Heuristics to Improve Human Factors Performance in Aviation

This paper reviews literature related to heuristic cognitive strategies as they are used by flight crews. A review of heuristic and naturalistic cognition is presented. An example set of heuristics and cognitive biases are presented and where possible exemplified by 19 airline accidents. The paper suggests two tentative research designs which could be pursued to quantitatively study heuristics and its impact on aviation decision making. The paper concludes that aviation pilot training would benefit by introducing pilots to the concepts and constructs of heuristic thinking

Improving Instructor Quality using the Conversation Analytic Role-play Method (CARM)

The audience will learn about Stokoe’s Conversation Analytic Role-play Method (CARM) (http://www.carmtraining.org) and how it has been used to study and improve talk-in-interaction in professional settings. CARM is a proven, research-based methodology which collects large volumes of recorded audio and/or video particular to a professional setting and then uses detailed transcription and conversation analysis to identify systematic patterns of interaction and problems thereof. Actual excerpts from the dataset are appropriately anonymized and used by facilitators in a workshop setting to create authentic role-play. The presentation will explain how CARM has been applied to help improve flight instructor teaching quality (see JAAER, 2017, 26 (1), Tuccio & Nevile). This research includes the collection and coding of over 100 hours of flight instruction video and audio by consenting pilots, and the subsequent identification of “trainable” interactional moments useful to current and prospective flight instructors. The audience will interactively participate in exemplary CARM training as it has been used at FAA Safety Team seminars. A small excerpt from one trainable follows. At line 21, a check instructor on an instrument stage check asks the student if they will get “positive sensing.” The long pause, throat clearing, and prosody of lines 22-24 make salient a misunderstanding. Through workshop role-play and discussion, instructors can identify the problem and decide how they may avoid a similar pitfall. 21 *INS: no:w are we gonna get (.) positive sensing, (.) on the CDI?22 (1.1)23 *STU: ((clears throat)) 24 *STU: positive sensing? 25 (0.5)26 *INS: yeah

Collaborative Audio Transcription and Repair as a Method for Novice Pilots to Learn Approach Briefing Crew Resource Management (CRM) Skills

The growth of aviation in scope, scale, and complexity increases the demands for student learning, including crew resource management (CRM) skills. Instructor facilitated methods have proven effective for CRM skill learning. This study investigated a method of collaborative audio transcription and repair based learning (CTRBL) offering the potential for reduced demand upon instructor resources for CRM learning. The theorybased CTRBL method was used in this study as a way for novice pilots to learn the CRM skill of conducting a crew approach briefing with a focus on risk mitigation. Learning methods used to develop the CTRBL method were drawn from facilitated scenario-based training in aviation, instructional methods in language learning, and discourse analysis in aviation. The CTRBL method effectiveness was evaluated by a quasi-experimental method using 42 participants formed into 21 dyadic groups. The results suggest that CTRBL is a manageable, independent student activity that is perceived by learners to be nearly as enjoyable as comparable ground-based CRM learning methods. Participants self-rated their post-treatment crew briefings higher than their pre-treatment briefings, and subject matter experts rated post-treatment crew briefings higher than pre-treatment briefings, suggesting the CTRBL method resulted in learning. Recommendations are made for future applications and research of CTRBL

Using conversation analysis in data-driven aviation training with large-scale qualitative datasets

This paper contributes to a growing body of work related to the Conversation Analytic Role-play Method (CARM) by studying the primary flight instruction environment to create training interventions related to radio communications and flight instruction practices. Framed in the context of conversation analysis, an approach to the detailed analysis of naturally occurring interaction, the large-scale, long-duration qualitative audio/video data collection and coding methodology is discussed, followed by trends identified in the ongoing study. The concept of CARM “trainables” are discussed with examples. The study shows that large-scale qualitative datasets may be leveraged to produce valuable data-driven training interventions

Microclimatic monitoring for the assessment of the conservation conditions of the stucco statues in the UNESCO site of the Longobard Temple in Cividale del Friuli -Udine (Italy)

The Longobard Temple, built around the middle of the 8th century, is part of wider complex including the Saint Maria in Valley monastery edified in the following centuries, located in Cividale del Friuli - Udine (Italy). Both the temple and the monastery have been declared by UNESCO world heritage sites in 2011. The Temple constitute one of the few extraordinary testimonials preserved of the Longobard architecture, testify also by the six saints in high relief placed leaned to the west wall side by side in ternary groups, to the right and to the left of the blind lancet window. A microclimatic monitoring of the temple was performed between 2011 and 2012 by the Padova Unit of the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, as part of the diagnostic project promoted by the City Council of Cividale del Friuli, in order to investigate the causes of the different damage features affecting the statues on the two sides of the west wall and to eventually identify suitable actions for the improvement of the current conservation conditions. In order to assess the microclimatic conditions, air temperature and relative humidity were recorded automatically for one year nearby the two central female figures. In addition, seasonal thermographic measurements were carried out to evaluate the thermal variations of the material and then they were compared to the microclimatic measurements. Furthermore some anemometers were installed in strategic points of the Temple for the automatic monitoring of the movement of the air masses to evaluate the impact of the air masses on the statues. The results of the microclimatic monitoring of the Longobard Temple showed that the different conservation conditions of the statues at the two sides of the west wall cannot be directly related to the actual microclimatic conditions. They could be more reasonably related to the history of the Temple (it seems that in the past they have been exposed to weather impact) and to past restoration works. In fact, according to the microclimatic results, the two sides of the west wall are subjected during the course of the year to similar daily thermal variations , even if in different seasons, due to the natural course of solar radiation during the whole year. Moreover, the movement of air masses observed and also simulated by means of a fluid-dynamic model resulted to have a different impact on the two wall sides. Nevertheless, this phenomenon can be more properly related to the risk of airborne particle deposition processes. In conclusions, the actual microclimatic conditions cannot be considered responsible for the different conservation conditions of the statues of the two sides of the west wall, but, if not improved, they could have a different impact on the statues that have different state of conservation