Warnings and Cautions - Are We on the Right Track?

With each new generation of tactical jet aircraft, the number of alerts is increasing. Since cockpit space is at a premium, a system of displaying alerts to the aircrew must be designed and integrated into the airframe. A cost effective method of accomplishing this task includes appointing a panel of pilots to advise the manufacturers about the cockpit from a user's point of view. In order to reduce distractions to the aircrew during critical combat phases of flight, a scheme of inhibiting alerts should be adopted. The decision concerning which alerts should be inhibited during which phases of flight should be made by the panel of pilots convened by the manufacturer. The final product will be an airplane that will inform the pilot only of the most severe system failures during combat which will allow the mission to be accomplished without unnecessary distractions, thus reducing the crew's workload.