Date of Award

Spring 5-2017

Access Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Aviation

Department

College of Aviation

Committee Chair

Dothang Truong

First Committee Member

Dennis A. Vincenzi

Second Committee Member

Mark A. Friend

Third Committee Member

Nhut Ho

Abstract

The leading cause of F-16 fighter aircraft and fighter pilot losses is ground collisions. In an effort to curb this hazard, an automatic ground collision avoidance system (AGCAS) was formally fielded for use in routine U.S. Air Force active-duty F-16 operations in 2014. AGCAS uses a high-level automation design capable of altering the aircraft’s flight control system independent of pilot action.

This study explored an application of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to integration of the AGCAS in fighter aircraft operations. Using data from a survey of active-duty U.S. Air Force F-16 operational fighter pilots (n=142), collected shortly after initial AGCAS fielding, an AGCAS-specific TAM was analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique. Hypotheses describing the relationships between an AGCAS-TAM’s latent variables: AGCAS perceived usefulness, AGCAS perceived ease of use, and AGCAS usage behavior. The results provided evidence of the validity and utility of an AGCAS-TAM to user acceptance of high-level automation in fighter aircraft operations.

Download

Share

COinS