High-Fidelity Line Operational Simulation Evaluation of Synthetic Vision Flight Deck Technology for Enhanced Unusual Attitude Awareness and Recovery

Publication Date

1-1-2021

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction

Volume

37

Issue

7

DOI

10.1080/10447318.2021.1890494

First Page

642

Last Page

654

Abstract

A Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) study of 18 LOC-I accidents determined that a lack of external visual references (i.e., darkness, instrument meteorological conditions, or both) was associated with a flight crew’s loss of attitude awareness or energy state awareness in 17 of these events. In response, CAST called for research on Virtual Day-Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC) displays, also known as Synthetic Vision Systems, to accomplish the intended function of improving flight crew awareness of airplane attitude. A NASA high-fidelity simulator research study is described that focused on evaluation of the technology during upset recovery and line operational simulation scenarios with Boeing 787-rated international airline flight crews, which supplements previous studies evaluating the technology with U.S. domestic air transport pilots. The results evinced that synthetic vision systems can significantly enhance recognition of, and prevention of entry into unusual attitudes and aid in recovery especially over high-terrain environments through substantially enhanced attitude and terrain awareness.

Department

Research Foundation

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