Pilot Errors as a Source of Workload

Abstract

A pilot opinion survey was conducted to develop a database for creating simulation scenarios that impose predetermined levels of pilot workload. Twelve pilots estimated the effect of 163 events and activities (which they had encountered during their previous flying experiences) on performance, effort, workload, and stress. The events, described in the context of flight scenario segments, included control, navigation and communications activities, aircraft and system failures, and pilot errors. In general, workload, stress, and effort ratings were significantly correlated with each other but not with performance ratings; however, some different response patterns were found as a function of flight segment (e.g., workload, stress, and performance, but not effort, ratings varied with flight phase) and type of event. Errors were rated as a significant source of change for workload, stress, and performance, suggesting that errors could be conceptualized as a cause of workload rather than as a symptom.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Acton, W. H. , Crabtree, M. S. , Simons, J. C. , Gomer, F. , and Eckel, J. S. (1983). Quantification of crew workload imposed by communications-related tasks in commercial transport aircraft. In Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 27th Annual Meeting (pp. 239–243). Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society.

Casali, J. G. , and Wierwille, W. W. (1983). A comparison of rating scale, secondary-task, physiological, and primary-task workload estimation techniques in a simulated flight task emphasizing communications load. Human Factors, 25, 623–642.

Childress, M. E. , Hart, S. G. , and Bortolussi, M. R. (1982). The reliability and validity of flight task workload ratings. In Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 26th Annual Meeting (pp. 319–324). Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society.

Hart, S. G. (1983). Effect of VFR aircraft on approach traffic with and without cockpit displays of traffic information. In Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference all Manual Control (pp. 522–545). Wright-Patterson AFB, OH: Flight Dynamics Laboratory.

Hart, S. G. , Childress, M. E. , and Bortolussi, M. R. (1981). Defining the subjective experience of workload. In Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 25th Annual Meeting (pp. 527–532). Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society.

Hauser, J. R. : Childress, M. E. , and Hart, S. G. (1983). Rating consistency and component salience in subjective workload estimation. In Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference on Manual Control, (pp. 127–150). Wright-Patterson AFB, OH: Flight Dynamics Laboratory.

Shingledecker, C. A. , Crabtree, M. S. , Simons, J. C. , Courtright, J. F. , and O'Donnell, R. D. (1980, December). Subsidiary radio Communications task for workload assessment in R&D simulations: 1. Task development and workload scaling (Technical Report AFAMRL-TR-80-126). Wright-Patterson AFB, OH: Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory.

Yeh, Y.-Y. , and Wickens, C. D. (1983). The dissociation between subjective workload and performance: A multiple resources approach. In Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 27th Annual Meeting (pp. 244–247). Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society.