The purpose of this research was to compare, in a simulator, the safety of a variable pitch strategy with the established constant pitch strategy in transitioning through a microburst during an abort maneuver in the approach to landing phase of flight. In numerous mathematical and computer studies of microburst penetrations, the variable pitch strategy provided a greater recovery altitude than the constant pitch strategy. A Boeing 737 level C aircraft simulator was employed to evaluate these findings in a dynamic environment. Three appropriately qualified subjects piloted 35 flights through a microburst, while computer generated data were collected. \"Safety\", defined as the maximization of the minimum altitude experienced by the aircraft during the recovery phase of the microburst encounter, was statistically greater for the constant pitch maneuver. An improved microburst model and a flight director steering command are recommended for continued studies in a manned simulator.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this research was to compare, in a simulator, the safety of a variable pitch strategy with the established constant pitch strategy in transitioning through a microburst during an abort maneuver in the approach to landing phase of flight. In numerous mathematical and computer studies of microburst penetrations, the variable pitch strategy provided a greater recovery altitude than the constant pitch strategy. A Boeing 737 level C aircraft simulator was employed to evaluate these findings in a dynamic environment. Three appropriately qualified subjects piloted 35 flights through a microburst, while computer generated data were collected. "Safety", defined as the maximization of the minimum altitude experienced by the aircraft during the recovery phase of the microburst encounter, was statistically greater for the constant pitch maneuver. An improved microburst model and a flight director steering command are recommended for continued studies in a manned simulator.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cadmus, Mark"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Aeronautics","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Applied Aviation Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Michael E. Wiggins","Francis Ayers","Theodore Beneigh"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-09-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2003-09-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:29Z","subjects":["microburst","jet transport","pitch","guidance","Aerospace Engineering","Aviation"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/20","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Michael E. Wiggins","Francis Ayers","Theodore Beneigh"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cadmus, Mark"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Applied Aviation Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Aeronautics"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["microburst","jet transport","pitch","guidance","Aerospace Engineering","Aviation"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/20"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this research was to compare, in a simulator, the safety of a variable pitch strategy with the established constant pitch strategy in transitioning through a microburst during an abort maneuver in the approach to landing phase of flight. In numerous mathematical and computer studies of microburst penetrations, the variable pitch strategy provided a greater recovery altitude than the constant pitch strategy. A Boeing 737 level C aircraft simulator was employed to evaluate these findings in a dynamic environment. Three appropriately qualified subjects piloted 35 flights through a microburst, while computer generated data were collected. \"Safety\", defined as the maximization of the minimum altitude experienced by the aircraft during the recovery phase of the microburst encounter, was statistically greater for the constant pitch maneuver. An improved microburst model and a flight director steering command are recommended for continued studies in a manned simulator.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Microburst Recovery For Jet Transport Aircraft: A Comparison Between Constant And Variable Pitch Guidance Trajectories"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Michael E. Wiggins","Francis Ayers","Theodore Beneigh"],"dc:creator":["Cadmus, Mark"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this research was to compare, in a simulator, the safety of a variable pitch strategy with the established constant pitch strategy in transitioning through a microburst during an abort maneuver in the approach to landing phase of flight. In numerous mathematical and computer studies of microburst penetrations, the variable pitch strategy provided a greater recovery altitude than the constant pitch strategy. A Boeing 737 level C aircraft simulator was employed to evaluate these findings in a dynamic environment. Three appropriately qualified subjects piloted 35 flights through a microburst, while computer generated data were collected. \"Safety\", defined as the maximization of the minimum altitude experienced by the aircraft during the recovery phase of the microburst encounter, was statistically greater for the constant pitch maneuver. An improved microburst model and a flight director steering command are recommended for continued studies in a manned simulator.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/20"],"dc:subject":["microburst","jet transport","pitch","guidance","Aerospace Engineering","Aviation"],"dc:title":["Microburst Recovery For Jet Transport Aircraft: A Comparison Between Constant And Variable Pitch Guidance Trajectories"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Applied Aviation Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Aeronautics"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:29Z"}