Find Background Information - AVS 5207 – Aviation Safety Management Systems & AVS 5208 - Advanced Aviation Safety Research - Research Guides at Florida Institute of Technology

Background Information

Before you can start any research on your topic, you must have a background knowledge of it. Books and websites can provide you with that knowledge.

This is important because:

Background sources give you the language that people are using to discuss your topic. You will use this language when you start to search databases for scholarly articles and resources on the topic.
This "pre-research" gives you a sense if your topic is focused enough. If your initial searches bring back so many results you can't even figure out what the language is, then you should consider narrowing your topic.

Content from IUPUI University Library Subject Guide Template is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Websites & Background Material

General references sources of possible interest:

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Provides dictionaries, encyclopedias, pro/con discussions, and other reference sources for background information. Also included are short videos, high-resolution images, sound files, animations, etc.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
An online library of encyclopedias and specialized ebooks series for multidisciplinary research. Subjects include Art; Business; Government and Law; History; Language and Literature; Science; Social Sciences; and Technology.

Websites of possible interest include:

Aviation Safety Reporting
The ASRS database is the world's largest repository of voluntary, confidential safety information provided by aviation's frontline personnel, including pilots, controllers, mechanics, flight attendants, and dispatchers. The database provides a foundation for specific products and subsequent research addressing various aviation safety issues.
FAA aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS)
Analytical tool drawing upon the following databases: FAA Accident/Incident Data Systems (AIDS), Air Registry (AR), NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
Flight Safety Foundation
Website for the Flight Safety Foundation, "an international non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide impartial, independent, expert safety guidance and resources for the aviation and aerospace industry."
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
"A specialized agency of the United Nations...created...to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection."
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
Agency that investigates aircraft and other transportation accidents and recommends safety measures.
Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability (PEGASAS)
"The Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability (PEGASAS) is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Center of Excellence for General Aviation. The mission of PEGASAS is to enhance general aviation safety, accessibility, and sustainability by partnering the FAA with a national network of world-class researchers, educators and industry leaders."
Skybrary
An international Aviation Safety research portal that bills itself as: “The Single Point Reference to Aviation Safety Knowledge”.