Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 6

Commercial Airline Single-Pilot Operations: System Design and Pathways to Certification
for trajectory planning, negotiation and validation [17]; as well as
cognitive-adaptive interfaces [11]. The development and implementation of these systems is the key for enabling the transition
of SPO from GA to commercial operations. In the long term, it is
envisaged that SPO can eventually be extended from short-andmedium range commercial airliners to long-range operations.

SINGLE-PILOT OPERATIONS - TASK ANALYSIS

Figure 2.

De-crewing and transition to SPO as a result of increased levels of automation.

aircraft have a lower passenger-to-crew ratio and thus incur more
significant crew costs as compared to wide-body aircraft [14]. In
particular, cargo aircraft (e.g., courier companies) are feasible testbeds for the initial implementation phase due to public perception
of the risks associated with travelling in single-pilot aircraft. Careful consideration must be given to the risks and challenges associated with the implementation process (Table 1) in the context of a
wide variety of airport and air traffic environments.
Next-generation air traffic management (ATM) operations will
require aircraft to fly 4-dimensional (4D) trajectories with high
precision. To ensure required levels of safety, capacity, and efficiency, future CNS systems will provide greater capabilities to
pilots in the areas of air-to-ground collaborative decision making;
automated separation assurance and conflict avoidance (SA&CA)
[15] and integrity augmentation [16]; intelligent decision support

The reduction of the aircrew size requires changes to the responsibilities of relevant personnel so as to accommodate a new operational mode in which the pilot is supported by ground crew.
The responsibilities of the ground crew are to assist the pilot in
any adverse or high workload conditions, and to take over the responsibility of the pilot during an event of incapacitation. These
responsibilities can be allocated to both strategic and tactical level
tasks, requiring an evolution of the current airline operational centre operator (AOCO) role and the introduction of a new ground
operator (GO) role, which is analogous to that of a RPAS GO. The
AOCO assists the pilot with strategic tasks such as dispatch, optimal route planning, and coordination with ATCo while the GO
assists the pilot with tactical or emergency tasks such as rerouting
and conflict resolution. In case of PF incapacitation, the GO will
perform duties similar to those of an RPAS operator executing an
emergency mission egress (i.e., landing in minimum time) and the
associated landing procedure in coordination with the ATCo (Figure 1). This can be either to destination, return-to-base, or to an
alternate airport depending on the current operational flight phase.
The AOCO typically monitors multiple aircraft (up to 12 [18]) for
increased operational efficiency while the GO assumes control of a
limited number of aircraft to ensure the required safety levels. The
SPO ground station enables the distribution of flight tasks and, in
the event of pilot incapacitation, allows the GO to control the aircraft as an RPAS operator (Figure 3). A typical SPO work station
comprises a cockpit situation display (CSD) to indicate the routes,
positions, and hazards of aircraft and also an integrated interface

Table 1.

SPO Risk Analysis
Risk

6

Transition

Risk Class

Reliability of non-mature technology

There are already solutions in business jet market
(e.g., Embraer Phenom 300)

Medium

Safety issues (physical and cyber)

Automation may provide higher levels of safety
(reduced human error)

Medium

Public opinion: acceptance of flying
with only one pilot

Progressive implementation

High to medium

Cost and difficulty of airworthiness
certification

Moderate compared to RPAS and potentially
serving as a transition case

High to Medium

Overload of the pilot

Higher level of automation will contribute to
decrease the pilot's workload

Medium

Cost of implementation (training
and avionics)

Economic efficiency (same number of pilots can fly
more aircraft)
IEEE A&E SYSTEMS MAGAZINE

Low

JULY 2017



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017

No label
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - No label
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - Cover2
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 1
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 2
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 3
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 4
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 5
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 6
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 7
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 8
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 9
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 10
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 11
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 12
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 13
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 14
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 15
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 16
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 17
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 18
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 19
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 20
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 21
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 22
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 23
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 24
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 25
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 26
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 27
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 28
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 29
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 30
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 31
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 32
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 33
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 34
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 35
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 36
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 37
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 38
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 39
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 40
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 41
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 42
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 43
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 44
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 45
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 46
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 47
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 48
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 49
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 50
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 51
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 52
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 53
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 54
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 55
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 56
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 57
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 58
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 59
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 60
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 61
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 62
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 63
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - 64
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - Cover3
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine July 2017 - Cover4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/34-2s
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/34-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/34-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-09
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/33-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-7s
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/32-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/31-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/31-11s
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/31-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/31-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/31-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/31-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/aesm/31-7
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com