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Attention allocation in pilots based on climbing and circling mission behavior

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Abstract

Objective

Exploration of changes in eye movement at different flight conditions can enrich scholarly understanding of situation awareness (SA) and inform new scanning behavior training techniques for efficient and effective pilot education.

Background

The SA requirements for pilots vary from mission to mission. Eye tracking is often used to analyze various attention allocation and SA acquisition processes at work in different missions.

Methods

Pilot eye movements were measured during a climbing task and circling task using a cockpit-based simulator.

Results

Results of situation awareness rating technique (SART) tests show that there are significant differences between attention processes during climbing versus circling flight tasks. Fixation frequency during climbing is lower than in the circling task. Additionally, saccade frequency and average fixation time in the climbing task are markedly higher than those in the circling task. Wilcoxon test results show that the pilot has a higher fixation count and fixation time during the circling phase in out-view (OV) areas of interest (AOI) than during the climbing phase. Notably, the attention probability is higher in climbing task than in circling task when the current area of fixation (AOF) is in the head-up display (HUD) AOI and the next fixation area is in the instrumentation panel left (IPL); when the current AOF is in the out-view right (OVR) and the next AOF is HUD, the attention probability is higher in climbing task than in circling task; when the current fixation is in the IPL and the next fixation probability is to the out-view left (OVL), the attention probability is higher in task climbing task than in circling task. In terms of the Markov stationary distribution, the Wilcoxon test shows that, when IPL AOI is the area of the maximum probability of fixation in both tasks, the attention probability of HUD AOI and instrumentation panel right (IPR) is higher in climbing task than in circling task.

Conclusion

Circling tasks require efficient eye movement patterns accompanied by strict attention distribution, which yields high SA level and flight performance when performed properly.

Application

This paper summarizes the attention characteristics at different flight phases and various requirements of different tasks according to pilot eye movement tracking results. Similar activities, as routine training, can enhance the efficiency of a novice pilot’s attention distribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, 710062, Shaanxi, China

    Tianjiao Lu, Xuqun You & Menghan Tang

  2. Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Xi’an, 710062, Shaanxi, China

    Tianjiao Lu, Xuqun You & Menghan Tang

  3. Hangzhou Center of Aeromedical Evaluation and Training for Air Force, Hangzhou, 310000, Zhejiang, China

    Zhenshan Lou

  4. Dujiangyan Center of Aeromedical Evaluation and Training for Air Force, Dujiangyan, 611380, Sichuan, China

    Feng Shao

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  1. Tianjiao Lu
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Lu, T., Lou, Z., Shao, F. et al. Attention allocation in pilots based on climbing and circling mission behavior. Psychological Research 85, 1136–1145 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-020-01324-1

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