Is there a problem with automation in aviation? Or is there a problem with pilots’ skills? Or is the problem when the two are combined? There has been a lot of talk in the aviation industry about the recent airline accidents with the blame falling on pilots and their lack of skills when it comes to the automation in the plane.
Accidents are happening when it automation fails. When pilots fly by automation, they get comfortable and just assume everything is working. How many times have you heard ATC ask an aircraft their location only to first respond with “Uhhhhh….standby”? They trust that the plane is where it is supposed to be, even if they don’t know where “it” is. But what happens when the automation is not doing what it is supposed to be doing? It catches pilots off guard and it takes a while for them to process the situation and by then it may be too late. ABC network did a story on Automation Addiction, http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/automation-addiction-pilots-forgetting-fly/story?id=14417730. It discusses the Air France flight 447 where the autopilot kicked off and the stall warning sounded. On the voice recorder, both the co-pilot and captain did not know what was happening. The co-pilot took the plane into a climb and all 228 people are dead.
I think that training for pilots should include scenarios with spontaneous automation failures. Pilots need to stay on top of the aircraft and be prepared at all time for a failure. This is such a high risk job; nothing should be over looked or forgotten.
Nice post and good point about training for when the automation fails - not just at the airlines, but also in flight schools.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that we need more training dealing with and recognizing automation failures. I feel pilots get complacent and let the aircraft fly itself without keeping track of where they are at. That few seconds it takes to catch up and get your bearings when automation fails can have catastrophic results.
ReplyDelete