From field work analysis to a cognitive model and the design of support systems: assistance to fighter pilots

An in-depth approach to the cognitive modeling and computerization of fighter pilot activity was conducted over a period of years in the framework of development of an electronic copilot program for the future fighter plane, the Rafale. Several flying field-experiments have been conducted. The resulting model aims at demonstrating that a time-limited complex and risky task can be carried out with limited resources. Here, the operator´s art lies in his ability to systematically plan and prepare actions, reduce and simplify the world as much as possible, foresee problems and actively avoid unknown situations. The last section examines the ways in which this model served in the design of a support system, which rather than being conceived as a means of remedying operator defects, is aimed at optimizing the intelligence of his behavior. This new support philosophy leads to a more general discussion of the drawbacks of current support modes