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At least 541 records · Page 30

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NASA NTRS1982

The effectiveness of using real-time eye scanning information for pilot training

A study to evaluate the idea of providing pilots feedback on their scan behavior as an instrumentional training aid was conducted jointly by NASA, Piedmont Aviation, and Old Dominion University. The study used Langley's oculometer system to provide a real-time display of the trainee's scan to the instructor pilot in the aft part of the Boeing 737 training simulator at Piedmont. The trainees' scan behavior was also video-taped for viewing by the instructor and trainee after each training session. Based on qualitative data obtained during the study, scan behavior feedback was an effective tool for pilot training.

Spady, A. A., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Influence of a perspective cockpit traffic display format on pilot avoidance maneuvers

The perspective projections of cockpit displays of traffic information on CRTs as a means of presenting vertical separation information to airline pilots were experimentally studied. Identical sets of traffic encounters were viewed by pilots either using a plan-view or perspective traffic display which presented identical separation information. The pilots maneuvered somewhat earlier with perspective displays and maneuvered more frequency in the vertical dimension. Another feature of the maneuver pattern was the absence of a tendency to turn toward an intruding aircraft. The previously observed bias toward horizontal maneuver is probably not based on the procedural reasons often given, but probably reflects the poorer presentation of vertical separation on previously used traffic displays.

Ellis, S. R.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Summary of NASA Langley's pilot scan behavior research

The present investigation is concerned with the information acquired in a series of basic studies designed to obtain an understanding of the pilot's scanning behavior. In the studies, use was made of an oculometer system which operates by shining a beam of collimated infrared light at the subject's eyes. A number of oculometer software modifications have been made to make the oculometer user-friendly and versatile. Scanning is found to be a subconscious conditioned activity. The conditioned activity of scanning is different for each pilot. There are also slight variations between test runs for the same conditions for the same pilot. This indicates that scanning is situation dependent. Attention is given to the rate of information transfer, the possibility that scanning can be disrupted, the visual approach look-point, and workload sensitive measures.

Spady, A. A., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Remotely Piloted Aircraft for Research

NASA Technical Memorandum presents overview of remotely-piloted research vehicle (RPRV) activities. Controlled from ground, vehicles allow new concepts tried without subjecting pilots to danger. Critical role of pilot in flight testing with RPRV's demonstrated repeatedly, and many system anomalies uncovered with no risk to human life.

Rezek, T. W.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Users guide: The LaRC human-operator-simulator-based pilot model

A Human Operator Simulator (HOS) based pilot model has been developed for use at NASA LaRC for analysis of flight management problems. The model is currently configured to simulate piloted flight of an advanced transport airplane. The generic HOS operator and machine model was originally developed under U.S. Navy sponsorship by Analytics, Inc. and through a contract with LaRC was configured to represent a pilot flying a transport airplane. A version of the HOS program runs in batch mode on LaRC's (60-bit-word) central computer system. This document provides a guide for using the program and describes in some detail the assortment of files used during its operation.

Bogart, E. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Piloted simulation of one-on-one helicopter air combat at NOE flight levels

A piloted simulation designed to examine the effects of terrain proximity and control system design on helicopter performance during one-on-one air combat maneuvering (ACM) is discussed. The NASA Ames vertical motion simulator (VMS) and the computer generated imagery (CGI) systems were modified to allow two aircraft to be independently piloted on a single CGI data base. Engagements were begun with the blue aircraft already in a tail-chase position behind the red, and also with the two aircraft originating from positions unknown to each other. Maneuvering was very aggressive and safety requirements for minimum altitude, separation, and maximum bank angles typical of flight test were not used. Results indicate that the presence of terrain features adds an order of complexiaty to the task performed over clear air ACM and that mix of attitude and rate command-type stability and control augmentation system (SCAS) design may be desirable. The simulation system design, the flight paths flown, and the tactics used were compared favorably by the evaluation pilots to actual flight test experiments.

Lewis, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Piloted simulation of an algorithm for onboard control of time-optimal intercept

A piloted simulation of algorithms for onboard computation of trajectories for time-optimal intercept of a moving target by an F-8 aircraft is described. The algorithms, use singular perturbation techniques, generate commands in the cockpit. By centering the horizontal and vertical needles, the pilot flies an approximation to a time-optimal intercept trajectory. Example simulations are shown and statistical data on the pilot's performance when presented with different display and computation modes are described.

Price, D. B.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Assessment of simulation fidelity using measurements of piloting technique in flight

The U.S. Army and NASA have undertaken the systematic validation of a ground-based piloted simulator for the UH-60A helicopter. The results of previous handling quality and task performance flight tests for this helicopter have been used as a data base for evaluating the fidelity of the present simulation, which is being conducted at the NASA Ames Research Center's Vertical Motion Simulator. Such nap-of-the-earth piloting tasks as pop-up, hover turn, dash/quick stop, sidestep, dolphin, and slalom, have been investigated. It is noted that pilot simulator performance is significantly and quantifiable degraded by comparison with flight test results for the same tasks.

Ferguson, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Pilot land data system

The full realization of the potential of satellite remote sensing would require the utilization of information systems which are currently not available. However, technological advances make it now possible to design a data system for meeting the land scientists' most critical information needs. A working group has been assembled to examine the need for a Pilot Data System (PLDS). The pilot program is to establish a limited-scale, distributed information system to explore approaches to satisfy the needs of the land science research community. Aspects and objectives considered by the working group are discussed, taking into account science scenarios, required functions, the characteristics of a land data system, and questions of pilot land data system development.

Estes, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Effects of digital altimetry on pilot workload

A series of VOR-DME instrument landing approaches was flown in the DC-9 full-workload simulator to compare pilot performance, scan behavior, and workload when using a computer-drum-pointer altimeter (CDPA) and a digital altimeter (DA). Six pilots executed two sets of instrument landing approaches, with a CDPA on one set and a DA on the other set. Pilot scanning parameters, flight performance, and subjective opinion data were evaluated. It is found that the processes of gathering information from the CDPA and the DA are different. The DA requires a higher mental workload than the CDPA for a VOR-DME type landing approach. Mental processing of altitude information after transitioning back to the attitude indicator is more evident with the DA than with the CDPA.

Harris, R. L., Sr.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Development experience with a simple expert system demonstrator for pilot emergency procedures

Expert system techniques, a major application area of artificial intelligence (AI), are examined in the development of pilot associate to handle aircraft emergency procedures. The term pilot associate is used to describe research involving expert systems that can assist the pilot in the cockpit. The development of expert systems for the electrical system and flight control system emergency procedures are discussed. A simple, high-level expert system provides the means to choose which knowledge domain is needed. The expert systems were developed on a low-cost, FORTH-based package, using a personal computer.

Vannorman, M.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Effects of digital altimetry on pilot workload

Harris, R. L., Sr.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Assessment of simulation fidelity using measurements of piloting technique in flight. II

Two components of the Vertical Motion Simulator (presently being used to assess the fidelity of UH-60A simulation) are evaluated: (1) the dash/quickstop Nap-of-the-earth (NOE) piloting task, and (2) the bop-up task. Data from these two flight test experiments are presented which provide information on the effect of reduced visual field of view, variation in scene content and texture, and the affect of pure time delay in the closed-loop pilot response. In comparison with task performance results obtained in flight tests, the results from the simulation indicate that the pilot's NOE task performance in the simulator is significantly degraded.

Ferguson, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Pilot evaluation of experimental flight trajectories in the near-terminal area

Advanced cockpit avionics systems now under development at NASA Langley Research Center will provide the means for effectively utilizing MLS technology to achieve a number of important objectives in the near-terminal airspace. A simulator study has recently been completed at NASA Langley Research Center in which guest pilots from a number of airlines were asked to fly curved ground tracks designed to avoid population centers in four airport communities. Eight two-man crews comprised of commercial line pilots, and three NASA crews each evaluated a total of eight departures and eight approaches on the basis of such factors as workload, safety, passenger acceptance, controllability, and piloting skill. Various physical measurements were also made, including cross-track errors, altitude errors, bank angles, and fuel flow rates. Half of the trajectories were curved and designed to be population-minimal, and half were designed to represent conventional ground tracks. The objective of the study was to determine if statistically significant differences could be detected between curved and conventional ground tracks on the basis of these parameters.

Deloach, R.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Flight tests and preliminary aerodynamic parameter extraction of an externally piloted vehicle aircraft model

Model aircraft flight test investigations have been undertaken to develop a low cost flight data acquisition system and to evaluate aerodynamic parameter estimation techniques. The externally piloted vehicles (EPVs) used are instrumented with sensors measuring acceleration, angular rates, angles of attack and sideslip, flight path velocity, and control deflections. Measured state variables are downlink telemetered to a ground-based real time flight data acquisition system; the data thus recorded are used by flight test engineers and EPV pilots to monitor conditions and aid in piloting tasks. Attention is given to comparisons of F-16 EPV data with wind tunnel data.

White, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Ground-based time-guidance algorithm for control of airplanes in a time-metered air traffic control environment: A piloted simulation study

The rapidly increasing costs of flight operations and the requirement for increased fuel conservation have made it necessary to develop more efficient ways to operate airplanes and to control air traffic for arrivals and departures to the terminal area. One concept of controlling arrival traffic through time metering has been jointly studied and evaluated by NASA and ONERA/CERT in piloted simulation tests. From time errors attained at checkpoints, airspeed and heading commands issued by air traffic control were computed by a time-guidance algorithm for the pilot to follow that would cause the airplane to cross a metering fix at a preassigned time. These tests resulted in the simulated airplane crossing a metering fix with a mean time error of 1.0 sec and a standard deviation of 16.7 sec when the time-metering algorithm was used. With mismodeled winds representing the unknown in wind-aloft forecasts and modeling form, the mean time error attained when crossing the metering fix was increased and the standard deviation remained approximately the same. The subject pilots reported that the airspeed and heading commands computed in the guidance concept were easy to follow and did not increase their work load above normal levels.

Knox, C. E.↗

NASA NTRS1986

On the pilot's behavior of detecting a system parameter change

The reaction of a human pilot, engaged in compensatory control, to a sudden change in the controlled element's characteristics is described. Taking the case where the change manifests itself as a variance change of the monitored signal, it is shown that the detection time, defined to be the time elapsed until the pilot detects the change, is related to the monitored signal and its derivative. Then, the detection behavior is modeled by an optimal controller, an optimal estimator, and a variance-ratio test mechanism that is performed for the monitored signal and its derivative. Results of a digital simulation show that the pilot's detection behavior can be well represented by the model proposed here.

Morizumi, N.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A piloted simulation of helicopter air combat to investigate effects of variations in selected performance and control response characteristics

A piloted simulation study investigating handling qualities and flight characteristics required for helicopter air to air combat is presented. The Helicopter Air Combat system was used to investigate this role for Army rotorcraft. Experimental variables were the maneuver envelope size (load factor and sideslip), directional axis handling qualities, and pitch and roll control-response type. Over 450 simulated, low altitude, one-on-one engagements were conducted. Results from the experiment indicate that a well damped directional response, low sideforce caused by sideslip, and some effective dihedral are all desirable for weapon system performance, good handling qualities, and low pilot workload. An angular rate command system was favored over the attitude type pitch and roll response for most applications, and an enhanced maneuver envelope size over that of current generation aircraft was found to be advantageous. Pilot technique, background, and experience are additional factors which had a significant effect on performance in the air combat tasks investigated. The implication of these results on design requirements for future helicopters is presented.

Lewis, Michael S.↗