title: Pilot workload during approaches: comparison of simulated standard and noise-abatement profiles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A new noise-reduced landing approach was tested--a Segmented Continuous Descent Approach (SCDA)-with regard to the resulting workload on pilots.
  
  
  METHODS
  Workload of 40 pilots was measured using physiological (heart rate, blood pressure, blink frequency, saliva cortisol concentration) and psychological (fatigue, sleepiness, tension, and task load) parameters. Approaches were conducted in A320 and A330 full-flight simulators during night shift. SCDA was compared to the standard Low Drag Low Power (LDLP) procedure as reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean heart rate and blood pressure during the SCDA were not elevated, but were partly, even significantly, reduced (on average by 5 bpm and 4 mmHg from the flying captain). Cortisol levels did not change significantly with mean values of 0.9 to 1.2 ng ml(-1). Landing was the most demanding segment of both approaches as indicated by significant increases in heart rate and decreases in blink frequency. Subjective task load was low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both approach procedures caused a similar workload level. Interpreting the results, methodological limitations have to be considered, e.g., the artificial and controlled airspace situation in the flight simulator. Nevertheless, it can be concluded that under these ideal conditions, the SCDA is operable without a higher workload for pilots compared to the common LDLP.
authors.affiliation: DLR-German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany. eva-maria.elmenhorst@dlr.de
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Elmenhorst
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vejvoda
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maass
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wenzel
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plath
authors.forename: Ekkehart
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D001359:Aviation; D001767:Blinking; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone