The following provides a short description of the variables in each data sets provided for week 5’s homework:

Bomber data sets: These data provide the following information regarding the United States Air Force bomber aircraft:

  • Type: Represents the type of aircraft. In this case, all aircraft in these data sets are United States Air Force bomber aircraft.
  • MD: Represents the “Mission Design.” The letter represents the basic mission of the aircraft (B for bomber) and the number represents the design number. So all aircraft with a B are bombers but a B-1 is different than a B-2 which is different than a B-52.
  • FY: Fiscal year. The data available ranges from fiscal year 1996-2014.
  • Cost: Represents the total operational cost for flying, maintaining, repairing, and managing the aircraft.
  • FH: Represents the flying hours, which is the total time the aircraft is in the air flying a mission or in training.
  • Gallons: Represents the total gallons of fuel burned by the aircraft.

ws_programmatics: This data provides weapon system programmatics information:

  • Base: Represents the Air Force installation. Provides the name of the installation followed by the state the base is located in.
  • MD: Represents the “Mission Design.” The letter represents the basic mission of the weapon system (A for attack, C for cargo, B for bomber, F for fighter, etc) and the number represents the design number.
  • Manpower_Ops: Represents cost of pilots and operators required to operate the weapon system
  • Manpower_Mx: Represents cost of maintenance personnel required to maintain the weapon system
  • Manpower_Support_Staff: Represents cost of support staff required to support the weapon system
  • Operating_Material: Represents cost of operating material such as fuel, oil, etc. required to run the weapon system
  • Mx_Consumables: Represents cost of small consumable parts (nuts, bolts, wire, etc.) required to maintain the weapon system
  • Mx_DLR: Represents cost of large parts (engine fans, aircraft seats, etc.) required to maintain the weapon system
  • Mx_Depot: Represents cost of sending the weapon system to the depot for a large scale maintenance check.
  • CLS: Represents cost of contractor logistics support services
  • Total_O.S: Represents the total operational cost for flying, maintaining, repairing, and managing the aircraft (summation of all previously outlined cost elements).
  • Avg_Inv: Represents total number of weapon systems at the specified location
  • TAI: Represents total authorized weapon systems at the specified location
  • End_Strength: Represents total personnel (head count) operating and supporting the weapon system at the specified location
  • FH: Represents the flying hours, which is the total time the aircraft is in the air flying a mission or in training.

ws_categorization: This data provides the system categorization for each aircraft:

  • Base: Represents the Air Force installation. Provides the name of the installation followed by the state the base is located in.
  • System: Represents the system classification of the weapon system. The major classifications for the different weapon systems includes aircraft, missiles, munitions, space systems, ground control, and other.
  • MD: Represents the “Mission Design.” The letter represents the basic mission of the weapon system (A for attack, C for cargo, B for bomber, F for fighter, etc) and the number represents the design number.