RESEARCH
Questions and possible areas of improvement from secondary research
Info display on PFD : Normal flight pattern in auto-pilot
Info display on PFD : Auto-pilot disengaged / loss of speed notifications / mode changed to alternate
Info display on PFD : Auto-pilot still disengaged / high altitude stall warnings
Info display on PFD : Viewing all current warnings
Info display on PFD : Safely exited high altitude stall and re-engaged autopilot
An alternate ending to the Air France 447 incident based on the suggested changes in primary flight display
Primary Flight Display
Collaborators: Annie Ye Zhou, Ryan Moeck, Scott Ichikawa
METHODS AND SKILLS
Interaction Design, Secondary research, Interactive system analysis, Scenarios
BACKGROUND
Early june in 2009, Air France flight 447, an Airbus A330, from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed in a storm, somewhere in the ocean between Brazil and Africa. Existing research reveals that unclear cockpit instrumentation display contributed to a series of irrecoverable errors that ultimately resulted in the crash. Based on a thorough analysis of this case study, we were tasked with developing concepts for design improvements to augment the current primary flight displays.
PROCESS
Through secondary research we did an in-depth examination and analysis of the incident, breaking down the actions and conversations that happened by the minute, to identify points of breakdown and possible areas of intervention. What research shows is that this was a case of the interface hiding feedback from pilots making it hard for them to assess and control emergency situations. As the aircraft lost autopilot mode, continued to stall and fall out of the angle of attack envelope, the lack of feedback made it hard for them to comprehend what was happening. Further there was a lack of their distributed cognition, asynchronous side stick controls led to a critical piece of information missing: the fact that one of the pilots had been holding the controls all the way wrong for the entire time.
CONCEPT
In high stakes and high stress situations like flight navigation, such a break in the action perception and feedback loop can hinder decision-making and have fatal results, as demonstrated by this case study. With this exploration of the primary flight display we have incorporated a few features that help correct this.
VISUAL CUES FOR CHANGES IN CRITICAL VARIABLES
Indications alert pilots of mode changes from normal to alternate, autopilot status, availability/loss of information like vertical speed, angle of attack and altitude.
VISUALIZATION OF PITCH
by adding a side view of the nose to indicate the current pitch and angle of attack envelope.
CORRECTIVE ADJUSTMENT INDICATIONS
Indicators and targets show up on the main screen as well as pitch visualization to guide adjustments to correct anomalies.
MAPPING OF FUTURE FLIGHT PATH
to show current trajectory and expected flight path. This indicates if they are going on a critical path and shows a correction.
INFLIGHT DIAGNOSIS
showing important points in the history of current flight, warnings, and other critical call outs.