Automated Corporate Cockpits: Some Observations

Automated airline cockpit systems are very helpful at times, but they can induce errors and other problems when change is required by the operational demands. If this holds in the constrained airline operating environment, it would appear that corporate aviation — with its demand for extreme flexibility — would magnify these problems. This study is the first attempt to examine the pilot-automation interaction in the corporate aviation environment. Survey data from 430 corporate pilots and observations from over 60 actual corporate missions are discussed.