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Measuring pilot workload in a motion base trainer. A comparison of four techniques
M R Bortolussi1, B H Kantowitz, S G Hart
1Behavioral Institute for Technology and Science, Inc, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
Applied Ergonomics
|December 1, 1986
Summary
This study compared pilot workload measurement techniques. All four methods effectively distinguished between overall scenario difficulty levels and task segments.
Area of Science:
- Aviation psychology
- Human factors engineering
- Performance measurement
Background:
- Pilot workload is critical for aviation safety.
- Accurate measurement of workload is essential for effective training and system design.
- Several techniques exist, but their comparative effectiveness in realistic scenarios requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of four common pilot workload assessment techniques.
- To evaluate these methods under varying levels of simulated flight scenario difficulty.
- To determine if techniques can differentiate workload within different flight segments.
Main Methods:
- A flight simulation study was conducted.
- Four workload measurement techniques were employed: reaction time task, time production, retrospective subjective ratings, and in-flight verbal estimates.
- Two distinct difficulty-level scenarios were designed and implemented.
Main Results:
- No significant impact on flight performance was observed due to secondary task insertion.
- All four techniques successfully differentiated overall scenario complexity.
- Three of the techniques (secondary tasks and in-flight ratings) distinguished workload levels within scenario segments.
Conclusions:
- The evaluated workload measurement techniques are sensitive to varying levels of task difficulty.
- In-flight verbal estimates and secondary tasks show promise for segment-specific workload assessment.
- These findings support the use of multiple techniques for comprehensive pilot workload evaluation.