Healthy Building Initiative: Fort Worth Pilot Study
This fact sheet describes a case study of a federal office building in Fort Worth, Texas, that was used as a test site for indoor environmental quality data collection and analysis.
FEMP↗
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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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Pilot Study for Determining HVAC Fault Prevalence from Fault Monitoring Data
HVAC faults in U.S. commercial buildings are estimated to waste 0.7 quads of energy annually and many companies have deployed software at scale for fault detection and diagnosis (FDD). Yet the lack of comprehensive published data on fault prevalence makes it difficult for researchers, software developers, and building operators to target the most important types of faults and accelerate the widespread deployment of this technology. A multi-lab effort is underway to quantify the prevalence of commercial building HVAC faults. This paper describes initial analysis conducted on over 2-years of FDD data from 12 campus buildings to inform the methodology and data collection strategy of the full study. The analysis found a large variability in fault prevalence across different buildings, pieces of equipment, and fault types, many duplicate fault alarms, and challenges in validating faults with secondary data sources such as manually entered work order data. This paper also discusses the requirements for a successful full study, which necessitates the acquisition of a large, diverse dataset, from buildings that vary in end-use, climate region, and installed FDD software platform, as well as robust validation data easily linked to the FDD data. It is especially important to perform this analysis on data from multiple FDD providers and building owners to ensure that the results are agnostic to the software methodology used and building-specific settings. Future work will present the results of the full study, which will contain data from several different partner organizations, spanning a large proportion of U.S. climate zones.
Newman, Sarah F.↗
Manual flying of curved precision approaches to landing with electromechanical instrumentation. A piloted simulation study
A piloted simulation study was conducted to examine the requirements for using electromechanical flight instrumentation to provide situation information and flight guidance for manually controlled flight along curved precision approach paths to a landing. Six pilots were used as test subjects. The data from these tests indicated that flight director guidance is required for the manually controlled flight of a jet transport airplane on curved approach paths. Acceptable path tracking performance was attained with each of the three situation information algorithms tested. Approach paths with both multiple sequential turns and short final path segments were evaluated. Pilot comments indicated that all the approach paths tested could be used in normal airline operations.
Knox, Charles E.↗
Effect of motion cues during complex curved approach and landing tasks: A piloted simulation study
A piloted simulation study was conducted to examine the effect of motion cues using a high fidelity simulation of commercial aircraft during the performance of complex approach and landing tasks in the Microwave Landing System (MLS) signal environment. The data from these tests indicate that in a high complexity MLS approach task with moderate turbulence and wind, the pilot uses motion cues to improve path tracking performance. No significant differences in tracking accuracy were noted for the low and medium complexity tasks, regardless of the presence of motion cues. Higher control input rates were measured for all tasks when motion was used. Pilot eye scan, as measured by instrument dwell time, was faster when motion cues were used regardless of the complexity of the approach tasks. Pilot comments indicated a preference for motion. With motion cues, pilots appeared to work harder in all levels of task complexity and to improve tracking performance in the most complex approach task.
Scanlon, Charles H.↗
Manned Systems Utilization Analysis. Study 2.1: Space Servicing Pilot Program Study
Space servicing automated payloads was studied for potential cost benefits for future payload operations. Background information is provided on space servicing in general, and on a pilot flight test program in particular. An fight test is recommended to demonstrate space servicing. An overall program plan is provided which builds upon the pilot program through an interim servicing capability. A multipayload servicing concept for the time when the full capability tug becomes operational is presented. The space test program is specifically designed to provide low-cost booster vehicles and a flight test platform for several experiments on a single flight.
Wolfe, R. R.↗
2020 Can Do Colorado E-Bike Mini Pilot Program Study
### The Colorado Energy Office conducted a mini pilot program study as part of the Can Do Colorado initiative, providing e-bikes to 13 low-income participants. The program aimed to encourage energy-efficient transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic as transit services were reduced and people were concerned about exposure. The insights garnered from this small-scale pilot study informed the design of a full-scale, 2-year pilot in locations across Colorado. For more information about the mini pilot program, see NLR's [Preliminary Results Report](https://www.nlr.gov/docs/fy21osti/79657.pdf). Micromobility options such as e-bikes offer a solution for improving energy efficiency for short-distance trips, especially in urban areas. Pedal-assist e-bikes use an electric motor and battery to help power the bike. The motor amplifies the power behind each pedal stroke, augmenting the energy you put into the bike. #### Data Collection Agency The Colorado Energy Office conducted the survey. #### Survey Methodology Participants in the program received a Momentum LaFree E+ e-bike (Class 1) and accessories at no cost and manually submitted travel data and feedback for 3 months using the CanBikeCo App. The smartphone app, developed in partnership with NLR, used a customized version of the [NLR OpenPATH platform](https://www.nlr.gov/transportation/openpath.html). #### Survey Records and Data Survey records include a total of 13 participants. This dataset contains 3 months of end-to-end, multimodal travel data manually submitted via smartphone app by 13 low-income essential workers in the greater Denver area. The data includes distance, mode (e.g., e-bike, car, transit), trip purpose, and demographic information.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
A piloted simulation study of tiltover aborts
Piloted simulation of lunar module tiltover abort capability
Simpson, R. W.↗
NASA and NSBRI's Kelly Twins Study: Progress Implementing the First Integrated Omics Pilot Demonstration Study in Space
This opportunity has emerged from NASA's decision to fly veteran NASA astronaut Scott Kelly aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a period of one year commencing in March 2015, while his identical twin brother, retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, remains on Earth. Scott Kelly, a veteran of two Space Shuttle flights as well as a six-month ISS mission, will have a cumulative duration of 540 days in low Earth orbit at the conclusion of the one-year flight, while Mark Kelly, a veteran of four Space Shuttle flights, has a cumulative duration of 54 days ( 2 hours and 4 minutes) in low Earth orbit. This opportunity originated at the initiative of the twin astronauts themselves
Scott, Graham B. I.↗
A Piloted Simulation Study of Wake Turbulence on Final Approach
A piloted simulation study has been conducted in a research simulator to provide a means to estimate the effects of different levels of wake turbulence on final approach. A worst-case methodology was used to ensure conservative estimates. Fourteen airline pilots voluntarily participated in the study and flew almost 1000 approaches. The pilots rated the subjective severity of the disturbances using a special rating scale developed for this study. Several objective measures of the airplane/pilot response to the simulated wake turbulence were also made. All the data showed a large amount of variation between pilots and to a lesser extent for a given pilot. Therefore, the data were presented at 50, 70, 90 percentile levels as a function of vortex strength. The data allow estimates of the vortex strength for a given subjective or objective response and vice versa. The results of this study appear to be more conservative than the results of previous studies.
Stewart, Eric C.↗
Pilot interaction with cockpit automation 2: An experimental study of pilots' model and awareness of the Flight Management System
Technological developments have made it possible to automate more and more functions on the commercial aviation flight deck and in other dynamic high-consequence domains. This increase in the degrees of freedom in design has shifted questions away from narrow technological feasibility. Many concerned groups, from designers and operators to regulators and researchers, have begun to ask questions about how we should use the possibilities afforded by technology skillfully to support and expand human performance. In this article, we report on an experimental study that addressed these questions by examining pilot interaction with the current generation of flight deck automation. Previous results on pilot-automation interaction derived from pilot surveys, incident reports, and training observations have produced a corpus of features and contexts in which human-machine coordination is likely to break down (e.g., automation surprises). We used these data to design a simulated flight scenario that contained a variety of probes designed to reveal pilots' mental model of one major component of flight deck automation: the Flight Management System (FMS). The events within the scenario were also designed to probe pilots' ability to apply their knowledge and understanding in specific flight contexts and to examine their ability to track the status and behavior of the automated system (mode awareness). Although pilots were able to 'make the system work' in standard situations, the results reveal a variety of latent problems in pilot-FMS interaction that can affect pilot performance in nonnormal time critical situations.
Sarter, Nadine B.↗
Human visual sampling processes - A simulation validation study
Pilots and flight simulator used in study of human visual sampling study
Carbonell, J. R.↗
Piloted simulation study of two tilt-wing control concepts
A two phase piloted simulation study was conducted to investigate alternative wing and flap controls for tilt-wing aircraft. The initial phase of the study compared the flying qualities of both a conventional (programmed) flap and an innovative geared flap. The second phase of the study introduced an alternate method of pilot control for the geared flap and further studied the flying qualities of the programmed flap, and two geared flap configurations. In general, the pilot ratings showed little difference between the programmed flap and the geared flap control concepts, although differences between the two control concepts were noticed and are discussed in this paper. The addition of pitch attitude stabilization in the second phase of the study greatly enhanced the aircraft flying qualities. This paper describes the simulated tilt-wing aircraft and the flap control concepts, and presents the results of both the first and second phases of the piloted simulation study.
Birckelbaw, Lourdes G.↗
Overview of an Exploratory, Real-Time, Multi-Pilot Simulation Study of Early eVTOL Operations at Non-Towered Vertiports
This paper provides a report out on an exploratory, multi-aircraft/multi-pilot, real-time simulation study conducted by NASA of early commercial powered-lift, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations at a non-towered vertiport. As used in this paper, vertiport refers to the primary ground and airspace elements facilitating the takeoff and landing of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with central emphasis on a vertipad, i.e. the physical touch-down and lift-off area and surrounding approach , departure, local pattern procedures. The study, known as the Piloted UML-2 ConOps Study (PUCS), had two high-level goals. The first goal was providing preliminary insights and observations relevant to the piloting and flight operations of early, commercial UAM operations aligned with the initial stage of the FAA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Implementation Plan and the second level NASA’s UAM Maturity Level (UML) scale. The second goal was evaluating a novel, medium-fidelity, extensible, many-pilot, real-time simulation capability known as the UAM Flyers developed by NASA. The Flyers are intended to allow rapid development, screening, evaluation, and demonstrations of potential Concepts of Operation (ConOps) for UAM flight operations and airspace management in a modular and low-cost, real-time, human-in-the-loop rapid simulation prototyping environment. For this study, ten Flyer cockpits were configured to evaluate flight operations through a non-towered vertiport with pilot interfaces and displays (external and in-cockpit) appropriate for operations under visual flight rules (VFR) and employing flight and communication procedures representative of current operations at non-towered airports. The presented results include an achieved operational tempo; durations of individual flight tasks for approaches and departures; off-nominal events and triggers; and pilot comments regarding potential procedural and technology improvements.
Urban Air Mobility↗
Overview of an Exploratory, Multi-Pilot Simulation Study of Early eVTOL Operations at Non-Towered Vertiports
This paper provides a report out on an exploratory, multi-aircraft/multi-pilot, real-time simulation study conducted by NASA of early commercial powered-lift, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations at a non-towered vertiport. As used in this paper, vertiport refers to the primary ground and airspace elements facilitating the takeoff and landing of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with central emphasis on a vertipad, i.e. the physical touch-down and lift-off area and surrounding approach , departure, local pattern procedures. The study, known as the Piloted UML-2 ConOps Study (PUCS), had two high-level goals. The first goal was providing preliminary insights and observations relevant to the piloting and flight operations of early, commercial UAM operations aligned with the initial stage of the FAA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Implementation Plan and the second level NASA’s UAM Maturity Level (UML) scale. The second goal was evaluating a novel, medium-fidelity, extensible, many-pilot, real-time simulation capability known as the UAM Flyers developed by NASA. The Flyers are intended to allow rapid development, screening, evaluation, and demonstrations of potential Concepts of Operation (ConOps) for UAM flight operations and airspace management in a modular and low-cost, real-time, human-in-the-loop rapid simulation prototyping environment. For this study, ten Flyer cockpits were configured to evaluate flight operations through a non-towered vertiport with pilot interfaces and displays (external and in-cockpit) appropriate for operations under visual flight rules (VFR) and employing flight and communication procedures representative of current operations at non-towered airports. The presented results include an achieved operational tempo; durations of individual flight tasks for approaches and departures; off-nominal events and triggers; and pilot comments regarding potential procedural and technology improvements.
Urban Air Mobility↗
Eye-Tracking Analysis from a Flight-Director-Use and Pilot-Monitoring Study
Eye tracking may be a useful tool to investigate pilot monitoring and develop and conduct training. There is increased interest from airlines to use eye-tracking technologies in flight simulators. However, much is still unknown about how to best utilize eye-tracking data in pilot training. This paper presents eye-tracking results from a pilot-monitoring training study with 19 pilots. All pilots completed 15 monitoring challenges across four operational scenarios in a B737-700 full flight simulator. In addition, the study investigated the impact of having the flight director engaged or disengaged on the pilot monitoring side in the final approach. It was hypothesized that pilots would focus less on the primary flight display with the flight director off and look more around in the cockpit. To assess this, pilots performed half of the scenarios with the flight director on and half with the flight director off. However, pilots monitoring tended to look less at the primary flight display with the flight director on as indicated by lower Proportion Dwell Times, contrary to the hypothesis. Next, eye-tracking data were analyzed from two monitoring challenges involving waypoint restrictions and two involving extending the flaps at appropriate airspeeds. Pilots that successfully completed the challenges appeared to focus more on areas of interest that contained the most relevant information to successfully complete the challenge. In addition, successful pilots seemed to adapt their monitoring strategy more to the challenge at hand as observed by a distinct shift in focus on either the primary flight display or the navigation display depending on the challenge. Our findings suggest the importance of flexible gaze allocation across specific situations and raise the question whether and to what degree prespecified patterns of eye fixation can be identified and trained.
eye tracking↗
Eye-Tracking Analysis from a Flight-Director-Use and Pilot-Monitoring Study
Eye tracking may be a useful tool to investigate pilot monitoring and develop and conduct training. There is increased interest from airlines to use eye-tracking technologies in flight simulators. However, much is still unknown about how to best utilize eye-tracking data in pilot training. This paper presents eye-tracking results from a pilot-monitoring training study with 19 pilots. All pilots completed 15 monitoring challenges across four operational scenarios in a B737-700 full flight simulator. In addition, the study investigated the impact of having the flight director engaged or disengaged on the pilot monitoring side in the final approach. It was hypothesized that pilots would focus less on the primary flight display with the flight director off and look more around in the cockpit. To assess this, pilots performed half of the scenarios with the flight director on and half with the flight director off. However, pilots monitoring tended to look less at the primary flight display with the flight director on as indicated by lower Proportion Dwell Times, contrary to the hypothesis. Next, eye-tracking data were analyzed from two monitoring challenges involving waypoint restrictions and two involving extending the flaps at appropriate airspeeds. Pilots that successfully completed the challenges appeared to focus more on areas of interest that contained the most relevant information to successfully complete the challenge. In addition, successful pilots seemed to adapt their monitoring strategy more to the challenge at hand as observed by a distinct shift in focus on either the primary flight display or the navigation display depending on the challenge. Our findings suggest the importance of flexible gaze allocation across specific situations and raise the question whether and to what degree prespecified patterns of eye fixation can be identified and trained.
eye tracking↗
High-altitude balloon-launched aircraft - A piloted simulation study
A real-time piloted simulation at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility was used to study the feasibility of launching a research aircraft from a high-altitude balloon. In the study, the simulated aircraft was launched in a nosedown attitude at zero airspeed from 110,000 ft. After launch, the pilot flew the aircraft through a near-maximum-lift pullout and then through a zoom climb to a trimmed, l-g flight condition at the test altitude. The study included parametric variations to measure the effects of launch altitude, gross weight, Mach number limit, and parachute size on the test altitude attained. The aerodynamic model of the simulated aircraft was based on flight test results, low Reynolds number windtunnel tests, and computational models; the model included significant Mach number and Reynolds number effects at high altitude. A small parachute was included in the simulation to limit Mach number during the pullout to avoid adverse transonic effects and their resultant energy losses. A small rocket motor was included in the simulation and was investigated for boosting the aircraft to a higher test altitude. In the study, a test altitude of approximately 95,000 ft was attained without rocket boost, and a test altitude in excess of 100,000 ft was attained using small rocket boost.
Murray, James E.↗
Piloted simulation study of an ILS approach of a twin-pusher business/commuter turboprop aircraft configuration
A six-degree-of-freedom nonlinear simulation of a twin-pusher, turboprop business/commuter aircraft configuration representative of the Cessna ATPTB (Advanced turboprop test bed) was developed for use in piloted studies with the Langley General Aviation Simulator. The math models developed are provided, simulation predictions are compared with with Cessna flight-test data for validation purposes, and results of a handling quality study during simulated ILS (instrument landing system) approaches and missed approaches are presented. Simulated flight trajectories, task performance measures, and pilot evaluations are presented for the ILS approach and missed-approach tasks conducted with the vehicle in the presence of moderate turbulence, varying horizontal winds and engine-out conditions. Six test subjects consisting of two research pilots, a Cessna test pilot, and three general aviation pilots participated in the study. This effort was undertaken in cooperation with the Cessna Aircraft Company.
Riley, Donald R.↗