b'34 Partner News Summer 2023CorporateThe PilotAndrew describes his current role as a fascinating blend of psychology and engineering. Starting his career with a degree in aviation technology, he then trained as a commercial pilot. He joined making theBAE Systems as a procurement graduate in 2011 before finding his way into the world of Human Factors where his love of engineering and interest in psychology combined. most out ofAndrew brings invaluable experience to the team as a pilot, he said During pilot training, you spend a lot of time looking at things that have gone wrong in the past. Its interesting to see how human behaviour the cockpitcan either save the situation or make things worse. Thats where my human factors interest came from. In my role I get to look at pilot interfaces right before design even starts, so think about how to make the aircraft a seamless extension of the pilot.The demands on military aircraft pilots are extraordinary. As well as flying the plane, Technologist and Human Factors specialist Andrew Battythey also manage all of the weapon and mission systems while staying fully aware of is using his experience to inform the design of a futuretheir environment.cockpit for Tempest, the next generation combat aircraft.In his current role Andrew and the team are using psychophysiological monitoring to get an objective measurement of pilot workload. The measures include using include galvanic skin response, heart rate, respiration, eye tracking and EEG (electroencephalograms) Andrew Batty is the Human Factors Researchfor monitoring brain activity. The team and Technology Lead for BAE Systemsexplore how these measuring technologies Air Sector. As a human factors specialist,can be integrated into pilot clothing and he studies how people interact with theirequipment to make the role even more working environmentin his case thats anintuitive and effective for the pilot. aircraft and the systems that support it, whether in a cockpit or on the ground.Andrew added Were developing algorithms and applying machine learning to correlate Currently Andrew is researching newthese measurements with pilot workload, technologies that could be integratedwhich is an interesting process. Every into the cockpit to make the role of theperson reacts differently, so weve found pilot even more intuitive and effective,that you get better results by personalising while not overloading them with tasks andthe algorithms to the individuals involved.information. His team does a lot of research and development in this area, working withThe work being undertaken by Andrew and universities and other companies to stay onthe Human Factors team is increasingly top of new technologies, then test the onesimportant as the pace of technology that could enhance human performance.matures. The Tempest programme is creating demand for more engineers like Andrew, from Before joining the Human Factors team,apprentices to experienced engineers.Andrew has also worked on projects such as researching mission management aidsYou can find out more aboutfor Typhoon and F-35 interoperability, andAndrew pictured in BAE Systems Air Labs building ina career like Andrews here:Lancashire where engineers are trialling commercial and aircraft carrier trials.gaming technology in a simulated future cockpit environment. www.baesystems.com/careersuk/air.'