Abstract
An airborne inter-arrival spacing tool was developed by NASA Langley Research Center to aid pilots in maintaining a time-based spacing interval behind another aircraft in the arrival sequence. A number of display features, including numeric speed commands, a speed pointer on the Fast/Slow Indicator, and graphical depiction of the desired aircraft position on the navigation display, were developed to assist pilots in maintaining the proper speed to achieve the required spacing interval. Because the use of such automated tools requires the acceptance of the user population, a study was conducted to assess the impact on user workload and acceptability. The tool was tested in a full-task simulation in a Boeing-757 full-mission, fixed-base simulator. Subject pilots were paired with a confederate pilot to complete tasks in both the pilot flying and pilot not flying positions. This paper presents the subjective evaluations of the inter-arrival spacing tool. The qualitative workload data from eight current B-757 airline pilots are compared from the perspectives of tool usability and acceptability, and the ability to attain and maintain the appropriate time interval spacing. Results of the study indicate that the pilots who participated in the study were comfortable using the Advanced Terminal Area Approach Spacing (ATAAS) tool and were confident in the automated spacing guidance that the tool provided. The ATAAS tool did not increase perceived pilot workload as compared to an approach conducted under standard (current-day) conditions.
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