Exploring Pilot Workload During Professional Pilot Primary Training and Development: A Feasibility Study

Workload is an effective analytical attribute that helps to evaluate a pilot’s performance while operating an aircraft yet is an under-researched construct in aviation. In the foundational study, we sought to utilize electroencephalogram (EEG) and flight simulator performance data to explore the relationship between mental and physical workload of pilots as they completed routine flight activities. The study focused on two specific metrics- the EEG response (sensory inhibition, and attention) and a physical workload metric derived from flight control activity and the deviation from reference pitch and bank attitudes. Five pilots participated in the study, each completing five sessions in an Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD). The results were inconclusive but seemed to indicate trends that were reasonably linked to pilot’s skill profile. A more complete and nuanced understanding of how mental and physical workloads relate to pilot activity may be determined from additional research with a larger sample size and broader range of performance metrics and assessment strategies.