2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Abstract

The use of data in aerospace programs is appealing to many students who want to learn data-driven analysis methods. Learning statistical analysis using data from real aircraft safety events may be even more appealing. In many programs, both Aerospace Engineering and Aviation Technology students are required to take courses in statistics to better develop an understanding of data and data analysis. Through these activities, students may be inspired to participate in future research. These activities may be used to scaffold students’ knowledge and skills to become more interested in developing research questions. One way to do this is to develop an activity where students are participants in active learning exercises.

The objective of this research is to develop and discuss practical use of weather data as a factor in aircraft incidents (runway excursions, near-collisions, bird strikes and loss of separation) and accidents. Extreme weather from thunderstorms is assessed to determine the potential effect on aerospace safety at airports. Weather phenomena may be caused by thunderstorms such as exceeded crosswind and tailwinds, extreme rainfall, or very low visibility, among others.

The use of extreme value method (EVM), correlation, and regression analysis are used in these exercises. EVM will enable to identify the extremes cases; that is, when certain thresholds are exceeded both above and below specific limits. There are five airports in Kenya where study data was collected regarding aviation safety data; four were international airports and one was a regional airport.

The data analysis may be used to demonstrate which harsh weather at five Kenyan airports are related to incidents and accidents. These types of projects may be used to enhance student knowledge in data analysis, such as those countries with available published data such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and many other aviation safety organizations. This paper may serve as a foundation for incorporating practical analyses and aviation safety information into courses in educational settings.