Evaluation of onboard system state and path awareness technologies during transport operations
Publication Date
10-11-2020
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Title
2020 AIAA/IEEE 39th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC)
Volume
2020-October
DOI
10.1109/DASC50938.2020.9256588
Abstract
Even after decades of continuous use, automation surprise and mode confusion are still prevalent in commercial airline operations. Without increased awareness of the aircraft and automation future state, crews have difficulty monitoring and managing flight path leading to clearance violations and the potential for loss of separation. A pilot-in-the-loop flight simulation study was conducted at NASA Langley Research Center to evaluate a path awareness display technology concept called 'Automation Does What?' and an automation configuration display technology concept called 'Automation Function Configuration Display'. The two technologies were evaluated and contrasted with a current state-of-the-art flight deck modeled from the Boeing B-787 using guided discussion and pilot comments. Objective and subjective data were collected from aircraft parameters, questionnaires, audio/video recordings, head/eye tracking data, and subject matter expert observations.
Funding Sponsor
Federal Aviation Administration
Keywords
Automation, Aviation safety, Flight crew error, Mode confusion, Synoptic displays, Vertical navigation
Department
Research Foundation
Recommended Citation
Timothy J. Etherington, Lynda J. Kramer, Renee C. Lake, Thomas Schnell, Randall J. Mumaw, Lance Sherry, Matthew B. Cover, and Tom Evans. "Evaluation of onboard system state and path awareness technologies during transport operations" 2020 AIAA/IEEE 39th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) (2020). https://doi.org/10.1109/DASC50938.2020.9256588
