ABSTRACT
Automation in the modern cockpit has changed the flying role into a monitoring role. Now humans must give sustained attention to software displays which describe the state of the aircraft as a transport device. Sustained attention, or vigilance, is the ability of observers to maintain their focus of attention and to remain alert to stimuli over prolonged periods of time (Warm, 1984). A persistent and dominating feature of the vigilance process is its instability, which manifests as the vigilance decrement, or the decline in vigilance with time. The various vigilance theories will be briefly reviewed, before considering those that are particularly relevant to the monitoring role in long range commercial aircraft. TTie vigilance process results from organised patterns of neural activity in nervous system networks that are still being characterised. Our understanding of the vigilance process has resulted from the use of a variety of indirect and direct investigatory methods. The characteristics of the neural networks responsible for vigilance will be considered as will the links with the neural networks important in arousal regulation.
