NASA Study...

Part 121 Pilots... you're invited!

Experiment One: 

During NASA Langley Research Center’s upcoming Augmented Flight Deck Countermeasure (AFC) Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) experiment, pilots will be asked to fly a series of scenarios using NASA Langley’s VISTAS simulator while researchers monitor and collect the pilot’s physiological response and eye-scan data.

Physiological measures include: Eye-tracking, EEG, EKG, Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), respiration rate, pulse-oximetry, skin temperature, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The research goal of the AFDC experiment is to evaluate novel crew state monitoring technologies and enhance NextGen flight deck interfaces. Surveys will be administered to the pilot participants during pre- and post- experiment sessions as well as between scenarios during the experiment. Hands-on training will be provided prior to the completion of experiment tasks.

Selection Criteria:

• The subject pilots shall be qualified ATP pilots.
• Subject pilots shall be currently employed by Part 121 major or regional airline operators. 
• The captain of each pilot crew shall have a minimum of 100 hours of HUD experience.
• Each pilot crew shall be paired by air carrier employment consisting of one (1) captain and one (1) first officer
• Subject pilots who do not require the use of eyeglasses shall be given preference. 
• The subject pilots with glass cockpit experience shall be given top priority. 
• The subject pilots shall have heavy transport experience (i.e. 757/A320 or larger aircraft type rating)

Open dates as of this email, but subject to change as pilots are scheduled:

July 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 25, 21 – (7:30am-@6:00pm) - A crew consisting of a Captain and F/O from the same airlines will be scheduled per day. We provide airfare, rental car, hotel and $600.00 stipend. The stipend covers your per diem, airport parking, etc.

Experiment 2:

PTM – May 25 or 26 from 8:30a-3:30p. A $500 stipend is provided along with airfare, rental car and hotel accommodations.

Pair-wise Trajectory Management (PTM) is a concept that utilizes airborne and ground-based capabilities to enable airborne spacing operations in oceanic regions. The goal of PTM is to use enhanced communications and surveillance along with airborne tools to manage the spacing between aircraft. 

Due to the precision of Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) information and the reduction of communication delays, the PTM minimum spacing distance will be less than distances currently required of an air traffic controller. Reduced minimum distance will increase the capacity of aircraft operations at a given altitude or volume of airspace, thereby increasing time on desired trajectory and overall flight efficiency.

PTM is designed to allow a flight crew to resolve a specific traffic conflict (or conflicts), identified by the controller, with a potentially more efficient maneuver or no maneuver at all, using reduced separation standards. The purpose of the PTM HMI Focus Group Activity is to discuss, in detail, the design of a PTM HMI retrofit implementation with subject matter experts (SMEs) and potential PTM HMI end users (i.e., commercial airline pilots). Sharing current design ideas with and gathering feedback from SMEs and end users will help ensure that flight crews are ultimately provided with a useful and usable PTM tool.

All pilots participating in experiments are requested to complete the pilot background questionnaire at our website: https://flight-research.larc.nasa.gov/sawebapp.exe/Logon

Enjoy the journey!!

XO Karlene