Emergency procedures automation

In this article, I offer some ideas how to increase level of safety, particularly in emergency. Emergencies requiring “Emergency descent” followed approach and landing as soon as possible can be programmed to choose nearest suitable aerodrome with its runway in use to select or modify appropriate route for it. Aircraft FMS can start emergency descent and deviation to the selected alternate aerodrome after some pause (approximately 5 seconds) allowing a pilot to decide follow this procedure or take another action. Such programs can support crew in critical situations and help to the crew to perform emergency procedure when required. Despite this, if crew incapacitation occurs aircraft can descend and land safely without crew interaction.

Automation is the use of management systems and information technologies that reduce the need for human intervention. In aviation, we see an increase in the level of automation, for example, in flight operations and air traffic.

The dictionary clearly defines automation as "the use of computers to manage a particular process to improve reliability and efficiency, often by replacing employees. Both definitions are mainly focused on two aspects - the introduction of "computers" and the consequences for "people" in the task.

With the advent of modern technologies, the use of computers becomes inevitable in the performance and implementation of a specific task. While automation proves better completion of work, it dramatically affects the "operator", whose task passes from the "performer" to the "observer". It is here that the question arises of "complacency". With this major revolution, you can ask whether the introduction of automation is an advantage or a disadvantage.

Since the development of this major global trend, automation has spread widely to the aviation industry. On an industry scale, it has become a roll call and is considered an integral or inalienable complement to this extremely complex, dynamic and competitive business in order to improve and control the effectiveness of flight control. At present, we see widespread use and improvement of the level of automation in aviation, especially in flight and air traffic control operations. At the same time, he also generated problems and problems related to human interference, accidents and incidents; and questions on human factors, in particular, complacency.

With reduced direct operational involvement, flight crewmembers are able to allocate their concentration towards maintaining awareness with their environment as well as interpersonal communication with their colleagues. Automation are thus able to relieve pilots of their workloads by assuring the availability of essential flight information at all times. Flight safety is enhanced when pilots are able to react more quickly and effectively to situations due to greater attention to their surroundings.

With computer management, the heading, altitude and airspeed whereby the aircraft can travel at the most ideal efficiency, can be retrieved. With efficient flight performance, fuel usage can be reduced to achieve a lower operating cost. This is especially critical for commercial airlines, which aim to cut cost for greater profits. As the flight management computers manage flight information automatically, the requirement of having a third flight crew (flight engineer) to oversee the performance of secondary airplane systems and fuel consumption is lifted. A reduced number of flight crewmembers required helps to cut costs for airlines.

The introduction of the Crew Resource Management (CRM) training in 1979 also strives to enhance pilot decision-making skills by highlighting the importance of situational awareness, leadership capabilities and interpersonal communication skills even during the presence of automation and convenience.

Both the CRM training and Sterile Cockpit Rule aim to emphasize the role of the automation only as an additional supporting assistance tool. Even with the introduction of the automation, flight crew are still educated to direct as much attention to piloting the flight as before the debut of the technology.

Flight crew aircraft piloting skill development may be adversely affected by their excessive dependence on the electronic instruments. For instance, pilots can rely totally on the autopilot function to maintain a particular altitude and airspeed of the aircraft.

As the automation features become more common on many aircraft types, flight crew will inevitably increase their reliance on these functions. This causes pilots to reduce their application of airmanship. The ability to fly an aircraft manually despite regular exposure to automation and convenient information access is important, especially during emergencies.

In 2008, United Airlines Flight 731 lost half of its display panels, radios, transponders and TCAS. Fortunately, the pilots were able to maintain manual flight control to land back at their departure aerodrome. The necessity to maintain airmanship is thus highlighted even during this age of automation.

Conclusion

Automation has indeed proven itself revolutionary technological advancement, which reliably enhances flight operational safety and efficiency. Pilots can allocate resources and concentration efficiently to piloting the plane safety with convenient access to the required flight information.

With reduced number of flight crew and fuel consumption, operation expenditure is lower.

Despite economic and operational advantages, over-reliance on automation may deteriorate pilots’ airmanship.

Excessive dependence on automation may result in flight crew’s complacency to assure their participation during the flight, especially during critical phases.

The introduction of training and implementation of rule assures that pilots dedicate their attention to situational awareness, even as the computers control the aircraft. Only with the emphasis of cognitive skills to eliminate human errors, such technological advances can then enhance flight safety.

The benefits of automation may be highly regarded but this should not prevent the "operator" to exercise his "human touch" or intervention in the fulfillment of a task. Its drawbacks have high and costly returns that need to be taken into consideration. Whether or not automation is boon or bane is no longer a question, with it being embraced by the industry, it is undoubtedly that this system will be eliminated. Therefore, in order to fully maximize and utilize its benefits, the drawbacks must be addressed and the development of "operator" through proper training should be a prime concern. Automation is here to stay and there is no stopping it. It has proven to be a major technological advancement in the industry, and with proper handling and use, plus the full knowledge and commitment to job completion of individuals using and maintaining it, the human + computer tandem will equate to reliability, safety and efficiency beyond par.