NextGen Flight Deck Human Factors
Research and Development (R&D) Program
The NextGen flight deck human factors research and development (R&D) program consists of work in two major thrust areas that are funded in separate NextGen R&D budget lines: NextGen Air/Ground Integration Human Factors and NextGen Self Separation Human Factors. As planning has matured, initial R&D programs that were aligned to these two budget lines evolved to a more integrated cross-cutting perspective. Today, the NextGen flight deck human factors R&D program is planned and executed in eleven technical areas that address NextGen applications with integrated projects spanning budget lines to ensure successful implementation of NextGen capabilities.
Efforts are aimed at supporting Aviation Safety and Air Traffic Organization mission requirements, specifically by identifying and resolving human factors issues through research activities, resulting in:
- tools and recommendations to guide aircraft certification personnel in evaluation of technologies that are enablers for NextGen
- recommendations for flight operations procedures and crew training in support of flight standards personnel in developing and approving NextGen procedures and crew training requirements
- system design requirements with supporting scientific and technical data that inform NextGen program offices and policy makers at key decision points and acquisition milestones in the broader NextGen context
In addition to flight deck related issues, air/ground integration aspects are addressed, and there are linkages that leverage results obtained from the related NextGen human factors R&D for the ground environment: air traffic control, traffic management, and airline operation centers.
The eleven technical areas which comprise the flight deck R&D program are:
- Instrument Procedure Guidance
- NextGen HF Planning and Coordination activities
- Separation Assurance & Collision Avoidance
- Ground/Low Visibility Operations
- Automation/Roles & Responsibilities
- Data Communications
- [deleted]
- Risk and Error Management
- Trajectory Based Operations
- Training and Personnel Qualification
- Single Pilot Operations
- Decision Making and Decision Support
The larger human factors effort, including both the flight deck and air traffic R&D programs, links to and informs National Airspace System (NAS) Enterprise Architecture (roadmaps, decision points, and operational improvements) to support successful implementation of NextGen.
For more information, select any of the links in the above list of technical areas.
Human Factors Research and Engineering Group
Office Administrator:
Michelle Whetstine ph. 202-267-7219
Page updated: November 4, 2009