Single Pilot Operations: Performance in Normal and Abnormal Scenarios

Advancements in technology and redundancy in automation have supported the feasibility of single-pilot operations. These operations are established on robust human-machine teaming and effective human oversight. Although adequate training coupled with intuitive human-machine interfaces can enable pilots to simultaneously perform the roles of pilot flying and pilot monitoring, pilots’ susceptibility to cognitive overload, particularly in demanding phases of flight, jeopardizes the practicality of single-pilot operations. Therefore, the performance of a single pilot in the cockpit requires consideration of psychophysiological factors for effective oversight. This paper presents a study conducted in single-pilot operation settings to assess cognition and reaction in typical, atypical, and abnormal scenarios. Enhanced automation assistance was provided by employing aural checklist callouts to examine participants’ cooperation and collaboration with automation systems. The study showed that repeated exposure to similar tasks enhanced participants’ responses despite variations in scenarios. The final scenario introduced a failure in automation that led to signs of cognitive incapacitation such as partial or complete loss of situation awareness, attentional tunneling, and inattentional deafness. The study concluded that unanticipated events such as a failure in the automation system would lead to cognitive overload and may inhibit pilots from carrying out simple tasks that could otherwise be performed acceptably in single-pilot operations.