Citation

Stanton NA, Plant KL, Roberts AP, Allison CK. Ergonomics 2019; 62(2): 255-267.

Affiliation

Transportation Research Group, Boldrewood Innovation Campus , University of Southampton , Southampton ,  SO16 7QF , United Kingdom.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00140139.2017.1414301

PMID

29206624

Abstract

Flight within degraded visual conditions is a great challenge to pilots of rotary-wing craft. Environmental cues typically used to guide interpretation of speed, location and approach can become obscured, forcing the pilots to rely on data available from in-cockpit instrumentation. To ease the task of flight during degraded visual conditions, pilots require easy access to flight critical information. The current study examined the effect of "Highways in the Sky" symbology and a conformal virtual pad for landing presented using a Head Up Display (HUD) on pilots' workload and situation awareness for both clear and degraded conditions across a series of simulated rotary-wing approach and landings.

RESULTS suggest that access to the HUD lead to significant improvements to pilots' situation awareness, especially within degraded visual conditions. Importantly access to the HUD facilitated pilot awareness in all conditions.

RESULTS are discussed in terms of future HUD development. Practitioner Summary This paper explores the use of a novel Heads Up Display, to facilitate rotary-wing pilots' situation awareness and workload for simulated flights in both clear and degraded visual conditions.

RESULTS suggest that access to HUD facilitated pilots' situation awareness, especially when flying in degraded conditions.

Language: en

Keywords

Head-Up Display; Highways in the Sky; Rotary-wing; Situation Awareness; Workload