The investigation of visual attention and workload by experts and novices in the cockpit

Abstract

Under high pressure of flight mission and dynamic aircraft maneuvers in the tactic missions, pilot faces additional difficulties and increased mental workload. Workload could increase the error of flight operation, decrease efficiency of pilot's decision-making. Experts had significantly shorter dwells, more total fixations, more aim point and airspeed fixations and fewer altimeter fixations than novices, experts were also found to have better defined eye-scanning patterns. This research applies the eye-tracking technology for analyzing visual attention, emWave-2 for measuring physiological coherence, and NSAS-TLX for investigating subjective cognitive efforts. The participants of this research consisted of 41 fighter pilots. The present study is applying new technology to understand the pilots' workload and visual attention in the cockpit for conducting a simulated air-to-air tactic operation. There is a raising need for further research regarding mental workload and stress management program for real-time flight operations. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.