Preliminary study of the pilot’s workload during emergency procedures in helicopters air operations

Abstract

Military air operations and law enforcement operations in helicopters are examples of activities that require high performance of the operator. This article aimed at presenting a preliminary analysis of data obtained in the initial study in order to validate the instruments and the research protocol that focuses on the analysis of the workload imposed on helicopter pilots in emergency situations. The research was conducted in an environment of real flight training and used the NASA-TLX Scale to assess the workload and an interview guide to obtain reports on the main tasks performed. Preliminary data obtained is related to the participation of 10 (ten) volunteer pilots with experience in different types of helicopters. Four scenarios involving helicopter emergency procedures of HB-350 "Squirrel” were outlined. For this article, the analysis used only the data regarding the Physical and Mental Demands of the NASA-TLX Scale. Preliminarily, the results indicate that the "time pressure" as a factor contributing to increase mental requirement in emergency situations in flight, and that this increase was reflected in the request of mental processes such as: identification of the breakdown, attention and monitoring parameters. Future steps include extending the sample and adding physiological tools to better understand the effects of these types of emergencies on pilot performance and flight safety.