12/8/2006
FLIGHT TRAINING AND STANDARDS MANUAL
ECLIPSE 500
© Eclipse Aviation Corporation, 2006
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2. Verify that the action has occurred on the FMA
Some modes changes occur automatically as the flight progresses. These
changes should be monitored as well. This provides confidence that the
autopilot will perform as expected.
On an approach with the autopilot
engaged, FMA changes should be called out as they are annunciated.
Automation Distraction
Although flight automation has been shown to decrease human error, it has
introduced new types of human error:
1. Lack of vigilance. People generally do not make good systems
monitors. People may neglect active monitoring tasks.
Automation also provides a very high potential for distraction
from more important activities. For example, if the pilot’s
autopilot, PFD and / or MFD proficiency is marginal, there is a
natural tendency to spend too much time head down trying to
“sort it out”.
2. Complacency. This is related to lack of vigilance. People tend to
neglect automated systems in favor of other tasks by shifting
their attention. They may place too much trust in the automation
and take themselves “out of the loop.”
3. Slower manual reversion. People who are complacent or
placing too much trust in the automation will take longer to re-
orient themselves to their present situation after automation
failure. The farther “out of the loop” the person is, the longer it
will probably take to get back “in the loop.”
4. Lack of trust in automation. This is the flip-side of over-trust and
complacency. Automation cannot be used to its best advantage
if it is not trusted. Some of this lack of trust may also come from
lack of proficiency in the use of automation.
PFD / MFD Management
Apart from the flight controls, the primary interfaces between the pilot and
the Eclipse 500 are the airplane computer systems. The primary flight
display and the multi-function displays provide capacities for display and
functionality that do not exist in older airplanes. This requires that the pilot
develop and maintain the ability to recall displays and functionality with ease
and confidence.
Automation Policy
