The evaluation of product and process for in-flight decision-making training

Forty-One male pilots from ROC Air Force Tactical Training Wings participated in the study. The flying experience of participants was between 354 and 220 hours with an average of 292 hours. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, 21 pilots in the experimental group, and 20 pilots in control group. Two ADM mnemonic methods, SHOR and DESIDE, that had been previously been assessed by instructor pilots as being the most applicable and having the potential to significantly improve the quality of military pilots’ decision-making formed the basis of the ADM training programs. Overall, results from both the simulator-based trials (which assessed the product of the ADM training programme) and the pencil-and-paper tests (which assessed the process that the trainees applied) showed gains being made in both Situation Assessment and Risk Management skills attributable to the decision making training course. The results strongly suggest that such a short training course can be effective in terms of improving pilots’ skill in situation assessment and risk management. However, these gains were at the cost of a decreased speed of responding. Nevertheless, it is suggested that a simple, short, cost-effective training program in the appropriate use of ADM mnemonic methods may ultimately produce significant gains in flight safety. Such a course may easily be integrated into current CRM or simulator-based training programs

An Extension of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) for use in Open Systems

The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS), based upon Reason's model of human error in an organisational context, is currently the most widely used human factors accident analysis framework. However, it has been criticised for merely categorising accident data rather than analysing it. Previous research has established statistical associations between the levels and categories within HFACS but has not specified a mechanism by which one category influences subsequent behaviour. This paper extends the approach in two ways. Using the categories of control flaws derived from Leveson's Systems–Theoretical Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) approach, it describes the mechanisms by which categories within HFACS are associated with other categories lower in the organisational hierarchy. It also provides a mechanism by which active failures can promulgate across organisations. The revised methodology HFACS-STAMP is illustrated using the case study of the Uberlingen mid-air collision on 1 July 2002

Live–virtual–constructive simulation for testing and evaluation of air combat tactics, techniques, and procedures, Part 2: demonstration of the framework

In this paper, the use of the live (L), virtual (V), and constructive (C) simulation framework introduced in Part 1 of this two-part study is demonstrated in the testing and evaluation of air combat tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP). Each TTP consists of rules that describe how aircraft pilots coordinate their actions to achieve goals in air combat. In the demonstration, the initial rules are defined by subject matter experts (SMEs). These rules are refined iteratively in separate C-, V-, and L-simulation stages. In the C-stage, an operationally used C-simulation model is used to provide optimal rules with respect to the probabilities of survival (Ps) and kill (Pk) of aircraft without considering human–machine interaction (HMI). In the V-stage, fighter squadrons’ V-simulators and SMEs’ assessment are used to modify these rules by evaluating their applicability with Pk and Ps, as well as HMI measures regarding pilots’ situation awareness, mental workload, and TTP rule adherence. In the L-stage, qualified fighter pilots fly F/A-18C aircraft in a real-life environment. Based on SMEs’ assessment, the TTP rules refined in the C- and L-stages result in acceptable Pk, Ps, and HMI measures in the L-stage. As such, the demonstration highlights the utility of the LVC framework

Using Neural Networks to predict HFACS unsafe acts from the pre-conditions of unsafe acts

Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) is based upon Reason’s organizational model of human error which suggests that there is a ‘one to many’ mapping of condition tokens (HFACS level 2 psychological precursors) to unsafe act tokens (HFACS level 1 error and violations). Using accident data derived from 523 military aircraft accidents, the relationship between HFACS level 2 preconditions and level 1 unsafe acts was modelled using an artificial neural network (NN). This allowed an empirical model to be developed congruent with the underlying theory of HFACS. The NN solution produced an average overall classification rate of ca. 74% for all unsafe acts from information derived from their level 2 preconditions. However, the correct classification rate was superior for decision- and skill-based errors, than for perceptual errors and violations

Comparison of NASA-TLX scale, Modified Cooper-Harper scale and mean inter-beat interval as measures of pilot mental workload during simulated flight tasks

The sensitivity of NASA-TLX scale, modified Cooper–Harper (MCH) scale and the mean inter-beat interval (IBI) of successive heart beats, as measures of pilot mental workload (MWL), were evaluated in a flight training device (FTD). Operational F/A-18C pilots flew instrument approaches with varying task loads. Pilots’ performance, subjective MWL ratings and IBI were measured. Based on the pilots’ performance, three performance categories were formed; high-, medium- and low-performance. Values of the subjective rating scales and IBI were compared between categories. It was found that all measures were able to differentiate most task conditions and there was a strong, positive correlation between NASA-TLX and MCH scale. An explicit link between IBI, NASA-TLX, MCH and performance was demonstrated. While NASA-TLX, MCH and IBI have all been previously used to measure MWL, this study is the first one to investigate their association in a modern FTD, using a realistic flying mission and operational pilots. Practitioner summary: NASA-TLX scale, MCH scale and the IBI were evaluated in a flight training device. All measures were able to differentiate most task conditions and there was a positive correlation between NASA-TLX and MCH scale. An explicit link between IBI, NASA-TLX, MCH and performance was demonstrated. Abbreviations: ANOVA: Analysis of Variance; ECG: Electrocardiograph; F/A: fighter/attack; ft: feet; FTD: flight training device; G: Gravity; km: kilometer; m: meter; m/s: meters per second; MWL: mental workload; MCH: modified cooper-harper; NASA-TLX: NASA Task Load Index; NM: Nautical Mile; NN: normal-to-normal; IBI: inter-beat interval; ILS: Instrument Landing System; RR: R-Wave to R-Wave; SD: standard deviation; TTP: tactics, techniques and procedures; WTSAT: Weapon Tactics and Situation Awareness Trainer.</p

Safety Management Practices Hindering the Development of Safety Performance Indicators in Aviation Service Providers

Abstract. Five aviation service providers participated in a study aiming to identify factors that impact the implementation of a safety management system and the safety performance of the organization. Safety managers were interviewed and their comments analyzed using grounded theory approach. Hindering factors were categorized and integrated into a model. </jats:p

The Future Flight Deck: Modelling Dual, Single and Distributed Crewing Options

It is argued that the barrier to single pilot operation is not the technology, but the failure to consider the whole socio-technical system. To better understand the socio-technical system we model alternative single pilot operations using Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) and analyse those models using Social Network Analysis (SNA). Four potential models of single pilot operations were compared to existing two pilot operations. Using SOCA-CAT from CWA, we were able to identify the potential functional loading and interactions between networks of agents. The interactions formed the basis on the SNA. These analyses potentially form the basis for distributed system architecture for the operation of a future aircraft. The findings from the models suggest that distributed crewing option could be at least as resilient, in network architecture terms, as the current dual crewing operations