Sustained acceleration on perception of relative position and motion

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Human Factors Engineering
• Physiology

Background:

• Situational awareness in aviation, including air-to-air refueling and formation flying, depends on a pilot's perception of relative position and motion.
• Understanding how acceleration affects this perception is critical for flight safety and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of sustained G-force acceleration on a pilot's ability to perform a relative motion task.
• To quantify changes in accuracy and response time under varying acceleration levels.

Main Methods:

• Eight subjects performed a 2D join-up task, guiding an F-16 to a KC-135 tanker boom under different G(z) acceleration profiles (1.5, 3, 5, 7 G(z)) and a simulated aerial combat maneuver (SACM).
• Errors were recorded for passing or misaligning with the target.
• Capture time and error percentage were analyzed.

Main Results:

• One subject was excluded as an outlier.
• Error percentage significantly increased with higher G(z) profiles compared to baseline.
• Mean errors were approximately 15% higher at 7 G(z) and 10% higher during SACM, while capture time showed no significant difference.

Conclusions:

• Pilot's ability to perceive relative motion is significantly impaired at acceleration levels of 7 G(z) and above.
• These findings have implications for high-G flight operations and training protocols.