IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2019 - 77

position measurements. Such developments enhance the geographical awareness of the pilots and
subsequently, they reduce incidents of loss of situation awareness.
In contrast to certified positioning technologies,
tablets and software applications can be described
as off-the-shelf technologies only because these
technologies have not benefited from the same
exhaustive quality assurance as other avionic systems. However, the substantially reduced costs of
owning a multi-purpose tablet coupled with the ease
of flight planning they provide has encouraged pilots
to use them. Due to cost-sensitivity of GA pilots,
stakeholders in the United Kingdom are currently
working on developing a low-cost electronic technology that makes the aircraft visible to other air traffic
and calculates the aircraft's position using satellites
[6]. If indeed this is the future, then more information will be presented on the graphic map on the
tablet display. This technology mimics the concept
of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast
(ADS-B) that will be mandatory for use by aircraft
operating in certain controlled airspace areas by
2020 [7]. The costs of installing such a device initiated discussions among the GA community, particularly in Europe with respect to the cost-benefit ratio for
the GA pilots who rarely use air traffic services [8],
[9]. Similar technologies that share information with
nearby aircraft have already been developed specifically for gliders to improve their traffic awareness. A
prerequisite, however, was that all gliders flying in
the area be equipped with the device. While not
being mandatory, the gliding community positively
responded to this call.
Despite their increased use, space-based navigation
and software applications are meant to assist GA pilots
but not to be their primary navigation aids. These technologies are also excluded from the pilots' training.
Given efforts in developing technologies that utilize satellites and portable computers, it is likely that electronic
displays and satellites will be soon used across GA,
highlighting the need to safely integrate such new technologies into the cockpit.

signal, and a technical failure of the tablet's components,
programs, and the software application itself. The tablet
can run out of battery power, an ongoing challenge for
electronic devices. Given that GA pilots can often fly for
more than an hour, their devices can run out of battery
during the return flight to their home airfield or during
cross-country flights, and thus pilots need to plan
ahead and consider using alternative resources. Should
such a technological failure occur, the question remains
as to whether the pilot can successfully change tools in
flight to continue the flight. Other potential issues can
be batteries that could fail in various weather conditions including low temperatures, displays that can
always freeze, or urgent software updates that should
have been done pre-flight that prevent the technology
from working in-flight.
Internet connection and connection with satellites
varies up in the sky and the pilot needs to systematically monitor the quality of the connection in order to
read real time information instead of delayed information, that is, if the tablet supports Internet reception
and is not limited to a wireless connection. The window display of the aircraft and the location of the
GNSS receiver can further reduce the quality of the
connection with satellites. Considering that tablets are
often also used in daily life and perhaps by other
users, e.g., other household members, settings changes can stay unnoticed. Finally, there is always the risk
of signal interference, and of viruses or bugs that can
result in erroneous measurements, again with no or
late notice.

Aging Population and Ergonomics

Enduring Challenges
The changes in flight planning and navigation can cause
safety issues that originate from failures of assistive
technologies, depending on the manner in which the
technologies are used.

Technological Failures
Failures of such space-based navigation devices and
software applications can originate from a variety of
sources: a weak Internet connection, a weak satellite

SEPTEMBER 2019

Changes in flight planning and
navigation can cause safety issues
that originate from failures of
assistive technologies.

∕

The GA population is aging. The age of GA pilots ranges from 18 to 90 years of age, with the average age
of pilots being 50 and 60 in the United Kingdom and
Canada, respectively [2], [9]. As physical and cognitive performance naturally degrades with age [10],
touch screens and software applications require
actions that an older individual might find too
demanding, e.g., zooming in on the map, clicking
buttons, and navigating across software application,
to easily use.

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2019