NASA tasks Rockwell Collins single-pilot operations study
NewsDecember 17, 2014
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. NASA officials chose Rockwell Collins as the lead research firm for its Single Pilot Operation program, which focuses on developing concepts and technology for commercial airline crew capacity, ground support, and automation.
The aviation industry is exploring single-pilot operations to address concerns about potential pilot shortages, but first there are technical, certification, social acceptability, and policy considerations that must be looked at as well, says John Borghese, Rockwell Collins vice president for the company's Advanced Technology Center.
The Rockwell Collins and NASA team are researching crew resource management and physiological monitoring technologies for the program. Rockwell Collins engineers are also performing cognitive science research with its academic partners on the program -- California State University in Long Beach, Calif., and the University of Iowa.
Prior research made by Rockwell Collins during pilot evaluation of crew station workload and advanced decision aids and the development of Live, Virtual Constructive training with its partners are also being used in the NASA program.
The contract, already in effect, will now continue through Sept. 30, next year, with potential follow-on awards for additional research.
