Trust in Automation Causing Automation Complacency in Relation to General Aviation: A Quantitative Study

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined whether a relationship exists between Trust in Automation (TIA) and the potential for automation complacency in general aviation between pilots flying automated and non-automated aircraft as single pilots, while controlling for pilot generation. Autonomation can lead to automation complacency through overreliance and trust in the automation. Automation complacency may cause pilots to lose situational awareness and be surprised by automation surprises, leading to detrimental outcomes. Although automation complacency has long challenged commercial pilots, resulting in significant research on this issue, little research has focused on this issue in general aviation. The limited research is due to the gradual integration of automation in general aviation aircraft, influenced by the fleet’s age and high costs. However, with many general aviation aircraft now equipped with automation, studying automation complacency in this sector is essential. Therefore, a quantitative study was conducted through a voluntary online survey via Qualtrics Core-XM© of general aviation pilots flying automated and non-automated aircraft as single pilots. The survey used the Adapted Propensity to Trust Technology Scale (APPT) and the Automation-Induced Complacency Potential-Revised Scale (AICP-R). Data from 2,132 qualified participants—exceeding the minimum sample size of 250—were analyzed using one-way Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) in IBM SPSS©. The analysis indicated no significant relationships when controlling for pilot generation. However, since a substantial gap exists in the literature about automation in general aviation, this study helps to fill that gap. It offers future researchers additional evidence to explore automation within general aviation.