FLIGHT SAFETY THROUGH CERTIFICATION OF AN AERONAUTICAL DATABASEPRODUCTION PROCESS: A HUMAN-CENTERED APPROACH

摘要

Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File (DAFIF), produced by the National Imagery andMapping Agency (NIMA) is the aeronautical database to be used in a number of military aircraft FlightManagement Systems and Flight Planning Systems. In order to fly in civil airspace, these aircraft mustbe certified for Required Navigation Performance (RNP) as documented in Requirements andTechnical Concepts for Aviation (RTCA) guidelines. While the responsibility for approving theDAFIF data as compliant rests with the user of the data, it is incumbent upon the data provider to makeavailable to the data users the documentation necessary to evaluate the degree to which the dataprovider’s processes are RTCA compliant. As processor and supplier of DAFIF, NIMA contractedwith Air Force Research Laboratory, Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/HE) to conduct apreliminary compliance audit on the DAFIF database production process. AFRL employed a multiphasedapproach, incorporating Quality Function Deployment and Cognitive Task Analysis techniquesto analyze, document, and evaluate the complex and dynamic DAFIF production process which ishighly dependent upon human expertise and decision-making skills. Using a uniquely linked softwaretool, all DAFIF production documentation was incorporated into a multifaceted software packagewhich will require minimal additional resources to maintain and update throughout NIMA’scontinuous spiral development program.