Bryan W. Hilton

Doctoral Dissertation Announcement

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Candidate: Bryan W. Hilton

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Psychology

Title: Comparing the Effects of Simulated, Intelligent Audible Checklists and Analog Checklists in Simulated Flight

Committee:
Dr. Ronald Van Houten, Chair
Dr. Al Poling
Dr. Richard Malott
Dr. William Rantz

Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 10:00 a.m. to noon
3723 Wood Hall

Abstract:
This study examines the effect of using a simulated intelligent audible checklist in simulated flight as compared to a standard analog paper checklist. Participants are three Western Michigan University students in the College of Aviation. All participants are licensed pilots with instrument ratings. The main dependent variable is the number of checklist errors or omissions committed by the pilots in simulated flight. During each flight, each participant can make up to 42 errors. The error count initiates at the appropriate time to perform the “before-take off checklist” and ends one minute after parking the plane, the logical time to complete an “after landing checklist”.

A multiple baseline design is implemented in this research. Each participant has a baseline period of three to five flights during which they use the standard analog checklist. The introduction of the audible checklist is determined by either stability in performance or a decrement in performance with any margin to improve performance. Once stability or decrement has been established, each participant is placed into the intervention phase. During baseline phase the three participants average  22.7% compliance per flight. After the simulated audible intelligent checklist intervention is introduced compliance increases to 97%. During the reversal phase compliance decreases to an average of 34%.  Visual inspection of the data suggests that an intelligent audible checklist used during actual flights may decrease in-flight errors and possibly decrease aviation incidents and accidents.