Abstract
Interactions between the pilot and onboard-automated systems, designed to reduce pilot workload and to decrease variability of aircraft performance, have been implicated in a number of accidents and incidents. An examination of autopilot use by 29 general-aviation pilots having complex aircraft experience was performed in the Civil Aeromedical Institute's Advanced General Aviation Research Simulator, configured as a Piper Malibu, for four simulated autopilot/pitch-trim failures. Response times were longer for subtle (sensor) failures than for overt (commanded roll) ones, and two distinct response strategies, immediate disconnect and manual override, were revealed. It was also found that there was an appreciable delay between first response to runaway pitch trim and final resolution. Implications for certification are discussed.
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