Assessment of Pilot Workload During Boeing 767 Normal and Abnormal Operating Conditions

Following the completion of a study designed to compare the levels of pilot workload experienced in the later generation Boeing 767 with those experienced in the earlier B737, it seemed appropriate to assess levels of workload generated by flight failures and emergencies in the B767. It is clearly impracticable to carry out such assessments during normal passenger flights and so it was decided to use the 767 flight simulator for the study. Firstly, though, it was necessary to examine the suitability of the simulator by comparing levels of workload experienced during normal operations in the aircraft with those experienced in the simulator.

The technique used to assess workload is the same as that used previously, namely - workload ratings complemented by recordings of pilots' heart rates.

Several examples of workload levels (as ratings and heart rate responses) generated by normal and abnormal flight conditions are presented in order to demonstrate the value of a good flight simulator for this type of study. In addition, results from the study so far suggest that levels of workload associated with flight failures and emergencies in the B767 are quite acceptable for well-trained line pilots.