Ambiguous Cockpit Information: when your cockpit becomes your enemy...

Presented By: Etienne Cote, Bombardier Aviation

Recommended for: All Aviation Professionals 

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

15:15 - 17:00 

Thursday, November 14, 2019

13:00 - 14:45  

There is no doubt that the aviation and airspace industry has some of the highest design standards. To fly such complex machinery, pilots are also trained to very high standards, with a special emphasis on a multitude of non-normal situations. And the key to success is being able to effectively understand and trust the cockpit interface. So, what happens when the cockpit starts to "lie"?

Every year, there are a number of accidents and incidents where Ambiguous Cockpit Information contributed to a decrease in crew Situational Awareness and loss effective control of the aircraft.

How can this happen to highly trained and experienced pilots? Is the training adequate? Can the aircraft system be improved? Is the cockpit interface optimized to support pilots when contradictory information is presented? Is there a way to better prepare flight crews for such events?

This presentation will review a number of accidents related to Ambiguous Cockpit Information and seeks to raise awareness on how to recognize and recover from such events. It will discuss energy management principles, non-normal situation management concepts as well as a few practical exercises.

It will also highlight improvements opportunities at the aircraft design level, crew training curriculum, and regulatory guidance level, so we can collectively elevate the standards of our industry.