Pilot Performance Research Articles

Open-Digital-Industrial and Networking pilot lines using modular components for scalable production – ODIN project approach

While robots have very well proven their flexibility and efficiency in mass production and are recognized as the production resource of the future, their adoption in lower volume, diverse environment is heavily constrained. The main reason for this is the high integration and deployment complexity that overshadows the performance benefits of this technology. This paper presents the vision of ODIN European funded project which is to strengthen the EU production companies’ trust in utilizing advanced robotics, by demonstrating that novel robot-based production systems are not only technically feasible, but also efficient and sustainable for immediate introduction at the shopfloor. To achieve that, ODIN brings together, by means of hardware and software, the latest technological advancements in the fields of a) collaborating robots and human robot collaborative workplaces, b) autonomous robotics and AI based task planning, c) mobile robots and reconfigurable tooling, d) Digital Twins and Virtual Commissioning and e) Service Oriented Robotics Integration and Communication Architectures. ODIN will provide a systematic approach for integrating these technologies under modular and reconfigurable large-scale robotic pilots. The performance of these robotic pilots will be tested and validated in three case studies, from the automotive, the white goods and the aeronautics industry.

The Implementation of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) Framework in Aviation Manpower Planning

A key component of Human Resources Management (HRM) workforce planning at the present stage involves ensuring that employees with the right skills and competencies match the organizational job description. The modern aviation industry has experienced a radical shift in global competition as a diversified network of low-cost and traditional carriers expands the reach, scope, and frequency of traditional passenger-carrying services. The demand for qualified, highly skilled professionals in flight operations and training is rapidly outpacing supply, pressuring airline recruiters to develop innovative strategies for attracting and communicating with job seekers.The study aims to introduce a methodology for implementing the Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) framework in aviation manpower planning. Research objectives: a theoretical study of the CBTA framework, analysis of the current state of manpower planning, identification of the pilot performance gaps and the role of quality training, and a proposal for implementing the CBTA framework in aviation manpower planning. The authors analyzed the controlling factors and trends in developing the global CBTA framework in the aviation industry.The features of implementing the CBTA framework were considered in view of pandemic consequences. The results of the consequent analysis indicated that during ab initio training, aviation programs should encourage learning beyond the minimum knowledge requirements, providing avenues for continued learning, and focusing on quality rather than quantity (building hours). Based on the research, many findings have been drawn, concluding that human factors demand is a top priority in the aviation industry affected by the organizational culture, resilience to technological changes, and legislation hiring restrictions.The following analysis further proposes a straightforward synthesis of the Lean Six Sigma (L6σ) strategy and implementation of the CBTA framework instead of the traditional approach in many countries, which limits recruitment and selection options, causing unnecessary organizational pressure. Further recommendations include implementing validated CBTA – EBT / psychological assessments - elements during the recruitment process to streamline and support airlines in becoming an employer of choice in the sector.

A Socio-Technical Simulation Model for the Design of the Future Single Pilot Cockpit: An Opportunity to Improve Pilot Performance

The future deployment of single pilot operations must be supported by new cockpit computer services. Such services require an adaptive context-aware integration of technical functionalities with the concurrent tasks that a pilot must deal with. Advanced artificial intelligence supporting services and improved communication capabilities are the key enabling technologies that will render future cockpits more integrated with the present digitalized air traffic management system. However, an issue in the integration of such technologies is the lack of socio-technical analysis in the design of these teaming mechanisms. A key factor in determining how and when a service support should be provided is the dynamic evolution of pilot workload. This paper investigates how the socio-technical model-based systems engineering approach paves the way for the design of a digital assistant framework by formalizing this workload. The model was validated in an Airbus A-320 cockpit simulator, and the results confirmed the degraded pilot behavioral model and the performance impact according to different contextual flight deck information. This study contributes to practical knowledge for designing human-machine task-sharing systems.

The Impact of Leadership Styles on Performance and Mediating Effect of Organizational Culture: A Study in Flight Schools

Nowadays, the aviation sector is growing rapidly and the need for human resources in the airline industry is increasing. In order to meet the increasing pilot need, the number of flight schools and universities that provide pilot training with the support of relevant authorities is also increasing. This increase in the number of student pilots is accompanied by questions about how to ensure the continuity of quality and safety in flight training. In this context, it is very important for the flight schools to evaluate the variables that may affect the student pilot performance and to take the necessary precautions. In our study teacher leadership and organizational culture are assessed as important variables and examined. In aviation literature, there is a very small number of explanatory studies on flight performance and leadership. Additionally, no study has been found on teacher leadership of student pilots. In this context, how leadership styles affect student pilots' performances positively and negatively was investigated in our research. Organizational culture is considered as an important predictor of performance in today's organizations. In this context, it has emerged that studies have been carried out that the organizational culture is an important variable in improving organizational and individual performance. Leadership styles of teacher pilots and organizational culture have been explored in the student pilots’ performance process. In this context, our work has included performance, leadership styles and organizational culture. Regarding the methodology part of this study, 151 student pilots in the flight training organizations formed the universe and a survey was conducted, analysed and explained. Considering the effect of dynamic leadership, the present study analysed the impact of leadership and culture on flight performance. It is assumed that the most effective leadership styles can be found within group dynamics consisting of members who have diverse and individual cultural orientations. Individual differences that are caused by cultural norms can be considered as the outcomes of leadership behaviour. It was concluded that flight crew leadership cannot be analysed without considering the culture variable since behaviour is influenced by both individual and environmental factors. Moreover, since the performance outcomes of the crew resource management were evaluated, the cultural attitude of the crew and leader was considered.

Efficacy of a New Antioxidants Blend in Protecting RPE Cells in vitro and in Improving the Visual Performance of Sport Pilots

The rationale of this study stems from the consideration that vision is a dynamic process, during which photopigments of photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) are continuously consumed and regenerated by retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells. The whole process of vision triggered by light radiation generates free radicals which are potentially toxic to the cells in the central retina (macula), which is the main player in vision. Therefore, the central retina contains carotenoid pigments (mainly lutein and zeaxanthin) with the double function of shielding the cells from light radiation and providing free radical-scavenging action due to their antioxidant power. Nonetheless, visual performance (including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereoscopic perception) can be hampered by bright light and by sudden changes in illumination conditions, such as during the transit from the dark to intense light. Therefore, objective of this study has been to investigate whether the treatment with a food supplement regimen containing different antioxidant and protective elements shown to protect from photo-oxidative damage retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, might also improve retina functions during challenging light conditions. We present here our findings, showing the protective effects on human RPE cells in vitro of lutein and cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) against photo-oxidative stress. Accordingly, the results of a retrospective analysis of a case series show that sport motorcycle test pilots (who need for their profession an optimal visual performance) taking a commercially available food supplement containing a blend of antioxidant and protective molecules (lutein, C3G, verbascoside and zinc), improved their visual abilities and reduced their sensibility to glaring lights in a dose/time-dependent fashion. In conclusion, these results suggest that a food supplement may increase the antioxidant defense of the retina, thus improving the visual performance also during challenging illumination conditions, hence increasing the safety of individuals finding themselves in such situations.

Multi-Attribute Task Battery configuration to effectively assess pilot performance deterioration during prolonged wakefulness

Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) simulates realistic and complex aviation-related tasks a pilot routinely performs during flight. However, past studies using MATB have been unable to consistently elicit the effects of performance degradation during prolonged wakefulness. We surmise that this is because the task difficulty level of the MATB software was set too low. The MATB test that was designed for this protocol includes four tasks: system monitoring (SYSMON), communication (COMM), resource management (RESMAN), and all three tasks performed simultaneously. Twenty subjects performed a “session” consisting of both the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and the MATB test every 2 h over 25 h of prolonged wakefulness (i.e., for thirteen sessions). The difficulty levels were set to low for both SYSMON and COMM tasks, medium for RESMAN, and high for completion of the three tasks simultaneously, based on NASA task load index. We then calculated the correlation between PVT and MATB indices. As in previous studies, all PVT performance measures were significantly degraded in the last 2–4 sessions of the task, relative to sessions earlier in the 25-hr period. MATB indices were highly correlated with PVT indices. Moreover, all MATB tasks showed significant performance degradation during prolonged wakefulness unlike previous studies. Finally, the considerably more difficult multitasking required by the three simultaneous tasks led to a more consistent and higher degree of performance degradation with prolonged wakefulness than did most of the single tasks, which were set to either low or medium difficulty level. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that previous work failed to show significant performance degradation with prolonged wakefulness during the MATB due to inadequate levels of task difficulty. Our results provide evidence that the MATB, if set to an appropriate level of difficulty, can be used as an alternative to the PVT to more accurately study the effects of prolonged wakefulness on performance of realistic aviation tasks.

Factor Structure and Criterion-Related Validity of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test Form T for Pilot Applicants.

The Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) is the primary selection tool for officer applicants in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for nearly seven decades. The AFOQT is revised and modified periodically, with rigorous equating and linking effort to ensure comparability and connectivity across forms. The most recent version of AFOQT is Form T that includes 10 cognitive ability and knowledge subtests. Despite the continuing validation effort of the AFOQT across forms, it was mostly directed to the general population of officer applicants, but not to any specific subpopulation. The current investigation reported three studies in an attempt to provide evidence for factor structure and criterion-related validity of AFOQT Form T for pilot applicants via four analytical approaches: meta-analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results suggested that AFOQT Form T data are best represented by a bifactor model with a general ability and four specific abilities, and that each latent construct has a distinct predictive utility for pilot performance criteria.

Transformation of psychophysiological characteristics in practically healthy and patients with hypertension of the I stage military pilots. Message II. Hidden factors that affect the formation of the ability of pilots with different health conditions

Annotation. The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the transformation of professionally important psychophysiological qualities of military pilots who are practically healthy and patients with stage I hypertension. The article highlights the hidden factors that contribute to the performance of a military pilot. These factors make it possible to explain the peculiarities of the mechanisms of organization of working capacity in practically healthy and patients with hypertension and stage I military pilots. Special decision-making rules have been developed, which make it possible to state that even small changes in the state of health that occur during the development of stage I hypertension are appropriately reflected in the level of psychophysiological functions on the basis of which it is possible to distinguish with a probability of 77.5%. The degree of connection between the state of health of military pilots and the level of their psychophysiological characteristics was assessed. Recommendations for taking into account cognitive changes in pilots of patients with stage I hypertension have been developed. It is established that stage I hypertension affects the structure of correlations of psychophysiological functions of the body, which shows the difference in the mechanisms of regulation of these functions in the development of the disease. It is shown that even practically healthy military pilots have different levels of mental capacity and can show their psychophysiological qualities in different ways, especially in extreme conditions. In addition, it was found that hypertension makes about a third of the surveyed sick pilots more active, which, in turn, increases the physiological cost of professional activities, to reduce which requires periodic treatment and prevention and rehabilitation measures.

Aeromedical Implications of Long-Term COVID-19 Sequelae.

BACKGROUND: While many COVID-19 studies focus on acute effects of the infection, few examine the intermediate and long-term sequelae of the illness. Studies have shown that a good portion of patients have chronic effects in several body systems for several months or longer. Such effects can potentially adversely impact pilot performance in flight. We sought to determine the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection, how such effects can affect pilot performance, and how to best evaluate pilots for aeromedical flight clearance.METHODS: We used the PubMed literature search engine to review peer-reviewed articles that focused on the intermediate and long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. Chronic signs and symptoms were subdivided based on the particular body organ system affected. Merging information obtained from case reviews, article reviews, and aeromedical standards, we created a risk stratification guide to assist with the aeromedical disposition of affected pilots.RESULTS: Long-term effects of COVID-19 infection can last for several months or longer. The most common effects are fatigue, weakness, pulmonary diffusion defects, depression, and anxiety.DISCUSSION: This review article focuses on the most common intermediate- and long-term COVID-19 conditions of aeromedical significance and the corresponding course of actions recommended for the aeromedical examiner. Aeromedical evaluation should take into consideration factors related to the pilot, aircraft type, and specific aviation environment. Such evaluation may include diagnostic testing, medical specialist consultation, preflight simulation in an altitude chamber, human centrifuge testing, and/or a flight simulator checkride.Ko SY, Nguyen NK, Lee CL, Lee LA, Nguyen KUT, Lee EC. Aeromedical implications of long-term COVID-19 sequelae. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(11):898-907.

Determining the pointer positions of aircraft analog indicators using deep learning

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to monitor the backup indicators in case of indicator failure and to minimize the situations when the pilot may be unable to monitor the indicator effectively in emergency situations.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the pointer positions of different indicators were determined with a deep learning-based algorithm. Within the scope of the study, the pointer on the analog indicators obtained from aircraft cockpits was detected with the YOLOv4 object detector. Then, segmentation was made with the GrabCut algorithm to detect the pointer in the detected region more precisely. Finally, a line including the segmented pointer was found using the least-squares method, and the exact direction of the pointer was determined and the angle value of the pointer was obtained by using the inverse tangent function. In addition, to detect the pointer of the YOLOv4 object detection method and to test the designed method, a data set consisting of videos taken from aircraft cockpits was created and labeled.FindingsThe analog indicator pointers were detected with great accuracy by the YOLOv4 and YOLOv4-Tiny detectors. The experimental results show that the proposed method estimated the angle of the pointer with a high degree of accuracy. The developed method can reduce the workloads of both pilots and flight engineers. Similarly, the performance of pilots can be evaluated with this method.Originality/valueThe authors propose a novel real-time method which consists of detection, segmentation and line regression modules for mapping the angle of the pointers on analog indicators. A data set that includes analog indicators taken from aircraft cockpits was collected and labeled to train and test the proposed method.

Improving Airline Pilots’ Visual Scanning and Manual Flight Performance through Training on Skilled Eye Gaze Strategies

Poor cockpit monitoring has been identified as an important contributor to aviation accidents. Improving pilots’ monitoring strategies could therefore help to enhance flight safety. During two different sessions, we analyzed the flight performance and eye movements of professional airline pilots in a full-flight simulator. In a pre-training session, 20 pilots performed a manual approach scenario as pilot flying (PFs) and were classified into three groups according to their flight performance: unstabilized, standard, and most accurate. The unstabilized pilots either under- or over-focused various instruments. Their number of visual scanning patterns was lower than those of pilots who managed to stabilize their approach. The most accurate pilots showed a higher perceptual efficiency with shorter fixation times and more fixations on important primary flight instruments. Approximately 10 months later, fourteen pilots returned for a post-training session. They received a short training program and performed a similar manual approach as during the pre-training session. Seven of them, the experimental group, received individual feedback on their own performance and visual behavior (i.e., during the pre-training session) and a variety of data obtained from the most accurate pilots, including an eye-tracking video showing efficient visual scanning strategies from one of the most accurate pilots. The other seven, the control group, received general guidelines on cockpit monitoring. During the post-training session, the experimental group had better flight performance (compared to the control group), and its visual scanning strategies became more similar to those of the most accurate pilots. In summary, our results suggest that cockpit monitoring underlies manual flight performance and that it can be improved using a training program based mainly on exposure to eye movement examples from highly accurate pilots.

Simultaneous real-time assessment of sportive pilots' stress and performance related to vehicle behavior, during racing with the DIM professional simulator

Abstract Background Sports motoring and racing imply high physical and psychological stress, during pre-competition phases and the competition itself. Therefore, there is growing interest of racing teams for new technologies providing real-time monitoring of psychophysiological reactions of pilots to highly-demanding driving and vehicle dynamics, to improve personalized training, while reducing human risks and costs. Professional Driving Simulators (PDS) are ideal to assess in real-time vehicle dynamics under any kind of programmable virtual driving conditions, but a direct connection with the driver's physiology is still limited. A novel wearable system and software have been developed, providing simultaneous assessment of pilot's stress reactions, by real-time calculation and monitoring of time-variant heart rate variability (TV-HRV) spectral parameters (SP) and of skin potential response (SPR), in correlation with vehicle's dynamics. Purpose This study aimed to demonstrate the reliability of the method in detecting the pilot's stress induced by different driving demands. Methods 10 volunteers (age 26±2.3 years) were enrolled to pilot a racing car under realistic conditions simulated by the DIM® PDS (Vi-grade). The study protocol consisted of 5-minutes baseline rest, sitting in the cockpit; 5-minutes driving along a straight highway without obstacles; 6-minutes of medium-stress slalom between cones, avoiding collision; 8-minutes racing 4 laps on a race track, at maximum possible speed, but avoiding crashes. ECG and SPR signals were acquired (1 Khz sample rate), with the Vi-BioBox connected to textile wearable sensors. A proprietary software was developed to analyze and stream the TV-HRV and SPR data in real-time to WINTAX4 data logging software for automotive racing industry. Real-time assessment of the pilot's stress was based on the integration of transient changes of HRV-SP and of the Root Mean Square value of two SPR signals (SPRRMS). To validate the accuracy of the real-time HRV analysis, all data were analyzed also off-line with Kubios Premium 3.4.1. software. Results The Vi-BioBox signals were adequate for real-time calculation and monitoring of transient variations of HRV-SP. A good correlation was found between transient stress-induced increment of pilots' SPRRMS values and the occurrence of driving errors (pink-red spots automatically transferred onto the race track – Figure 1). A good match was found between the real-time HRV values calculated by the VI-BioSoft and their off-line calculation with Kubios (v. 3.4.1 Premium). Two pilots, suffering simulator sickness, had prodromal alteration of cardiac autonomic modulation. Conclusion The integration of a Vi-grade PDS with the novel system for real-time calculation and telemetric monitoring of time-variant HRV and SPRRMS provides immediate information about pilot's autonomic response to driving demands and emotional reaction to vehicle's dysfunction, driving errors and bad performance. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1

Examining the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction of flight crew

Fatigue as an emerging flight safety issue in the aviation industry requires an elaborate understanding and critical approach for proactive aviation management practices. The level of flight crew stress and fatigue must be critically managed to prevent flight accidents. Additionally, stress and fatigue have a negative influence on job satisfaction levels. This paper aims to examine the critical fatigue risk factors that affect the performance and safety of airline pilots and crew in the aviation industry. This paper also analyses the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction sub-dimensions. A factor analysis with a target population of 254 international flight crew has been conducted using the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Survey and Maslach Burnout questionnaire. The main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) cockpit and cabin crews’ job satisfaction and performance have been affected by stress and fatigue, (ii) psychological depression, anxiety and personal problems of the flight crew are the main causes of emotional fatigue, (iii) extensive flight hours and dealing with problematic passengers increase flight crew fatigue, (iv) personal achievements concerns and depersonalization increase flight crew fatigue.

Recent progress using membrane aerated biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment.

The membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), which is based on the counter diffusion of the electron donors and acceptors into the biofilm, represents a novel technology for wastewater treatment. When process air or oxygen is supplied, the MBfR is known as the membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR), which has high oxygen transfer rate and efficiency, promoting microbial growth and activity within the biofilm. Over the past few decades, laboratory-scale studies have helped researchers and practitioners understand the relevance of influencing factors and biological transformations in MABRs. In recent years, pilot- to full-scale installations are increasing along with process modeling. The resulting accumulated knowledge has greatly improved understanding of the counter-diffusional biological process, with new challenges and opportunities arising. Therefore, it is crucial to provide new insights by conducting this review. This paper reviews wastewater treatment advancements using MABR technology, including design and operational considerations, microbial community ecology, and process modeling. Treatment performance of pilot- to full-scale MABRs for process intensification in existing facilities is assessed. This paper also reviews other emerging applications of MABRs, including sulfur recovery, industrial wastewater, and xenobiotics bioremediation, space-based wastewater treatment, and autotrophic nitrogen removal. In conclusion, commercial applications demonstrate that MABR technology is beneficial for pollutants (COD, N, P, xenobiotics) removal, resource recovery (e.g., sulfur), and N2O mitigation. Further research is needed to increase packing density while retaining efficient external mass transfer, understand the microbial interactions occurring, address existing assumptions to improve process modeling and control, and optimize the operational conditions with site-specific considerations.

Physiological Characteristics and Operational Performance of Pilots in the High Temperature and Humidity Fighter Cockpit Environments.

During military operations in high-temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions, the physiological state and combat capability of pilots are affected severely. In a fighter cockpit, experiments were conducted on thirteen voluntary subjects wearing pilot suits at 21 °C/30%, 30 °C/45%, and 38 °C/60% RH, respectively, in order to examine the physiological changes of pilots in combat thoroughly. The target strike performance, core and skin temperatures, pulse rate, and other parameters were measured and investigated. Significant inter-condition differences were noted in the pulse rate, core temperature, mean skin temperatures, and sweat amount, which increased markedly with elevating temperature and RH. Contrastively, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) dropped with such elevations. Concerning the skin temperature, the chest and back skin temperatures remained stable, while the temperatures at the hands, feet, and lower arms underwent larger changes with the increasing temperature and humidity. At 38 °C/60% RH, the sweat amount was 3.7 times that at 21 °C/30% RH. The subjects’ operational error rates increased as the core temperatures rose, showing high correlations (r2 = 0.81). The results could serve as a theoretical basis for the design of pilot protective equipment and the control of aircraft cockpit temperature.

Between-Simulator Comparison of Motion-Filter Order and Break Frequency Effects on Manual Control

This paper investigates the interaction effects of motion filter order and break frequency on pilots’ manual control behavior and control performance using two simulators. Eighteen pilots performed the experiment in the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) at NASA Ames Research Center and 20 pilots in the SIMONA Research Simulator at Delft University of Technology. The experiment used a full-factorial design with three motion filter orders (first-, second-, and third-order) and two filter break frequencies (0.5 and ), in addition to reference no-motion and full-motion conditions. Key task variables, such as the quality of the motion and visual cues and the characteristics of the sidestick, were matched across both simulators. Overall, the expected effects of filter order and break frequency variations were found, with both increasing order and increasing break frequency causing pilots to use less motion feedback in their control strategy, resulting in lower tracking performance. Furthermore, across the wide range of filter orders tested in the experiment, the existing Sinacori–Schroeder motion fidelity criterion was found to be a good predictor of the interaction effects of both filter settings on pilot control behavior. For the same motion condition, there was a consistent offset in the results between simulators, due to the more high-gain control strategy adopted by a number of the VMS pilots. Still, the observed relative trends in pilot control behavior and performance between motion conditions were equivalent in both simulators and thus accurately replicated.

The impact of cognitive fatigue on airline pilots performance

Purpose: Air transport is a highly regulated branch of aviation, but it continues to show occurrences where human error is present. Fatigue is now recognized as a hazard which degrades human performance and can put flight safety at risk. In this regard, the general objective of this study is to assess the impact of cognitive fatigue on airline pilots and how it can contribute to the occurrence of accidents and incidents.Methodology: Three airline pilots participated in the case study. The participants’ cognitive fatigue was monitored according to four methods, being two of them of a subjective nature – the sleep diary (SD) and the Samn-Perelli 7-Point Fatigue Scale (SPS), and the other two of an objective nature – the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) and the actigraphy (actiwatch ReadibandTM 5). During their flight duty periods (FDPs), the pilots’ performance was also assessed according to the score delivered by a fatigue management software (FAID®).Findings: The obtained results allowed to understand whether the pilots are aware of their alertness and to identify factors which affect their performance levels. Between the beginning and the end of each FDP, significant changes were observed concerning the assessment on the SPS scale, the reaction time (RT) and the fatigue score generated by the biomathematical models associated to the technique of the actigraphy and the software FAID®.Originality/value: The risk of accident or serious error was classified according to the four methodologies used. Thus, it is possible to verify if there is a correspondence between the different scales or if there are scales more conservative (with a higher associated risk) than others.

Predicting aviation training performance with multimodal affective inferences

AbstractAffect influences learning and training through various cognitive, psychomotor and motivational processes. This research aims to examine the role of affect in aviation training. Participants’ (N = 19) affect and performance were examined in simulated aviation training while they performed ten tasks. Affective states were inferred from electrodermal activity, facial expression and NASA Taskload Index. Performance accuracy was graded with the rubrics provided by pilot instructors in CAE Inc. We found that arousal (inferred from electrodermal activity) positively predicted performance in the level 2 (easy) task (F(1, 17) = 7.408, p < 0.05, std β = 0.55). Mental workload (as measured from self‐report) negatively predicted performance in the level 3 (medium difficulty) (F(1, 15) = 4.598, p < 0.05, std β = −0.54) and level 4 (difficult) tasks (F(1, 15) = 12.85, p < 0.01, std β = −0.73), controlling for affect valence and arousal. This research is a preliminary step to a reconsideration of affect in theoretical frameworks in aviation. It demonstrates a comprehensive assessment of affect in aviation training, which could provide guidelines for instructional interventions to improve the overall training experience and pilot performance.

Evaluation of the inhibiting effect of H2O, O2, and NO on the performance of laboratory and pilot K-ZnxCo3-xO4 catalysts supported on α-Al2O3 for low-temperature N2O decomposition

The K-ZnxCo3-xO4 catalyst supported on α-Al2O3 for N2O decomposition was investigated in terms of its resistance towards typical contaminants (O2, H2O, and NO) present in the nitric acid plant tail gases. The catalyst synthesized in laboratory-scale was thoroughly characterized by means of X-ray μ-tomography, XRF, XRD, and SEM/TEM/EDX. The impact of contaminants such as O2, H2O, and NO on the N2O conversion of the catalyst was examined and quantified by kinetic and thermodynamic modeling. The mechanism of inhibition involving local (active site blocking) and global (modification of the spinel electronic properties by electrophilic NOx adspecies) effects was proposed. The strongest inhibition of NO was associated with its facile reactivity with surface O intermediates produced during N2O decomposition. The resultant NO2 and NO3 surface adducts are stable at the catalyst surface up to 550 °C. For the pilot catalyst, the effect of contamination was the same in nature as for the laboratory sample, however, the observed quantitative differences were associated with the changes in the shape of the spinel nanocrystals constituting the catalyst active phase. The obtained results provide rationales for designing and preparation of the robust deN2O catalyst with enhanced resistivity to poisoning.

The Effect of Vocal Tone of Feedback on Student Pilot Performance

ABSTRACT Objective: This study examines the effect of “tone of feedback” on student pilot flight performance. Background: Corrective feedback is primarily given verbally in flight training to facilitate trainee pilot performance. Such feedback can be provided using different vocal tones (i.e., positive, neutral, negative). How the effectiveness of the feedback varies based on changes in vocal tone remains unknown. Method: Thirty-eight student pilots completed two simulated flights, both involving a right-hand circuit. Following the first flight, the student pilots listened to prerecorded verbal feedback in either a positive, neutral or negative tone about their flight performance, in terms of mean altitude during the downwind leg. Deviation from the target altitude during downwind in the second flight was examined. Self-efficacy and self-esteem were also measured to examine their mediating effect. Results: The results revealed that student pilots who received a positive tone of feedback performed significantly worse than pilots who received neutral or negative tones of feedback. No mediating effects were found for self-efficacy or self-esteem. Conclusion: These findings provide aviation authorities and training organizations insight into the effect of tone of feedback on trainee pilots’ performance. Understanding this effect has the potential to improve student pilot learning outcomes and performance.