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Effects of workload preview on task scheduling during simulated instrument flight.
A D Andre1, S T Heers, P A Cashion
1Western Aerospace Labs, Inc., NASA Ames Research Center, USA.
The International Journal of Aviation Psychology
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Previewing workload changes in simulated flights helps pilots manage tasks better. Procedural preview, offering practice, yielded the best flight performance and efficient scheduling strategies.
Area of Science:
- Aviation psychology
- Human factors in aviation
- Cognitive workload management
Background:
- Pilot scheduling behavior is critical for flight safety and efficiency.
- Understanding how pilots manage tasks under varying cognitive workload is essential for training and system design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of workload preview on pilot scheduling strategies during simulated instrument flight.
- To compare the effectiveness of different types of workload preview (none, declarative, procedural) on flight performance.
Main Methods:
- Simulated instrument flight tasks with defined routes and secondary tasks.
- Manipulation of flight workload conditions (low vs. high) with increased turbulence and disorganized instrument layout.
- Random assignment of pilots to three workload preview groups: no preview, declarative preview, and procedural preview.
Main Results:
- Workload preview significantly improved pilot scheduling strategies.
- Pilots with declarative or procedural preview scheduled more difficult secondary tasks during the low-workload phase.
- Procedural preview demonstrated the most substantial improvements in overall flight performance.
Conclusions:
- Providing pilots with advance knowledge of workload changes enhances task management.
- Procedural preview, which includes practical experience, offers the greatest benefits for pilot performance in dynamic flight environments.