A Functional Model of Flightdeck Agenda Management

Abstract

Our research represents an effort to understand and facilitate the management of flightdeck activities by pilots. We developed a preliminary, normative theory of Cockpit Task Management (CTM) and from it defined an error taxonomy. Based on analyses using this error taxonomy we found CTM errors in 76 (23 per cent) of 324 aircraft accident reports and 231 (49 per cent) of 470 aircraft incident reports. Concluding that CTM is a significant factor in flight safety and recognizing the need to broaden as well as refine the concept, we developed a model of Agenda Management, which includes management not only of tasks, but goals, functions, actor assignments, and resource allocations as well. Major components of the functional model include maintaining situation awareness, managing goals (recognizing, inferring, and prioritizing), managing functions (activating, assessing status, and prioritizing), assigning actors (pilots and flightdeck automation) to functions, and allocating resources (such as displays and controls) to functions.