Underload in sky: reducing the passive fatigue of pilots during cruise through an attention guided - active interactive seating system

As highly automated flight systems and single-pilot operations are progressively implemented, the cruise phase is increasingly characterised by sustained underload and monotony, which predisposes pilots to passive fatigue. This condition impairs alertness and situation awareness, thus compromising flight safety. This study presents the development of an Attention Guided - Active Interactive Seating System (AG-AISS) to mitigate passive fatigue during automated cruise and enhance pilot alertness and situation awareness. Twenty-four male pilot trainees participated in an automated-cruise simulation under four intervention conditions: Active Scan (AS), Attentional Guidance (AG), Active Interactive Seating System (AISS), and AG-AISS. Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) scores, percentage of eye closure (PERCLOS), and heart rate were recorded to evaluate the effectiveness of each intervention. The results demonstrated that AG-AISS outperformed the other interventions in reducing passive fatigue and improving situation awareness. AG-AISS is an effective solution for combating passive fatigue in future highly automated cruise operations.