|
NASA is researching innovative technologies for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to
provide a "Better-Than-Visual" (BTV) capability as adjunct to "Equivalent Visual Operations" (EVO); that
is, airport throughputs equivalent to that normally achieved during Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations rates
with equivalent and better safety in all weather and visibility conditions including Instrument Meteorological
Conditions (IMC). These new technologies build on proven flight deck systems and leverage synthetic and
enhanced vision systems. Two piloted simulation studies were conducted to access the use of a Head-Worn Display
(HWD) with head tracking for synthetic and enhanced vision systems concepts. The first experiment evaluated
the use a HWD for equivalent visual operations to San Francisco International Airport (airport identifier: KSFO)
compared to a visual concept and a head-down display concept. A second experiment evaluated symbology
variations under different visibility conditions using a HWD during taxi operations at Chicago O'Hare airport
(airport identifier: KORD).
Two experiments were conducted, one in a simulated San Francisco airport (KSFO) approach operation and
the other, in simulated Chicago O'Hare surface operations, evaluating enhanced/synthetic vision and head-worn
display technologies for NextGen operations. While flying a closely-spaced parallel approach to KSFO, pilots
rated the HWD, under low-visibility conditions, equivalent to the out-the-window condition, under unlimited
visibility, in terms of situational awareness (SA) and mental workload compared to a head-down enhanced vision
system. There were no differences between the 3 display concepts in terms of traffic spacing and distance and
the pilot decision-making to land or go-around. For the KORD experiment, the visibility condition was not a
factor in pilot's rating of clutter effects from symbology. Several concepts for enhanced implementations of an
unlimited field-of-regard BTV concept for low-visibility surface operations were determined to be equivalent in
pilot ratings of efficacy and usability.
|
