Pilots’ Performance and Workload Assessment: Transition from Analogue to Glass-Cockpit

Abstract

During their professional career, pilots often experience a change in workplace conditions in the form of an aircraft cockpit ergonomics change. Change of working conditions may impact their perception of flight data or the pilot’s psychophysiological condition, especially in cases of inexperienced pilots. The presented study deals with the influence of cockpit ergonomics change on the performance and pilot workload during a training course. We divided 20 subjects with no previous practical flying experience into two training groups (Gr. A and Gr. B). The flight training was focused on acquisition of basic piloting skills where both groups experienced cockpit ergonomics change in different training phases. The performance (piloting precision) was assessed based on deviations from predetermined parameters of the monitored flight manoeuvres. Heart rate variability qualified the extent of workload. The study showed the influence of the cockpit arrangement on piloting precision, where the transition to other type of cockpit ergonomics did not influence pilots’ subjective workload with statistical significance.

Digital Ergonomics—The Reliability of the Human Factor and Its Impact on the Maintenance of Aircraft Brakes and Wheels

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Towards Sustainability in Air Traffic Management

“…Numerous research has sought to investigate the link between operator workload and operational errors such as pilots workload analysis [12], pilots' performance and workload assessment [13], pilots' reaction time and mental workload [14], pilots' mental state measurement [15], and, air traffic controllers' workload and decision supporting system [16]. Operators commit errors not only under high workload circumstances but also in low workload conditions due to attention distribution and confusion [17].…”

Influencing factors of novice pilot SA based on DEMATEL-AISM method: From pilots’ view

“…A series of experimental studies engaging pilot participants have verified that it is more difficult for inexperienced novice pilots to maintain stable SA in complex and dynamic flight situations than experienced expert pilots [ 40 , 51 , 52 ]. The increase in task complexity can easily lead to the decline of novice pilots' information perception and rapid response, making novice pilot exposed to SA deterioration and safety risk growth [ 53 , 54 ].…”