FAA Forecasts Major Progress in Aviation Human Factors R&D

New roles and responsibilities will require novel approaches to selection, training, and decision support in order to match human capabilities with evolving aviation operations. Formal predictive methods of human-system performance need to be developed that enable the exploration of novel NextGen concepts and technologies and manage risk. The breadth and depth of required human factors R&D cuts across all aviation operational domains, including air traffic control, flight deck (commercial and general aviation), airline operations
centers, and facilities.

The FAA will be exploring traditional and novel human factors approaches, including analytical and computational approaches to system safety, capacity, and efficiency. Next Gen systems will require human factors R&D in many areas,
including the following:
• provide specific system-engineering requirements;
• develop realistic and predictive individual and team performance
models that interact with the aviation environment to
improve system performance, safety, and efficiency;
• identify novel human-error types and develop human-error
mitigation strategies and solutions;
• identify changes in selection criteria and training content;
• determine the appropriate level of human-automation interaction
that enhances safety and efficiency while decreasing
human-performance errors; and
• identify and resolve certification and flight standards issues
associated with NextGen.