Examination of Factors Related to Pilot Acceptance Behaviors Toward the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System in Fighter Aircraft Operations

ABSTRACT Objective: This research aimed to explore an application of the technology acceptance model (TAM) to integration of the automatic ground collision avoidance system (AGCAS) in fighter aircraft operations to gain a better understanding of the pilots’ acceptance behavior with respect to a high-level automated system. Background: AGCAS has been deployed to prevent loss of F-16 fighters from ground collision using a high-level automation design capable of altering the aircraft’s flight control system independent of pilot action. Understanding pilots’ acceptance behavior with respect to the system could allow future stakeholders to make reasonable inferences about some factors that are important to achieving positive pilot acceptance of highly automated aircraft systems. Method: Using data from a survey of active-duty U.S. Air Force F-16 operational fighter pilots (N = 142), an AGCAS-specific TAM was analyzed using the structural equation modeling method. Results: This study indicated that perceived ease of use had a significant, but only medium-sized relationship with perceived usefulness. The other result was that perceived usefulness has a strong relationship with usage behavior. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the potential utility of a model for technology acceptance tailored to explain user acceptance behavior with respect to a high-level fighter aircraft automated collision avoidance system.