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At least 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Simulator study of a pictorial display for general aviation instrument flight

A simulation study of a computer drawn pictorial display involved a flight task that included an en route segment, terminal area maneuvering, a final approach, a missed approach, and a hold. The pictorial display consists of the drawing of boxes which either move along the desired path or are fixed at designated way points. Two boxes may be shown at all times, one related to the active way point and the other related to the standby way point. Ground tracks and vertical profiles of the flights, time histories of the final approach, and comments were obtained from time pilots. The results demonstrate the accuracy and consistency with which the segments of the flight are executed. The pilots found that the display is easy to learn and to use; that it provides good situation awareness, and that it could improve the safety of flight. The small size of the display, the lack of numerical information on pitch, roll, and heading angles, and the lack of definition of the boundaries of the conventional glide slope and localizer areas were criticized.

Adams, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A simulator evaluation of an automatic terminal approach system

The automatic terminal approach system (ATAS) is a concept for improving the pilot/machine interface with cockpit automation. The ATAS can automatically fly a published instrument approach by using stored instrument approach data to automatically tune airplane avionics, control the airplane's autopilot, and display status information to the pilot. A piloted simulation study was conducted to determine the feasibility of an ATAS, determine pilot acceptance, and examine pilot/ATAS interaction. Seven instrument-rated pilots each flew four instrument approaches with a base-line heading select autopilot mode. The ATAS runs resulted in lower flight technical error, lower pilot workload, and fewer blunders than with the baseline autopilot. The ATAS status display enabled the pilots to maintain situational awareness during the automatic approaches. The system was well accepted by the pilots.

Hinton, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Simulation of a cockpit display concept for increased airport capacity

A research effort has been undertaken to determine the feasibility of employing a forward-looking cockpit display to provide information that would enable aircraft to utilize reduced separation, and hence increased runway capacity, through the application of multiple-glide-path approach techniques. The current study was an initial exploration into this concept in which traffic information was added to a HUD format to allow the pilot to monitor the traffic situation and to self space on a lead aircraft during a simulated single glide-path approach. The results of this study indicate that this display concept can provide sufficient information to the pilot for traffic monitoring and self separation. Additionally, the pilots noted that an increase in situational awareness, relative to conventional instrument flight, was provided by the traffic information on the display.

Abbott, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A flight test evaluation of the pilot interface with a digital advanced avionics system

A flight study was conducted to study pilot workload and the pilot interface with high levels of avionics capability and automation. The study was done in the context of general aviation, single-pilot IFR operations and utilized an experimental, digital, integrated avionics system. Results indicate that such advanced systems can provide improved information to the pilot and increased functional capability. The results also indicate that additional research is needed to increase the knowledge base required to design the pilot interfaces with highly capable systems. A CRT-based moving map display format tested provided excellent navigational situational awareness but was inferior to an HSI for manual path tracking. The complexity of navigation data management, autopilot management, and maintaining awareness of system status contributed to pilot workload and errors. Suggested guidelines for the design of the pilot/avionics interface for advanced avionics systems are given.

Hinton, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Personal Experience with the PVHD and Opinion of Situations in Which a Wide Field of View (FOV) PVHD Might Be Helpful

Personal experience with the PVHD indicates that it should have great promise in easing cockpit workload, improving situational awareness, and reducing spatial disorientation. It should not be assumed that the PVHD will automatically cue the pilot to his attitude without some training or exposure. Some measure of attention needs to be devoted to attitude although this can easily be accomplished by the peripheral visual fields without tying up central vision. The PVHD would appear useful in any aircraft that flies in spatially disorienting/misorienting conditions, such as night, weather, or formation. It would appear to be particularly useful in aircraft, that by their design, are especially disorienting in such circumstances.

Mcnaughton, G. B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Development and evaluation of an airplane electronic display format aligned with the inertial velocity vector

The development of an electronic primary flight display format aligned with the aircraft velocity vector, a simulation evaluation comparing this format with an electronic attitude-aligned primary flight display format, and a flight evaluation of the velocity-vector-aligned display format are described. Earlier tests in turbulent conditions with the electronic attitude-aligned display format had exhibited unsteadiness. A primary objective of aligning the display format with the velocity vector was to take advantage of a velocity-vector control-wheel steering system to provide steadiness of display during turbulent conditions. Better situational awareness under crosswind conditions was also achieved. The evaluation task was a curved, descending approach with turbulent and crosswind conditions. Primary flight display formats contained computer-drawn perspective runway images and flight-path angle information. The flight tests were conducted aboard the NASA Transport Systems Research Vehicle (TSRV). Comparative results of the simulation and flight tests were principally obtained from subjective commentary. Overall, the pilots preferred the display format aligned with the velocity vector.

Steinmetz, G. G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The application of CRM to military operations

The detailed content of the CRM training component of the C-5 Aircrew Training System (ATS) was left to the discretion of the contractor. As a part of determining what the content should be, United Airlines Services Corporation has made an effort to understand how the needs of MAC crews compare with those of civilian airline crews. There are distinct similarities between the crew roles in the cockpits of civilian airliners and military air transports. Many of the attitudes and behaviors exhibited by civil and military crew members are comparable, hence much of the training in the field referred to as Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) is equally appropriate to civil or military aircrews. At the same time, there are significant differences which require assessment to determine if modifications to what might be termed generic CRM are necessary. The investigation enabled the definition and specification of CRM training which is believed to address the needs of the C-5 operational community. The study has concentrated largely on military airlift, but the training objectives and course content of the CRM training are readily adaptable to a wider range of military cockpits than are found in strategic airlift. For instance, CRM training focusing on communication, leadership, situational awareness, and crew coordination is just as appropriate, with some modification, to the pilots manning a flight to Tactical Airlift Command A-7's as it is to the pilots, flight engineers, and loadmasters crewing a C-5.

Cavanagh, Dale E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) for FAR Parts 91 and 135 operators

The why, what, and how of CRM at Flight Safety International (FSI)--that is, the philosophy behind the program, the content of the program, and some insight regarding how it delivers that to the pilot is presented. A few of the concepts that are part of the program are discussed. This includes a view of statistics called the Safety Window, the concept of situational awareness, and an approach to training that we called the Cockpit Management Concept (CMC).

Schwartz, Douglas↗
NASA NTRS1987

Space station proximity operations windows: Human factors design guidelines

Proximity operations refers to all activities outside the Space Station which take place within a 1-km radius. Since there will be a large number of different operations involving manned and unmanned vehicles, single- and multiperson crews, automated and manually controlled flight, a wide variety of cargo, and construction/repair activities, accurate and continuous human monitoring of these operations from a specially designed control station on Space Station will be required. Total situational awareness will be required. This paper presents numerous human factors design guidelines and related background information for control windows which will support proximity operations. Separate sections deal with natural and artificial illumination geometry; all basic rendezvous vector approaches; window field-of-view requirements; window size; shape and placement criteria; window optical characteristics as they relate to human perception; maintenance and protection issues; and a comprehensive review of windows installed on U.S. and U.S.S.R. manned vehicles.

Haines, Richard F.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Implementation of a research prototype onboard fault monitoring and diagnosis system

Due to the dynamic and complex nature of in-flight fault monitoring and diagnosis, a research effort was undertaken at NASA Langley Research Center to investigate the application of artificial intelligence techniques for improved situational awareness. Under this research effort, concepts were developed and a software architecture was designed to address the complexities of onboard monitoring and diagnosis. This paper describes the implementation of these concepts in a computer program called FaultFinder. The implementation of the monitoring, diagnosis, and interface functions as separate modules is discussed, as well as the blackboard designed for the communication of these modules. Some related issues concerning the future installation of FaultFinder in an aircraft are also discussed.

Palmer, Michael T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Stereo 3-D and non-stereo presentations of a computer-generated pictorial primary flight display with pathway augmentation

Stereo 3-D was researched as a means to present cockpit displays which enhance a pilot's situational awareness while maintaining a desirable level of mental workload. The initial study at the NASA Langley Research Center used two different pathways-in-the-sky to augment a computer-generated pictorial primary flight display. One pathway resembled the outline of signposts, while the other pathway resembled a monorail. That display was configured for a curved approach to a landing such as could be used in a Microwave Landing System (MLS) approach. It could also be used for military transports which would have to fly a precision curved pathway. Each trial was initialized with the pilot on the desired flight path. After 2 seconds, he suddenly was shifted to one of eight flight path offsets. The pilot was then required to make the initial pitch and/or roll input to correct back to the nominal flight path. As soon as the input was made, the trial was over. No input was required for control trials with no flight path offset. Pilots responded statistically significantly faster when the display was presented in the stereo version than when it was presented in the nonstereo version.

Nataupsky, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1988

A model of electronic map interpretation

This paper describes an experiment that provides data for the development of a cognitive model of pilot flight navigation. The model views navigation as a process involving the alignment of mental images with the perceptual view out of the cockpit. The data support a three stage model: (1) the perceptual encoding of the map display, (2) mental rotation of the mental image, and (3) comparison of the image to the environment. The variables that significantly influence the processes embodied in the model in decreasing importance are: speed of processing, display sequencing, map complexity, and rotation angle of the map. The model can be used as a preliminary computational tool in predicting the navigational component of pilot situational awareness.

Aretz, Anthony J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Flight evaluation of pursuit displays for precision approach of powered-lift aircraft

Flight experiments with NASA Ames Research Center's quiet short-haul research aircraft evaluated the influence of pursuit displays on the ability of pilots to execute precision-instrument flight operations in the terminal area, particularly approaches to and landings on a short runway. The aircraft is a powered-lift, short-takeoff and landing configuration equipped with a modern digital fly-by-wire flight control system, a head-up display, and a color head-down display that make it possible to investigate control and display concepts for full-envelope, powered-lift operations. Flight-path-oriented displays that provide status and command information in a format with minimal clutter were investigated. The pilots could fly the aircraft with the precision associated with flight-director guidance and with a high degree of situation awareness. The primary benefits of this display concept were realized when the pilot was required to execute a complex transition and approach under instrument conditions and in the presence of a wide range of wind and turbulence conditions.

Hynes, Charles S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A candidate concept for display of forward-looking wind shear information

A concept is proposed which integrates forward-look wind shear information with airplane performance capabilities to predict future airplane energy state as a function of range. The information could be displayed to a crew either in terms of energy height or airspeed deviations. The anticipated benefits of the proposed display information concept are: (1) a wind shear hazard product that scales directly to the performance impact on the airplane and that has intuitive meaning to flight crews; (2) a reduction in flight crew workload by automatic processing of relevant hazard parameters; and (3) a continuous display of predicted airplane energy state if the approach is continued. Such a display may be used to improve pilot situational awareness or improve pilot confidence in wind shear alerts generated by other systems. The display is described and the algorithms necessary for implementation in a simulation system are provided.

Hinton, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Stereopsis cueing effects on hover-in-turbulence performance in a simulated rotorcraft

The efficacy of stereopsis cueing in pictorial displays was assessed in a real-time piloted simulation experiment of a rotorcraft precision hover-in-turbulence task. Seven pilots endeavored to maintain a hover by visually aligning a set of inner and outer wickets (major elements of a real-world pictorial display, thus attaining the desired hover position, in a full factorial experimental design. The display conditions examined included the presence or absence of a velocity display element (a velocity head-up display) as well as the stereopsis cueing conditions, which included non-stereo (binoptic or monoscopic - no depth cues other than those provided by a perspective, real-world display), stereo 3-D, and hyper stereo (telestereoscopic). Subjective and objective results indicated that the depth cues provided by the stereo displays enhanced the situational awareness of the pilot and enabled improved hover performance to be achieved. The velocity display element also improved the hover performance, with the best hover performance being achieved with the combined use of stereo and the velocity display element. Pilot control input data revealed that less control action was required to attain the improved hover performance with the stereo displays.

Parrish, Russell V.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Determination of depth-viewing volumes for stereo three-dimensional graphic displays

Real-world, 3-D, pictorial displays incorporating true depth cues via stereopsis techniques offer a potential means of displaying complex information in a natural way to prevent loss of situational awareness and provide increases in pilot/vehicle performance in advanced flight display concepts. Optimal use of stereopsis requires an understanding of the depth viewing volume available to the display designer. Suggested guidelines are presented for the depth viewing volume from an empirical determination of the effective region of stereopsis cueing (at several viewer-CRT screen distances) for a time multiplexed stereopsis display system. The results provide the display designer with information that will allow more effective placement of depth information to enable the full exploitation of stereopsis cueing. Increasing viewer-CRT screen distances provides increasing amounts of usable depth, but with decreasing fields-of-view. A stereopsis hardware system that permits an increased viewer-screen distance by incorporating larger screen sizes or collimation optics to maintain the field-of-view at required levels would provide a much larger stereo depth-viewing volume.

Parrish, Russell V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Overview of NASA Rotorcraft Human Factors Research

The principal areas of research supported by the NASA Rotorcraft Human Factors Research Branch are reviewed. The program elements addressed include situational awareness, pilot/vehicle interface, mission management, and training. Representative examples of research conducted in these areas since 1987 are summarized.

Hart, Sandra G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Terminal weather information management

Since the mid-1960's, microburst/windshear events have caused at least 30 aircraft accidents and incidents and have killed more than 600 people in the United States alone. This study evaluated alternative means of alerting an airline crew to the presence of microburst/windshear events in the terminal area. Of particular interest was the relative effectiveness of conventional and data link ground-to-air transmissions of ground-based radar and low-level windshear sensing information on microburst/windshear avoidance. The Advanced Concepts Flight Simulator located at Ames Research Center was employed in a line oriented simulation of a scheduled round-trip airline flight from Salt Lake City to Denver Stapleton Airport. Actual weather en route and in the terminal area was simulated using recorded data. The microburst/windshear incident of July 11, 1988 was re-created for the Denver area operations. Six experienced airline crews currently flying scheduled routes were employed as test subjects for each of three groups: (1) A baseline group which received alerts via conventional air traffic control (ATC) tower transmissions; (2) An experimental group which received alerts/events displayed visually and aurally in the cockpit six miles (approx. 2 min.) from the microburst event; and (3) An additional experimental group received displayed alerts/events 23 linear miles (approx. 7 min.) from the microburst event. Analyses of crew communications and decision times showed a marked improvement in both situation awareness and decision-making with visually displayed ground-based radar information. Substantial reductions in the variability of decision times among crews in the visual display groups were also found. These findings suggest that crew performance will be enhanced and individual differences among crews due to differences in training and prior experience are significantly reduced by providing real-time, graphic display of terminal weather hazards.

Lee, Alfred T.↗