Citation

Chappell SL, Palmer EA. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 1983; 27(9): 767-771.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1983, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/154193128302700903

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study explored the use of cockpit traffic displays for aircraft separation in instrument conditions. This is a new concept termed EFR for electronic flight rules. Four groups of three general aviation, instrument-rated pilots flew cross-country flights in twin engine simulators in the Multi-Cockpit Facility at NASA Ames. They were required to maintain two miles horizontal and 500 feet vertical separation from all other aircraft. There were 24 different geometries, or traffic situations, repeated randomly for each of the four experimental conditions for each group.
Of 1152 aircraft encounters 12.8% were in violation of separation minimums. Eighteen of these were closer than 400 ft vertically or 1.6 nm horizontally. The minimum separation of all aircraft pairs was 293 ft and .13 nm. The type and time of evasive maneuvers showed no effect when sensor noise was simulated in the displayed traffic information. When pilots were able to communicate and coordinate their maneuvers, the time to resolve the conflict was reduced. Subject groups varied significantly in: time of conflict resolution, frequency and type of maneuvers, control activity, reported amount of threat, confidence, and satisfaction they perceived, and appraisal of the efficacy of their communications.

Language: en