The Future Flight Deck: Modelling Dual, Single and Distributed Crewing Options

It is argued that the barrier to single pilot operation is not the technology, but the failure to consider the whole socio-technical system. To better understand the socio-technical system we model alternative single pilot operations using Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) and analyse those models using Social Network Analysis (SNA). Four potential models of single pilot operations were compared to existing two pilot operations. Using SOCA-CAT from CWA, we were able to identify the potential functional loading and interactions between networks of agents. The interactions formed the basis on the SNA. These analyses potentially form the basis for distributed system architecture for the operation of a future aircraft. The findings from the models suggest that distributed crewing option could be at least as resilient, in network architecture terms, as the current dual crewing operations

Touchscreen controls for future flight deck design: investigating visual parameters on human-computer interactions between pilot flying and pilot monitoring

This study is concentrated on investigating the different visual behaviors and HCI patterns between pilot flying and pilot monitoring while interacting with touchscreen controls on the flight deck. Twelve participants with flight experiences (M=1150, SD=4019.9) attended this research. The apparatus included Future Systems Simulator (FSS), eye tracker, and system usability scale (SUS). The designated scenario in the experiment was an instrument landing. All participants were required to perform two instrument landings in two different roles, pilot flying (PF) and pilot monitoring (PM). The order of role of randomized to eliminate practice effects. The results revealed that fixation counts of pilot flying were different among four AOIs, F (3, 9) = 10.58, p = .003, η_p^2 = .78. On the other hand, the FC of pilot monitoring demonstrated a significant difference among four AOIs, F (3, 8) = 8.69, p = .007, η_p^2 = .77. There was a significant difference between PF and PM on the subjective assessment of SUS total score, t (11) =3.85, p = 0.003, Cohen's d= 1.11. The application of a touchscreen can integrate input and output in the same area for visual feedback. There is a rising need to simplify the future flight deck design based on the principle of human-centered design. Conclusion: The application of touchscreen flight controls may have the potential to facilitate single-pilot operations flight deck design in the future. TSCs considerations must be consistent with human information processing and pilots' operational characteristics on the future flight deck

Artificial Intelligence in aviation decision making process.The transition from extended Minimum Crew Operations to Single Pilot Operations (SiPO)

Innovation, management of change, and human factors implementation in-flight operations portray the aviation industry. The International Air Transportation Authority (IATA) Technology Roadmap (IATA, 2019) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) roadmap propose an outline and assessment of ongoing technology prospects, which change the aviation environment with the implementation of A.I. and introduction of extended Minimum Crew Operations (eMCO) and Single Pilot Operations (SiPO). Changes in the workload will affect human performance and the decision-making process. The research accepted the universally established definition in the A.I. approach of “any technology that appears to emulate the performance of a human” (EASA, 2020). A review of the existing literature on Direct Voice Inputs (DVI) applications structured A.I. aviation decision-making research themes in cockpit design and users’ perception - experience. Interviews with Subject Matter Experts (Human Factors analysts, A.I. analysts, airline managers, examiners, instructors, qualified pilots, pilots under training) and questionnaires (disseminated to a group of professional pilots and pilots under training) examined A.I. implementation in cockpit design and operations. Results were analyzed and evaluated the suitability and significant differences of e-MCO and SiPO under the decision-making aspect.Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), Extended Minimum Crew Operations (e-MCO), Single Pilot Operations (SiPO), cockpit design, ergonomics, decision making

Future flight deck design: developing an innovative touchscreen inceptor combined with the primary flight display

The touchscreen has the potential to optimize the space usage and efficiency of the flight deck. Currently, touchscreens can combine the input and output functions of different systems. However, it does not yet serve as an inceptor to replace the sidestick or control column for aircraft manoeuvres. This study aims to examine the potential of a touchscreen as a flight inceptor compared with a traditional sidestick and gamepad. This research recruited 72 participants who interacted with three inceptors for both an instrument landing with disturbance and without disturbance using the Future System Simulator. The findings demonstrated that pilot performance, system usability and pilots’ situation awareness of touchscreen inceptors were significantly inferior to those of traditional sidesticks and gamepads. Compared to the sidestick and gamepad, the touchscreen provided a poorer situation awareness with the highest supply and demand. In addition, the performance of all inceptors was significantly influenced by disturbance. There is still a long way to go for certification of a touchscreen as an inceptor on the future flight deck. This research showed that even though the touchscreen inceptor scored the lowest on both SUS and SART, the majority of pilots agreed that the touchscreen inceptor provided a better attentional supply in challenging disturbance circumstances, providing proof of concept for its possible inclusion in flight deck design. There is a potential that the emerging touchscreen as an inceptor may develop further along with human-system integration flight deck design.This research is co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund (grant number POWR.03.02.00–00-I029)

An approach to goal directed information management on the flight deck

Today’s flight decks are the result of an evolutionary development process. With every design step the level of automation and amount of available information increased. Considerable challenges in relation to information management are documented. Looking into the future, the introduction of Reduced Crew Operation (RCO) may aggravate these challenges. Removing the second pilot will remove cognitive capacity, which is a central factor for today’s information management. The increasingly relevant question of how to properly manage information on the flight deck in the future is evaluated in this thesis. A development process based on the “Ergonomics of Human System Interaction” standard is pursued to answer this question. Challenges related to information management and existing efforts in this domain are identified. Based on a context analysis of future operations a new concept of operations centered on the human operator on the flight deck is developed. Mission manager is established as a new job title for pilots. Requirements towards information management on the future flight deck are derived. An information management concept for a human operator interacting with a highly automated aircraft is proposed. Goal oriented Information Management (GoIM) is developed to describe this interaction. The implementation of the concept of operations and GoIM in hard- and software is described. Hypotheses towards the parameters of effectivity, efficiency, and satisfaction of usability are formulated. An overall beneficial rating of usability is hypothesized. Evaluation of the concept is performed using a purpose-built RCO research simulator. Users are tasked to perform a two-part evaluation study, consisting of an application usability test and a scenario-based evaluation, utilizing the software implementation. It is shown with a 95% confidence level, that the GoIM concept offers acceptable usability. Backed by positive user feedback GoIM is shown to be a potential solution for future information management on the flight deck. Recommendations towards the further development of the herein proposed concept are given. A closer user interaction and more focused design work is advised. Further broadening the concept and performance-based evaluation and validation is recommended

Enabling Single-Pilot Operations technological and operative scenarios: a state-of-the-art review with possible cues

Both financial and operational reasons have been given emphasis to the implementation of Single-Pilot Operations in commercial aviation. SPO will involve replacing the first officer with integrated cockpit assistants and support ground stations. This review aims to provide an overview of SPO through a classification of the specific areas of interest. Enabling SPO will require designers to re-modulate the human-automation interface according to the new allocation of functions in the flight deck. However, while technological issues are expected to be overcome in the next future, major attention should be paid on the human factor side

Present Challenges, Critical Needs, and Future Technological Directions for NASA's GN and C Engineering Discipline

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently undergoing a substantial redirection. Notable among the changes occurring within NASA is the stated emphasis on technology development, integration, and demonstration. These new changes within the Agency should have a positive impact on the GN&C discipline given the potential for sizeable investments for technology development and in-space demonstrations of both Autonomous Rendezvous & Docking (AR&D) systems and Autonomous Precision Landing (APL) systems. In this paper the NASA Technical Fellow for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) provides a summary of the present technical challenges, critical needs, and future technological directions for NASA s GN&C engineering discipline. A brief overview of the changes occurring within NASA that are driving a renewed emphasis on technology development will be presented as background. The potential benefits of the planned GN&C technology developments will be highlighted. This paper will provide a GN&C State-of-the-Discipline assessment. The discipline s readiness to support the goals & objectives of each of the four NASA Mission Directorates is evaluated and the technical challenges and barriers currently faced by the discipline are summarized. This paper will also discuss the need for sustained investments to sufficiently mature the several classes of GN&C technologies required to implement NASA crewed exploration and robotic science missions

Single Pilot Operations and Public Acceptance: A Mixed Methods Study conducted in Greece

The airline industry is moving towards Single Pilot Operations (SPO), as a result of the increased training and salary cost of pilots, and also as a remedy to the impending pilot shortage which is estimated to manifest itself in the years to follow. The main objective of this study was to explore whether the Greek public is willing to accept only one pilot onboard, what are the factors that affect this decision, and which is the preferred method of replacing the second pilot by choosing between an array of alternative options proposed by the industry. Based on the qualitative findings of previous research, a close-ended scale was developed to explore the attitudes of the public quantitatively (N=414) through exploratory factor analysis and inferential statistics. Results showed a fairly negative attitude of the public towards SPO (mean score of 3.61 on a differential scale of 1-7). Also, the result of the exploratory factor analysis included three factors, namely, the inherent concerns of the passengers, the degree of passenger’s safety awareness and the reputation of the airline company. Lastly, the participants of this study showed a preference for combining highly-sophisticated technology such as advanced automation with a permanent ground operator as the optimum solution to replacing the second pilot. It is recommended that an integrated marketing strategy should be implemented at this time, so as to facilitate a smoother transition to SPO. This strategy should take into serious consideration the factors that affect the public’s intention to accept SPO. Finally, despite the overall conservative attitude of the passengers, there was no evidence of an impending failure of this innovation to diffuse into the market

Situation Awareness Information Requirements For Commercial Airline Pilots

Situation awareness is presented as a fundamental requirement for good airmanship, forming the basis for pilot decision making and performance. To develop a better understanding of the role of situation awareness in flying, an analysis was performed to determine the specific situation awareness information requirements for commercial aircraft pilots. This was conducted as a goal-directed task analysis in which pilots' major goals, subgoals, decisions and associated situation awareness information requirements were delineated based on elicitation from experienced commercial airline pilots. A determination of the major situation awareness information requirements for visual and instrument flight was developed from this analysis, providing a foundation for future system development which seeks to enhance pilot situation awareness and provide a basis for the development of situation awareness measures for commercial flight