The Human Computer in Flight Control

It is the unique decision-making ability which makes the human operator particularly suited to accomplish flight control computation. His decisions range from the simplest repetitive determination of control actions, each intended to minimize the error, to complex problems of the sequential reprogramming of all the lower levels of decision which, in totality, comprise his information transduction process. The human sensory-input and motor-output channels must be properly used in order to insure maximum efficiency of the over-all human computer. The perceived noise can only be separated from the signal after the decision-making operation to be performed has been clearly identified. Human noise filter and information handling rate characteristics may be enhanced through the utilization of inherent qualities of the various input and output channels. A brief summary is made of the considerable effort which has been devoted toward the development of mathematical models for human tracking. It is emphasized that the human decision-making ability must be incorporated into the model before a realistic representation can be attained. A stochastic model is considered which is constructed in a heuristic manner, incorporating the decision-making ability. Specific direction is indicated which may yield the most fruitful approach to the mathematical analysis of human flight control computation. This future model would be of great value as a link between the related work in the fields of neurophysiology, biophysics, and psychology. Most important, it should provide a cockpit synthesis technique which will aid the design of future manned aircraft.