Flight test evaluation of tactical synthetic vision display concepts in a terrain-challenged operating environment

NASA's Aviation Safety Program, Synthetic Vision Systems Project is developing display concepts to improve pilot terrain/situational awareness by providing a perspective synthetic view of the outside world through an on-board database driven by precise aircraft positioning information updating via Global Positioning System-based data. This work is aimed at eliminating visibility-induced errors and low visibility conditions as a causal factor to civil aircraft accidents, as well as replicating the operational benefits of clear day flight operations regardless of the actual outside visibility condition. A flight test evaluation of tactical Synthetic Vision display concepts was recently conducted in the terrain-challenged operating environment of the Eagle County Regional Airport (Colorado). Several display concepts for head-up displays and head-down displays ranging from ARINC Standard Size A through Size X were tested. Seven pilots evaluated these displays for acceptability, usability, and situational/terrain awareness while flying existing commercial airline operating procedures for Eagle County Regional Airport. All tactical Synthetic Vision display concepts provided measurable increases in the pilot's subjective terrain awareness over the baseline aircraft displays. The head-down display presentations yielded better terrain awareness over the head-up display synthetic vision display concepts that were tested. Limitations in the head-up display concepts were uncovered that suggest further research.