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Gary S. Thomas

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Publications by Gary S. Thomas (bibliography)

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1992
 
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Thomas, Gary S., Obermayer, Richard W., Raspotnik, William B. and Waag, Wayne L. (1992): Modeling Pilot Expertise in Air Combat. In: Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 36th Annual Meeting 1992. pp. 1331-1334.

The purpose of this effort was to model expert pilot performance and decision making in one-versus-one (1v1) air-to-air combat. Several knowledge-elicitation techniques were used to extract air combat expertise from a former fighter pilot, who served as the subject-matter-expert (SME). Unstructured and then structured interviews were used to elicit the goals and sub-goals of air-to-air combat, plus some of the pilot behaviors necessary to accomplish the goals. The SME also flew a number of combat sorties against another former fighter pilot in the Simulator for Air-to-Air Combat (SAAC) to demonstrate pilot performance required to accomplish the goals of air combat. Based on the SME's verbal protocols, a group of air combat rules were developed. A rule-based production system was then designed to incorporate the resulting knowledge base. The production system was also designed to be capable of analyzing an existing data base of air combat engagements. Expert system development required additional input from the SME to identify specific values of flight parameters required by the production system. Upon completion and SME verification of the expert model, it will be validated by comparing its performance to that of our SME in simulated air-to-air combat. If the model can successfully describe expert pilot performance, the model will be used to provide diagnostic performance feedback in conjunction with SAAC training.

© All rights reserved Thomas et al. and/or Human Factors Society

1989
 
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Houck, Michael R., Thomas, Gary S. and Bell, Herbert H. (1989): Training Potential of Multiplayer Air Combat Simulation. In: Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 33rd Annual Meeting 1989. pp. 1300-1304.

The objective of this investigation was to identify air combat mission tasks that could be trained using existing multiship simulator technology. Forty-two mission ready F-15 pilots and 16 tactical air controllers rated their need for additional training on 41 air combat tasks. These pilots and controllers then participated in four days of air combat training using McDonnell Aircraft Company's simulation facility. This training allowed the participants to practice two-ship tactics in an unrestricted combat environment which included multiple air and ground threats, electronic combat, and real-time kill removal. Following training, the participants rated the value of their current unit training and training provided by the multiship simulation. Pilots rated the multiship simulator training superior to their current unit training for 22 of the 41 air combat tasks. Pilots also rated their need for additional training in those 22 combat tasks from "very" to "extremely" desirable. The controllers indicated that all combat tasks were better trained in the multiplayer simulation than in their current unit training program. Interviews and questionnaires also identified a number of strengths and weaknesses of the simulation that provide "lessons learned" for the development and use of future multiplayer air combat simulations.

© All rights reserved Houck et al. and/or Human Factors Society

1988
 
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Thomas, Gary S. and Miller, David C. (1988): Development of an Air Combat Performance Measure. In: Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 32nd Annual Meeting 1988. pp. 1207-1211.

The purpose of this research was to formulate a unitary measure of performance of simulated one-versus-one, within visual range, air-to-air combat. The measure will serve as a criterion for the development and validation of specific measures of ACM skill that can be used to provide diagnostic performance feedback to pilots. Two experiments were conducted in which fighter pilots served as judges and rank-ordered, from most to least desirable, hypothetical ACM engagement outcomes. Outcome variables included (1) whether or not the hypothetical pilot achieved a "kill", (2) whether or not he survived the mission, (3) the percent of time the pilot was in an offensive, defensive, or neutral posture, (4) length of engagement, and (5) posture at the beginning and end of the engagement (offensive, defensive, or neutral). In order to determine inter-rater agreement among judges in Experiment I, their rankings were correlated. Correlations ranged from .93 to .99. Pilots' rankings of engagement outcomes were subjected to linear regression analyses to derive equations that could be used as a unitary measure of ACM success. The regression equation in Experiment I accounted for 95% of the variance in rankings, and the composite regression model calculated in Experiment II accounted for more than 70% for the variance.

© All rights reserved Thomas and Miller and/or Human Factors Society

 
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May 18

It's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them.

-- Steve Jobs, 1998

 
 

Featured chapter

Read the fascinating history of Wearable Computing, told by its father, Steve Mann

Read Steve's chapter !

 
 

Help us help you!