A Comparison of Three Manual Methods of Inputting Navigational Data

This study evaluated the effectiveness of three simple manual methods of entering navigational data on cards which might subsequently be used to enter the same data into a computer. Results indicated that use of either a stylus punch or mark sense method required less time and resulted in fewer errors than did use of a hand punch method. No significant differences were found between the stylus punch and mark sense methods in either speed or accuracy of performance. The stylus punch method is recommended over the mark sense, particularly for airborne use, because it requires less elaborate data processing equipment. Furthermore, data from this and previous studies suggest that use of the stylus punch is preferable to use of thumbwheels or pushbuttons.