Assessment of advanced cockpit displays for general aviation aircraft: The Capstone Program.

Abstract

Abstract : Since the inception of the Capstone Program, approximately 150 aircraft in the area of Bethel, Alaska have received a suite of ADS-B displays. Despite the opportunity provided by the large number of ADS-B-capable aircraft in the Bethel area, very little information has been collected from the owner/operators and pilots of these aircraft that might help in transitioning the technology to the rest of the country. To remedy this situation, a team of human factors experts was tasked with travelling to Bethel in March 2002 to collect data regarding the use of these displays in day-to-day flight activities. A total of 41 pilots participated in the interview process, representing nine different flight companies in the Bethel area. All of the pilots were male. The average age was 37, ranging from 21 to 58. The average number of flight hours for the pilots was 4,962 hours, ranging from 950 hours to 30,000 hours. The median number of total flight hours was 3,250. Over 95% (39) of the pilots were instrument rated. Results from the pilot interviews and self-administered questionnaires revealed a number of human factors design, safety, and training issues. Discussion of these results will focus on display design and training recommendations for ADS-B displays that will ease the training burden, mitigate safety hazards, and accentuate safety improvements.