<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
    <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://rip.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Operational Impacts of Women’s Health Factors on Pilot Availability and Certification</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2719307</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The number of certificated female pilots in the U.S. aviation system continues to increase and is projected to reach approximately 15–20 percent of the pilot workforce within the next decade. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certification policy, Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) guidance, and aeromedical training materials contain limited and inconsistent information addressing health factors specific to women pilots.
Women’s health factors—including pregnancy, postpartum recovery, hormonal therapies, menstrual disorders, and menopause—may temporarily affect medical eligibility, certification timelines, and operational availability. In the absence of a systematic, evidence-informed understanding of these factors, the FAA lacks the ability to anticipate certification impacts, promote consistency in AME decision-making, and support pilot workforce planning. This research will identify and characterize women’s health factors that influence pilot medical certification and availability, providing actionable insight to improve certification efficiency, reduce variability in aeromedical decision-making, and enhance forecasting of pilot availability. Results will inform targeted updates to FAA guidance, training, and policy materials without establishing new certification standards.
There are no statutory deadlines associated with this research; however, completion within 12 months is required to support near-term improvements to aeromedical guidance as the female pilot population continues to grow. The research requires collaboration with an external academic partner and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval due to the use of human-subjects data.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:31:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2719307</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Passenger Evacuation Experience</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2694524</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Data and information on passenger perspectives from recent aircraft evacuations are required to identify areas of success and needs for improvements. During the normal investigation of these incidents, the response rate to the office inquiry is low, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) does not collect these data points unless it is classified as an accident. These data are needed to evaluate passenger behavior, passenger flow,  experience with passengers with disabilities and children, and evaluate decision making on passengers choosing to take personal items with them. Alternate means of reaching out to passengers will be investigated to gather these data. Ensuring to document any challenges the passengers faced, points of confusion, injuries sustained, or aspects which made the process operate efficiently. Special focus will be on parents/caregivers traveling with children, passengers who have special accessibility needs or physical limitations, those traveling with animals, and those who evacuated with personal items. Research team will collect similar responses from cabin crew members, such as flight attendants, to gain their perspective on the evacuation event and areas for possible improvement. These data collections were recommended as part of the Emergency Evacuation Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:30:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2694524</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Naïve Subject Testing – Suite Emergency Passage Features</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2686617</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Applicants for type design approval are working to support their airline customers by installing passenger suites that include doors between the passenger and exit.  To install these doors, an exemption to 25.813(e) is required in which one of the conditions of the exemption is that the applicant must show the emergency passage feature (EPF) is simple and obvious to open.  Applicants achieve this showing by completing a naïve subject test.  The test method currently being used combines test parameters from the naïve subject test for evacuation specified in Part 25 Appendix J, the naïve subject test for life vest donning specified in TSO-C13, and the naïve subject test for floor proximity markings outlined in AC 25.812-1 and AC 25.812-2a.  The test method has several variables involved that are debated amongst regulators and applicants on how they should be controlled.  As a result, the test is run inconsistently, and variations in how the test is performed has led to an unlevel playing field amongst applicants, delays in certification testing by seat suppliers, and conflicting design approvals.   ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:17:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2686617</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Visualizing Pilot Medical Risk for Executive Awareness</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652034</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) conducts quarterly safety assurance 
intelligence briefings to evaluate trends in pilot incapacitation, non-fatal accidents, and 
fatal aviation incidents. These briefings aim to assess the effectiveness of pilot medical 
oversight and identify medically related risk factors that may be overrepresented in 
safety events. However, despite access to rich data sources—including FAA’s Document 
Imaging Workflow System (DIWS), NTSB reports, toxicology findings, MarketScan health
data, and special issuance records—the presentation of these data has not effectively 
supported high-level decision-making. Traditional formats such as static charts and 
tabular reports fail to offer the clarity and cognitive immediacy needed by senior FAA 
leaders, limiting their ability to make timely, risk-informed decisions.

To address this challenge, AAM proposes adapting “patterns of life” data visualization 
techniques—originally developed in military and intelligence domains—to aviation 
medical oversight. These methods can dynamically represent high-dimensional, time and location-linked datasets, revealing hidden patterns, emerging risks, and operational 
outliers. The research will investigate which military- or commercially derived 
visualization approaches are most effective for depicting longitudinal trends in pilot 
medical risk, how to design these visuals for interpretability by non-technical executive 
audiences, and how best to contextualize comparative risk between pilot subgroups and 
the general population. It will also explore strategies for fusing disparate data streams 
into a unified dashboard—integrating sources such as DIWS, MarketScan, toxicology 
reports, NTSB findings, and AME characteristics—and examine the potential for 
embedded alerting mechanisms (e.g., risk thresholds, anomaly detection) to support 
proactive policy intervention.

Ultimately, this research seeks to transform how pilot medical risk is synthesized, 
communicated, and acted upon at the executive level. By enabling more intuitive and 
actionable insights, the visualization system will empower AAM’s Safety Council to better 
prioritize emerging threats, direct targeted oversight, and evolve the FAA’s approach 
from retrospective reporting toward predictive, data-informed safety management]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:03:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652034</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of an Aeromedical Safety Assurance System</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652035</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) must establish a safety assurance capability to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) AVS Safety Management System (AVSSMS) requirements outlined in FAA Order VS 8000.367D. AAM currently lacks a systematic, evidence-based approach for monitoring whether medical risk mitigations, such as Special Issuance protocols, HIMS participation, and medication policies, are achieving their intended safety outcomes. Without a dedicated framework, AAM cannot fulfill its role in tracking the performance and effectiveness of medical safety risk controls across the National Airspace System (NAS), nor can it proactively detect shifts in risk level, emergent hazards, or unintended consequences of regulatory policy.

This research will define, develop, and validate a medical safety assurance framework tailored to AAM’s oversight responsibilities. The project will establish safety performance indicators, explore integration of aviation safety and medical certification data, and evaluate the application of advanced analytics (e.g., AI/ML) to monitor outcomes. Outputs will enable AAM to make informed, risk-prioritized decisions about oversight policy, improve cross-AVS coordination (e.g., with AVP), and enhance resilience to medical-related threats to operational safety.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:07:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652035</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Aeromedical HFACS Nanocode Review and Validation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646975</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) has developed a specialized Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) nanocode framework designed to systematically capture medical contributors to aviation accidents. This innovative taxonomy aims to link latent or undetected pilot health issues to unsafe acts and broader systemic oversight deficiencies, thereby enhancing the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA’s) ability to understand and mitigate medically related accident risks. However, before this framework can be operationalized within FAA safety programs, it requires rigorous, independent validation to ensure its reliability, usability, and overall effectiveness in real-world applications. The core objective of this research is to evaluate whether the nanocode system accurately identifies causal medical factors in aviation accidents and supports improved aeromedical decision-making. To achieve this, the study will address key questions: How consistently can trained analysts apply the nanocode framework to actual accident cases? Does the framework clearly capture essential medical and supervisory contributors to unsafe acts? And, what refinements are necessary to enhance its clarity, usability, and integration with other FAA safety analysis systems? The answers to these questions will determine the readiness of the framework for widespread implementation and inform future training, oversight protocols, and policy guidance within the FAA’s aeromedical and safety assurance ecosystems.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 08:56:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2646975</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effect on Egress of Furniture in Egress Pathways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2620734</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Cabin Safety Branch (AIR-624) requires validated methods to assess how new cabin furniture (e.g., obliquely oriented seats, business-class pods, lie flat seats) placed adjacent to aisles or emergency exits that affects emergency egress, ditching, and water survival outcomes. The research will (a) quantify impacts on individual and group evacuation times and behaviors, (b) identify injury and entrapment risks, and (c) develop objective test methods and acceptance criteria to inform certification guidance and updates to relevant policy. Deliverables are required by FY28 to support pending manufacturer requests for novel cabin layouts that may be in or near certification planning.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:59:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2620734</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S01-33. Practices for Determining Landing Fees at General Aviation Airports</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621998</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports across the United States face increasing pressure to develop sustainable funding sources while maintaining fair and competitive pricing strategies. Landing fees represent a significant potential source of revenue, yet there is little consistency in how these fees are established or structured. Non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors do not have a standard way to determine general aviation landing fee schedules that balance operational and capital costs, market competitiveness, and stakeholder expectations. Recent ACRP reports have addressed topics related to airport operations and finance, but not specifically the determination of general aviation landing fees at non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors. Other industry research tends to focus on commercial service airports or on general airport funding strategies without a detailed examination of landing fee methodologies. This synthesis will focus on the unique considerations and challenges faced by non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors.

0BJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document practices for determining and implementing general aviation landing fees levied by non-primary and non-hub airport sponsors. The audience for this synthesis is airport sponsors.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:25:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2621998</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S09-12. Considerations in Airport Landscaping</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2622000</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports can be adversely affected by their surrounding environments (wildlife, tree growth, standing water, weather related impacts, etc.) causing safety and security issues.  As common landscaping practices can introduce a variety of these issues it can be difficult to create attractive landscapes at airports. Furthermore, airside and landside landscaping is not eligible for federal funding, making this more challenging to implement. However, some airports have identified benefits of landscaping, including providing visual and noise buffers between the airfield and surrounding communities, and have incorporated creative landscaping to enhancing the airport environment for employees and customers.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this synthesis is to document airside and landside landscaping practices that enhance user experience at the airport while sustaining operational safety.  The audience for this synthesis is airport managers.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:19:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2622000</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessing the Risk of Runway Incursions at Non-Towered Airports



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588328</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No abstract provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:28:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588328</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Cabin Air Safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582997</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs to conduct a study pertaining to cabin air quality and any risk of, and potential for, persistent and accidental fume or smoke events onboard a passengercarrying aircraft operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. This study was directed in Section 362 of the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, with the study commencing not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the Act.  
Sec. 362 - Cabin Air Safety Act which was included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. 
Here's a breakdown of what this legislation entails for cabin air safety:
Enabling Standards: This act empowers the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish standards for cabin air quality.
Mandatory Training: It mandates training for airline personnel regarding toxic smoke/fumes on aircraft.
Onboard Detectors: It requires airlines to install and maintain onboard air quality detectors.
Studying Bleed Air Contaminants: It directs the FAA to study bleed air contaminants in the cabin and issue recommendations.
Standardized Reporting System: It also mandates the FAA to develop a standardized and centralized system for flight attendants, pilots, and aircraft maintenance technicians to report and track fume and smoke events. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2025 18:22:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582997</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Cabin Temperature (Sec 323)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582996</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs to assess the impacts of unusually high and low aircraft cabin air temperatures, and related ambient conditions such as humidity levels, on the health and safety of the passengers and cabin crew of commercial airlines. This study was directed in Section 323 of the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, with the study commencing not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of the Act. SEC. 323. STUDY ON IMPACTS OF TEMPERATURE IN AIRCRAFT CABINS. (a) STUDY.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall seek to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies shall conduct a 1-year study on the health and safety impacts of unsafe cabin temperature with respect to passengers and crewmembers during each season in which the study is conducted. (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In conducting the study required under paragraph (1), the National Academies shall review existing standards produced by recognized industry organizations on safe air temperatures and humidity levels in enclosed environments, including onboard aircraft, and evaluate the validity of such standards as it relates to aircraft cabin temperatures. (3) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the study required under paragraph (1), the National Academies shall consult with the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute of the FAA, air carriers operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, relevant Federal agencies, and any applicable aviation labor organizations. (b) REPORTS.— (1) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—Not later than 180 days after the date on which the study under subsection (a) is completed, the National Academies shall submit to the Secretary a report on the results of such study, including any recommendations determined appropriate by the National Academies. (2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 days after the date on which the National Academies submits the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing the results of the study required under subsection (a), including any recommendations for further action determined appropriate by the Secretary. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2025 18:03:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582996</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>2024 AVS Safety Culture Assessment </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2569837</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Survey conducted as part of 2024 AVS Safety Culture Assessment.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:12:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2569837</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Cabin Safety Accommodation for Passengers with Disabilities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2536239</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Air Transportation Division (AFS-200) needs the ability to develop and/or update guidance for the evacuation of ambulatory passengers with disabilities. This includes passengers who are ambulatory and have other types of physical disabilities and who occupy aircraft seats and are capable of self-evacuation.    This project is sponsored by AFS-200 but involves the participation and support from AIR-600.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 11:00:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2536239</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Use of a Monocular Head-Worn Display (HWD) With and Without an Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS) to Conduct Lower-than-Standard Approach and Landing Minima Flight Operations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2533787</link>
      <description><![CDATA[When flying a Special Authorization Category I (SA CAT I) instrument landing system (ILS) approach, pilots may use a Head-Up Display (HUD), which presents flight symbology on a transparent screen so that the pilot can view primary flight information while looking out the window, along the flightpath. Pilots can also use an Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS) on a HUD during this operation, which provides a real-time sensor image of the forward view to enhance runway awareness when transitioning to visual flight references.  The Head-Worn Display (HWD) is an emerging technology in civil aviation that is designed to provide the benefits of a HUD; however, the unique optical and physical characteristics of the HWD may change the existing levels of pilot performance and workload during SA CAT I operations flown with a HUD. When flying with a monocular HWD, binocular rivalry occurs, which may impact pilot performance and workload. This raises questions about whether pilot performance and workload are significantly impacted during manual SA CAT I flight operations where the pilot flying (PF) uses a monocular HWD with and without an EFVS. To address this concern, a study was carried out in which 11 pilot crews, made up of 22 Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Captains, flew manual SA CAT I approach, landing, and rollout scenarios in a Boeing 737 Level D-equivalent flight simulator with a HUD and monocular HWD, with and without an EFVS, and in day and night ambient lighting conditions. Pilots rated their workload during each scenario using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). The findings of the study suggest that a monocular HWD may not have a significant negative impact on a pilot’s ability to manage most aspects of the flightpath during an SA CAT I operation; however, the monocular HWD elevated pilot workload. The monocular HWD also caused increased glideslope deviation during the instrument segment and increased deviation from the runway centerline during rollout. However, these increases were small, and may not translate to operational significance. While the use of an EFVS did not impact any aspects of pilot performance or workload, pilots reported that it enhanced their awareness of the runway environment when transitioning from instrument to visual flight references; however, it was reported to be a hindrance when transitioning to flare, landing, and rollout regardless of whether it was implemented on a HUD or a monocular HWD. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:13:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2533787</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>