Beware of Agents when Flying Aircraft: Basic Principles Behind a Generic Methodology for the Evaluation and Certification of Advanced Aviation Systems

There is currently a growing interest in the aeronautical community to elicit the effects of the increasing levels of automation on pilots’ performance and overall safety.

The first effect of automation is the change in the nature of the pilot’s role on the flight deck. Pilots have become supervisors who monitor aircraft systems in usual situations and intervene only when unanticipated events occur. Instead of “hand flying” the airplane, pilots contribute to the control of aircraft by acting as a mediator, instructions being given to the automation.