Low cost runway incursion detection system for general aviation airports

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to a freshman engineering design project where students were required to design a novel low cost runway incursion detection system that might have future application for small general aviation airport operations by applying sound engineering problem solving criterion. Given the direction of Aviation towards autonomous navigation, this project provides a meaningful medium to educate freshman engineering students on both concept and teamwork principles. The goals of the project were (a) to introduce collaboration across disciplines given the students´ intended majors, (b) to enhance scientific inquiry, (c) to foster communication among the group as well as enhance communication between the students and the client who provides the project objectives, and (d) the group management structure and its implication as it applies to achieving the overall objectives of the project. As an integrated department with both Engineering and Aviation Science faculty, it was natural for the Aviation Science faculty to serve as clients, who then generate plausible problems that can benefit both the Aviation Science and Engineering students in the program and these problems are then used as the basis for a structured engineering design approach for introducing engineering design fundamentals to the freshman engineering class. The unique nature of the assignment lies in the need for the concept to be low cost and practical. Team leadership styles were evaluated and compared against design outcomes. This paper examines both the engineering aspect of the students´ learning as well as their leadership growth and interaction between group members as well as the interaction with the client. With students from various engineering backgrounds involved in the course, this paper also provides the audience the ability to examine the applicability of this approach to other subject areas.