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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 145 records · Page 8

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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 NTRS1999

Helicopter Flight Simulation Motion Platform Requirements

To determine motion fidelity requirements, a series of piloted simulations was performed. Several key results were found. First, lateral and vertical translational platform cues had significant effects on fidelity. Their presence improved performance and reduced pilot workload. Second, yaw and roll rotational platform cues were not as important as the translational platform cues. In particular, the yaw rotational motion platform cue did not appear at all useful in improving performance or reducing workload. Third, when the lateral translational platform cue was combined with visual yaw rotational cues, pilots believed the platform was rotating when it was not. Thus, simulator systems can be made more efficient by proper combination of platform and visual cues. Fourth, motion fidelity specifications were revised that now provide simulator users with a better prediction of motion fidelity based upon the frequency responses of their motion control laws. Fifth, vertical platform motion affected pilot estimates of steady-state altitude during altitude repositioning. Finally, the combined results led to a general method for configuring helicopter motion systems and for developing simulator tasks that more likely represent actual flight. The overall results can serve as a guide to future simulator designers and to today's operators.

Schroeder, Jeffery Allyn↗

NASA NTRS1990

TASKILLAN II - Pilot strategies for workload management

This study focused on the strategies used by pilots in managing their workload level, and their subsequent task performance. Sixteen licensed pilots flew 42 missions on a helicopter simulation, and were evaluated on their performance of the overall mission, as well as individual tasks. Pilots were divided in four groups, defined by the presence or absence of scheduling control over tasks and the availability of intelligence concerning the type and stage of difficulties imposed during the flight. Results suggest that intelligence supported strategies that yielded significant higher performance levels, while scheduling control seemed to have no impact on performance. Both difficulty type and the stage of difficulty impacted performance significantly, with strongest effects for time stresss and difficulties imposed late in the flight.

Segal, Leon D.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A simulator investigation of the use of digital data link for pilot/ATC communications in a single pilot operation

Studies have shown that radio communications between pilots and air traffic control contribute to high pilot workload and are subject to various errors. These errors result from congestion on the voice radio channel, and missed and misunderstood messages. The use of digital data link has been proposed as a means of reducing this workload and error rate. A critical factor, however, in determining the potential benefit of data link will be the interface between future data link systems and the operator of those systems, both in the air and on the ground. The purpose of this effort was to evaluate the pilot interface with various levels of data link capability, in simulated general aviation, single-pilot instrument flight rule operations. Results show that the data link reduced demands on pilots' short-term memory, reduced the number of communication transmissions, and permitted the pilots to more easily allocate time to critical cockpit tasks while receiving air traffic control messages. The pilots who participated unanimously indicated a preference for data link communications over voice-only communications. There were, however, situations in which the pilot preferred the use of voice communications, and the ability for pilots to delay processing the data link messages, during high workload events, caused delays in the acknowledgement of messages to air traffic control.

Hinton, David A.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Simulation study of intracity helicopter operations under instrument conditions to category 1 minimums

A fixed-base simulator study was conducted to define pilot workload and task performance associated with instrument flight operations for an intracity helicopter passenger service. Displays considered necessary to provide a minimal capability under Instrument Flight Rules conditions were used to fly a representative commercial helicopter route structure in the New York area, with each terminal assumed to be equipped with a precision approach guidance system. A cross section of pilots participated as test subjects, and despite the high workload level, the results indicated that for the assumptions employed, minimums of 61 m (200 ft) ceiling and 805 m (0.5 mile) visibility were feasible.

Callan, W. M.↗

NASA NTRS2022

Fatigue in Short-Haul Operations: Regulations and Research

Short-haul multi-segment flight operations are conducted within Part 117 table limits for Flight Time and Flight Duty Period, yet there are few data available regarding the impact on sleep, workload, and performance in these operations. The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) has invested in the planning and execution of a study that will result in data characterizing the effects of short-haul multi-segment flight operations on cumulative sleep loss and pilot workload across trip pairings. Scientific researchers from CAMI, in collaboration with NASA Ames Research Center, are currently running an operational field study to examine the human factors and elements of pilot performance associated with short-haul multi-segment flight operations to better understand the impact of sleep disruption and workload across trip pairings. The first half of this presentation will provide a brief overview of current duty and rest requirements and identify gaps in current operational research data. The second half of the presentation will focus on results from a focus group study which developed the scope of the larger field study, followed by an overview of the current field study.

short-haul↗

NASA NTRS1982

Simulation of the XV-15 tilt rotor research aircraft

The effective use of simulation from issuance of the request for proposal through conduct of a flight test program for the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft is discussed. From program inception, simulation complemented all phases of XV-15 development. The initial simulation evaluations during the source evaluation board proceedings contributed significantly to performance and stability and control evaluations. Eight subsequent simulation periods provided major contributions in the areas of control concepts; cockpit configuration; handling qualities; pilot workload; failure effects and recovery procedures; and flight boundary problems and recovery procedures. The fidelity of the simulation also made it a valuable pilot training aid, as well as a suitable tool for military and civil mission evaluations. Simulation also provided valuable design data for refinement of automatic flight control systems. Throughout the program, fidelity was a prime issue and resulted in unique data and methods for fidelity evaluation which are presented and discussed.

Churchill, G. B.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Techniques for Improving Pilot Recovery from System Failures

This project examined the application of intelligent cockpit systems to aid air transport pilots at the tasks of reacting to in-flight system failures and of planning and then following a safe four dimensional trajectory to the runway threshold during emergencies. Two studies were conducted. The first examined pilot performance with a prototype awareness/alerting system in reacting to on-board system failures. In a full-motion, high-fidelity simulator, Army helicopter pilots were asked to fly a mission during which, without warning or briefing, 14 different failures were triggered at random times. Results suggest that the amount of information pilots require from such diagnostic systems is strongly dependent on their training; for failures they are commonly trained to react to with a procedural response, they needed only an indication of which failure to follow, while for 'un-trained' failures, they benefited from more intelligent and informative systems. Pilots were also found to over-rely on the system in conditions were it provided false or mis-leading information. In the second study, a proof-of-concept system was designed suitable for helping pilots replan their flights in emergency situations for quick, safe trajectory generation. This system is described in this report, including: the use of embedded fast-time simulation to predict the trajectory defined by a series of discrete actions; the models of aircraft and pilot dynamics required by the system; and the pilot interface. Then, results of a flight simulator evaluation with airline pilots are detailed. In 6 of 72 simulator runs, pilots were not able to establish a stable flight path on localizer and glideslope, suggesting a need for cockpit aids. However, results also suggest that, to be operationally feasible, such an aid must be capable of suggesting safe trajectories to the pilot; an aid that only verified plans entered by the pilot was found to have significantly detrimental effects on performance and pilot workload. Results also highlight that the trajectories suggested by the aid must capture the context of the emergency; for example, in some emergencies pilots were willing to violate flight envelope limits to reduce time in flight - in other emergencies the opposite was found.

Pritchett, Amy R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

An evaluation of automatic control system concepts for general aviation airplanes

A piloted simulation study of automatic longitudinal control systems for general aviation airplanes has been conducted. These automatic control systems were designed to make the simulated airplane easy to fly for a beginning or infrequent pilot. Different control systems are presented and their characteristics are documented. In a conventional airplane control system each cockpit controller commands combinations of both the airspeed and the vertical speed. The best system in the present study decoupled the airspeed and vertical speed responses to cockpit throttle inputs. That is, the cockpit throttle lever commanded only airspeed responses, and the longitudinal wheel position commanded only vertical speed responses. This system significantly reduced the pilot workload throughout an entire mission of the airplane from takeoff to landing. An important feature of the automatic system was that neither changing flap position nor maneuvering in steeply banked turns affected either the airspeed or the vertical speed. All the pilots who flew the control system simulation were favorably impressed with the very low workload and the excellent handling qualities of the simulated airplane.

Stewart, E. C.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Flight Experiment Investigation of General Aviation Self-Separation and Sequencing Tasks

A new flight operations concept called Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) Higher Volume Operations (HVO) was developed to increase capacity during Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) at non-towered, non-radar airports by enabling concurrent operations of multiple aircraft. One aspect of this concept involves having pilots safely self-separate from other aircraft during approaches into these airports using appropriate SATS HVO procedures. A flight experiment was conducted to determine if instrument-rated general aviation (GA) pilots could self-separate and sequence their ownship aircraft, while following a simulated aircraft, into a non-towered, non-radar airport during simulated IMC. Six GA pilots' workload levels and abilities to perform self-separation and sequencing procedures while flying a global positioning system (GPS) instrument approach procedure were examined. The results showed that the evaluation pilots maintained at least the minimum specified separation between their ownship aircraft and simulated traffic and maintained their assigned landing sequence 100-percent of the time. Neither flight path deviations nor subjective workload assessments were negatively impacted by the additional tasks of self-separating and sequencing during these instrument approaches.

Murdoch, Jennifer L.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Motion cue effects on human pilot dynamics in manual control

Two experiments were conducted to study the motion cue effects on human pilots during tracking tasks. The moving-base simulator of National Aerospace Laboratory was employed as the motion cue device, and the attitude director indicator or the projected visual field was employed as the visual cue device. The chosen controlled elements were second-order unstable systems. It was confirmed that with the aid of motion cues the pilot workload was lessened and consequently the human controllability limits were enlarged. In order to clarify the mechanism of these effects, the describing functions of the human pilots were identified by making use of the spectral and the time domain analyses. The results of these analyses suggest that the sensory system of the motion cues can yield the differential informations of the signal effectively, which coincides with the existing knowledges in the physiological area.

Washizu, K.↗

NASA NTRS1977

NAVTOLAND and flying qualities

The V/STOL operational capability is reviewed with emphasis on pilot workload and all-weather landing guidance systems. A research and development program to correlate and integrate the development of all systems and techniques involved in enabling the pilot to fly V/STOL aircraft onto ships and tactical sites is described. Aircraft design parameters that affect its control in the vertical takeoff and landing flight regimes are emphasized. Topics considered include: (1) integrated flight controls and displays; (2) low speed sensor; (3) air traffic control appraoch and landing guidance systems; (4) visual landing aids; (5) ground effect induced thrust variation problems; and (6) handling qualities.

Momiyama, T. S.↗

NASA NTRS2003

An Ecological Approach to the Design of UAV Ground Control Station (GCS) Status Displays

Use of UAVs in military and commercial applications will continue to increase. However, there has been limited research devoted to UAV GCS design. The current study employed an ecological approach to interfac e design. Ecological Interface Design (EID) can be characterized as r epresenting the properties of a system, such that an operator is enco uraged to use skill-based behavior when problem solving. When more ef fortful cognitive processes become necessary due to unfamiliar situations, the application of EID philosophy supports the application of kn owledge-based behavior. With advances toward multiple UAV command and control, operators need GCS interfaces designed to support understan ding of complex systems. We hypothesized that use of EID principles f or the display of UAV status information would result in better opera tor performance and situational awareness, while decreasing workload. Pilots flew a series of missions with three UAV GCS displays of statu s information (Alphanumeric, Ecological, and Hybrid display format). Measures of task performance, Situational Awareness, and workload dem onstrated the benefits of using an ecological approach to designing U AV GCS displays. The application of ecological principles to the design of UAV GCSs is a promising area for improving UAV operations.

Dowell, Susan↗

NASA NTRS1973

Design of a flight director/configuration management system for piloted STOL approaches

The design and characteristics of a flight director for V/STOL aircraft are discussed. A configuration management system for piloted STOL approaches is described. The individual components of the overall system designed to reduce pilot workload to an acceptable level during curved, decelerating, and descending STOL approaches are defined. The application of the system to augmentor wing aircraft is analyzed. System performance checks and piloted evaluations were conducted on a flight simulator and the results are summarized.

Hoh, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Helicopter human factors

The state-of-the-art helicopter and its pilot are examined using the tools of human-factors analysis. The significant role of human error in helicopter accidents is discussed; the history of human-factors research on helicopters is briefly traced; the typical flight tasks are described; and the noise, vibration, and temperature conditions typical of modern military helicopters are characterized. Also considered are helicopter controls, cockpit instruments and displays, and the impact of cockpit design on pilot workload. Particular attention is given to possible advanced-technology improvements, such as control stabilization and augmentation, FBW and fly-by-light systems, multifunction displays, night-vision goggles, pilot night-vision systems, night-vision displays with superimposed symbols, target acquisition and designation systems, and aural displays. Diagrams, drawings, and photographs are provided.

Hart, Sandra G.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Cockpit voice recognition program at Princeton University

Voice recognition technology (VRT) is applied to aeronautics, particularly on the pilot workload alleviation. The VRT does not have to prove its maturity any longer. The feasibility of voice tuning of radio and DME are demonstrated since there are immediate advantages to the pilot and can be completed in a reasonable time.

Huang, C. Y.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Feasibility study for ergonomic analysis and design of future helicopter cockpit systems

The Army's light scout-attack helicopters (LHXs), planned for deployment in the 1990's, will fly nap-of-the-earth (NOE) missions in high threat environments, often under poor visibility and adverse atmospheric conditions, and probably with a one man crew. A procedure for the analysis of pilot workload that will identify and explicate the main characteristics of those LHX mission components holding overload potential is described. A principled, in-depth, explication of the cognitive demans of LHX piloting is essential to any effective effort to address the human factors issues. A task-analytic procedure that will yield the detail and organizstion needed to achieve these goals is examined.

Hawkins, H. L.↗

NASA NTRS2005

A Demonstration of a Retrofit Architecture for Intelligent Control and Diagnostics of a Turbofan Engine

A retrofit architecture for intelligent turbofan engine control and diagnostics that changes the fan speed command to maintain thrust is proposed and its demonstration in a piloted flight simulator is described. The objective of the implementation is to increase the level of autonomy of the propulsion system, thereby reducing pilot workload in the presence of anomalies and engine degradation due to wear. The main functions of the architecture are to diagnose the cause of changes in the engine s operation, warning the pilot if necessary, and to adjust the outer loop control reference signal in response to the changes. This requires that the retrofit control architecture contain the capability to determine the changed relationship between fan speed and thrust, and the intelligence to recognize the cause of the change in order to correct it or warn the pilot. The proposed retrofit architecture is able to determine the fan speed setting through recognition of the degradation level of the engine, and it is able to identify specific faults and warn the pilot. In the flight simulator it was demonstrated that when degradation is introduced into an engine with standard fan speed control, the pilot needs to take corrective action to maintain heading. Utilizing the intelligent retrofit control architecture, the engine thrust is automatically adjusted to its expected value, eliminating yaw without pilot intervention.

Litt, Jonathan S.↗