Enhancing Taxi Performance under Low Visibility: Are Moving Maps Enough?

We report the results of an experiment evaluating the separate and combined effects of a 3-D perspective moving map and newly developed Head-Up Display symbology on taxi performance in low visibility. Nine commercial airline pilots completed a series of gate-to-runway taxi routes at a simulated Chicago-O'Hare. Relative to a baseline condition, in which in-the-cockpit navigation support was confined to Jeppesen paper map, the 3-D moving map yielded a nonsignificant increase in taxi speed. The combination of electronic moving map and Head-Up Display yielded a considerably larger and statistically significant increase in taxi speed. These results suggest that in low visibility, Head-Up Displays can substantially improve taxi performance, over and above any improvements associated with 3-D moving maps.

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Low Back Pain in Commercial Airline Pilots

Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance ◽

10.3357/amhp.5656.2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 91 (12) ◽

pp. 940-947

Author(s):

Matthias Albermann ◽

Maria Lehmann ◽

Christian Eiche ◽

Joachim Schmidt ◽

Johannes Prottengeier

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Online Survey ◽

German Population ◽

Low Back ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Acute Low Back Pain ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Negative Effect

BACKGROUND: In their working life, airline pilots are exposed to particular risk factors that promote nonspecific low back pain (LBP). Because of the varying incidence internationally, we evaluated the point prevalences of acute, subacute, and chronic nonspecific LBP, as well as the current prevalences in German airline pilots. Furthermore, we compared the prevalence to the general German population and to European counterparts.METHODS: An anonymous online survey of 698 participating German airline pilots was evaluated. The impairment between groups was analyzed. Prevalences from our data were compared to existing data.RESULTS: The following point prevalences were found: 8.2% acute, 2.4% subacute, 82.7% chronic LBP; 74.1% of all individuals were suffering from current LBP when answered the questionnaire. A total time spent flying greater than 600 h within the last 12 mo was significantly related to acute nonspecific LBP. Individuals with any type of LBP were significantly impaired compared to those unaffected. It was found that German airline pilots suffer more often from current LBP than the general population and have a higher point prevalence of total LBP than their European counterparts.CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation showed a surprisingly high, previously unidentified, prevalence of nonspecific LBP in German airline pilots. Why German airline pilots suffer more often from LBP remains uncertain. The number of flying hours appears to have a negative effect on developing acute low back pain, but causation cannot be concluded. Other risk factors could not be confirmed.Albermann M, Lehmann M, Eiche C, Schmidt J, Prottengeier J. Low back pain in commercial airline pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(12):940947.

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A Qualitative Study Exploring Well-Being and the Potential Impact of Work-Related Stress Among Commercial Airline Pilots

Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors ◽

10.1027/2192-0923/a000199 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Paul Cullen ◽

Joan Cahill ◽

Keith Gaynor

Keyword(s):

Lived Experience ◽

Participatory Design ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Well Being ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Work Related ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Related Stress ◽

The Relationship

Abstract. Increasing evidence suggests that commercial airline pilots can experience physical, mental, and social health difficulties. Qualitative interviews with commercial airline pilots explored the relationship between work-related stress and well-being. Participatory workshops involving pilots were conducted. The methodology of this action-based research involved a blend of person-centered design approaches; specifically, “stakeholder evaluation” and “participatory design.” The findings further support the hypothesis that pilot well-being is being negatively affected by the nature of their work. The biopsychosocial model of the lived experience of a pilot, as presented in this paper, provides a useful structure to examine pilot well-being, and to identify and scope potential coping strategies to self-manage health and well-being issues associated with the job of being a pilot.

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Commercial airline pilots’ declining professional standing and increasing precarious employment

The International Journal of Human Resource Management ◽

10.1080/09585192.2018.1528473 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

G. A. Maxwell ◽

K. Grant

Keyword(s):

Precarious Employment ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Professional Standing

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Leans Illusion in Hexapod Simulator Facilitates Erroneous Responses to Artificial Horizon in Airline Pilots

Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ◽

10.1177/0018720820975248 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 001872082097524

Author(s):

Annemarie van den Hoed ◽

Annemarie Landman ◽

Dirk Van Baelen ◽

Olaf Stroosma ◽

M. M. (René) van Paassen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Opposite Direction ◽

Learning Effect ◽

Baseline Condition ◽

Control Input ◽

Bank Angle ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Spatial Disorientation ◽

Interpretation Errors ◽

And Control

Objective We tested whether a procedure in a hexapod simulator can cause incorrect assumptions of the bank angle (i.e., the “leans”) in airline pilots as well as incorrect interpretations of the attitude indicator (AI). Background The effect of the leans on interpretation errors has previously been demonstrated in nonpilots. In-flight, incorrect assumptions can arise due to misleading roll cues (spatial disorientation). Method Pilots ( n = 18) performed 36 runs, in which they were asked to roll to wings level using only the AI. They received roll cues before the AI was shown, which matched with the AI bank angle direction in most runs, but which were toward the opposite direction in a leans-opposite condition (four runs). In a baseline condition (four runs), they received no roll cues. To test whether pilots responded to the AI, the AI sometimes showed wings level following roll cues in a leans-level condition (four runs). Results Overall, pilots made significantly more errors in the leans-opposite (19.4%) compared to the baseline (6.9%) or leans-level condition (0.0%). There was a pronounced learning effect in the leans-opposite condition, as 38.9% of pilots made an error in the first exposure to this condition. Experience (i.e., flight hours) had no significant effects. Conclusion The leans procedure was effective in inducing AI misinterpretations and control input errors in pilots. Application The procedure can be used in spatial disorientation demonstrations. The results underline the importance of unambiguous displays that should be able to quickly correct incorrect assumptions due to spatial disorientation.

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Awareness Level of Airline Pilots on Flight-Associated Venous Thromboembolism

Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance ◽

10.3357/amhp.5493.2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 91 (4) ◽

pp. 343-347

Author(s):

Bilal Kilic ◽

Semih Soran

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Civil Aviation ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Physiological Conditions ◽

The Past ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Awareness Level ◽

Anova Technique

INTRODUCTION: Studies have identified a great number of physiological conditions, including venous thromboembolism and hypoxia, that may give rise to medical disqualifications and in-flight incapacitations that can be costly to individuals and organizations. Over the past three decades, much attention has been focused on venous thromboembolism among passengers. However, studies on venous thromboembolism among commercial airline pilots are very scarce. With this consideration in mind, differently from the literature, this study set out to examine pilots' awareness of venous thromboembolism signs, symptoms, risk factors, and countermeasures.METHODS: For this purpose, a venous thromboembolism questionnaire was developed and applied to collect data. There were 427 airline pilots who participated in the questionnaire. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique was used to analyze the results of the questionnaire.RESULTS: According to the results of this study, approximately one-half (57.1%) of the participants had just heard of this particular health issue and 63.9% of the participants were unaware of flight-associated venous thromboembolism. Airline pilots between 20 and 40 yr of age were much less aware of venous thromboembolism in comparison to pilots 41 yr or older, and pilots flying more than 90 h/mo were at a greater risk.DISCUSSION: Airline pilots between 20 and 40 yr have less knowledge about venous thromboembolism and preventive measures against it in comparison to older pilots. Therefore they may be more vulnerable to possible risk factors. The findings of this study will contribute to increasing pilots’ awareness on flight-related venous thromboembolism and can improve the overall safety of civil aviation.Kilic B, Soran S. Awareness level of airline pilots on flight-associated venous thromboembolism. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(4):343–347.

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Appreciating the ‘work’ of discourse: occupational identity and difference as organizing mechanisms in the case of commercial airline pilots

Discourse & Communication ◽

10.1177/1750481307071982 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 9-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 103

Author(s):

Karen Lee Ashcraft

Keyword(s):

Occupational Identity ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Identity And Difference

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Predictors of skin cancer in commercial airline pilots

Occupational Medicine ◽

10.1093/occmed/kqp058 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 59 (6) ◽

pp. 434-436 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

J. S. Nicholas ◽

C. J. Swearingen ◽

J. B. Kilmer

Keyword(s):

Skin Cancer ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Commercial Airline

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Up in the Air: The Construction and Management of Risk by Commercial Airline Pilots

Academy of Management Proceedings ◽

10.5465/ambpp.2016.17488abstract ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 (1) ◽

pp. 17488

Author(s):

David Falco Passenier ◽

Frank G. A. de Bakker ◽

Peter Groenewegen ◽

Jeroen Wolbers ◽

Eveline Catz

Keyword(s):

Airline Pilots ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Management Of Risk

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Estimating Pilot Fatigue in Commercial Flight Operations

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193120504900130 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

pp. 136-139

Author(s):

Jon French ◽

Katherine Garrick

Keyword(s):

Prediction Algorithm ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Airline Pilot ◽

Subjective Fatigue ◽

Flight Operations ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Circadian Time ◽

Pilot Fatigue ◽

Subjective Reports ◽

Better Than

In order to assess airline pilot duty fatigue levels associated with normal operations, subjective fatigue, sleep cycles were unobtrusively monitored and compared to the estimates of a fatigue prediction algorithm (FADE). A group of 9 commercial airline pilots completed log sheets on which sleep, flight data and periodic estimates of fatigue levels were recorded over a 10-day period. The subjective fatigue scores indicated a significant increase during the 2000-0400 hours time block. The lowest reported fatigue scores occurred during the 0800-1200 hours. Hours of sleep predicted pilot fatigue levels better than circadian time, hours of flight, time zones crossed or hours of non-flying work. A fatigue-estimating algorithm (FADE) used logged sleep data and was well correlated with the subjective reports of fatigue. Use of fatigue algorithms may be useful to select the timing and crew rest considerations of comercial airline routes before they become part of normal operations.

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