UAS Crew Member Selection

            As is well known by most companies seeking entry into the National Airspace System, or NAS, any aircraft wishing to operate in the NAS must have a certified and registered aircraft, pilots who are licensed, and have operational approval by the FAA.  In the effort to remain in line with current and future federal law regarding the operation of unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, in the NAS; it is the recommendation of Brown Consulting Inc. that the Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated seek Section 333 Exemption in order to operate civil UAS in the NAS. The Section 333 Exemption, is a request to the U.S Sectary of Transportation asking for permission to operate in the NAS for commercial purposes (Federal Aviation Administration, 2016). Once requested, Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated can begin to seek qualified members to operate its UAS platforms.

            Each platform, the Insitu Scan Eagle and the Ikhana UAS, will each need a logistics support team, consisting of aircraft maintenance and equipment transportation. As for the operational crews, there will need to be enough operators to support the desired mission requirements, especially if round-the-clock operations are necessary. Each platform will have different operator hire requirements, however, prior to employment potential members must complete company CRM training and mission familiarization. Furthermore, prior to qualification both series of operational crews must be physically fit in order to reduce health related incidents during future active missions. Between the two UAS platforms, the Insitu Scan Eagle will need the least amount of experience but require the most company training.

            The Insitu Scan Eagle is a simple yet flexible unmanned aircraft, capable of many payload configurations. However, regardless of the all the aircraft configurations, Insitu’s Common open-mission Management Command and Control, or ICOMC2, allows one operator to control one or multiple vehicles from a single laptop workstation (Institu Inc., 2016). This means that Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated can keep this platform’s crew size to a maximum of one person. In order to hire the correct person for this operator position, a particular set of skills and requirements are needed. The minimum set of skills and requirements needed are:

·         A third-class Airman Medical Certificate

·         Bachelor’s degree in the aviation field

·         Experience and proficiency with basic Pilot/ATC phraseology

·         Excellent planning skills, including flight operations and airspace de-confliction

·         Experience with aviation safety rules and procedures

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills

·         Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.

These requirements were selected in order to attract the most capable individuals while adhering to FAA pilot regulations. Once individuals are identified as a potential hire, the Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated will need to conduct a basic to moderate flight aptitude test. This is to ensure the potential pilot operator has enough of an understanding of aviation principles in order to aid the automation conducted by the ICOMC2. Furthermore, based on the requirements Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated will need to work with or contract help from Insitu, or another capable agency, to train the selected aircraft operators on the initial operation of the Scan Eagle. Once trained by Insitu, Scan Eagle operators would then undergo a series of evaluations by Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated to ensure the operator is capable of operating the aircraft for environmental research needs. Lastly, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, it is highly recommended that Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated educate operators in CRM, pertinent operator refresher courses (e.g. simulator time, advanced operational courses, etc.) and any other professional development deemed necessary. In order to maximize the range and capability of the environmental research, Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated will also need to seek and hire capable Ikhana UAS operators.

            The Ikhana UAS is an unarmed variation of the MQ-1 Predator B, also known as the MQ-9 Reaper, UAS platform. This UAS is an extremely advanced platform, capable of carrying over 2K lbs. in payload equipment. Additionally, just like the Insitu Scan Eagle, the Ikhana is a flexible system capable of many scientific sensor and instrument configurations. However, because the Ikhana UAS at its core is still a MQ-1B/MQ-9, it utilizes a similar ground control station or GCS. The typical MQ-1B/MQ-9 GCS consists of two main operator positions, a pilot operator in the left seat and a sensor ball operator in the right seat. In some variations of the MQ-1B/MQ-9 GCS set up, an engineer or communication equipment expert sits toward the back of the GCS to aid in potential communication issues with the aircraft. For Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated’s purposes it is the recommendation of Brown Consulting Inc. that the engineer or communication equipment expert be part of the aforementioned logistics team and not part of the Ikhana UAS crew. Therefore, the conscious crew for Ikhana missions will be comprised of two people… the pilot operator and the sensor ball operator. In order to hire the most effective members for these positions, a particular set of skills and requirements will be needed. The minimum set of skills and requirements needed are:

·         Private pilot’s license w/ IFR ratings

·         A first-class medical certificate

·         At least 500 flight hours

·         Experience and proficiency with basic Pilot/ATC phraseology

·         Excellent planning skills, including flight operations and airspace de-confliction

·         Experience with aviation safety rules and procedures

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills

·         Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.

Due to the fact that the Ikhana UAS is capable of operating at 40,000 ft. above ground level, or operate in a Class A airspace, the pilot operator will need to have the appropriate training and flight ratings to operate in this airspace. Additionally, the pilot operator may potentially operate the aircraft using beyond line-of-sight satellite links, requiring much more flight experience to communicate with the applicable air traffic controllers. As for training on the Ikhana UAS platform, the same training and certification methods for the Insitu Scan Eagle will be applicable here. Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated will need to work with, contract, or employ assistance from General Atomics, or another agency (i.e. the U.S. Air Force), to train the selected aircraft operators on the initial operation of the Ikhana UAS. However, prior to attending the aircraft familiarization, potential Ikhana UAS pilot and sensor operators should undergo a series of evaluations by Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated to ensure the operator is capable of operating the aircraft for environmental research needs. This will screen each member to determine who may succeed in the instructional courses on how to operate the aircraft. Furthermore, because the Ikhana UAS will operate beyond line-of-sight and require sound coordination between crew members, it is highly recommended that Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated educate operators in CRM, especially communication and problem solving.

            In the end, both platforms will require specific operation training from the respective manufacturers. Additionally, both will require an examination of the crew’s ability to operate the aircrafts while conducting the specific missions of Oceanic Environmental Research Consolidated. Lastly, each UAS operator will need to earn and maintain all applicable pilot licenses, certificates, and ratings in order to effectively and legally fly in the NAS.

References

Conner, M. (2015, November 16). NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Ikhana Predator B Unmanned Science and Research Aircraft System. Retrieved from NASA.gov: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-097-DFRC.html

Federal Aviation Administration. (2016, May 12). Section 333. Retrieved from FAA.Gov: http://www.faa.gov/uas/legislative_programs/section_333/

Institu Inc. (2016). Command and Control. Retrieved from Insitu.com: https://insitu.com/information-delivery/command-and-control/icomc2

Medical certificates: Requirement and duration. (2016, May 10). 14 C.F.R. pt 61. Retrieved from http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?type=simple;c=ecfr;cc=ecfr;sid=85f2f758c7572cf6fd784c355d1c55a1;idno=14;region=DIV1;q1=61.23;rgn=div8;view=text;node=14%3A2.0.1.1.2.1.1.17

National Transportation Safety Board. (n.d.). NTSB Identification: CHI06MA121. Retrieved from NTSB.gov: http://www.ntsb.gov/about/employment/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20060509X00531&ntsbno=CHI06MA121&akey=1