ABSTRACT
Workload is important to us because it is central to an understanding of pilot performance and therefore to the efficient operation of the aviation system. Workload can be expressed as an internal phenomenon that if too high, can cause the operator to experience difficulty, discomfort, or anxiety. The Federal Aviation Regulations covers workload, which specifies, as described, Airworthiness Standards: Air Transport Category. Throughout the industry, there is general agreement with the President's Task Force that there is a need for more valid and reliable workload assessment techniques, and for improved assessment of cockpit workload. Unfortunately, there is too much individual variability and too little reliable direct correlation between the physical traits being measured and workload. Modifications from the original Cooper-Harper scale included changing the rating scale, asking the pilots to rate mental workload rather than controllability, and emphasizing difficulties rather than deficiencies. The Workload Assessment Technique has been used by the US Air Force and the US Army.
