accident. 

Cargo carriers are exempt from part 117 due to the catastrophic financial toll these rules and regulations can take on the aviation industry in general. These rules and regulations could cripple the cargo industry and the consequences could potentially bleed over into other industries, collapsing the market and reducing the amount resources available in the United States. I understand the backlash from both cargo operators and pilots. The pilots feel as though they deserve more rest because of the increased stress and difficulty of flying at night. The cargo operators don't want to adapt the new rules because it would cost the industry about 300 million dollars. If the new regulations were adopted cargo pilots would fly less and make less money (cargo rest/duty periods).

For the reasons previously stated, I believe cargo operators should remain exempt from the new rules. As an airport manager the regulations would increase the stress and workload of everyone, and it could ruin startup companies and decrease growth industry wide. If pilots continue to pressure the FAA to force the industry to adopt these standards, this would cause the pilot shortage to increase, and it collapse new businesses. 

Refrences 

“117-3.” Advisory Circular Part 117, www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC%20117-3.pdf.

“Cargo Rest/Duty Periods .” Flight Time/Duty Time for Air Cargo, www.alpa.org/alpa/DesktopModules/ViewAnnDocument.aspx?DocumentID=5524.