Operational Complexity in Performance-Based Navigation Arrival and Approach Flight Operations

We studied how pilots handle operational variations during arrival and approach instrument flight procedures (IFPs), focusing on factors that may be related to performance-based navigation (PBN). PBN is a key enabler of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). We developed a factor rubric based on an iterative review of events in the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) public database and prior research. We coded 164 ASRS reports selected for relevance to PBN. We identified where each event occurred relative to the route of flight, tallied the coded factors and event outcomes, and gathered data on crew actions that indicated resilience to operational variations such as unexpected behavior of aircraft automated systems. We conclude that PBN appears to magnify the effects of operational complexity for these events. Pilots would benefit from training that provides opportunities to experiment with new situations they could encounter in PBN scenarios.

Language

  • English

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01873950
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 9783030509422
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Feb 22 2023 9:57AM