A human‐centred design agenda for the development of single crew operated commercial aircraft

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to make a case that with the appropriate use of human factors methods it is possible to design and develop a single crew commercial aircraft using largely existing technology.Design/methodology/approachFrom a review of the literature it is suggested that some of the functions of the non‐flying pilot would be better assumed by either onboard automation or ground‐based systems.FindingsIt is argued that the design of the flight deck and the role of the pilot require re‐conceptualising to accommodate the requirements for flying a highly automated aircraft single‐handed. With such re‐design, considerable efficiency gains will be achieved, but to fully realise these gains a system‐wide approach is required which extends beyond the design of the aircraft per se.Research limitations/implicationsThis is only a high‐level thought piece to stimulate debate. Much greater consideration of all the issues raised is required, as is a change in regulatory requirements.Practical implicationsIf implemented, the single crew aircraft could result in a revolution in air transport, offering considerable cost savings, especially on shorter routes with relatively small passenger loads.Originality/valueA first attempt to use human factors as a design driver to produce operational and economic efficiency by the novel use of existing technologies spun‐out from other areas of aircraft development.

Designing flight deck applications: combining insight from end-users and ergonomists

“…Norman and Draper (1986) stated that "to understand successful design requires understanding of the technology, the person, and their mutual interaction…" (p1). User-centred design places the user at the centre of the design process and enforces that the equipment is designed to meet the skills, knowledge, and abilities of the target user of the device (Harris 2007). This is key within the early stages of the design process (Cacciabue, and Martinetto 2006), rather than being considered when it may be too late to make adequate design changes (Gould and Lewis 1985).…”

Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics

“…The multi-disciplinary working groups organized by the human factors team all stressed that the pilots must be at the center of operations and must have the final authority about decisions made on the flight-deck. For safe and effective decision-making to take place on the flight deck, it is imperative that pilots have the authority for making final decisions (Harris 2007) and can choose not to take the automated support options if necessary. highlight the importance of clear understanding of whether systems should be user controlled or system driven.…”

Evaluating the reduced flight deck crew concept using cognitive work analysis and social network analysis: comparing normal and data-link outage scenarios

“…The aviation sociotechnical system has developed over decades and now has a legacy of evolving and adapting to developments in technology and human factors. It has been argued that reducing the crew from two pilots to one pilot would be the logical next step (Harris 2007;Lachter et al 2017;Stanton et al 2016a). Currently, whilst different crewing configurations and concepts have been proposed, there is a general consensus that this would include ground-based assistance by a remote-operator and remote-pilot as illustrated subsequently.…”

“…A single-piloted commercial airliner will most likely comprise of similar systems found in contemporary commercial aircraft. Novel automation technologies will be required and the role of the pilot requires a re-conceptualization (Harris 2007). Hence, it is vital to employ a system-wide approach when analysing and designing for crew reduction.…”