Airborne Data Link Operational Evaluation Test Plan

Rehmann, Albert.J.; Mogford, Richard.H. · 1993 · ROSA P / Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center (U.S.)

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Summary

This document outlines the test plan for an operational evaluation of airborne data link systems, specifically focusing on human factors and cockpit implementation guidelines for terminal airspace. The study was motivated by the need to establish standards for computer-human interfaces (CHI) as electronic data communications between flight crews and air traffic controllers began to be introduced. The primary objective was to assess the acceptability of various cockpit configurations and alerting methods to ensure they support safe and efficient operations without degrading pilot situation awareness or increasing workload excessively. The experimental design utilized an end-to-end simulation testbed networked with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Control Laboratory. Four remote cockpit simulators (three Boeing 727s and one Boeing 737) were connected to the FAA’s Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS IIIA). The study employed a 3x2x2 factorial design with three independent variables: crew alerting (auditory SELCAL sound only vs. SELCAL plus a visual glare shield light), Control Display Unit (CDU) location (forward vs. aft of throttles), and message presentation format (text-only data link, data link with digitized voice annunciation, or voice-only radio baseline). Subjects included type-rated airline pilots and full-performance air traffic controllers. The experiment involved 32 crews conducting arrival flights in the Raleigh-Durham terminal airspace under instrument flight rules, with scenarios designed to simulate mixed environments of data link-equipped and voice-only aircraft. Data collection focused on direct measures of human performance and system efficiency. Key dependent variables included pilot response times (measured from alert annunciation to message access and acknowledgment), head-down time (tracked via video recording of pilot head position), communication errors, and workload (assessed using the Modified Cooper-Harper Scale). The study also measured situation awareness through traffic identification probes and scripted weather events, as well as fuel burn and crew interaction patterns. Keystroke logs and time-stamped event data were recorded to analyze communication effort and efficiency. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to the development of operational guidelines for data link integration in commercial aviation. By comparing different alerting schemes and display locations, the study aimed to determine the minimum crew alerting required to distinguish data link messages from other cockpit alerts and to evaluate whether voice annunciation reduces pilot head-down time and improves response efficiency. The findings were intended to inform cockpit display configurations and alerting standards, ensuring that data link systems enhance rather than hinder pilot performance in terminal airspace operations.

Key finding

null

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 32

Provenance

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• situation awareness theory