operational suitability evaluations

Presented to:

By:

Date:

Federal AviationAdministrationOPERATIONAL

SUITABILITY EVALUATIONS

Weather-in-the-Cockpit Workshop

Robert Ruiz, AFS-430

August 9, 2006

2 2Federal AviationAdministration

Operational Suitability EvaluationAugust 9, 2006

Introduction• Background• Activities• Objectives• Study• Approach• Evaluation



Background• WX Products emerge from research as technically sound

products – Good Science• Operational implementation (AFS definition) historically

not part of the R&D effort• Lack of operational suitability evaluation on newly

developed graphical products• Some products issued as supplementary with restrictions• CIP/FIP 2005 Hazard analysis highlighted safety issues

and the need for a structured Safety Assessment of WX products



FY-06 Implementation Activities

• AFS-400 able to secure funding to develop and implement an operational suitability evaluation

• FAA Tech Center Weather Sensors Group was selected to conduct the evaluation



Definitions – HBAT 05-01 and AIM

• Primary Weather Product.– An aviation weather product that meets all the regulatory

requirements and safety needs for use in making flight-related, aviation weather decisions.

• Supplementary Weather Product. – An aviation weather product that may be used for enhanced

situational awareness. If used, a supplementary weather product must only be used in conjunction with one or more primary weather products. In addition, the FAA may further restrict the use of supplementary weather products through limitations described in the product label to conduct the evaluation



Objectives – Operational Suitability Evaluation• Determine pilot understanding/intuitiveness of the product• Determine that the information presented is not hazardous

misleading information• Determine the level of safety of the product; provide an

equivalent level of safety (Supplementary-Situational Awareness)

• Determine the level of training required for product use• Determine if any training and guidance materials will be

needed• Provide a roadmap for AVS to move the product from

Supplementary to Primary



Study Outline• Study 1: Supplementary Weather Product

– Assess CIP operational suitability for pilot use as Supplementary Product with no restrictions

– Assess operational suitability using: • Situational Awareness• CIP Supplementary Weather Product Questionnaire • Interview questions• Observer ratings

• Study 2: Primary Weather Product– Identify CIP operational suitability issues for pilot use as Primary

Product– Identify issues using:

• Situational Awareness• CIP Primary Weather Product Questionnaire • Interview questions• Observer ratings



Overview

•Evaluate CIP Severity and Probability products•Evaluate from pilot perspective•Use in flight planning scenarios

– Preflight– In-flight*

*Note: While “In-Flight” use is being examined, the evaluation will not yield data appropriate for cockpit use.



Approach

• Simulate route planning with focus on in-flight icing– Preflight – In-flight

• Active pilot participants (n=32/48)– General Aviation (Expert and Novice)– Business Jet– Regional Airline



Approach

• Flight Planning Scenarios– Archived weather examined to determine flight routes– Flight routes developed so that icing is encountered– Eight GA Routes– Four FAR Part 121 (SkyWest) Routes– Flight route information includes:

• Departure, Destination, Waypoints

• ETD

• ETE

• Preferred Flight Level

• Distance

• Equipage



Evaluation Conduct• Experimental Conditions

– Study 1: CIP Supplementary Weather Product • AIRMET/SIGMETs (No CIP)

• AIRMET/SIGMETs (With CIP)

– Study 2: CIP Primary Weather Product• CIP (No AIRMET/SIGMETs)

• CIP (With AIRMET/SIGMETs)



Evaluation Conduct• Experimental Conditions

– Pilots• Expert

• Novice

– Equipage • De/anti-icing equipment

• No de/anti-icing equipment

– Icing Severity• Trace/Light

• Moderate or Greater (MOGR)



Evaluation Conduct

• Pretest Briefing– Objectives of evaluation– Training

• CIP information and use

• Evaluation platform

• Evaluation data collection tools



Evaluation Conduct• Preflight

– Assigned preferred route• Trace/Light Icing

• Moderate or Greater (MOGR)

– Standard weather briefing – Depending on experimental condition, provide icing products

for Supplementary Study or Primary Study – Pilot decides route/altitude adjustments/no adjustments– Interview questions– Assess Situational Awareness

• Pilot

• CFI



Evaluation Conduct• In-flight

– Assigned preferred route• Trace/Light Icing • Moderate or Greater (MOGR)

– Perform preflight self brief– Pilot is asked to imagine he/she is about 90 minutes into flight– In-flight weather update provided– Depending on experimental condition, provide icing products for

Supplementary Study or Primary Study – Pilot decides route/altitude adjustment/no adjustment – Interview questions– Assess Situation Awareness

• Pilot• CFI



Data Elements

• Situation Awareness (SA) rating– Pilot– Observer (CFI)

• Operational suitability questionnaire responses• Interview comments• Potential pilot errors/poor decisions• General observations



Evaluation Criteria: Supplementary

• Statistically significant increase in SA when CIP is used with AIRMETs/SIGMETs

Evaluation Criteria: Primary

• No decline in SA when CIP is used without AIRMET/SIGMETs



Evaluation Results (Expected)

• Supplementary Weather Product Evaluation– Operational suitability confirmation data

• Data to support or not support CIP use as supplementary product without restrictions

• Primary Weather Product Evaluation– Identify operational suitability issues

• Issues to be resolved in transitioning CIP to Primary Product• Interview responses• Pilot Error• Situation Awareness• Operational Suitability Comments



Evaluation Timeline

• Data collection (7/21 – 9/05)

• Evaluation Reports– Quick Look (9/25/2006); NBAA/FPAW– Final Report (11/03/2006)

• CIP-Severity and Probability Operational Dec 06.



Acknowledgement

• FAA Tech Center Weather Sensors Group in providing assistance in developing some of the slides that were used in the presentation

Contact InformationRobert M. Ruiz

AFS-430

202-385-4578

[email protected]

operational suitability evaluations

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