Investigation of Display Issues Relevant to the Presentation of Aircraft Fault Information

This research, performed as a part of NASA Langley's Faultfinder project, investigated display implementation issues related to the introduction of real time fault diagnostic systems into next generation commercial aircraft. Three major issues were investigated: visual display styles for presenting fault related information to the crew, the form the output from the expert system should take, and methods for filtering fault related information for presentation to the crew. Twenty-four flight familiar male volunteers participated as subjects. Five subjects were NASA test pilots, six were Commercial Airline Pilots, seven were Air Force Lear Jet pilots, and six were NASA personnel familiar with flight (non-pilots). Subjects were presented with aircraft subsystem information on a CRT screen. They were required to identify the subsystems presented in a display and to remember the state (normal or abnormal) of subsystem parameter information contained in the display. The results of the study indicated that in the simpler experimental test cases (i.e., those involving single subsystem failures and composite hypothesis displays) subjects' performance did not differ across the different display formats. However, for the more complex cases (i.e., those involving multiple subsystem faults and multiple hypotheses displays), subjects' performance was superior in the text- and picture-based display formats compared to the symbol-based format. In addition, the findings suggest that a layered approached to information display is appropriate.

Download Full-text

An Assessment of Display Formats for Crew Alerting and Guidance

Proceedings of the Human Factors Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193128703100934 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 31 (9) ◽

pp. 1077-1081 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Linda LaLumiere-Grubbs ◽

Barry L. Berson ◽

George P. Boucek ◽

Charles Anderson ◽

Leland G. Summers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Relative Effectiveness ◽

Total System ◽

Commercial Aircraft ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Concept System ◽

System Concept ◽

Flight Operations ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

Time Critical ◽

Task Simulation

During the last 13 years the investigation of crew alerting during non-normal situations has progressed from the study of a single system, altitude monitoring, to a consideration of the total system. The result of this progression is that a highly self-contained system concept has been defined that will facilitate an effective crew response to both normal and non-normal situations. The concept system is intended to not only monitor aircraft systems and flight operations, but also provide improved guidance and status information. The form the information takes will ultimately affect the timeliness of information perception, processing, and crew performance. This paper describes three studies conducted to assess the relative effectiveness of selected display formats in communicating time-critical information to commercial airline pilots. A part-task simulation was used to collect response time and number of errors. Format type, format complexity, and format symbology were varied in this evaluation. Results showed that response to symbolic formats without alphanumerics was faster and more accurate than to symbolic formats with alphanumerics or alphanumeric only formats. These results were incorporated into a full mission aircraft simulator for evaluating the effectiveness of the system concept and eventual incorporation into FAA guidelines for future commercial aircraft.

Download Full-text

Mixed Fleet Flying Between Two Commercial Aircraft Types: An Empirical Evaluation of the Role of Negative Transfer

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193120504900111 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

pp. 45-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Beth Lyall ◽

Christopher D. Wickens

Keyword(s):

Negative Transfer ◽

Empirical Evaluation ◽

Commercial Aircraft ◽

Case Scenario ◽

Worst Case ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Design Changes ◽

Commercial Airline ◽

New Type

We examined the potential vulnerabilities of pilots flying a mixed fleet of two different aircraft types. A “worst case” scenario was evaluated in which a pilot, flying one type exclusively, would need to fly the different type, after 6 months without any recurrency training on the latter. These circumstances invite negative transfer of habits in the “old” aircraft, to performance in the “new” aircraft”. Documents of both aircraft were evaluated to establish those aspects of design and procedures differences that invite such negative transfer; a list of 36 such “vulnerabilities” were identified. Then 40 active commercial airline pilots from a US carrier participated in an evaluation of such negative transfer between two different types within the fleet. The sample was divided into 2 groups each of which normally flew one of the types and not the other. After training on the “new” type, each pilot returned to either 3 or 6 months of flying exclusively with their “old” type, and then returned for simulator evaluations on the “new” type that were targeted to reveal the 36 vulnerabilities. Even with power-sensitive statistical analyses, only slight evidence for negative transfer was found. Those areas where such transfer did emerge were targeted for recommendations of either procedural harmonization or minor design changes.

Download Full-text

424. Heat Stress During Fuel Tank Entry and Maintenance Activities on U.S. Air Force and Commercial Aircraft

10.3320/1.2763291 ◽

1999 ◽

Author(s):

G. Kinnes ◽

P. Jensen ◽

K. Mead ◽

D. Watkins ◽

L. Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Air Force ◽

Fuel Tank ◽

Commercial Aircraft ◽

Maintenance Activities

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

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

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text