Method for automatic standby response to reduce pilot workload

A computer system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory device in operative communication with the processor, the memory device comprising a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon executable by the processor to perform a method comprising:
• receiving a text message;
• starting a response timer;
• monitoring whether a response message has been transmitted;
• monitoring whether the response timer has expired;
• if the response message has not been transmitted, determining whether the response timer has reached a predetermined timing threshold;
• if the response timer has reached the predetermined timing threshold, determining whether an automatic standby message mode is enabled and whether the text message is of a type that requires a response;
• if the automatic standby message mode is enabled and the text message is of a type that requires a response, automatically transmitting a standby message and restarting the response timer;
• and
• if the response timer has expired without the response message being sent, disabling any subsequent response message to the text message from being sent.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for a method of communicating an automatic standby message in response to an electronic text message, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving a text message;
• (b) starting a response timer for a time period to respond;
• (c) monitoring whether a response message has been transmitted;
• (d) if the response message has not been transmitted, determining whether the response timer has reached a predetermined timing threshold;
• (e) if the response timer has not reached the predetermined timing threshold, repeating steps (c) and (d);
• (f) if the response timer has reached the predetermined timing threshold without the response message being sent, determining whether an automatic standby message mode is enabled and whether the text message is of a type that requires a response;
• (g) if the automatic standby message mode is enabled and the text message is of a type that requires a response, automatically transmitting a standby message and restarting the response timer for the time period to respond;
• (h) monitoring whether the response message has been transmitted after the predetermined timing threshold is reached;
• (i) if the response message has not been transmitted in step (h), determining whether the response timer has expired;
• (j) if the response timer has not expired, repeating steps (h) and (i);
• and
• (k) if the response timer has expired without the response message being sent, disabling any subsequent response message from being sent.