Flight Technical Error and Workload During Head-Up Display Localizer Guided Takeoff

Abstract

This was exploratory-in-nature follow-on research. The previous efforts focused on the operational impact of using a head-up display with localizer guidance in lieu of centerline lights for takeoff in low-visibility conditions. Herein, the goal was to examine the relationship between the subjective NASA task load index (TLX) workload ratings and flight technical error as the objective measure of performance. Instead of the total weighted scores, we analyzed the raw NASA TLX subscale ratings. Based on the analyses conducted, we proposed methods to use flight technical error data for predicting individual pilot workload ratings, and vice versa. The results indicated that the single best subjective predictor of flight technical error was the NASA TLX Performance subscale in both normal and abnormal operations. The most noteworthy finding was that when the abnormal condition included a trained failure, the ratings on the NASA TLX Temporal demand subscale had an inverse relationship with flight technical error. The pilots’ automatic response was to prioritize maintaining aircraft directional control and to compartmentalize tasks by priority. In contrast, when the pilots were presented with a failure that they had not been trained on, this automatic response was absent. The discussion also includes some notable limitations of this research and suggested mitigation methods.