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How can pilots manage surprise in highly automated airliners?

Since the 1980s, flying has become increasingly automated, which has huge advantages. But EU-funded researchers wondered how today's pilots might fare when forced to fly a plane the "old-fashioned" way. Their project identified weak manual flying skills and made recommendations to improve them.

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date:  20/05/2016

Project:  Manual Operation for 4th Generation Airl...

acronym:  Man4Gen

See also:  CORDIS

In modern aircraft, an autopilot system calculates bearings and fuel needed to get from one city to another, while other systems detect malfunctioning components and guide the pilot’s response. While these automation systems have substantial and proven safety benefits, evidence indicates that, when faced with unexpected and challenging situations, pilots sometimes have difficulty making a rapid transition from monitoring very reliable systems to exercising manual control of an aircraft that requires active and authoritative decision making.