IAU wins 1st Philippine Aviation Research Conference, Published papers in Scopus-indexed journals
At the first Philippine Aviation Research Conference (PARC) held virtually nationwide on July 14-15, 2022, Indiana Aerospace University (IAU) garnered second place with the research paper entitled “Modeling and simulation of a proposed model rocket design” under the Aerospace/ Aeronautical Engineering Category and “A Structural Equation Modelling approach in evaluating perceived motivation of aviation technology students in using flight simulator” under the Aviation Education category.
The papers were presented by aerospace engineers and faculty Engr. Jeremy S. Bajado and no less than IAU’s Chief Executive Harold E. Toring. Engr. Bajado’s paper aimed at presenting the modeling and simulation results of a proposed high-powered rocket which was designed by a team of aerospace engineers of IAU, as spearheaded by Engr. Bajado himself. Mr. Toring’s paper intended to report a pioneer quantitative evaluation of 225 aviation technology students’ motivation in using flight simulators in an aviation school through the framework Hedonic-Motivation System Adoption Model, of which, results indicate acceptance of flight simulators as an educational tool to speed up the improvement pedagogy and instruction.
Two other papers with the titles “Validation of a Flying Competence Scale for Aircraft Pilots ” and “Evaluation of students’ satisfaction towards an adopted learning management system at Indiana Aerospace University: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach” were presented respectively by the head of Avionics Department Mr. Ranel M. Benatiro and core faculty Prof. Flordeliza B. Illustrisimo. The former emphasized the evaluation of the flying competence of aircraft pilots through a scale that was developed by pilots in IAU, which was approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), while the latter revealed that by using Nguyen’s LMS satisfaction model (with sex and year levels added as moderating variables) results revealed that system content, interaction, and technology quality significantly and positively influenced students’ perceived usefulness of IAU’s Altimeter, the name of its Learning Management System (LMS), which subsequently led to student satisfaction.
Even though the studies presented did not earn a place in the conference, the paper presented by Mr. Benatiro was already published in the Journal of Aerospace Technology and Management, a Scopus-indexed scholarly journal, while the one by Prof. Illustrisimo had been accepted by the Asia-Pacific Management Review, also a Scopus-indexed journal and to be published by Elsiever, a globally renowned publisher of scientific research.
In an interview, CEO Harold Toring could not help but take pride in the University’s performance at the conference and its research endeavors. “Despite the fact that we only finished second place for the two research papers, the experience itself of having to share and contribute to aviation research is a winning moment already,” quipped Mr. Toring, who was very optimistic that the University can do more when it comes to undertaking research and development studies.
He disclosed that research is the currency in this knowledge-driven society adding that “this [IAU’s] is the just the start of the many more research activities that they will be pioneering, especially in this age of vulnerability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.”
To date, IAU awaits the publication of two more papers in different Scopus-indexed journals.
Bannering under the theme “Sustainability of Philippine Air Transport Amidst the Pandemic”, PARC 2022 is said to be the first national conference on aviation research, as hosted by Philippine State College of Aeronautics in partnership with the PATTS College of Aeronautics and Air Link International Aviation College.
After years of planning and thorough preparations, Indiana Aerospace University’s (IAU) very own charter service provider Ormoc Air is now fully operational and ready to serve its stakeholders and the public.
With the airline companies returning to new normal operations, air traffic is likely to emerge as a pressing problem in the post-pandemic era. To help decongest the traffic, IAU saw the need to establish a private charter service provider in the country which will benefit small-time airline operators and the local community.
CEO of IAU Harold E. Toring unveiled in an interview that Ormoc Air was established as a mini aerotropolis and designed to help the community in terms of aerial tours, medical evacuation, and logistical transportation services for clients who wish to go to specific regions in the country that cannot be reached by major airlines. It is also projected that there will be an influx of tourists since air transportation providers such as Ormoc Air will now be more accessible to the public at reasonable rates.
More importantly, Mr. Toring emphasized that Ormoc Air will cater to the university’s very own student interns for their on-the-job training, and the IAU graduates to build industry-related experience.
