Helicopter Electro-Optical System Display Requirements. II. Performance of Helicopter Pilots When Using a Low-Light-Level Television System during Simulated Night Nap-of-the-Earth Flight
Abstract
Previous ARI research has shown that pilots feel they can successfully use a low-light-level television system as an aid in night nap-of- the-earth (NOE) flight, even when the highlight luminance of its display is as little as 0.06 footlambert (fL). Videotaped presentations were used in this prior research, and estimations of the lowest usable display luminance were established on the basis of pilot judgment. The present experiment was designed to provide more objective evidence for determining the utility of such low- luminance displays when they are used as aids in night NOE flight. Each of 24 Army helicopter pilots made 24 simulated flights over a highly realistic three- dimensional terrain model as generated from an optical probe used in conjunction with an SIT television camera. The results showed that pilots had fewer crashes when using a larger display. All pilots flew as well with displays set so that highlight luminance was about 0.05 fL as they did with displays set so highlight luminance was about 0.2 fL. This report discusses the implications of these results for designing a usable low-light-level television system for night NOE flight.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA086855
Entities
People
- Aaron Hyman
- Paul A. Gade
- Richard M. Johnson
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences