Federal Aviation Administration

Several new systems apply modern technology to the processing and presentation of information in the cockpit. Many of these innovations have been available in large, complex aircraft for many years, but the continued development of information sources (e.g., GPS, Datalink) and the increasing power of small computers promise to offer the benefits of these technologies to more and more pilots in more and more different classes of aircraft. While these developments are to be applauded, for they offer the prospect of increased safety in the air, there are also reasons for concern over just how the increased information load is to be managed by pilots. The general issue revolves around insuring that Aviation Information Systems (AIS) meet clear criteria, including satisfying regulations, ensuring accuracy, and providing usability. It is important to ensure that human factors are considered in determining what information to present, when to present it, how it is to be found, and how to present it. Various efforts in developing human factors guidelines and tools for this purpose have been underway for sometime, producing several documents and tools to assist in th