Electronic Checklist Command Sequencer for Aircraft Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In aircraft operations, pilots face increased demands and reduced situational awareness due to the need for manual performance of numerous tasks, especially during non-normal or emergency situations, where automation can lead to complacency and loss of control over aircraft configuration without their knowledge.
Innovation Solution
An electronic checklist system that automates and monitors tasks, allowing pilots to focus on high-level monitoring while reducing tedious manual actions, using a user interface to initiate and track task completion, with system state data displayed for situational awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pilots manually perform each task individually in a checklist fashion, then task completion is ensured, but pilot attention is heavily consumed and manual operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The checklist is segmented into individual tasks that can be independently activated and executed. Each task represents a discrete unit of work that can be automatically performed, allowing the system to break down complex procedures into manageable, automatable segments while maintaining comprehensive task completion tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automation where tasks are automatically executed once activated by the pilot. The automation system performs the manual operations independently, with the pilot only needing to initiate the sequence, thereby reducing ongoing manual intervention while ensuring tasks are completed reliably
2Ease of operation
If automation is increased to reduce manual operations, then pilot workload decreases, but situational awareness and control over aircraft configuration may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements comprehensive feedback mechanisms that continuously display task status, completion progress, and aircraft configuration state to the pilot. This feedback loop ensures the pilot maintains situational awareness of automated actions while reducing manual workload, as the system actively communicates its state and actions back to the pilot through the user interface
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows pilots to pre-configure and activate tasks before they are needed. By preparing task sequences in advance and having them ready for automatic execution, the system reduces last-minute manual operations while keeping the pilot informed of upcoming automated actions, thus maintaining awareness without increasing immediate workload
3Productivity
If single-pilot operations are implemented, then operational efficiency increases, but task management complexity and demands on the pilot increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple task management functions into a unified automated checklist system. By combining task storage, activation, execution monitoring, and status display into an integrated system, the complexity of managing multiple individual tasks is consolidated, allowing single-pilot operations to maintain high efficiency without overwhelming the pilot with分散ed management responsibilities
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic checklist system is disclosed. The system configured to acquire an electronic checklist (ECL), the ECL including a plurality of tasks, each task including a command sequence including one or more command items. The system configured to display the plurality of tasks via a display and receive an initiation input via a user interface. The system configured to transmit one or more communications configured to initiate a performance of one or more automatable actions corresponding to the tasks, the one or more automatable actions configured to at least one of change or measure one or more system states. The system configured to receive system state data. The system configured to display, based on the system state data, one or more completion status graphics indicative of a completion of at least a portion of the plurality of tasks.