Helicopter Visual Segment Approach Lighting System (HALS) Test Report.

Abstract

The establishment of precision instrument approaches to heliports is hindered by the visual segment guidance which currently exists at most urban area heliports. In the visual segment area, inside and below the decision height (DH) location on precision approach, the pilot normally operates the helicopter uncued through visual reference to the landing environment. The unique handling qualities of helicopters may require enhanced visual segment guidance. The Heliport Versus Segment Approach Lighting System (HALS) has been developed to meet this requirement. However, until now, no flight data in conjunction with MLS approaches had been collected. This Technical Note reports on a test designed to obtain pilot performance subjective pilot data on the Helicopter Visual Segment Approach Lighting System (HALS). Results identify the performance measures which correlate with the pilot's ability to visually acquire a HALS equipped heliport. Conclusions state that HALS can support existing minima to heliports. Pilots reported unacceptable Cooper-Harper ratings for rate of closure and workload without HALS.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA326987

Entities

People

  • Barry R. Billmann
  • Scott Shollenberger

Organizations

  • Federal Aviation Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Altimeters
  • Approach Lights
  • Distance Measuring Equipment
  • Flight
  • Guidance
  • Instrument Flight
  • Metal Matrix Composites
  • Navigation
  • Night Flight
  • Radar Altimeters
  • Radio Communications
  • Recording Systems
  • Standards
  • Transportation
  • United States
  • Urban Areas

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aviation Safety and Air Traffic Management
  • Aviation Science / Aeronautics.
  • Cellular and Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis.