The Influence of Data Link-Provided Graphical Weather on Pilot Decision- Making
Abstract
This report documents the findings of a human factors study conducted to estimate the effects of the Graphical Weather Service (GWS) on general aviation (GA) aircraft utility, pilot situational awareness, and the weather dissemination workload imposed on ground personnel. GWS is a data link application, being developed at MIT Lincoln Laboratory through the sponsorship of the Federal Aviation Administration, that will provide near-real-time graphical weather information to the General Aviation pilot in the cockpit. Twenty instrument-rated pilots participated in the study. Subjects were presented with recorded actual weather information in the context of a series of hypothetical pre-flight briefings and accompanying 'flights.' GWS images were accessible on a Macintosh(TM) Computer. The study design enabled the analysis of the effects of GWS and the determination of whether those effects were influenced by the experience level of the pilot/user. Objective and subjective measures of effectiveness were collected. Results indicate that GWS had a substantial effect on weather-related decision-making. This was true for pilots with varying levels of instrument experience. Subject confidence in the ability to assess the weather situation was markedly increased when GWS was used. Subjects with GWS made fewer calls for weather information to weather dissemination ground personnel, thus indicating a potential decrease in ground personnel workload. Subjects found GWS to be very useful and were enthusiastic about receiving data fink services in the GA cockpit in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 06, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA278871
Entities
People
- Adam Dershowitz
- Ann-marie T. Lind
- Steven R. Bussolari
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology