Operational Considerations Related to Cockpit Automation and Crew Complement in the C-17

<p>The newest airlifter in the Air Force inventory the C-17 has a cockpit crew complement of two (pilot and copilot). This is a departure from the traditional airlift crew makeup that included additional crewmembers to handle navigation and aircraft systems. The extensive use of cockpit automation allowed this crew reduction. Major airlines also making extensive use of cockpit automation are finding challenges with automation in their fairly routine and mundane ops (compared with that of the military). Recent research has shown that automation can actually rather than decreasing workload increase cockpit workload beyond that of less automated aircraft during those periods where workload is already traditionally high. The mission of the C-17 is likely to see a less experienced crew flying low-level in a threat environment talking to multiple controlling agencies and trying to get into a location they`ve never seen after a 15 hour double air-refueling flight from the continental United States. These issues warrant operational consideration when employing the C-17 on some of it's most demanding missions and are also applicable to other new or upgraded aircraft where similar cockpit/crew situations exist.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>