Flight Deck Design Flashcards
What are the basic principles of control, display, and workplace design?
Ergonomics = the understanding of the interaction between human and other elements of a system.
- Concerned with the ‘fit’ between flight crew and their flight deck or of facilitating the interface between the pilots and the aircraft controls instrumentation.
- HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) was developed by mounting buttons on the control stick and throttle so the pilot doesn’t need to move their hands away to control the aircraft.
What is the importance of reach in flight deck design?
A pilot should be able to reach the controls without moving.
What is the importance of comfort in flight deck design?
Long periods of sitting.
What is the importance of posture in flight deck design?
Curvature of the spine needs to be correct.
What is the importance of lighting levels in flight deck design?
Need to be adjustable for both day and night flying.
Define biomechanics
The study of the mechanical structure and movement of different parts of the human body.
Define anthropometry
The measurement of the human body and defines physical measures of a person’s size, form, and functional capacities.
Define biometrics.
Biometrics = identification of humans by their individual characteristics or traits e.g. fingerprints, DNA, typing rhythm, gait.
What are some applications of biomechanics in the design of flight decks?
- Comfortable seats
- Controls within easy reach
- Designed to cater to the way a human body works - primary controls, instruments and displays are in for of the pilot
What is the relevance of anthropometric in the design of flight decks?
- People are different so it impossible to design a cockpit for everyone
- Average pilot size has been calculated from stats
- controls and instruments are fixed in place, therefore the pilot’s seat must be adjustable
What are the facts of a poorly designed cockpit on pilot performance?
- Poor posture leads to aches and pains
- Incorrect lighting can cause electronic displays difficult to read in direct light
- Hearing damage can occur due to lack of protection against engine noise
- Incorrect windshield design can affect sufficient vision during phases of flight
- If the seat does not adjust it can affect comfort, reach and viewing outside the cockpit
The importance of eye datum or eye design position
Seat position should provide pilot with an adequate view of controls, instrumentation, and the outside world
What are the problems associated with windshield design and visibility?
- Size and shape of cockpit windows is determined by aerodynamic and weight considerations
- Slope and curvature of windshields are designed for high speed flight and can cause visual distortion
- Larger windows require thicker glass with stronger frames, therefore a compromise in needed between excessive weight and acceptable visibility
What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in an automated cockpit?
Advantages:
- Autopilot can fly the aircraft accurately and efficiently
- Reduces load on pilot and allows multi tasking
- Increases situational awareness
- Reduction in fatigue caused by constant hand-flying
Disadvantages:
- Risk the finishing of hand-on flying skills
- Pilots can become over reliant and bored - inattention due to becoming complacent with reliable automation
- Requires constant monitoring
- Reduction in job satisfaction
What are the effects of advanced cockpit automation including failure to monitor.
Pilot needs to be certain which mode the autopilot is operating in as this can directly affect the vertical and horizontal navigation and flight path of the aircraft.
What are the effects of advanced cockpit automation including boredom and complacency.
Can lead to a loss of situational and system awareness. Humans are likely to become so confident in the auto systems that they become less vigilant.
What are the effects of advanced cockpit automation including loss of proficiency?
Because the computer spends most of the time flying the aircraft.
What are the effects of advanced cockpit automation including job satisfaction?
Loss of the pilot’s feeling of importance, the perceived loss in the value of professional skills, and the absence of feedback about performance can lead to a loss of motivation and job satisfaction.
What are the effects of advanced cockpit automation including crew coordination?
A produce a redistribution of authority form the captain to the first officer.
What are the effects of advanced cockpit automation including problems associated with equipment failure?
Could come as a surprise, will increase workload.
What is the concept of mode awareness in setting up and operating automated systems?
- The pilot flying will call the mode change, the pilot monitoring will observe the change and call out any unexpected changes.
VERIFY - EXECUTE
What are the elements of coping behaviour associated with automatic cockpits?
- Automation should be used when it can perform better than humans or where the task is so repetitive that human performance would fall due to loss of interest.
- Automation should not be used to perform functions that humans perform well, consequently, there is a need for flexibility in automated cockpit design to ensure that functions are properly shared between person and machine.
