Vertical Navigation Displays: Pilot Performance and Workload During Simulated Constant-Angle-of-Descent GPS Approaches
Charles M. Oman2, Andrew J. Kendra1, Miwa Hayashi2, Mary J. Stearns1, and Judith Bürki-Cohen1
1DOT/Volpe National Transportation Systems Center DTS-79
2Man Vehicle Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Abstract
This study compared the effect of alternative graphic or numeric cockpit display
formats on the tactical aspects of vertical navigation (VNAV). Display formats included:
a) a moving map with altitude range arc, b) the same format, supplemented with a
push-to-see profile view, including a vector flight path predictor, c) an equivalent
numeric format, d) a numeric non-VNAV format. Sixteen pilots each flew four different
approaches with each format in a Frasca 242 simulator. Vertical and horizontal flight
technical errors (FTE), workload, and subjective display preferences were measured. VNAV
displays improved vertical FTE by as much as a factor of two without increasing workload.
Relative advantages of the graphics formats are discussed.
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