7 Eye Tracking Metrics That Improve Pilot Training

Eye tracking technology is transforming pilot training by providing detailed insights into how pilots process information, manage stress, and maintain situational awareness. From measuring gaze patterns to detecting cognitive load, these metrics help instructors tailor training programs and improve flight safety. Here’s what you need to know:

Time Spent on Instruments: Reveals decision-making efficiency and mental workload.

– Eye Movement Distance: Tracks scanning efficiency and cockpit familiarity.
– Visual Search Patterns: Highlights structured vs. unstructured scanning behaviors.
– Pupil Size Changes: Indicates cognitive load and stress levels.
– Blinking Patterns: Detects fatigue and mental strain in real-time.
– Attention Distribution: Assesses focus across cockpit instruments.
– Scan Speed Between Instruments: Measures multitasking and situational awareness.

Why It Matters:

Nearly 50% of aviation accidents are tied to poor cockpit monitoring. Eye tracking tools like SOMAREALITY and Smart Eye provide real-time data to identify gaps in training and improve pilot performance. These metrics are shaping safer skies and more effective training programs.

How to Improve Flight Safety with Eye Tracking: Pilot Training and Simulation

1. Time Spent Looking at Instruments

How long a pilot spends looking at instruments can give insights into how they process information and make decisions. This varies significantly depending on their experience and specific role in the cockpit.

Pilots with 1,500–2,150 flight hours tend to have shorter, more frequent glances at instruments compared to less experienced pilots with 40–70 flight hours. For example, fighter pilots operating at high speeds quickly shift their attention between cockpit displays and the outside world [3].

Role Scanning Characteristics Impact on Decision-Making
Pilot Flying Focused scan patterns Faster decisions
Pilot Monitoring More attention to key details Slower decision-making

“You find yourself focused on one task for what feels like slightly or way too long a period of time.” – Isabel Goyer, Editor-in-Chief, Plane & Pilot Magazine [4]

Experienced pilots with 3,000–10,300 flight hours spend more time monitoring their surroundings during taxiing, showing a higher level of situational awareness [3].
However, spending too much time on instruments can indicate mental overload. In such cases, using autopilot can help shift attention to other critical tasks [4].

2. Eye Movement Distance

Eye movement distance helps evaluate how efficiently pilots scan instruments and how familiar they are with the cockpit. Using Smart Eye’s remote eye tracking technology, the exact distance a pilot’s eyes travel between instruments during simulations is measured. This data is then used to refine training programs and improve scanning techniques.

Hinfact has incorporated Smart Eye’s technology into its training systems, revealing that shorter eye movement distances often align with improved system performance [6]. These insights have a direct impact on enhancing safety during actual flights.

“Knowing where the pilot is looking is necessary but not sufficient information for determining instrument symbology, design and location.” – Amos A. Spady, NASA-Langley Research Center [5]

One notable application followed the 2015 ATR 72-600 crash into the Keelung River. This tragic event spurred researchers to create advanced cockpit visual tracking systems that analyze eye movement patterns. Today, this technology plays a critical role in accident investigations, improving training methods, and shaping cockpit design.

3. Visual Search Patterns

Visual search patterns play a key role in understanding pilot performance, much like time spent on instruments and eye movement distance. According to NTSB data, 84% of major US aviation accidents involve poor monitoring practices, highlighting the importance of effective visual scanning strategies [3].

Experienced pilots scan differently compared to novices. For instance, top-performing pilots spend about 167 milliseconds on Areas of Interest (AOIs), while novices average 274 milliseconds [7]. These differences are directly linked to better flight performance and safety. Here’s a closer look at the data:

Key Scanning Patterns

Research identifies four main scanning patterns pilots use:

– Speed Pattern: Quick shifts between the speed and attitude indicators to maintain proper airspeed.
– Vertical Deviation Pattern: Focuses on alternating between altitude/vertical speed indicators and the attitude indicator to control altitude.
– Lateral Deviation Pattern: Involves transitions between heading/lateral deviation indicators and the attitude indicator to stay on course.
– General Attitude Pattern: A systematic scan that includes the speed indicator, attitude indicator, ECAM (Engine/Warning Display), heading, and altitude indicators.

“While the research literature on eye-tracking shows that there are a few recognizable scanning patterns within the ‘basic T’ indications when performing a manual approach, no one has identified a meaningful scanning pattern across the full-flight deck interface.” – Mumaw [7]

Real-World Implications

The crash of Turkish Airlines flight 1951 illustrates the dangers of poor visual scanning. The Dutch Safety Board found the crew overlooked critical speed and pitch issues until a stall warning sounded [7]. This incident underscores the importance of thorough and structured scanning.

Today, advanced eye-tracking tools, like those from SOMAREALITY, allow real-time monitoring of pilots’ scanning behaviors. These tools help identify gaps in monitoring before they lead to accidents. Data from such technology shows expert pilots use more varied and comprehensive transitions between instruments, ensuring all critical displays are covered [3].

4. Pupil Size Changes

Pupil diameter offers a window into pilots’ mental states during flight. It typically ranges from 2–8 mm, adjusting light intake by up to 16 times [8]. But beyond reacting to light, changes in pupil size also reveal critical information about mental workload and stress.

Cognitive Load Assessment

Pupil dilation is directly tied to mental effort during flight tasks. In October 2021, SMU and CAE USA showcased how pupil measurements, combined with other biometric data, could transform pilot training. Their system analyzes situational awareness in real time, allowing for immediate intervention when pilots face cognitive overload [10].

Evidence-Based Applications

Research involving Navy and Marine Corps student pilots found a strong link between learning progress and pupil size. A notable negative correlation (r = -0.80) in peak pupil sizes across training sessions pointed to improved cognitive efficiency [9]. These findings help instructors identify key moments in training:

– Cognitive overload: Sustained pupil dilation during complex tasks
– Adapting successfully: Gradual reduction in peak pupil size
– Ready for advancement: Stabilized pupil size during routine operations

“Our research will yield the first real-time measure of situation awareness, a critical high-order cognitive construct for dynamic, high stakes domains such as military aviation. For example, our machine learning classifiers could identify a breakdown in perception, allowing the remediation of poor visual scans. A breakdown in comprehension could also be mitigated by ensuring students remain within the zone of maximal adaptability via real-time training complexity adaptation. Thus, mission readiness could be achieved more effectively and rapidly.” Sandro Scielzo, Ph.D., a principal Human Systems scientist at CAE USA [10]

SOMAREALITY’s cognitive load algorithm takes this a step further by enabling instructors to track pupil responses and brightness of the environment in real time. This allows training difficulty to be adjusted based on objective data rather than subjective judgment. For example, during emergency procedure training, instructors can monitor pupil size to assess whether pilots are making sound decisions or experiencing cognitive overload. This approach helps create tailored training programs that build mental resilience while avoiding unnecessary stress. Real-time tracking of pupil responses also sets the stage for deeper exploration of cognitive indicators, as covered in upcoming metrics.

5. Blinking Patterns

Blinking patterns can reveal signs of pilot fatigue and mental strain during flight operations. SOMAREALITY uses eye-tracking technology to monitor blink rate, long closure rate, and blink duration to evaluate pilot alertness. This data helps trainers quickly spot fatigue.

Fatigue Detection Through Blink Analysis

Studies with sleep-deprived pilots in a 4.5-hour flight simulation showed that blink rate (BR) and long closure rate (LCR) were strong predictors of errors during flight maneuvers [11]. For straight and level flying tasks (SLTs), LCR was particularly linked to higher error rates [11].

Real-Time Performance Monitoring

Blink data, like other eye-tracking metrics, offers real-time insights into cognitive states [12]. Over longer sessions, increased blink rate and duration often align with declining performance. This allows training programs to:

– Pinpoint the best times for training based on consistent blink patterns
– Recognize early signs of fatigue before performance drops
– Adapt task difficulty using real-time physiological feedback

SOMAREALITY’s system works with existing eye-tracking tools, eliminating the need for major hardware upgrades. This makes it especially useful for long training sessions, where traditional subjective fatigue checks might overlook early warning signs of reduced alertness.

6. Attention Distribution

SOMAREALITY’s eye-tracking technology monitors how pilots distribute their attention across cockpit instruments. Studies show that understanding and improving attention distribution is key to spotting gaps in scanning and refining pilot training.

Distribution Patterns in Military Aviation

Research on military pilots performing air-to-surface tasks provides a clear picture of attention allocation. The Head-Up Display (HUD) takes up the majority of visual focus – 70.29%. Meanwhile, looking outside the cockpit (OC) accounts for 28.47%. Other instruments receive only a fraction of attention:

This imbalance highlights the need for training programs that address uneven visual focus.

Impact on Training Programs

Using these findings, training programs now aim to improve pilots’ scanning habits. Poor attention distribution has been linked to serious accidents [3]. SOMAREALITY’s system identifies effective scanning behaviors by analyzing expert pilots. These pilots typically show frequent fixations on key areas, shorter fixation times, and smoother transitions between instruments.

Practical Applications

Eye-tracking analysis has already shown its value in understanding attention-related issues. For instance, during a Skippers Aviation incident, the crew became overly focused on a cloud break, ignoring the aircraft’s rate of descent [13]. SOMAREALITY’s system could have detected this misplaced focus and triggered corrective actions.

Pilots also report benefits from learning about attention patterns. In fact, 75% of pilots said that understanding visual requirements for different flight phases improved their monitoring skills [3]. These insights have led to three focused training methods:

– Task-Specific Scanning: Pilots get tailored feedback on their attention patterns during specific flight phases, helping them refine their scanning techniques.
– Expert Pattern Analysis: Training programs now include examples from experienced pilots, showing how to efficiently distribute attention across instruments.
– Real-Time Monitoring: SOMAREALITY’s system offers instant feedback when attention strays from optimal patterns, enabling quick adjustments during training.

7. Scan Speed Between Instruments

SOMAREALITY’s eye-tracking technology measures how quickly pilots shift their focus between cockpit instruments. Research highlights that scan speed plays a key role in how well a pilot balances attention across tasks – an essential skill tied to situational awareness and multitasking.

Expert vs. Novice Scanning Patterns

Studies reveal that pilots spend 42–67% of their total dwell time on the attitude indicator (AI) during various maneuvers. Instructor pilots consistently outperform students in detection and reaction times [14], emphasizing the need for effective scanning habits.

Here’s a breakdown of typical dwell times based on flight simulation studies and VMC guidelines [17]:

These differences in dwell time highlight how display formats can influence scanning efficiency.

Impact of Display Format

A flight simulation study found that scanning behavior changes significantly when comparing analog systems to fully digital ones [15]. Without analog needles, pilots often:

– Visit the airspeed indicator (ASI) more frequently
– Spend less time fixating on vertical speed indicators
– Make more transitions between primary flight displays

Practical Applications

SOMAREALITY’s system has been instrumental in accident investigations. Abnormal scan speeds have been linked to critical errors during flight [14].

Insights Into Cognitive Processes

Scanning data reveals more than just eye movements – it provides a glimpse into a pilot’s thought process. For example, a study using Hidden Markov Models achieved nearly 80% accuracy in matching estimated task focus to pilots’ verbal reports. This kind of data can reshape how training programs are designed.

Training Implications

“Scanning the instruments does not mean a random or rushed path, but rather a disciplined approach to assembling all the important information and creating a complete picture of the flight.” [16]

Efficient scanning speeds not only enhance situational awareness but also allow for targeted improvements in training. SOMAREALITY’s cognitive monitoring algorithms helps instructors pinpoint when pilots exhibit:

– Slow gaze transitions
– Over-fixation on specific displays
– Missed critical details during cross-checks
– Inefficient scanning habits

Conclusion

Eye tracking is reshaping pilot training by uncovering insights into cognitive performance and learning behaviors. Data reveals that around 48% of commercial aviation accidents and incidents are linked to insufficient monitoring of critical parameters [18], emphasizing the pressing need for better training methods.

SOMAREALITY’s cognitive monitoring system, alongside other eye-tracking technologies, has shown measurable progress in three core areas:

Enhanced Training Efficiency

Real-time feedback on scan behavior has become a powerful training tool. A 1982 study by NASA, Piedmont Aviation, and Old Dominion University using a Boeing 737 simulator showed how instant feedback on scan patterns could revolutionize pilot education [19]. This technology allows instructors to:

– Pinpoint areas where pilots need extra practice
– Offer precise feedback during simulations
– Shorten training time while improving skill development

Safety Improvement

Research by the Naval Medical Research Unit, which used Smart Eye technology in spinning cockpit simulators [18], shows how eye tracking helps analyze spatial disorientation and refine safety protocols. This work has led to more realistic training scenarios, better preparing pilots for difficult conditions.

“Understanding human behavior will benefit aviation safety, space exploration, and enable safe, autonomous flight.” – NASA Research Scientists [2]

Incorporating eye-tracking data into pilot training programs marks a major step forward in aviation safety and education. By providing objective performance metrics and optimizing training processes, this technology equips pilots to handle the complexities of modern aviation.