Abstract
The development of vehicles harnessing the “wing-in-ground-effect” (WIGE) has risen in popularity as they are seen as a desirable form of transportation over large bodies of water. Ground effect vehicles can reach higher speeds because of their ability to produce increased lift and reduced drag when near a surface like the ocean. Military applications of WIGE are increasing in interest as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is working on the “Liberty Lifter,” which is aimed at speeding up the transportation of payloads over water. The shape and design of the airfoil for a WIGE vehicle are important for the enhanced lift capabilities. To aid in this effort, research is being done on how bleed channels can be used to improve the lift characteristics of a NACA4412 airfoil. The new airfoil with informed bleed channel designs will be tested in a Low-Speed Wind Tunnel with a ground-effect-involving apparatus to quantify the changes in lift. Data collected from these experimentations will be provided to co-collaborators at Johns Hopkins University to further research in enhanced airfoil designs.
While this technology is still in the development phase and not ready for deployment, there are important considerations regarding how pilots of these vehicles will interact with the flight deck systems. Specifically, pilots of these new aircraft will need to navigate autopilot systems unique to this type, which will heavily influence how they learn to fly.
Because of the different working parts that influence a pilot's preparedness for flight, Actor-Network Theory will be used to examine the complex sociotechnical networks, including pilots, airlines, regulators, and automated systems that collectively shape how pilots are trained and prepared for increasingly automated cockpit environments. By treating both human and non-human elements as symmetrical actors, ANT allows for a fuller understanding of how these networks interact and what consequences emerge when automation becomes more prevalent in aviation. A combination of a historical and literature review will be performed to inform a policy brief, or a recommendation can be made outlining how the industry should tackle the growing prevalence of automation in the cockpit. The history of automation in the aviation industry, airline training practices, and current pilot experiences will be gathered from this research, which can help inform the future of the aviation industry as new pilots enter the workforce. A pilot's preparedness is vital for safe skies, so the information gathered here can serve as a foundation for improving training standards and ensuring that the next generation of pilots is equipped to handle the demands of modern automated flight.
The novelty of WIGE aircraft would benefit from examining how traditional aircraft and pilot training practices influence a pilot's preparedness. Because these pilots would be flying very close to the water's surface, being prepared for when things go wrong is invaluable, and the lessons learned from automation's impact on traditional aviation training must be deliberately applied to ensure WIGE pilots are never caught underprepared in one of the most unforgiving flight environments imaginable.
