A Study Of Visual Simulation Techniques For Astronautical Flight Training

Advances in computer, visual display, motion and force cueing and other technologies in the past two decades have had a dramatic effect on the design and use of simulation technology in aviation and other fields. The effective use of technology in training, safety investigation, engineering and scientific research requires an understanding of its capabilities and limitations. As the technology has as its primary goal the creation of virtual environments for human users, knowledge of human sensory, perceptual, and cognitive functioning is also needed. This book provides a review and analysis of the relevant engineering and science supporting the design and use of advanced flight simulation technologies. It includes chapters reviewing key simulation areas such as visual scene, motion, and sound simulation and a chapter analyzing the role of recreating the pilot's task environment in the overall effectiveness of simulators. The design and use of flight simulation are addressed in chapters on the effectiveness of flight simulators in training and on the role of physical and psychological fidelity in simulator design. The problems inherent in the ground-based simulation of flight are also reviewed as are promising developments in flight simulation technology and the important role flight simulators play in advanced aviation research. The readership includes: flight simulation engineers and designers, human factors researchers and practitioners, aviation safety investigators, flight training management and instructors, training and instructional technologists, virtual environment design community, and regulatory authorities.

A study has been conducted to determine the effect of several variations of two types of visual display systems on subjective pilot evaluations and objective measures of performance in the landing approach. Two types of flight approaches were made with either a projector or quasicollimated monitor visual display: (I) the instrument approach, and (2) the visual approach without the normal cockpit instrumentation assistance. The variables examined were color; differences between displays due to quasicollimation of the monitor display; and reduced resolution as related to brightness, contrast, and sharpness. The use of color had two main effects on pilot performance in the landing approach. The touchdown distance and standard deviations increased more for the monitor displays, and the touchdown rates of descent were slightly lower. With quasicollimation, the standard deviations of touchdown distance increased, and the rate-of-descent standard deviations decreased in a direction more favorable with the actual flight data; an association between the standard deviations of rate of descent and touchdown distance suggests that a corresponding decrease in the deviation of rate of descent will be offset with an increase in the deviations of touchdown distance. The time outside the glide-slope error limits was less with the monitor display than with the projector display, and the lateral localizer error was smaller for the projector display because the pilots intercepted the runway center line at a greater distance from the threshold. With reduced resolution, there was a slight change in the touchdown distance and the standard deviation; for the flights made without color, the landings were predominantly to the right of the runway center line with twice the standard deviation. The pilots were more critical of the black and white variation for either display, and favored more use of a color system. Advantages cited for a color system included greater pilot relaxation, decreased fatigue, better picture quality, and more realistic depth perception, particularly with the monitor display. With regard to the reduced-resolution monitor display, the pilots also noted a loss in depth perception and height references, increased visual fatigue, and increased efforts for a reasonable approach in comparison with the projector display. The objective performance measures of the study were reasonably consistent with the pilots' subjective evaluations and comments.