While the huge increase in automation in commercial aircraft in recent decades has greatly improved safety and accuracy, some unexpected and unintended consequences have emerged. These are leading to changes in how airline pilots are being trained.

“Pilots have not been properly trained to operate highly automated aircraft,” noted Comair crew resource management specialist Michael Bowyer (himself a pilot). “Inadequate crew knowledge of automated systems was a factor in more than 40% of accidents and 30% of serious incidents between 2001 and 2009.”

Automation should not be confused with fly-by-wire (FBW). Automation ranges from basic autopilots to full Flight Management Systems (FMSes). FBW replaces mechanical links from flight controls to flying surfaces with electronic links. Today, airliners can be flown manually (whether using FBW or mechanical systems), or by basic autopilot, or by FMS.

Two problems that have emerged with high levels of automation on airliners are “automation complacency” and “automation complexity”. The former results in pilots abdicating too much responsibility to the automated systems. The latter makes it difficult for the pilots to be “within the loop”. The increase in complexity can be illustrated by the comparison between the previous- generation C-1340H Hercules, which had 60 aural warnings, and the new-generation C-130J Hercules II, which has 780 such warnings: an increase of 13 times.

Information overload can be a problem. A study has shown that pilots in complex all-electronic “glass cockpits” often scan their instruments in a disorganised manner, leaving out key instruments (this was not the case in the old days of analogue and mechanical instruments). “Is technology driving the captain, or serving the captain?” he queried.

“Automation may perform in ways that are unexpected, unintended and inexplicable to the pilot, leading to accidents,” he pointed out. “A small inconvenience can escalate into a desperate struggle to save the aircraft.” In consequence, the Royal Canadian Air Force has developed the concept of “automation airmanship”. This integrates traditional technical skills and human factor skills with automation, automation being defined as all the technology the pilot has to operate. Automation, previously subsumed under technical skills, has been separated out as a distinct skill, owing to its importance and complexity.

Automation is changing the manner in which flight crews interact with their aircraft and the means by which the aircraft communicates with its pilots. The aircrew need to use the appropriate techniques to avoid information overload and keep their eyes on the right information at the right time.

“Maybe we need to train crews to be assertive with automation,” suggested Bowyer. That is, train them to have the confidence to switch off the automated systems and fly manually, or opt only to use the basic autopilot and not the full FMS, depending on the circumstances. “All the technology in the world can’t replace a good captain,” he highlighted, quoting master mariner John Konrad.

“We are training pilots, not button-pushing system operators,” he affirmed. “Comair is changing its training system. We are in the process – I think it’s working very well at the moment.”

Bowyer was speaking at the 1st South African Symposium on Human Factors and Aviation, at Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, last week.