Predicting Workload Experienced in a Flight Test by Measuring Workload in a Flight Simulator

BACKGROUND: In order to determine the minimum flight crew number and show compliance with airworthiness regulations, the workload of flight crew should be measured in various flight scenarios both in a simulator and in flight tests demonstrating compliance. However, the complexity, environment, and safety considerations of flight tests require pilots to take more responsibility and be more careful with decisions and actions with higher stress, and it might be inappropriate to carry out flight tests in a high-risk abnormal situation. Therefore, it is necessary to assess workload measures in a simulator to predict workload experienced during a flight test.METHODS: Two subjective workload measurements and three psychophysiological measurements were compared both in a simulator and in a flight test among three flight scenarios. The scenarios were carried out in an ARJ21-700 full-flight simulator and a corresponding aircraft, and a total of 17 pilots participated.RESULTS: Both flight scenarios and flight environment had a significant influence on NASA-TLX, eye blink rate, and heart rate. Additionally, the NASA-TLX (R = 0.864) and heart rate differences (R = 0.840) presented strong correlations between the simulator and flight test.DISCUSSION: NASA-TLX and heart rate could be used in simulators and flight tests as consistent measures of workload. Furthermore, in order to reduce the quantity and risk of compliance during a flight test, the best strategy is to combine the results of the NASA-TLX scales and HR-D together in a flight simulator to predict workload experienced in a flight test.Zheng Y, Lu Y, Jie Y, Fu S.