The Naturalistic Flight Deck System: An Integrated System Concept for Improved Single-Pilot Operations

Abstract

Verbatim from NASA NTRS. Not paraphrased, not summarized.

This paper reviews current and emerging operational experiences, technologies, and human-machine interaction theories to develop an integrated flight system concept designed to increase the safety, reliability, and performance of single-pilot operations in an increasingly accommodating but stringent national airspace system. This concept, know as the Naturalistic Flight Deck (NFD), uses a form of human-centered automation known as complementary-automation (or complemation) to structure the relationship between the human operator and the aircraft as independent, collaborative agents having complimentary capabilities. The human provides commonsense knowledge, general intelligence, and creative thinking, while the machine contributes specialized intelligence and control, extreme vigilance, resistance to fatigue, and encyclopedic memory. To support the development of the NFD, an initial Concept of Operations has been created and selected normal and non-normal scenarios are presented in this document.

Authors

• Paul C Schutte Langley Research Center
• Kenneth H Goodrich Langley Research Center
• David E Cox Langley Research Center
• E Bruce Jackson Langley Research Center
• Michael T Palmer Langley Research Center
• Alan T Pope Langley Research Center
• Robin W Schlecht Langley Research Center
• Ken K Tedjojuwono Langley Research Center
• Anna C Trujillo Langley Research Center
• Ralph A Williams Analytical Mechanics Associates (United States)
• Bryan Kinney Christopher Newport University
• John S Barry, Jr Lockheed Martin (United States)

Keywords

• Artificial Intelligence
• Avionics
• Tactical
• Strategic
• Metaphor
• Human Factors
• H-mode
• Flight Deck
• Complemation