Helmet-Mounted Display Symbology for Terrain Avoidance During Low-Level Maneuvers

Abstract

A simulation study was performed to evaluate helmet-mounted display symbology for fighter aircraft ground collision avoidance systems. Four visual alert symbologies were tested: an iconic cue, an aircraft-fixed (AF) guidance cue, a head-fixed (HF) guidance cue, and an HF guidance cue with a pitch ladder. Participants were given audio and visual side tasks and responded to alerts in different aircraft attitudes. Shorter reaction times were observed when a HF visual alert was given in addition to the standard audio alert. No significant differences in recovery performance (measured by response time and altitude loss) were observed between display formats. However, the display format had a significant effect on participant head motion. With HF guidance cues, pilots were able to perform the recovery maneuver with their heads off axis; with AF guidance cues or no guidance cues, pilots consistently turned their heads to face forward before maneuvering the aircraft.