COVID-19 pandemic and air transportation: Summary of Recent Research, Policy Consideration and Future Research Directions

Identifying robust features of community structure in complex networks

Network science has presented community detection as a valuable tool for revealing functional modules in complex systems rooted in the wiring architectures of complex networks. The varying procedures of community detection can produce, however, divisions of a network into communities that vary considerably in structure but are deemed to be of similar merit. This is especially problematic when the network is constructed on uncertain data, since small changes to the network's configuration can cause radically different structures to be detected. To reconcile with the ambiguity in interpreting degenerate network partitions as representations of the underlying system function, we introduce a recursive significance clustering scheme that identifies the subsets of nodes having stable joint community assignments under network perturbation. These robust node groups are referred to here as cores, and represent well-supported features of network structure as distinct from the nodes with unstable community assignments. We show that cores characterize the variability inherent to nonoverlapping community structure in networks and are cohesive under temporal evolution of the network.

Opportunities for nanomaterials in more sustainable aviation

New materials for electrical conductors, energy storage, thermal management, and structural elements are required for increased electrification and non-fossil fuel use in transport. Appropriately assembled as macrostructures, nanomaterials can fill these gaps. Here, we critically review the materials science challenges to bridge the scale between the nanomaterials and the large-area components required for applications. We introduce a helpful classification based on three main macroscopic formats (fillers in a matrix, random sheets or aligned fibres) of high-aspect ratio nanoparticles, and the corresponding range of bulk properties from the commodity polymer to the high-performance fibre range. We review progress over two decades on macroscopic solids of nanomaterials (CNTs, graphene, nanowires, etc.), providing a framework to rationalise the transfer of their molecular-scale properties to the scale of engineering components and discussing strategies that overcome the envelope of current aerospace materials. Macroscopic materials in the form of organised networks of high aspect ratio nanomaterials have higher energy density than regular electrodes, superior mechanical properties to the best carbon fibres, and electrical and thermal conductivity above metals. Discussion on extended electrical properties focuses on nanocarbon-based materials (e.g., doped or metal-hybridised) as power or protective conductors and on conductive nanoinks for integrated conductors. Nanocomposite electrodes are enablers of hybrid/electric propulsion by eliminating electrical transport limitations, stabilising emerging high energy density battery electrodes, through high-power pseudocapacitive nanostructured networks, or downsizing Pt-free catalysts in flying fuel cells. Thermal management required in electrified aircraft calls for nanofluids and loop heat pipes of nanoporous conductors. Semi-industrial interlaminar reinforcement using nanomaterials addresses present structural components. Estimated improvements for mid-range aircraft include > 1 tonne weight reduction, eliminating hundreds of CO2 tonnes released per year and supporting hybrid/electric propulsion by 2035.

From the Flight Deck to the Trading Desk: Gamblified Investing Behavior in a Commercial Airline Pilot

The convergence of investing and gambling has accelerated with the proliferation of gamblified investment products characterized by high volatility. This case report examines a 42-year-old male commercial airline pilot who developed maladaptive engagement with high-risk financial instruments during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant financial losses. The patient's behavior, marked by an inability to adapt to market conditions and attempts to recoup losses through increasingly speculative investments, mirrors patterns observed in problem gambling. Notably, as demonstrated by proficient performance on the Big Three financial literacy assessment, the patient's elevated financial literacy level failed to serve as a protective factor against problematic speculative behavior. This case highlights potential risk factors in aviation professionals, including personality traits like high extraversion and elevated disposable income. Following cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the patient successfully transitioned to more conservative investment strategies, with improvements in psychometric scores. However, his posttreatment score on the National Opinion Research Center Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Problems, while improved, still indicated an at-risk status, necessitating ongoing monitoring. This case underscores the need for enhanced awareness, targeted screening protocols, and tailored interventions within occupational health settings, particularly in safety-critical professions like commercial aviation. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive screening instruments for the early identification of problematic financial behaviors, investigating the long-term efficacy of therapeutic modalities like CBT, and examining the prevalence and safety implications of high-risk financial behaviors among aviators.

Does organizational justice facet matters in knowledge hiding?

To address the gap of extant literature and to assess employees' in-role and innovative performance, a model was developed and tested through organizational justice facets- procedural, distributive, and interactional justice with knowledge hiding facets, well-being facets and professional commitment. The purpose of the present research is to inspect the role of justice facets in shaping knowledge hiding behavior through optimistic role of well-being toward employee performance with the remedial role of professional commitment under the shadow of Psychological Ownership Knowledge Theory (POKT) and Social Exchange Theory (SET). For that persistence, present research acknowledged the practices and connotations of knowledge hiding because limited research is prevailed on the contrasting influence of knowledge hiding practice. Data were collected through random sampling via dual-wave survey questionnaire from 613 employees working in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. Structural Equation Modeling was carried out through AMOS (24.0) and SPSS (25.0). Findings reveal that the association with in-role and innovative performance with justice is positively associated through well-being, and the relationship between knowledge hiding and job performance was also positively associated. This study argued that knowledge sharing reshapes knowledge hiding behavior that plays a negative role in organizational performance. This study suggested the notable contribution in the direction of organizational context of developing realm settings by revealing the predecessor character of knowledge hiding and endorses the organizational justice to persuade top management for in-role and innovative performance enhancement.

On the ramifications of airspace bans in aero-political conflicts: Towards a country importance ranking

The aviation industry is facing highly volatile developments in the recent years: Following a steady growth phase with prosperous projections, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the aviation system rather hard. While having gradually entered a recovery process in the years 2021 and 2022, with load factors close to those in the year 2019, the airspace bans between Russia, Europe, and other regions in the world, as part of the ongoing conflict centered around Russia and Ukraine, threaten the orderly operation of flights. This study explores the byproducts and potential impact of airspace bans on the aviation system and its stakeholders, by deriving a ranking of country importance and how they have the potential to influence our aviation system. While being rooted in the analysis of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, our framework is built up in a generic way and computes an overall country importance metric. We believe that our study contributes to the better understanding of the consequences airspace bans have on our society and the severe needs for effective policies and regulations of such emerging forms of conflict resolution.

A data-driven analysis of the aviation recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic

In Summer 2022, after a lean COVID-19 spell of almost three years, many airlines reported profits and some airlines even outperformed their pre-pandemic records. In context of the perceived recovery, it is interesting to understand how different markets have gone through the pandemic challenges. In this study, we perform a spatial and temporal dissection of the recovery process the global aviation system went through since May 2020. At the heart of this study, we investigate the patterns underlying market entry decisions during the recovery phase. We identify a rather heterogeneous type of recovery as well as its underlying drivers. We believe that our work is a timely contribution to the research on COVID-19 and aviation, complementary to the existing studies in the literature.