Human Factors and Flight Deck Design - Past Lessons and Future Directions

Abstract

This thesis examines the development of flight deck design, and how the relationship between design, human factors, and crew resource management (CRM), plays a key role in aviation safety and pilot performance. With a combination of a literature review, case studies, and an empirical study consisting of a survey and interview responses from pilots and experts in the field, the researchers have obtained a deep understanding of the research topic.

The findings indicate that although human-centred design and advanced automation has increased safety by improving pilots capacity and situational awareness, the increasing complexity of the systems make way for new challenges like mode confusion, mental overload and increased automation dependency. Both the experts interviewed as well as the pilots surveyed express a strong need for intuitive human-machine interfaces, clear feedback and CRM training that prepares the pilot for the unknown.

The thesis also highlights the important integration of human factors into regulations and emphasises that with increasing complexity in systems and new technology, the regulations have to stay ahead of the aircraft as the industry heads towards increasingly autonomous systems. The researchers find that maintaining a strong human-centred approach, with active pilot involvement in design and a focus on training and resilience, is crucial for future flight deck safety. The results underscore the value of combining historical insight with lived operational experience to inform the next generation of cockpit design and human-machine interaction.