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NASA NTRS2000

Treatability Study of Pentaborane(9)

Procedures for the safe destruction of liquid pentaborane(9), B5H9, by solvolysis were investigated. The objective of the study was to establish the optimum conditions for a pilot plant operation that would use water, or alcohol, or water-alcohol mixtures as the solvolysis reagent. Small amounts of B5H9 sprayed from a syringe will not necessarily enflame, nor will a small pool on a spot plate. Therefore, a procedure was developed to reproducibly demonstrate the flammability of B5H9. In these tests every sample of neat B5H9 ignited and burned with a very sooty flame till the sample was consumed. The spontaneous self-ignition of B5H9 was quenched by the addition of small concentrations of ethers THF (tetrahydrofuran) or DME (1,2-dimethoxy ethane). It was found that ten percent (volume) of either provided total quenching with a large margin of safety. When these stabilized solutions were exposed to air, they decomposed and evaporated leaving a residue that was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis as boric acid. Most of the laboratory solvolysis experiments used the 90 percent B5H9, 10 percent THF solution. This mixture was safer to handle and its solvolysis reactivity was virtually identical to that of 100 percent B5H9. Reaction rates were analyzed by measurement of hydrogen evolved during the solvolysis reactions. In terms of the minimum overall complete reaction time, the data indicate that 50/50 alcohol/water is the optimum solvolysis reagent. This reaction produced a mixture of boric acid, B(OH)3, and triethoxyborane, B(OEt)3[Et = C2H5], and mixed exchange derivatives thereof.

McDonald, Joseph K.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Treatability Study of Pentaborane(9)

Procedures for the safe destruction of liquid pentaborane(9), B5H9, by solvolysis were investigated. The objective of the study was to establish the optimum conditions for a pilot plant operation that would use water, or alcohol, or water-alcohol mixtures as the solvolysis reagent Small amounts of B5H9 sprayed from a syringe will not necessarily enflame, nor will a small pool on a spot plate. Therefore, a procedure was developed to reproducibly demonstrate the flammability of B5H9 In these tests every sample of neat B5H9 ignited and burned with a very sooty flame till the sample was consumed. The spontaneous self-ignition of B5H9 was quenched by the addition of small concentrations of the ethers THF (tetrahydrofuran) or DME (1,2-dimethoxy ethane). It was found that 10% (volume) of either provided total quenching with a large margin of safety. When these stabilized solutions were exposed to air, they decomposed and evaporated leaving a residue that was identified by NMR analysis as boric acid. Most of the laboratory solvolysis experiments used the 90% B5H9, 10% THF solution. This mixture was safer to handle and its solvolysis reactivity was virtually identical to that of 100% B5H9. Reaction rates were analyzed by measurement of hydrogen evolved during the solvolysis reactions. In terms of the minimum overall complete reaction time, the data indicate that 50150 alcohol/water is the optimum solvolysis reagent. This reaction produced a mixture of boric acid, B(OH)3, and triethoxyborane, B(OEt)3 [Et = C2H5], and mixed exchange derivatives thereof.

McDonald, Joseph K.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Air Traffic Management Technology Demostration Phase 1 (ATD) Interval Management for Near-Term Operations Validation of Acceptability (IM-NOVA) Experiment

The Interval Management for Near-term Operations Validation of Acceptability (IM-NOVA) experiment was conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) in support of the NASA Airspace Systems Program's Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 (ATD-1). ATD-1 is intended to showcase an integrated set of technologies that provide an efficient arrival solution for managing aircraft using Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) surveillance, navigation, procedures, and automation for both airborne and ground-based systems. The goal of the IMNOVA experiment was to assess if procedures outlined by the ATD-1 Concept of Operations were acceptable to and feasible for use by flight crews in a voice communications environment when used with a minimum set of Flight Deck-based Interval Management (FIM) equipment and a prototype crew interface. To investigate an integrated arrival solution using ground-based air traffic control tools and aircraft Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) tools, the LaRC FIM system and the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering and Controller Managed Spacing tools developed at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) were integrated into LaRC's Air Traffic Operations Laboratory (ATOL). Data were collected from 10 crews of current 757/767 pilots asked to fly a high-fidelity, fixed-based simulator during scenarios conducted within an airspace environment modeled on the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Terminal Radar Approach Control area. The aircraft simulator was equipped with the Airborne Spacing for Terminal Area Routes (ASTAR) algorithm and a FIM crew interface consisting of electronic flight bags and ADS-B guidance displays. Researchers used "pseudo-pilot" stations to control 24 simulated aircraft that provided multiple air traffic flows into the DFW International Airport, and recently retired DFW air traffic controllers served as confederate Center, Feeder, Final, and Tower controllers. Analyses of qualitative data revealed that the procedures used by flight crews to receive and execute interval management (IM) clearances in a voice communications environment were logical, easy to follow, did not contain any missing or extraneous steps, and required the use of an acceptable workload level. The majority of the pilot participants found the IM concept, in addition to the proposed FIM crew procedures, to be acceptable and indicated that the ATD-1 procedures could be successfully executed in a nearterm NextGen environment. Analyses of quantitative data revealed that the proposed procedures were feasible for use by flight crews in a voice communications environment. The delivery accuracy at the achieve-by point was within +/-5 sec, and the delivery precision was less than 5 sec. Furthermore, FIM speed commands occurred at a rate of less than one per minute, and pilots found the frequency of the speed commands to be acceptable at all times throughout the experiment scenarios.

Kibler, Jennifer L.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Pilot interaction with automated airborne decision making systems

The use of advanced software engineering methods (e.g., from artificial intelligence) to aid aircraft crews in procedure selection and execution is investigated. Human problem solving in dynamic environments as effected by the human's level of knowledge of system operations is examined. Progress on the development of full scale simulation facilities is also discussed.

Rouse, W. B.↗

NASA NTRS1979

A users guide for A344: A program using a finite difference method to analyze transonic flow over oscillating airfoils

The design and usage of a pilot program for calculating the pressure distributions over harmonically oscillating airfoils in transonic flow are described. The procedure used is based on separating the velocity potential into steady and unsteady parts and linearizing the resulting unsteady differential equations for small disturbances. The steady velocity potential which must be obtained from some other program, was required for input. The unsteady equation, as solved, is linear with spatially varying coefficients. Since sinusoidal motion was assumed, time was not a variable. The numerical solution was obtained through a finite difference formulation and either a line relaxation or an out of core direct solution method.

Weatherill, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Optimal input design for aircraft instrumentation systematic error estimation

A new technique for designing optimal flight test inputs for accurate estimation of instrumentation systematic errors was developed and demonstrated. A simulation model of the F-18 High Angle of Attack Research Vehicle (HARV) aircraft was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the optimal input compared to input recorded during flight test. Instrumentation systematic error parameter estimates and their standard errors were compared. It was found that the optimal input design improved error parameter estimates and their accuracies for a fixed time input design. Pilot acceptability of the optimal input design was demonstrated using a six degree-of-freedom fixed base piloted simulation of the F-18 HARV. The technique described in this work provides a practical, optimal procedure for designing inputs for data compatibility experiments.

Morelli, Eugene A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Design and Conduct of a Windshear Detection Flight Experiment

A description of the design and conduct of a series of flight experiments which tested the performance of candidate windshear detection devices is presented. With prototype windshear sensors installed, a NASA Boeing 737 test aircraft conducted numerous low altitude penetrations of microburst windshear conditions. These tests were preceded by extensive preparations which included piloted simulations, determination of safe operating limits, and the development of unique flight test hardware, displays, and procedures. The test aircraft and more than 50 research and support personnel were deployed to Orlando, Florida, and Denver, Colorado, during June and July 1991 for field testing. Upon receiving a forecast of developing weather activity, the aircraft crew launched and proceeded to the storm location, guided by uplinked ground radar information and voice communications with ground weather personnel. The tests required constant monitoring of numerous factors including aircraft flight parameters, ground obstructions, windshear magnitude, lightning, escape routes, ATC coordination, storm cell development, and others. The flight tests were extremely successful, safely recording more than 25 low altitude microburst windshear and strong gust front approaches and penetrations, along with completing a full test matrix of additional requirements related to windshear sensor performance. Data quality from the tests was excellent and indicates strong potential for airborne remote sensors to accurately predict and warn the flight crew of hazardous windshear conditions with ample time for precautionary crew action.

Flight Testing↗

NASA NTRS2005

Motion Cueing Algorithm Development: New Motion Cueing Program Implementation and Tuning

A computer program has been developed for the purpose of driving the NASA Langley Research Center Visual Motion Simulator (VMS). This program includes two new motion cueing algorithms, the optimal algorithm and the nonlinear algorithm. A general description of the program is given along with a description and flowcharts for each cueing algorithm, and also descriptions and flowcharts for subroutines used with the algorithms. Common block variable listings and a program listing are also provided. The new cueing algorithms have a nonlinear gain algorithm implemented that scales each aircraft degree-of-freedom input with a third-order polynomial. A description of the nonlinear gain algorithm is given along with past tuning experience and procedures for tuning the gain coefficient sets for each degree-of-freedom to produce the desired piloted performance. This algorithm tuning will be needed when the nonlinear motion cueing algorithm is implemented on a new motion system in the Cockpit Motion Facility (CMF) at the NASA Langley Research Center.

Houck, Jacob A.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Simulation Evaluation of Equivalent Vision Technologies for Aerospace Operations

A fixed-based simulation experiment was conducted in NASA Langley Research Center s Integration Flight Deck simulator to investigate enabling technologies for equivalent visual operations (EVO) in the emerging Next Generation Air Transportation System operating environment. EVO implies the capability to achieve or even improve on the safety of current-day Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations, maintain the operational tempos of VFR, and perhaps even retain VFR procedures - all independent of the actual weather and visibility conditions. Twenty-four air transport-rated pilots evaluated the use of Synthetic/Enhanced Vision Systems (S/EVS) and eXternal Vision Systems (XVS) technologies as enabling technologies for future all-weather operations. The experimental objectives were to determine the feasibility of XVS/SVS/EVS to provide for all weather (visibility) landing capability without the need (or ability) for a visual approach segment and to determine the interaction of XVS/EVS and peripheral vision cues for terminal area and surface operations. Another key element of the testing investigated the pilot's awareness and reaction to non-normal events (i.e., failure conditions) that were unexpectedly introduced into the experiment. These non-normal runs served as critical determinants in the underlying safety of all-weather operations. Experimental data from this test are cast into performance-based approach and landing standards which might establish a basis for future all-weather landing operations. Glideslope tracking performance appears to have improved with the elimination of the approach visual segment. This improvement can most likely be attributed to the fact that the pilots didn't have to simultaneously perform glideslope corrections and find required visual landing references in order to continue a landing. Lateral tracking performance was excellent regardless of the display concept being evaluated or whether or not there were peripheral cues in the side window. Although workload ratings were significantly less when peripheral cues were present compared to when there were none, these differences appear to be operationally inconsequential. Larger display concepts tested in this experiment showed significant situation awareness (SA) improvements and workload reductions compared to smaller display concepts. With a fixed display size, a color display was more influential in SA and workload ratings than a collimated display.

Kramer, Lynda J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Piloting Vertical Flight Aircraft: A Conference on Flying Qualities and Human Factors

This document contains papers from a specialists' meeting entitled "Piloting Vertical Flight Aircraft. A Conference on Flying Qualities and Human Factors." The conference was co-sponsored by the American Helicopter Society--San Francisco Bay Chapter, and the NASA Ames Research Center. It was held January 20-22, 1993 at the Sheraton Hotel Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California. Vertical flight aircraft, including helicopters and a variety of Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) concepts, place unique requirements on human perception, control, and performance for the conduct of their design missions. The intent of this conference was to examine, for these vehicles, advances in: (1) design of flight control systems for ADS-33C standards; (2) assessment of human factors influences of cockpit displays and operational procedures; (3) development of VTOL design and operational criteria; and (4) development of theoretical methods or models for predicting pilot-vehicle performance and mission suitability. Recognizing that human capabilities and limitations form an integral aspect of the operations for these classes of vehicles, a secondary goal of the conference was to provide an initial venue for enhanced interaction between human factors and handling qualities specialists.

Helicopter↗

NASA NTRS2018

An Interoperability Concept for Detect and Avoid and Collision Avoidance Systems: Results from a Human-In-The-Loop Simulation

unmanned aircraft systems↗

NASA NTRS2017

An Advanced Trajectory-Based Operations Prototype Tool and Focus Group Evaluation

Trajectory-based operations (TBO) is a key concept in the Next Generation Air Transportation System transformation of the National Airspace System (NAS) that will increase the predictability and stability of traffic flows, support a common operational picture through the use of digital data sharing, facilitate more effective collaborative decision making between airspace users and air navigation service providers, and enable increased levels of integrated automation across the NAS. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been developing trajectory-based systems to improve the efficiency of the NAS during specific phases of flight and is now also exploring Advanced 4-Dimensional Trajectory (4DT) operational concepts that will integrate these technologies and incorporate new technology where needed to create both automation and procedures to support gate-to-gate TBO. A TBO Prototype simulation toolkit has been developed that demonstrates initial functionality that may reside in an Advanced 4DT TBO concept. Pilot and controller subject matter experts (SMEs) were brought to the Air Traffic Operations Laboratory at NASA Langley Research Center for discussions on an Advanced 4DT operational concept and were provided an interactive demonstration of the TBO Prototype using four example scenarios. The SMEs provided feedback on potential operational, technological, and procedural opportunities and concerns. After viewing the interactive demonstration scenarios, the SMEs felt the operational capabilities demonstrated would be useful for performing TBO while maintaining situation awareness and low mental workload. The TBO concept demonstrated produced defined routings around weather which resulted in a more organized, consistent flow of traffic where it was clear to both the controller and pilot what route the aircraft was to follow. In general, the controller SMEs felt that traffic flow management should be responsible for generating and negotiating the operational constraints demonstrated, in cooperation with the Air Traffic Control System Command Center, while air traffic control should be responsible for the implementation of those constraints. The SMEs also indicated that digital data communications would be very beneficial for TBO operations and would result in less workload due to reduced communications, would eliminate issues due to language barriers and frequency problems, and would make receiving, loading, accepting, and executing clearances easier, less ambiguous, and more expeditious. This paper describes an Advanced 4DT operational concept, the TBO Prototype, the demonstration scenarios and methods used, and the feedback obtained from the pilot and controller SMEs in this focus group evaluation.

Guerreiro, Nelson M.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Evaluation Of The NASA Quality Surveillance System Pilot In Meeting Requirements For Contractor Surveillance Under Performance Based Contracting

The use of performance-based contracting at Kennedy Space Center has necessitated a shift from intrusive oversight of contractor activities to an insight surveillance role. This paper describes the results of a pilot implementation of the NASA Quality Surveillance System (NQSS) in the Space Shuttle Main Engines Processing Facility. The NQSS is a system to sample contractor activities using documented procedures, specifications, drawings and observations of work in progress to answer the question "Is the contractor doing what they said they would do?" The concepts of the NQSS are shown to be effective in providing assurance of contractor quality. Many of the concepts proven in the pilot are being considered for incorporation into an overall KSC Quality Surveillance System.

Schmahl, Karen E.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Evaluation of the NASA Quality Surveillance System Pilot in Meeting Requirements for Contractor Surveillance Under Performance Based Contracting

Schmahl, Karen E.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Vertical Motion Simulator Experiment on Stall Recovery Guidance

A stall recovery guidance system was designed to help pilots improve their stall recovery performance when the current aircraft state may be unrecognized under various complicating operational factors. Candidate guidance algorithms were connected to the split-cue pitch and roll flight directors that are standard on large transport commercial aircraft. A new thrust guidance algorithm and cue was also developed to help pilots prevent the combination of excessive thrust and nose-up stabilizer trim. The overall system was designed to reinforce the current FAA recommended stall recovery procedure. A general transport aircraft model, similar to a Boeing 757, with an extended aerodynamic database for improved stall dynamics simulation fidelity was integrated into the Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames Research Center. A detailed study of the guidance system was then conducted across four stall scenarios with 30 commercial and 10 research test pilots, and the results are reported.

Schuet, Stefan↗

NASA NTRS2018

An Interoperability Concept for Detect and Avoid and Collision Avoidance Systems: Results from a Human-In-The-Loop Simulation

The integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) poses a variety of technical challenges to UAS developers and aviation regulators. In response to growing demand for access to civil airspace in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has produced a roadmap identifying key areas requiring further research and development. One such technical challenge is the development of a "detect and avoid" system (DAA) capable of providing a means of compliance with the "see and avoid" requirement in manned aviation. The purpose of the DAA system is to support the pilot, situated at a ground control station (GCS), in maintaining "DAA well clear" of nearby aircraft through the use of GCS displays and alerts. In addition to its primary function of aiding the pilot in maintaining DAA well clear, the DAA system must also safely interoperate with existing NAS systems and operations, such as the airspace management procedures of air traffic controllers (ATC) and Collision Avoidance (CA) systems currently in use by manned aircraft, namely the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II). It is anticipated that many UAS architectures will integrate both a DAA system and a TCAS II. It is therefore necessary to explicitly study the integration of DAA and TCAS II alerting structures and maneuver guidance formats to ensure that pilots understand the appropriate type and urgency of their response to the various alerts. This paper presents a concept of interoperability for the two systems. The concept was developed with the goal of avoiding any negative impact on the performance level of TCAS II while retaining a DAA system that still effectively enables pilots to maintain DAA well clear. The interoperability concept described in the paper focuses primarily on facilitating the transition from a late-stage DAA encounter (where a loss of DAA well clear is imminent) to a TCAS II Corrective Resolution Advisory (RA), which requires pilot compliance within five seconds of its issuance. The interoperability concept was presented to 10 participants (6 active UAS pilots and 4 active commercial pilots) in a medium-fidelity, human-in-the-loop simulation designed to stress different aspects of the DAA and TCAS II systems. Pilots' ability to maintain separation, their rate of compliance and response times using the interoperability concept are reported. Results indicated that pilots exhibited comprehension of, and appropriate prioritization within, the DAA-TCAS II combined alert structure. Pilots demonstrated a high rate of compliance with TCAS II RAs and were also seen to respond to corrective RAs within the five second requirement established for manned aircraft. The DAA system presented under test was also shown to be effective in supporting pilots' ability to maintain DAA well clear in the overwhelming majority of cases in which pilots had sufficient time to respond.

Rorie, R. Conrad↗

NASA NTRS1979

Flight experience with advanced controls and displays during piloted curved decelerating approaches in a powered-lift STOL aircraft

A program to assess the feasibility of piloted STOL approaches along predefined, steep, curved, and decelerating approach profiles was carried out with a powered-lift STOL aircraft. To reduce the pilot workload associated with the basic control requirements of a powered-lift aircraft equipped with redundant controls and operating on the backside of the power curve, separate stability augmentation systems for attitude and speed were provided, as well as a supporting flight director and special electronic cockpit displays. The control, display, and procedural features are described for the flight experiment that led to the conclusion that, given an adequate navigation environment, such constrained approaches may be feasible from a pilot acceptance point of view.

Hindson, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1971

Broadcast control of air traffic

Concepts of increased pilot participation in air traffic control are presented. The design of an air traffic control system for pilot usage is considered. The operating and safety benefits of LF/VLF approaches in comparison to current nonprecision approach procedures and systems are discussed. With a good national system plan, flight testing and validation, and the use of local differential, or general diurnal, corrections, the LF/VLF system would provide service superior to that presently available.

Litchford, G. B.↗