Evaluation of the CDTI CS 247B / MS&E 430 (Pamela Hinds)

NASA Ames (Richard Mogford)

Honor Gunday

Joe Sacco

Luke SwartzStanford University

www.stanford.edu/~lswartz/cs247b

CDTI

• Now: can’t see other planes

• Cockpit Display of Traffic Information– situation awareness of other planes’

• locations

• altitudes

• intentions

– route changes

Free Flight

• Now: all adjustments need approval, handoffs from one controller to another (see handout)

• Free flight: during en route, let pilots make their own course changes

Methodology and Process

• Interviews– 5 pilots, 4 controllers– Pilots: not in workspace…

• Observations– Prototype testing– Oakland TRACON

• Design Meetings and Focus Groups

Pilots’ Work (now)

• Drawings: PFD and Nav DisplayDrawings: PFD and Nav Display

• Flight Management System (FMS)Flight Management System (FMS)

• En routeEn route– generally quietgenerally quiet– route change requests usually grantedroute change requests usually granted

Controllers’ Work (now)

• Environment– laid back, fun– love their job– pride

• “Having a deal”

• Unexpected events

Pilots’ Work (free flight)

• Over-water versus over-land

• Worried about– time– distractions– attention– safety

• General Aviation pilot: didn’t want self-separation responsibility either

Controllers’ Work (free flight)

• Want clear responsibilities– “all or nothing”

• Concern over efficiency– will this actually help?– free flight might actually make things worse!

Interface Observations

• Not the subject of our course, but…– CDTI display itself: liked, seemed easy to use

(based on ND)– Bar on bottom of CDTI: perceived as “hard to

use”• Feedback on sending flight plans?

• Toggle switches (e.g. pulse)?

Process Recommendations

• Subjects– “lab rats become very well trained”

• Simulation– currently distracting, problems of validity?

• Mindset– “demonstration, not an experiment”

Design Principles for Pilots

• Fit into physical workspace

• Shouldn’t increase workload substantially, or require constant attention

• Present pertinent info

Design Principles for Controllers

• High attention, short time(active vs. passiveness)

• Present visually

• “Handoff-able”; deal with unexpected situations, error

• Clear roles and responsibilities (distributed, not shared)

How does the CDTI do?

CDTI Free flight

Fit into physical workspace

Shouldn’t require constant attention Present pertinent info

High, short-term active attention Visual display of information Handoff-able, can deal with unplanned/extraordinary events

Clear responsiblities

High-Level Recommendations

• What is the motivation behind CDTI and free flight?– Pilot skepticism: “how busy are they?”– Controller skepticism: “this will make it

slower!”– FAA, controllers, NASA, pilots…and airlines

High-Level Recommendation

• CDTI can be (best?) used without free flight– Further ensure safety– Reduce workload on controllers without

changing roles– Get rid of FMS

• Only free flight over water?

• Presentation to pilots

Questions?

www.stanford.edu/~lswartz/cs247b