Advanced Technology Aircraft Safety Survey Report - Australian ...

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AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL Introduction During the questionnaire design phase some airline managers expressed concern that the safe operation of advanced technology aircraft could be threatened by potential incompatibilities between aircraft automation and ATC procedures, systems and airways design. The ATC environment in which advanced technology aircraft operate has become increasingly complex. Some ATC systems have undergone technological change comparable to that of the aircraft they are designed to manage. Within the Asia- Pacific region, most ATC centres have made technological changes, or have plans in place to adopt new technologies that include modern radar facilities, remote very high frequency (VHF) communications and computer aided ATC management systems. This chapter contains a discussion based on pilot perceptions of the relationship between ATC and advanced technology aircraft, together with an analysis of specific events where pilots had difficulty operating their aircraft in accordance with ATC instructions. Using the capabilities of advanced technology aircraft Approximately 60% of respondents considered that ATC did not make use of the capabilities of their aircraft to the fullest (see fig. B2.1). First officers were observed to be more positive in this respect than captains. Airbus pilots (58%) were more positive than Boeing pilots (61%). The capabilities available to pilots of advanced technology aircraft include precision flight in both the vertical and lateral planes, enhanced situational awareness through computer generated map displays, and enhanced awareness of other air traffic via the ACAS. Hazardous weather avoidance has also been enhanced by the overlay of airborne weather radar on computer generated map displays. This is particularly important considering that many modern ATC radar displays filter out hazardous weather information. FIGURE B2.1 Air Traffic Control make use of the capabilities of this aircraft to their fullest 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 40.69% Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree No Response 7
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AIRCRAFT SAFETY SURVEY REPORT 8 Vertical and lateral navigation systems allow the pilot to program a flight from takeoff to landing in accordance with actual, or expected, ATC clearances. Once the auto-pilot and navigation modes are engaged, the aircraft can follow the programmed route with minimal pilot input or ATC intervention. The airways system is a complex environment which caters for many different aircraft types and operations. Air traffic controllers are often unable to use the capabilities of advanced technology aircraft to their fullest because they are restricted by other flow control and separation considerations. On the other hand, some advanced technology aircraft functions do not permit adequate compliance with ATC requirements. For example, anecdotal evidence revealed that some air traffic controllers are aware of the limitations of advanced technology aircraft and have devised their own system ‘work-arounds’ to ensure timely flow control. During interviews with ATC personnel at Sydney, several staff mentioned that advanced technology aircraft take a longer time to enter and exit holding patterns, compared with earlier model aircraft. Some ATC staff now compensate for this lag in response time by modifying the instructions they issue to these aircraft. For example, if holding is no longer required, ATC may issue the instruction ‘cancel holding track direct to’. The aircrew are required to make several keystrokes on the FMC to exit the holding pattern and program a track to the next waypoint. To ensure this process is completed in a timely manner, some ATC staff may issue specific instructions, such as ‘cancel holding, turn onto a heading of’. Once the aircraft is established towards the next desired waypoint they will instruct the aircraft to ‘track direct to’. ATC familiarity with modern aircraft aerodynamics Figure B2.2 shows that 40% of respondents were satisfied with the level of ATC familiarity with their aircraft, while 36% were not satisfied. The results were evenly distributed across pilot ranks, although Airbus pilots were less satisfied than Boeing pilots. L Pilots commonly pointed out that the aerodynamics of modern jet aircraft did not always allow them to reduce airspeed and descend (‘slow down and go down’) simultaneously. The design and execution of ATC flow control measures needs to take into account the performance and operational characteristics of modern jet aircraft. There appears to be a general lack of appreciation by both pilots and ATC staff regarding the requirements of each other’s operation. Past familiarisation/observation activities have been of limited value, mainly due to the lack of an integrated program where participants are required to observe and report on specific aspects of an operation.
Page 1 and 2: Department of Transport and Regiona
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A
Page 5 and 6: ATC and situational awareness Terra
Page 7 and 8: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Bureau of Air S
Page 9: asic automate ations, navigation, s
Page 12 and 13: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AIRCRAFT SAFETY
Page 18 and 19: 70% - 60% - AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FIG
Page 20 and 21: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FIGURE B2.4 The
Page 22 and 23: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL the responses t
Page 24 and 25: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL Given direct tr
Page 26 and 27: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL By nominating s
Page 30 and 31: 9 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AIRCRAFT SAFE
Page 40 and 41: GENERAL Introduction This chapter a
Page 42 and 43: FIGURE B9.2 Have you detected any F
Page 44 and 45: accident near Cali, Colombia (12 De
Page 46 and 47: GENERAL It appears that much of the
Page 58 and 59: SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SITUATIONAL A
Page 60 and 61: SITUATIONAL AWARENESS FIGURE B4.1 I
Page 62 and 63: SITUATIONAL. AWARENESS FIGURE B4.4
Page 64 and 65: SYSTEM DESIGN Introduction Research
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FIGURE B1.2 It is easy to detect wh
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SYSTEMS DESIGN Some reported accide
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Table B5.3 'I am sometimes forced t
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TRAINING Introduction The introduct
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TRAINING The majority of respondent
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FIGURE B8.5 My training has prepare
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Provision of a FMGS for hands-on tr
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TRAINING Im roved tech manuals, e l
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TRAINING The depth of training, the
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WORKLOAD WORKLOAD Introduction The
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FIGURE 86.2 In an emergency, automa
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Normal ops automation is very benef
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A COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS STUDIES
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Conclusion Although this comparison
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ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AIRCRAFT SAFETY
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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY
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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 6. MODES
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REFERENCES Aeronautica Civil of the
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SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE DETAILS e SURV
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AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL Questions 2.1 t
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CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY
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