Date of Award

May 2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Aviation

First Advisor

Daniel K. Adjekum

Abstract

This study examined safety assurance and the effectiveness of safety risk controls within a collegiate flight training program operating under a Safety Management System (SMS). Using a mixed-methods approach, the research integrated quantitative survey data with organizational safety performance data to evaluate how safety risk controls function across operational domains. A survey instrument, the Collegiate Aviation Safety Risk Control Effectiveness Scale (CASRICES), was developed and validated to measure perceptions of safety risk control effectiveness among respondents using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Reliability, and Construct Validity Analyses.

The EFA supported a three-factor structure consisting of Pilot Training Risk Controls, Safety Reporting and Data Management, and Pilot Personal Risk Controls. The results demonstrated acceptable construct validity and internal consistency across the identified factors, contributing to both theory and applied aviation safety research.

Correlation analysis indicated moderate positive relationships among the constructs, supporting the interconnected nature of safety risk controls within an SMS framework. Additionally, no statistically significant differences were found among demographic groups, suggesting consistent perceptions of the effectiveness of safety risk control across participants. Analysis of safety performance data, including normalized event rates, further supported the effectiveness of implemented safety risk controls and highlighted the role of safety assurance processes in maintaining stable operational risk levels. The findings further reinforce a need for interconnectedness among structured pilot training processes, standardized organizational safety processes, data-driven technology, integrated safety reporting systems, and positive social influences, rather than reliance on a single safety risk control in isolation, to effectively assure safety in collegiate flight training environments.

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