Human factors issues in implementation of advanced aviation technologies: a case of false alerts and cockpit displays of traffic information

Abstract

This paper provides a framework for identifying and evaluating the human performance implications of new avionics technology such as the cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI). Several important human factors issues in developing and implementing the CDTI are discussed in terms of their effects on the two primary flight tasks associated with the CDTI: conflict detection and conflict resolution. One issue is the development of alerting algorithms, which are defined by how uncertainty, false alarms and look-ahead times are dealt with. Another issue concerns understanding how time pressure, display dimensionality and conflict geometry affect pilot preferences for certain avoidance maneouvres over others. A third issue is the proposed shift in responsibility of flight safety away from air traffic control to the pilot after CDTIs make it possible for pilots to perform tasks related to self-separation. These issues and the factors affecting them are classified into several categories of dependent and independent variables and placed into a framework illustrating their effects on false alarm rates and human tolerance for false alarms. A review of the literature reveals gaps in understanding of the impact of these issues under various operational situations and new directions for research are proposed.