John Huddlestone

Seven key decision factors for selecting e-learning

E-learning is increasingly being adopted as a routine instructional media, and has moved from a niche solution in the defence and aerospace industries, to one that is adopted across the vast majority of industries and within education worldwide. E-learning is not however suited for all types of learning outcome or for all instructional situations. In this paper we describe a new instructional media selection model which enables the assessment of suitability of e-learning to a particular learning outcome. Following a review of media selection theory, seven key decision areas were identified. These consideration areas are; Learning Task, Media Attributes, Grouping Strategy, Learning Context, Learner Characteristics, Instructional Management and Cost Effectiveness. The paper focuses on the identification of the key decision factors for selecting e-learning and the development of detailed guidance within each decision area to enable an assessment of suitability of e-learning to be made. Finally we outline the dependencies and interactions between decision areas to illustrate the compromises inherent in instructional media selection, and to produce a model of these inter-relationships.

Combining control input with flight path data to evaluate pilot performance in transport aircraft

INTRODUCTION When deriving an objective assessment of piloting performance from flight data records, it is common to employ metrics which purely evaluate errors in flight path parameters. The adequacy of pilot performance is evaluated from the flight path of the aircraft. However, in large jet transport aircraft these measures may be insensitive and require supplementing with frequency-based measures of control input parameters. METHOD Flight path and control input data were collected from pilots undertaking a jet transport aircraft conversion course during a series of symmetric and asymmetric approaches in a flight simulator. The flight path data were analyzed for deviations around the optimum flight path while flying an instrument landing approach. Manipulation of the flight controls was subject to analysis using a series of power spectral density measures. RESULTS The flight path metrics showed no significant differences in performance between the symmetric and asymmetric approaches. However, control input frequency domain measures revealed that the pilots employed highly different control strategies in the pitch and yaw axes. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate that to evaluate pilot performance fully in large aircraft, it is necessary to employ performance metrics targeted at both the outer control loop (flight path) and the inner control loop (flight control) parameters in parallel, evaluating both the product and process of a pilots performance.

Doing more with fewer people: Human Factors contributions on the road to efficiency and productivity

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Flight Deck Optimization for a Future SESAR/NextGen Operating Environment

Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) and Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) are ATM modernisation programs that are striving towards an ATM system that can provide greater capacity and efficiency whilst maintaining current level of safety and security. The current paper describes and compares the changes in flight deck operations that will occur in the envisioned future ATM environment. Subject matter expert views are gathered to evaluate potential human factors flight deck impacts. Both SESAR and NextGen describe flight deck operations defined by stricter separation parameters and greater delegation of flight trajectory conformance for the flight crew. Important human factor issues included ensuring clear communication of responsibility delegation to the flight crew and the impact of increased utilisation of real-time information (e.g. Meteorological (MET), traffic flows) on flight planning behaviour. Further SESAR and NextGen similarities and the associated human factor effects are discussed.

Taking to the Skies: Developing a Dedicated MSc Course in Aviation Human Factors

From flight-crew to cabin-crew, air-traffic controllers to aircraft engineers - the ‘human factor’ is vital to the safe and efficient operation of all aspects of the aviation industry. Over the past three decades a better understanding of Human Factors has resulted in significant safety benefits, forming a cornerstone of every aviation safety management programme. With this in mind, an innovative approach to teaching Ergonomics and Human Factors (E/HF) at Coventry University has created a unique MSc in Aviation Human Factors. From the outset this specialist part-time MSc has been designed to attract a wide range of aviation professionals (e.g. aviation engineers, flight and cabin crew, safety personnel, or air traffic controllers) from civil or military organisations in the UK or overseas. The course therefore provides a niche and bespoke learning experience for its students, and from a user requirements perspective this necessitated a particular pedagogic approach.

The use of operational event sequence diagrams and work domain analysis techniques for the specification of the crewing configuration of a single-pilot commercial aircraft

Aircraft manufacturers and avionics systems suppliers are developing technologies for airliners that will be operated by just a single crew member. An alternative approach to using a large amount of on-board computing proposes the utilisation of extant technology derived from single-seat military aircraft and Uninhabited Air Systems where control is distributed in real time across the aircraft flight deck and ground stations (which supervise several aircraft simultaneously). Using a combination of operational event sequence diagrams and work domain analysis techniques, the allocation of tasks and requirements for the development of supporting technologies for such an operational architecture are identified in a low visibility taxi scenario. These analyses show that many of the functions undertaken by a second pilot in this situation are associated with checking, surveillance and monitoring activities. These must be undertaken either by automated aircraft systems or the monitoring personnel in the ground station. This analytical approach can successfully provide the necessary information underpinning the design requirements for such an aircraft concept.

New graphical and text-based notations for representing task decomposition hierarchies: towards improving the usability of an Ergonomics method

ABSTRACT The representation of task decompositions, in the form of sub-goal hierarchies and their related sequencing triggering and exit conditions, lies at the heart of hierarchical task analysis (HTA) and related techniques. Analysis of the conventional graphical and text-based notations for these representations, using the principles of cognitive load theory, identifies a number of features that may give rise to difficulties when reading and constructing HTA representations. A revised graphical notation is presented, derived from similar notations that are used in the software engineering and human factors domains. An equivalent text-based notation is also presented to facilitate the representation of the task decomposition tabular format, where additional details of the task can be captured. It is suggested that the use of these revised notations could improve usability when constructing and interpreting graphical and tabular representations of hierarchical task decompositions.

Dual Pilot and Single Pilot Operations --- Hierarchical Task Decomposition Analysis of Doing More with Less

An operational concept for single pilot operations is being developed as part of the work of the Future Flight Deck Technologies project. The underpinning construct is that multiple single-pilot aircraft will be supported by a ground-based team using one or more ground stations to interact with the pilots and their aircraft. Concept development required detailed analysis of two-pilot operations to identify the functions and interactions that the second pilot engages in, to facilitate their reallocation or adaptation within the new system architecture. The application of Hierarchical Task Analysis HTA in this context revealed a number of issues related to the representation and interpretation of sequencing information in plans in HTAs presented in graphical form. This paper identifies these issues and presents a new graphical notation, derived from software design notations, for presenting hierarchical task decompositions. The use of the notation is illustrated with analysis examples from different phases of flight.

Cyber-specifications: Capturing user requirements for cyber-security investigations

In order to capture important user requirements data, it is necessary to take a user-centered approach to understand security from a human factors perspective. Human Factors and Ergonomics are the disciplines that look to support user needs and requirements of products and processes through a detailed understanding of the user’s capabilities, limitations and expectation of those products or processes. A range of methods and approaches are available to assist with the collection of user requirements in sensitive domains and this chapter considers practical issues of their use for cyber-security. A framework of macro-ergonomic security threats is reinterpreted for the cyber domain and illustrated using issues of trust in order to raise awareness for cyber investigations.