Helpt Predictie-Infornatie in de Cockpit bij het Opsporen van Doelvliegtuigen? (Predictive Information in the Cockpit as a Target Acquisition Aid).
Abstract
Under contract to the Royal Netherlands Airforce, the TNO Human Factors Research Institute conducts background research concerning effects of advanced interface principles in the cockpit on flight performance, (des)orientation and workload. In this connection, a simulator experiment was conducted to investigate the potential benefits of predictive information for tracking targets. Eight fighter pilots had to trace as soon as possible a target aircraft, initially flying from an arbitrary position at a fixed distance from the own aircraft. During the search of the target aircraft, the pilots received visual support by a perspective exocentric radar display with inside-out motion reference. In two experimental conditions, additional predictive graphics information was presented: based on extrapolation of translations of own aircraft and target aircraft, and based on translation and pitch. The difficulty of the scenarios was varied by directing the target towards and away from the observator. The experimental results show that pilots were not able to find the target faster when additional predictive information was presented in the radar image. The perspective radar display offered so many anticipation possibilities that no increase of target search time was possible. There even appeared a tendency to decreased search performance. This may be caused by the fact that too much information deteriorated the interpretation (display clutter). A follow-up study is proposed, investigating whether the situational awareness of the pilot still can be increased. The results of the ongoing experiments suggest that inside-out referenced displays cause more frequent controlled flight into ground.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 06, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA311427
Entities
People
- J. A. Veltman
- L. Van Breda