In my opinion, most flight schools and aviation institutions are doing the minimum required in training and educating pilots with respect to avionic systems and automation issues. I strongly agree that modern pilots are not trained thoroughly on avionic systems and that they lack the skills and ability to adequately deal with and overcome failures or malfunctions of avionic systems during flight. Unfortunately, pilots are becoming more and more dependant on sophisticated avionics that their knowledge of these system is often limited to basic operations and interface functions.
As an Aviation Management student, I think a thorough analysis of this issue is an essential step for underlining the causes of this phenomenon and how it is negatively impacting the aviation industry both nationally and globally. According to Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), “A draft FAA study found pilots sometimes 'abdicate too much responsibility to automated systems.’”The article further states that loss of control accidents in which aircraft stall or get in position where pilots are unable to recover are now turning to be the most common type of airline accidents.
Also, the EAA reports in the above linked article that the FAA has recognized and identified top two issues following an analysis of flight deck automation issues that was completed several years ago:
- Pilots may not understand the structure and function of automation or the interaction of automation devices well enough to safely perform their duties.
- The behavior of automation devices - what they are doing now and what they will do in the future based upon pilot input or other factors - may not be apparent to pilots, possibly resulting in reduced pilot awareness of automation behavior and goals.
Airline managers will be concerned or even frightened by such proposal, and they may even reject and fight-off any attempt to implement such regulation. Airlines management's main concern will evolve around the financial cost and time-loss in re-training and re-certifying current pilots. The solution to this matter is simple; before a new regulation is enforced, the FAA or other international regulatory bodies must give enough time (a year or two if necessary) for airlines, general aviation, and other affected agencies and organizations to re-train, re-certify and recruit new qualified pilots before enforcing the regulation.
I agree with you in many of your arguments however I feel much of this lies in the hands of the pilot's themselves. they must study the aircraft they fly to truly understand the inner workings of the automation and how it will react in any given situation. Some of this can be taught in a classroom but much of it needs to be self studied and understood. It is the pilot's responsibility to make sure they have the necessary skill and knowledge to pilot an aircraft.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, but I am proposing that pilots should be certified in their aircraft avionics so that they can troubleshoot problems in the air and successfully have full control of the situation. At minimum, one should be certified among each flight crew, either the captain or first officer.
ReplyDeleteVery nice and thorough analysis. Some airlines do, in fact, have specific avionics training...i.e. pilots are not allowed to utilize the avionics until they have had the training. We'll talk about that more on Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteI think that airlines should implement new and improved automation training. It will be really expensive but how expensive is a plane crash with 200 people dead? As far as GA and flight schools goes, maybe new FAA automation scenarios during rides will help the automation/pilot relationship and knowledge.
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