Exploring Pilot Workload Using Inceptor Time Histories

The benefits of developing objective measures of handling qualities, more specifically pilot workload, are of great interest to the United States Navy. Several lines of research have been initiated to that end with this study focusing on inceptor activity. Potential pilot inceptor workload metrics were applied to a data set consisting of ten pilots conducting simulated approach and hover tasks to a DDG-class ship. Piloted handling qualities ratings were recorded for the tasks. Workload variation was induced by using different aircraft response types, varying degrees of ship motion, and the presence/absence of cueing. Using only pilot inceptor state data, potential workload metrics were evaluated and correlations with handling qualities ratings were examined. Methods to apply traditionally single-axis metrics to multi-axis tasks were explored, inconclusively. Predictive ability of the simple metrics improved by breaking tasks into pseudo-time invariant sub-tasks. A multi-axis metric from past research was shown to correlate best with workload ratings, but several more traditional workload measures show promise and correlation may improve if applied to a scale other than Cooper-Harper. A novel approach of treating the multi-axis problem as a metric itself is introduced and data presented to support adoption as a workload discriminator in and of itself.