Pilot cueing synergies for degraded visual environments

Operating in a degraded visual environment (DVE) poses a significant risk to helicopter operations. A DVE can be caused by partial or total loss of visibility from airborne dust, sand, or snow stirred up by the helicopter’s rotor downwash. A DVE can cause a loss of spatial orientation and situational awareness, which has on several occasions led to controlled flight into terrain, ground obstacle collisions, and the loss of aircraft and personnel. DVEs have driven the development of new display technologies, which in turn present new challenges, including the integration of scene imagery, visual symbology, tactile cueing, and aural cueing. In a full-motion DVE simulation study with seven test pilots, we evaluated aural and tactile cueing along with sensor imagery displayed on either a helmet-mounted display (HMD) or panel-mounted display (PMD). The symbology and forward looking infrared (FLIR) imagery were presented on a UH-60M PMD or a SA Photonics high definition, wide field-of-view, binocular HMD. Additionally, the synergistic effects of aural and tactile cues were assessed. Tactile cues were presented via belt, shoulder harness, and seat cushion using electromechanical tactile stimulators. Aural cues were presented via an HGU-56/P rotary-wing aircrew helmet. The compatibility and effectiveness of each combination of FLIR sensor imagery, selected display, and aural and tactile cueing set were evaluated with quantitative measures of flight performance, pilot subjective reports, and pilot psychophysiological measures.

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