Human Computer Interaction on the Modern Flight Deck

Abstract

There has been steady and significant growth and development of the technology available to pilots on the modern aviation flight deck. From improved information systems such as the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), to increased control of the aircraft (e.g., automated collision avoidance maneuvering) and onwards to overall management of flights (via the Flight Management System, FMS), pilots now have a range of high-tech systems at their fingertips. This technology is designed to support pilots in maintaining situation awareness, making complex decisions, communicating effectively and assisting in flying the aircraft. However, each technological advancement comes with human computer interaction (HCI) considerations that warrant exploration. This special issue aims to bring together new knowledge and best practices, from the scientific community and industry, related to HCI issues on the modern flight deck. The goal of the special issue is to shed light on areas in need of improvement and potential new solutions for maintaining effective HCI on the flight deck. The articles within this special issue incorporate quantitative and qualitative research methods along with HCI design techniques to examine current and future use of technology on the flight deck and how it impacts pilot performance. Although this issue represents a small portion of the challenges pilots face when interacting with technology on the modern flight deck, it will hopefully serve as a lens to focus attention on the many HCI issues that pilots face, the progress that has been made to date, and the many areas that show potential for improvement.