What are the most effective ways to teach aviation students how to manage their workload during flights?

1 Define workload

Before you can teach your students how to manage their workload, you need to explain what workload is and how it affects their performance and safety. Workload is not a fixed or objective measure, but a subjective perception that depends on various factors, such as the pilot's experience, training, personality, mood, health, motivation, and preferences. Workload also varies according to the flight phase, the aircraft type, the weather conditions, the airspace complexity, the traffic density, the communication requirements, and the emergency situations. You can use examples, scenarios, and questions to illustrate the different sources and levels of workload that pilots may encounter during flights.

2 Assess workload

The next step is to teach your students how to assess their workload and recognize when it is too high or too low. You can use different methods and tools to help your students monitor their workload, such as the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), the Rating Scale Mental Effort (RSME), or the Bedford Workload Scale (BWS). These are subjective scales that ask the pilot to rate their workload on various dimensions, such as mental, physical, temporal, and emotional demand, as well as performance, effort, and frustration. You can also use objective indicators, such as heart rate, eye movement, speech rate, and error rate, to measure the pilot's workload. You can use these methods and tools during flight simulations, debriefings, and feedback sessions to help your students evaluate their workload and identify areas for improvement.

3 Manage workload

The final step is to teach your students how to manage their workload and adjust it to an optimal level. You can use different strategies and techniques, such as planning and preparation, automation and delegation, prioritization and decision making, and stress and fatigue management. For example, you can help them plan and prepare for their flights in advance, use the ABCDE or DECIDE model for prioritization and decision making, or use relaxation techniques to manage stress and fatigue. By teaching your students how to define, assess, and manage their workload during flights, you will help them develop a vital skill for their aviation career and enhance their safety and efficiency as pilots.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?