safety and automation forum brussels 2015 the air safety consultancy 1 the multi crew flight deck...

Safety and Automation Safety and Automation Forum Brussels 2015Forum Brussels 2015

The Air Safety Consultancy The Air Safety Consultancy 11

THE MULTI CREW THE MULTI CREW FLIGHT DECK AND FLIGHT DECK AND

AUTOMATIONAUTOMATION

Captain Ed PooleyCaptain Ed Pooley

The Air Safety Consultancy & The Air Safety Consultancy & FSF European Advisory FSF European Advisory

CommitteeCommittee



AUTOMATION HAS AUTOMATION HAS ARRIVEDARRIVED

It has done so in company with the means It has done so in company with the means for greater navigational accuracy and the for greater navigational accuracy and the fuel use efficiency which this has fuel use efficiency which this has facilitated.facilitated.

Did we see it coming? - YesDid we see it coming? - Yes Did we fully appreciate what the Did we fully appreciate what the

operational safety consequences would operational safety consequences would be? - Nobe? - No

Have we yet responded effectively? - No Have we yet responded effectively? - No



WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?

There is no question that the effect of automation There is no question that the effect of automation on safety over the past 25 years has been on safety over the past 25 years has been overwhelmingly good - arguably the main reason overwhelmingly good - arguably the main reason for the low fatal accident rate. for the low fatal accident rate.

ButBut the evidence shows that there are still the evidence shows that there are still problems at both the HMI and with manual problems at both the HMI and with manual handling at reduced levels of automation handling at reduced levels of automation availability. availability.

Before we look further, perhaps it is worth Before we look further, perhaps it is worth remembering the journey we are on here. The remembering the journey we are on here. The unwritten but ultimate objective of automation is unwritten but ultimate objective of automation is the eventual removal of pilots from the flight deck. the eventual removal of pilots from the flight deck. But before that we have to keep the system safe But before that we have to keep the system safe for a generation. for a generation.



NEAR MISSES v NEAR MISSES v ACCIDENTSACCIDENTS

We know that we can always expect more We know that we can always expect more ‘near misses’ than actual accidents but….‘near misses’ than actual accidents but….

In the case of occurrences involving the In the case of occurrences involving the management of automation or its absence, management of automation or its absence, it may well be that there are rather more it may well be that there are rather more ‘near-misses’ in proportion to accidents ‘near-misses’ in proportion to accidents than in the case of accidents without than in the case of accidents without automation status being a significant automation status being a significant contributory factor. contributory factor.

If this is indeed true, it would be a ratio that If this is indeed true, it would be a ratio that we could not rely on remaining favourable we could not rely on remaining favourable and a reason for action in itself.and a reason for action in itself.



THE CONTEXT FOR HIGH THE CONTEXT FOR HIGH LEVELS OF AUTOMATIONLEVELS OF AUTOMATION

It is exceptionally reliableIt is exceptionally reliable Its use is usually mandated for most of the Its use is usually mandated for most of the

flightflight Its rise has come at the same time as:Its rise has come at the same time as:

the simplicity of GNSS navigationthe simplicity of GNSS navigation increasingly prescriptive instructions on how to fly increasingly prescriptive instructions on how to fly

Together, these factors have resulted in:Together, these factors have resulted in: Virtually no manual flying in normal operationsVirtually no manual flying in normal operations A dramatic reduction in ad hoc decision making in A dramatic reduction in ad hoc decision making in

favour of following the right procedure. favour of following the right procedure.



THE RESULT?THE RESULT?

The unexpected has not vanished, it is just The unexpected has not vanished, it is just muchmuch less prevalent.less prevalent.

Pilot competency is required in two entirely Pilot competency is required in two entirely different ways of operating and all the different ways of operating and all the combinations in between yet most of their combinations in between yet most of their training and experience is focused on the normal training and experience is focused on the normal and the ‘predictable’ abnormal.and the ‘predictable’ abnormal.

At the standard mandatory training level, there At the standard mandatory training level, there has so far been just a modest concession in has so far been just a modest concession in content and no recognition that more training content and no recognition that more training time is required to assure competence in the time is required to assure competence in the rarely used as well as the normally used.rarely used as well as the normally used.



‘‘SAFETY NETSAFETY NET’’ EFFECTIVENESS IS LIMITEDEFFECTIVENESS IS LIMITED

The most obvious tactical defences The most obvious tactical defences against automation misuse or non against automation misuse or non availability and/or its consequences are:availability and/or its consequences are: More and better More and better AlertingAlerting Effective (cross) Effective (cross) MonitoringMonitoring in the flight in the flight

deckdeck Flight Envelope ProtectionFlight Envelope Protection

It is easy to conclude that none of these It is easy to conclude that none of these deliver at the level we would likedeliver at the level we would like



HAS THERE BEEN A HAS THERE BEEN A MITIGATING TRANSITION MITIGATING TRANSITION

FACTOR?FACTOR?

Maybe, but it won’t last much longer.Maybe, but it won’t last much longer. The generation of pilots who had the benefit of The generation of pilots who had the benefit of

careers which transitioned them to very high levels of careers which transitioned them to very high levels of automation only after significant exposure to low automation only after significant exposure to low levels of automation have (except in Japan!) almost levels of automation have (except in Japan!) almost all retired.all retired.

This means that any protection from the This means that any protection from the consequences of lower than normal automation consequences of lower than normal automation functionality for whatever reason afforded by an functionality for whatever reason afforded by an older Captain with this ‘traditional’ background has older Captain with this ‘traditional’ background has nearly vanished. nearly vanished.



WHERE DO WE GO FROM WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?HERE?

Embrace the ‘foundation benefit’ of the move to Embrace the ‘foundation benefit’ of the move to competency-based training and assessment instead competency-based training and assessment instead of the achievement of minimum performance in the of the achievement of minimum performance in the conduct of prescribed manoeuvres.conduct of prescribed manoeuvres.

Recognise that preparation for the rare and Recognise that preparation for the rare and unexpected event where normal automation is no unexpected event where normal automation is no longer available and for which there may be limited longer available and for which there may be limited or no SOPs requires meaningful representative or no SOPs requires meaningful representative practice which will allow demonstration of flight practice which will allow demonstration of flight path control competence in unscripted or only path control competence in unscripted or only partially scripted events.partially scripted events.

Provide more practical training for the skills with the Provide more practical training for the skills with the least everyday use and support this with improved least everyday use and support this with improved ‘knowledge-assurance’ to inform both the normal ‘knowledge-assurance’ to inform both the normal management of automation by SOPs and any management of automation by SOPs and any reversion towards a manual take overreversion towards a manual take over..



CURRENT PILOT TRAINING CURRENT PILOT TRAINING & COMPETENCY & COMPETENCY ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT

Improve the initial training of pilots for aircraft Improve the initial training of pilots for aircraft type ratings, both in objectives and scope.type ratings, both in objectives and scope.

Ensure that recurrent training validates continued Ensure that recurrent training validates continued competence in least-used skills at appropriate competence in least-used skills at appropriate intervals using cost effective methods.intervals using cost effective methods.

Fully justify the presence of a second fully trained Fully justify the presence of a second fully trained pilot on the flight deck by improving the pilot on the flight deck by improving the effectiveness of monitoring.effectiveness of monitoring.

Remove unnecessary complexity from the flight Remove unnecessary complexity from the flight deck and ensure that a holistic operational view is deck and ensure that a holistic operational view is taken of the overall effect of the HMI as taken of the overall effect of the HMI as encountered. encountered.



NEW PILOTS - LICENSINGNEW PILOTS - LICENSING

Review the process of determining competency for Review the process of determining competency for initial issue of a professional pilot licence.initial issue of a professional pilot licence.

Ab-initio professional licensing of fixed wing Ab-initio professional licensing of fixed wing transport pilots in the European tradition has been transport pilots in the European tradition has been founded on assessment of competence at licence founded on assessment of competence at licence issue rather than deferment of too much of this to issue rather than deferment of too much of this to subsequent employers.subsequent employers.

A review of whether present licensing requirements A review of whether present licensing requirements have altered this balance is needed with corrective have altered this balance is needed with corrective action if it is concluded that it has done so, since action if it is concluded that it has done so, since best practice alone will not spread everywhere.best practice alone will not spread everywhere.



AIRCRAFT AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATIONCERTIFICATION

Widespread awareness of HMI automation safety Widespread awareness of HMI automation safety issues dates back to at least 1992 (the Mont Saint-issues dates back to at least 1992 (the Mont Saint-Odile A320 accident). Odile A320 accident).

Since then, the more obvious examples of poor Since then, the more obvious examples of poor specific elements in the flight deck HMI have been specific elements in the flight deck HMI have been fixed but attention to the subject has not kept pace fixed but attention to the subject has not kept pace with the nature of modern piloting and today’s pilots.with the nature of modern piloting and today’s pilots.

Aeroplane Type Certification could almost certainly Aeroplane Type Certification could almost certainly contribute more to safety by more effective contribute more to safety by more effective assessment of the collective HMI effect of flight deck assessment of the collective HMI effect of flight deck design and use this to set minimum ‘whole system’ design and use this to set minimum ‘whole system’ standards. standards.



CONCLUDING SUMMARYCONCLUDING SUMMARY The combination of the changing nature of pilots The combination of the changing nature of pilots

and piloting does not equip us to face the safety-and piloting does not equip us to face the safety-related future of automation with confidence.related future of automation with confidence.

Best Practice with or without a degree of regulatory Best Practice with or without a degree of regulatory flexibility is currently able to contain the safety flexibility is currently able to contain the safety consequences of highly reliable, all-embracing and consequences of highly reliable, all-embracing and almost-always-used automation for the fortunate almost-always-used automation for the fortunate few.few.

But the baseline requirements for licence issue, pilot But the baseline requirements for licence issue, pilot type rating issue and recurrent training/assessment type rating issue and recurrent training/assessment are not. Both the methods and time required to are not. Both the methods and time required to assure competency need a fundamental overhaul. assure competency need a fundamental overhaul.

The aeroplane type certification approach to overall The aeroplane type certification approach to overall HMI issues in automated flight decks needs HMI issues in automated flight decks needs revisiting once again and revisiting once again and allall the manufacturers of the manufacturers of highly automated aeroplanes need to help with this.highly automated aeroplanes need to help with this.

safety and automation forum brussels 2015 the air safety consultancy 1 the multi crew flight deck...

Documents