Coping with Complex Alarms: Sophisticated Aircraft Cockpit Alarm Systems Demand a Shift in Training Strategies

Development of a theoretical model of pilot decision making with conflicting information

“…If the pilot is familiar with how a source receives data and associated limitations, the pilot will be better able to make sense of the situation. This is in line with literature stating that performers must have enough functional-level system knowledge to allow accurate mental model development that can facilitate an understanding of why systems respond in particular ways in certain situations (Gilson et al [21]). A pilot making a decision between two sources is influenced by the likelihood of a hazard causing physical harm to their aircraft and the consequences of committing a violation of regulations or SOPs.…”

21st International Symposium on Aviation Psychology

“…In preparing pilots to respond to information conflicts, a key first step is ensuring that they have knowledge of how the systems involved are supposed to work. In order to determine which information source is accurate when faced with an information conflict, performers need to know how their systems work at a functional level, including the ability to distinguish true and false alarms, (Gilson, Deaton, & Mouloua, 1996) and to know source strengths and weaknesses (Richter and Maier 2017). Performers must gain enough system knowledge to facilitate the development of accurate mental models of why systems respond in particular ways across various situations (Gilson, Deaton, & Mouloua, 1996).…”