Flight Deck Human Factors Issues Related to Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) at High Density Airports (HDAs)

Chandra, Divya; Sparko, Andrea L. · 2022 · ROSA P / John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)

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Summary

This report addresses flight deck human factors issues associated with Multiple Airport Route Separation (MARS), a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) concept designed to deconflict air traffic at high-density airports (HDAs) using Performance Based Navigation (PBN). MARS allows for reduced separation standards between aircraft flying along specially designed pairs of instrument flight procedures (IFPs) across multiple nearby airports. The study was motivated by the need to understand how MARS impacts flightcrew tasks and workload, specifically focusing on the New York metropolitan region as a case study due to its complex airspace and multiple HDAs. The research aimed to identify potential negative impacts on pilot operations and propose recommendations to mitigate them, ensuring the safe integration of MARS into existing airspace structures. The researchers employed a multi-method approach comprising five primary tasks: a literature review of PBN and related concepts like Established on RNP (EoR); the definition and exploration of "airspace complexity" from a pilot’s perspective; data collection and analysis of flight operations in the New York region; assessment of a notional MARS application; and an exploration of pilot resilient behaviors. Data analysis involved coding events from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) using a structured rubric to identify threats related to airspace complexity. Additionally, the team conducted listening sessions with a diverse sample of pilots, including those from business aviation, major airlines, and regional carriers, to gather subjective insights on current operations, ATC interactions, and local "unwritten rules." The study also engaged with the Pilot-Controller Procedures Systems Integration (PCPSI) working group to refine recommendations regarding arrival-to-approach connections. Key findings revealed that airspace complexity for pilots consists of four external threat categories: ATC interactions, flight deck equipment, airspace design, and environmental factors. Analysis of the New York ASRS dataset showed that ATC interactions were involved in 67% of reported events, while IFP design-related issues, such as complex altitude and speed constraints, were rarely identified in the local data compared to other PBN regions. Pilot listening sessions confirmed that while New York airspace is unique and nonstandard, operations remain predictable for pilots with local experience. The study also highlighted that ASRS events provide an incomplete picture of pilot resilience, suggesting that adaptive expertise is better understood through specific operational models. The assessment of a notional MARS application indicated that conceptual flythroughs are necessary to identify potential pilot-centric issues in IFP geometry. The report concludes with several recommendations for the development and implementation of MARS. Site-specific considerations, including local traffic mix, weather patterns, and pre-existing challenging IFPs, must be integrated into MARS applications. The authors recommend that MARS designs undergo conceptual flythroughs from a pilot’s perspective to assess operational complexity and identify potential hazards. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need for improved pilot education, clearer communication between ATC and pilots regarding approach-arrival connections, and attention to flight deck equipment issues related to automated systems. These findings underscore the importance of coordinating the transition to PBN carefully to ensure that safety and efficiency benefits are realized without introducing new human factors risks.

Key finding

Air Traffic Control interactions were the dominant factor in 67% of ASRS events in the New York dataset, whereas complex Instrument Flight Procedure design features were rarely identified as primary threats.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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