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    <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" />
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    <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>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <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>Guide to Analyzing Economic Impact of Changes in Air Service Connectivity</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588337</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No abstract provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:53:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2588337</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Legal Issues Relating to Land Use at Airports</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2506026</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the final Policy Regarding Processing Land Use Changes on Federally Acquired or Federally Conveyed Airport Land on December 8, 2023 (the Policy) which outlines how the FAA will process an airport sponsor's request to use certain property. The Policy creates new categories of land uses, and the FAA reviews expectations that will accompany the type of land use. Section 743 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 also includes language intended to provide clarity on Section 163 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 directing the agency on how to determine its jurisdiction over land use reviews. ACRP Legal Research Digest 40: Permissible Uses of Airport Property and Revenue addresses these issues relative to Section 163, but further legal research is needed to inform airport professionals, stakeholders, and developers of the potential issues associated with the process for land development on airport property.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to provide a current update and strategic considerations for a comprehensive resource on FAA land use policies. The research should identify legal authorities and administrative guidance, including detailed analyses of the Policy, Section 743 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, and other legal issues facing airport sponsors.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:34:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2506026</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S03-20. Integrating Advanced Air Mobility into Aviation System Planning</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413901</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The rapid advancement of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies has the potential to revolutionize air transportation. These technologies promise to reduce travel time, enhance connectivity, and contribute to sustainability goals by offering cleaner, more efficient modes of transportation. Current aviation methods of safety assurance and risk management do not fully account for the operational, safety, and community impact considerations unique to AAM, such as low-altitude operations in densely populated areas, the establishment and management of vertiports, and the integration with existing ground infrastructure and transportation systems. Some cities and regions have begun to explore the possibilities of AAM and developed planning frameworks that both address these challenges and incorporate non-traditional aviation stakeholders as part of these systems.

The objective of this synthesis is to document the state planning efforts that have been developed to support the integration of AAM into existing state aviation system planning. For this project, AAM should focus on “larger, initially piloted aircraft designed to carry passengers, or similar sized aircraft designed to carry cargo” (ACRP Synthesis 130, pg. 2). The audience for this synthesis is state aviation agencies, practitioners that complete airport/system planning work products, OEMs/AAM operators, and airport operators.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Aug 2024 19:41:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413901</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Feasibility of UAM Vertiport Land Use and Location Planning</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286654</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The future of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) highlights tremendous economic opportunities and a major shift in the delivery of services and products globally. The future growth of UAM is due to the multiple benefits it provides including improving emergency and natural disaster response, facilitating commercial package delivery, and in the long-run, integration with existing transportation and commuter system (air taxies). While these may provide a tremendous opportunity, the feasibility of developing the required infrastructure has not been explored in Utah.

The recently passed S.B. 122 (2022) mandates that Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) assess options, feasibility, and progress towards the implementation of advanced air mobility. Further, the investigation should identify potential assets and development plans for future implementation. Previous work by the principal investigator (PI) and team provides a foundation for these efforts. The PI’s previous UTRAC project (ending April 22) has resulted in a parcel suitability map for the WFRC. The map was generated from a complex series of geospatial data and rules to answer, theoretically, where vertiports for UAV delivery and UAM could be located. In response to Senate Bill 218 (2021), UDOT is currently contracting with WSP, which is tasked with providing a corridor assessment and plan for future UAV/UAM flights. WSP will be using the suitability map to help inform this plan. Additionally, Utah businesses, such as Flight Level Engineering, LLC, are striving to develop national leadership in UAM infrastructure development. However, these combined efforts have been developed in isolation and engagement with communities has been extremely limited. This makes the assessment of feasibility extremely difficult; it is imperative that community partners and government agencies understand how planning, regulation, and infrastructure are needed to be woven together to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of site implementation. Engagement with communities and testing to assess the feasibility can provide an essential step in meeting SB 122 and support planning efforts for communities across Utah.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2023 17:13:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286654</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Vertiport Systems Integration and Location Assessment</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286651</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The future of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) highlights tremendous economic opportunities and a major shift in the delivery of services and products globally. The future growth of UAM is due to the multiple benefits it provides including improving emergency and natural disaster response, facilitating commercial package delivery, and in the long-run, integration with existing transportation and commuter system (air taxies). Senate Bill 161, “Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Revisions” sponsored by Senator Harper and Representative Christofferson was crafted in 2023 Session to explore how Utah might leverage itself toward the future of UAM. The bill requires Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to study a range of different issues within AAM, including to better understand vertiport locations and related infrastructure. Within this context, the bill further lays out specific elements that need to be studied, those include: (1) identification of suitable locations for vertiport infrastructure and parking infrastructure for vertiports in metropolitan areas; (2) identification of commuter rail stations that may be suitable for vertiport placement; and (3) identification of underutilized parking lots and parking structures for vertiport infrastructure placement.

The major challenges toward fulfilling these elements are the lack of mechanisms and scope for how these will be studied, and the limited tools currently available to conduct this study. Inevitably, this work lends itself to a structured and systematic research approach that bridges knowledge in Uncrewed Aerial Systems, geospatial analytics and land use planning.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:39:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286651</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Gene Expression and Biomarker Utility in Postmortem Samples</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1949473</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory (BSRL) performs toxicological analyses for U.S. civil aviation accident victims who die as a result of that accident, and are designated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as having been in control, or potentially in control, of an aircraft at the time of accident.  The samples that the BSRL receives are collected by medical examiners responsible for the locality in which the accident occurred.  Once on hand, the samples are subject to toxicological analyses to determine the presence of a range of drug substances, and these findings are used to help determine a medical probable cause of the aviation accident.  In order to determine how useful such aviation accident victim samples are for transcriptional biomarker screening, and the extent to which transcriptional indications of cannabis use can be detected in such samples, the BSRL's functional Genomics team will conduct transcriptomic profiling of a subset of deidentified THC-positive and THC-negative aviation accident victim samples to determine if those samples provide a suitable RNA source for sequencing-based analyses, if expression of certain genes exhibit over or underexpression in correlation with the presence of THC, these expression profiles may be useful s supporting indicators of THC activity in samples to provide additional clarification to current toxicological analyses.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2022 16:27:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1949473</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Real-time Deep Reinforcement Learning for Evacuation under Emergencies</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1937027</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Aviation emergencies pose high risks to humans, when it occurs, it is imperative to evacuate humans to safe places in an efficient manner. Under the high level of time pressure, decision-makers are facing great challenges of developing an optimal evacuation quickly, especially when the threats involved are not static and the environment is unfamiliar. The research team plans to integrate Asynchronous Advantage Actor Critic (A3C) algorithm with the velocity obstacle (VO) models to optimize evacuation in an airport environment under emergencies. A multi-agent collaborative evacuation modeling framework for a complex environment with moving threats will be developed to provide adaptive continuous decision-aid to each agent, in accordance to the changing environments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 02 Apr 2022 11:21:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1937027</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Analyzing the Role of Air‐Transportation in COVID‐19 Pandemic Disaster</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1884826</link>
      <description><![CDATA[COVID-19 pandemic has caused a worldwide lockdown and a complete stoppage of all non-essential activities. In particular, it has affected air-travel, which is a significant driver of the global economy through the movement of people and goods. In this proposal, the research team will address the impact of air travel on the pandemic both at the scale of the entire country and at the level of airports. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic data can be considered as spatiotemporal point data scattered all over the world. The team will utilize Hawkes point process model to decluster this point data in terms of air-travel related cases or background events and the local spread cases which are off-springs of these background cases. This understanding can play a crucial role in devising strategies to micro-target and mitigate emergency transportation disruptions. The team will also utilize their past work to develop agent based models for COVID-19 spread to devise transportation policies regarding crowd management that will mitigate the second wave of COVID -19 as travel returns to normal levels.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 11 Oct 2021 23:27:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1884826</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Investigate Age Impacts on Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) Crashes in General Aviation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1881804</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) crash is defined as an unintentional collision with terrain (the ground, a mountain, a body of water, or an obstacle) while an aircraft is under positive control. It is one of three high-risk accident occurrence categories identified by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Although advanced technologies have dramatically reduced the number of General Aviation CFIT crashes over the past 20 years, CFIT crashes continue to occur and at least half of them are fatal. Therefore, it is quite momentous to identify the contributing factors and recommend countermeasures to prevent or mitigate CFIT crashes. This research will utilize the General Aviation CFIT crash data collected from National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and pilots’ information from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to perform statistical analysis to reveal the impacts of pilots’ age and other pilot related contributing factors on the occurrence of CFIT crashes in General Aviation. Based on the analysis, technology-based and policy-level countermeasures will be proposed to reduce the CFIT crashes. The research findings will help policymakers to better understand the underline reasons for General Aviation CFIT crashes and update their current practices and regulations.
The research is developed based on the CAMMSE theme of addressing the FAST Act research priority area of “Improving Mobility of People and Goods” for multimodal transportation. As discussed earlier, General Aviation plays an important role in moving people and goods, such as business travel or overnight delivery. Improving the safety of General Aviation is the foundation of improving the mobility of people and goods transported by General Aviation. The research is relevant to the CAMMSE research thrust “Innovations to improve multi-modal connections, system integration and security”. Specific project objectives include:
(1)	Review current practices and regulations on the safety operations in General Aviation,
(2)	Identify pilot related factors contributing to CFIT crashes in General Aviation,
(3)	Investigate the impacts of pilots’ age on the occurrence of CFIT crashes in General Aviation, and
(4)	Recommend technology-based and policy-level countermeasures to mitigate General Aviation CFIT crashes.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:27:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1881804</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Rotorcraft Wire Strike</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1714474</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Rotorcraft operate at low altitudes which put them at risk to strike wires from many sources.  Rotorcraft accidents tied to wire strikes have shown that the aircraft is damaged significantly and the accident often is fatal.  The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA’s)  Rotorcraft Directorate has approved research to attempt to reduce the wire strike accidents for rotorcraft.  Wire strikes often occur in VFR conditions with clear, sunny days, in these conditions, wire can be difficult to see.   There are wire cutters on larger rotorcraft but not on smaller, lighter rotorcraft because they often are flying to slow to allow the cutters to work effectively.  

The FAA has developed a research program that looks at several areas that could potentially reduce wire strikes on rotorcraft and is currently Phase 1 with PEGASAS.  The first is to develop a mechanical wire cutter for the lighter aircraft that would assist in the cutting of cables.  The second is to determine the feasibility of developing a sensor package capable of detecting all potential wires and alerting the pilot of a pending strike.  The third is to determine the feasibility of working with an Electronic Flight Bag manufacturer to include a wire database that could alert a pilot of a pending wire strike. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2020 16:15:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1714474</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACRP Insight Event--On-Demand Aviation Services for Mobility, Logistics, Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Use Cases</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1646734</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Aviation is beginning to see a trend similar to that experienced in ground transportation, namely, the use of transportation network companies (TNCs) offering on-demand transportation services for passengers and goods. Yet air transportation is different from ground transportation from both a technology and regulatory perspective, and since the trend is in its infancy, little information is available for formal research. Airport industry practitioners and other stakeholders would benefit from a convening event to discuss how such trends could impact business and personal aviation and how airports might position themselves to be ready for these trends.

The objective of this effort is to conduct an ACRP Insight Event to foster dialog among thought leaders with respect to on-demand aviation. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:31:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1646734</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Measuring and Understanding the Relationship Between Air Service and Regional Economic Development</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1645871</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Airports and their communities recognize the importance of air service for economic development. This recognition is prompting research to develop measures to understand the relationship between the two and maximize an airport’s contribution to its region’s economic development strategies. Research undertaken for ACRP Report 132: The Role of U.S. Airports in the National Economy examined how air service improvements between regions and selected international markets could benefit the U.S. economy.  The report established a statistical relationship between the national aviation system and the overall economy. Research is needed to extend this research to more clearly define the influence of air service changes on regional economic development and explore the extent to which changes in air service affect productivity in differing industry sectors. This research will enable analysis of the regional economic impacts of air service and provide guidance for communicating results to stakeholders.
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook and tools (e.g., flowcharts, decision trees, narrative templates, spreadsheets) to help airports and their communities understand, measure, and address the relationship between air service and economic development.
The guidebook should include the following:
(1) Primer describing air service trends and general relationships between air service and regional economic development;
(2) Overview of data collection sources and methods;
(3) Guidance for selecting and using the tools to meet user requirements, including:
(4) Selecting appropriate economic metrics (e.g., gross domestic product, job creation and talent retention, payroll, capital investment, foreign direct investment, tax base, per capita income); and
(5) Selecting appropriate air service metrics (e.g., up-gauging, seats, frequency, routes, total travel time, airfares, cargo volume and value);
(6) Methods for communicating results to stakeholders;
(7) Case studies representing an array of common community sizes, airport activity levels, and air service characteristics for both passenger and cargo service;
(8) Glossary of terms; and
(9) Listing of additional research and guidance on economic and air service development. 
The tools should be designed to allow airports and communities to do the following:
(1) Use a variety of metrics to measure how economic and air service changes could impact their community based on their unique air service and community characteristics;
(2) Identify which economic sectors (e.g., manufacturing, tourism) are most impacted by air service changes; and
(3) Consider qualitative impacts (e.g., quality of life, image enhancement, competitiveness).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 12 Aug 2019 21:59:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1645871</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Develop Airfield Design Guidelines for Large Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1645874</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) activity for civilian purposes continues to grow and expand as operators use UAS not only for surveillance, aerial photography, and infrastructure inspection, but also for disaster relief and commercial operations.
 
As airports consider introduction of larger UAS that need to use airports, there are a number of questions. It is unknown if (1) current airfield surfaces are adequate for use by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of similar-sized manned aircraft; (2) there is a design impact on capacity and safety; (3) airports should seek to integrate them with or segregate them from manned operations; and (4) in communities with multiple airports, communities should integrate UAS at the primary commercial service airport or design another airport for UAS.
 
As indicated in ACRP Research Report 212: UAS and Airports, Volume 2, Incorporating UAS into Airport Infrastructure Planning, airport planners and engineers are considering whether and how to update master plans/airport layout plans (ALPs) for UAS. As technologies advance, UAS operators will find airfield design guidelines useful to their business and operational decisions.  Many UAS operate in a manner similar to piloted aircraft and, therefore, need airfield facilities for their safe and efficient operation, but airfield facility planning guidance specifically tailored to address the unique needs of large UAS is limited.
 
The objective of this research is to develop guidelines for airfield design challenges, issues, and considerations for the unique operational needs of large UAS (currently greater than 55 lbs), considering safety and capacity at existing airfields of different types and sizes.  The primary audience for this research consists of airport managers, planners, UAS operators, and other stakeholders. 
 
The guidelines should address, but not be limited to the following: (1) integration vs. segregation of operational areas at airfields; (2) considerations for different UAS categories and capabilities; (3) integration of technology (e.g., command and control systems (C2), detect and avoid (DAA) systems, cybersecurity, infrastructure and utilities, etc.); (4) airport master planning,  including economic and cost considerations; (5) UAS support infrastructure (e.g., maintenance facilities, hangars, terminal, fueling, etc.); (6) environmental impacts (e.g., hazmat, noise, battery storage); and (7) approach surfaces and terminal airspace.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 12 Aug 2019 21:31:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1645874</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Airborne Collision Severity Evaluation - Structural Impact</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1565989</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Conventional 14 CFR system safety analyses include hazards to flight crew and occupants that may not be applicable to unmanned aircraft.  However, UAS operations may pose unique hazards to other aircraft.  The effect of an airborne collision between a UAS and a manned aircraft is a concern to the public and government officials at all levels.  While the effects of bird impacts on airplanes are well documented, little is known about the effects of more rigid and higher mass UAS on aircraft structures and propulsion systems.  Preceding work was focused on Narrow Body Commercial Aircraft and Business Jets operating under FAR 25 requirements.  For this next progression of Airborne Collision Severity Evaluation work, three major research areas have been identified: (1) Identify the probability of impact deflection due to boundary layer interactions; (2) Evaluate the severity of small UAS collisions with Rotorcraft; and (3) Evaluate the severity of small UAS collisions with General Aviation.

Research will be completed cooperatively utilizing the resources at Wichita State University – National Institute for Aviation Research (WSU-NIAR), Mississippi State University (MSU), University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH), Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), and Montana State University (MtSU).  
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Oct 2018 08:58:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1565989</guid>
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