Perception of flight information from EFIS displays

Abstract

A pilot's perception of variables presented on the Electronic Flight Instrument System, EFIS, was investigated. A stimulus response technique was used to determine the accuracy and speed of the perception process. By varying the exposure time of the stimuli, it is shown that the perception of a variable's magnitude is faster and more accurate than the perception of the first derivative or rate of that variable. Results of experiments on roll and pitch attitude perception, the influence of scale division, and the perception of the indicated airspeed, are shown.