1Flight Ops dept

Capt Cor Blokzijl, DFO Mandala Airlines

WATS, Orlando, 27 April 2010

The Impact of automation on Pilot Training

2Flight Ops dept

Statement :

Aircraft do seldom fall out of the sky due to a system or engine failure. Accidents involve a long chain of events before matters really go dramatically wrong. It is much more the complex systems and the man-machine interface (and dialogue), which are the starting point of matters going wrong, mainly because pilots are faced with situations which are difficult to comprehend or to understand.

3Flight Ops dept

Question :

”Should our pilot training, especially our recurrent training, be focussed on this comprehending and understanding?”

4Flight Ops dept

Background :

Flight training = teaching psychomotoric skills (RAF AP-129)

Increased technology = added technical knowledge

Highly Automated Cockpit is more cognitive challenge

HAC needs man-machine-interface + man-machine-dialogue

Cognitive adjustment is needed

Focus on comprehend and understand M-M-I & M-M-D

5Flight Ops dept

Tools for training :

Training tools:

• Documentation hard/soft

• Classroom training/interactive, on line modules

• Films, ppt’s, VACBI, etc.

• System trainers

• FFS

6Flight Ops dept

Effects of training tools :Effects of training tools :

• Time wise limited

• Has to be rehearsed regular

• Recurrent training = repeating items from original training

7Flight Ops dept

Exposure training :

• Exposed to a scenario = experienced the scenario

• Burned your fingers once = always remembered

• Chances to find useful information when needed is higher being exposed than learning in class, VACBI or sim exercise

• Create events which happened world wide (SR111, AF 447)

8Flight Ops dept

Exposure training:Exposure training:

Training tools not necessarily related to daily flying (ESSAI)

Do not require knowledge but understanding

By scenario teach system failures and the influence on the system interface

What does the pilot expect to see, what if this is not the case?

9Flight Ops dept

What do we train:

Initial training:

• Systems & system knowledge

• Operating these systems in normal, ab-normal & emergency conditions

• System interface

• Line-training

10Flight Ops dept

What do we train:

Recurrent training:

• Repetition of exercises

• Required performance by regulating authorities

• Minimum 5 “ab-normals “ or failures

• Minimum 3 emergencies

Typical one day LOFT and one day skill test

11Flight Ops dept

Conventional training:

Risk of conventional training in HAC:

• Training skills related to single event

• Training skills in isolated manner

• Training skills for a combination of other skills which:

- very unlikely combination- not become relevant at same moment

12Flight Ops dept

Exposure training:

Which events, incidents or accidents happened in last year?

Examples:

• Hudson river

• Sao Paulo

• Jamaica

• Toronto

• AF 447

13Flight Ops dept

Exposure training:

Exposure training is also Mind-map training

Mind-map is the behavioural strategy for DM, TM and SA

Mind-map training:

• Experience (exposure)

• Training cognitive skills in operational situations

• Training to understanding i.s.o knowledge per se

• System understanding major factor in TM and SA

14Flight Ops dept

Conclusion:

Exposure training enhances :

• Situation Awareness

• Understanding System Interface

• Understanding of dynamic of system failures

• Understanding of fleet accidents & incidents world wide

• Problem/situation recognition

15Flight Ops dept

Any Questions?

16Flight Ops dept

Feedback:Feedback:

Any feedback to:

hactrng@gmail.com