Measurement of Pilot Workload

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Measurement of Pilot Workload

E. S. Stein / B. L. Rosenberg

This current experiment was an attempt to measure workload during flight simulation, using two primary variables: the pilots' own evaluation sampled once per minute with a computer and the latency or delay of that response. This was supplemented by a post-flight questionnaire. Three levels of flight difficulty were established by subject matter experts. These were varied by controlling (1) initial clearance complexity, (2) level of air traffic control, (3) turbulence, and (4) inflight emergency. Flights were conducted in a General Aviation Instrument trainer and 12 pilots participated. Results demonstrated that pilots were willing and able to make inflight workload evaluations which corresponded directly with the induced difficulty level. Response latencies increased in relationship to difficulty, but the intermediate and most difficult flights were not significantly different. Factor analyses of all measures produced two clusters for the easiest and intermediate flights (inflight and postflight) and four for the most difficult flights. In the latter case, inflight and postflight measures separated into two factors and the questionnaire split also into two segments. These separations indicated that within the current state of the art, both types of measures should continue to be collected. Plans call for follow-on research in General Aviation Workload.