Conceptual design guidelines to rediscover systems engineering for automated flight decks

An analysis of more than 50 accidents involving automated commercial transp ort aircraft showed that most of them attributed to pilot error involved re programming of automated systems. An examination of current aircraft automa tion and automation-related training and operations strongly suggests that a major factor in this situation is the lack of adequate systems engineerin g in the automation development process. An examination of contemporary com mercial aircraft systems under guidelines developed in the systems engineer ing process for an early military terrain-following system reveals weakness es in the design of the commercial systems. Commercial aviation could benef it substantially from more extensive use of proven systems engineering prac tices.