Automation airmanship and safety connnect

CANADA: The recent Canada's Air Force's publication of its 2008 Automation Policy and Planning Development (APPD) Analysis Report puts a runway-degree spotlight on automation airman ship. The dramatic safe landing of a US Airways passenger jet into New York's Hudson River on January 15 highlighted the importance of aviation automation and safety something that the report stresses to highlight.

The report, based on data collected from seven Air Force locations across Canada, details ways in which Air Force polices, standards, and training can be improved to increase operational effectiveness. One of the recommendations is developing aircrew training to keep up with advances in training methodologies.

The report emphasises a greater need for automation in tactical environments.

As Lieutenant Colonel Colin Keiver, project authority states as per a press release, “ Automation allows the crew to download tasks to the airplane. When the airplane is doing tasks that were traditionally done by the crew, the crew is able to do other high level tasks. So automation increases operational effectiveness and safety.

Another key recommendation of the report was that the Air Force creates a standards organisation responds for co-ordinating Air Force automation activities. It also highlighted the need for a standardized language.