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The FAA is working to improve small aircraft safety.

Many of the accidents involving small general aviation planes occur because of pilot error. In an effort to mitigate this, researchers at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center are working to make flying safer by improving automated flight control systems and cockpit displays in general aviation aircraft.

Pilots flying small aircraft sometimes find themselves in unusual situations, for example, making turns that are too tight or climbs that are too steep causing aircraft loss of control, pilot disorientation, or aircraft stalls. In order to keep the plane straight and level, pilots must locate and correctly interpret information on the cockpit display that indicates speed, altitude, heading, pitch, and roll.

The FAA is looking to make cockpit displays more user-friendly and safer for the pilot. For example, in the future, the pilot may be able to program a destination into the aircraft flight control system. The pilot may also be able to point the nose of the plane at a specific area on the cockpit display. In addition, prompts on the display screen would tell the pilot what actions to take. In these scenarios, the pilot is still in charge of the controls and flying the plane in the right direction; however, the airplane becomes much simpler and safer to fly.

Evaluating new displays and controls usually requires flight testing. At the Technical Center, researchers are using flight simulators as well as flight tests that allow them to adjust flight controls and cockpit displays to better understand how new technologies will impact pilots.

By testing new cockpit instrumentation, the FAA is better able to protect pilots from making dangerous mistakes, preventing general aviation accidents and saving lives.