Simulator Evaluations of Increasing Automation in an eVTOL Vehicle on Pilot Performance of Secondary Tasks

The Automation-Enabled Pilot (AEP) studies began as a collaboration between NASA and the FAA to develop an alternative means of compliance for novel powered lift aircraft. The first AEP study focused on developing a set of flight test maneuvers (FTM) for evaluating advanced automation functions in aircraft as an alternative means of compliance. This paper describes the second study in the series (AEP-2), particularly the development and findings associated with pilot performance of a secondary task. The AEP-2 study evaluates the effect of varying levels of automation on pilot workload during the transition from forward flight to hover for a lift-plus-cruise (LPC) aircraft during approach. A secondary task, traffic detection and avoidance, was designed to evaluate how the pilot-automation interaction can change pilot behavior including their scan of the cockpit displays and the out-the-window view.