Simulator Study of Helmet-Mounted Symbology System Concepts in Degraded Visual Environments

Area of Science:

• Aviation Psychology
• Human Factors Engineering
• Aerospace Safety

Background:

• Spatial disorientation in helicopters arises from lost visual cues during low-altitude flight.
• This disorientation poses significant risks due to minimal error tolerance and delayed correction.
• Legacy Griffon helicopters require advanced symbology systems to mitigate these risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate three helmet-mounted symbology systems for Griffon helicopters.
• To compare the effectiveness of HDTS, BOSS, and the current AVS7 system.
• To identify solutions for degraded visual environments in helicopter operations.

Main Methods:

• Thirteen Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) pilots participated in simulator trials.
• Pilots tested the Helmet Display Tracking System for Degraded Visual Environments (HDTS), BrownOut Symbology System (BOSS), and AVS7.
• Objective (speed, altitude, attitude, distance) and subjective (situation awareness, workload) metrics were collected.

Main Results:

• HDTS and BOSS generally improved performance over AVS7 during two-stage departures.
• HDTS showed significantly better heading error control than AVS7.
• During single-stage approaches, HDTS outperformed AVS7 in distance to landing and approach heading.

Conclusions:

• Both HDTS and BOSS have limitations but offer improvements over the current system.
• The HDTS was identified as the preferred flight display system by pilots.
• Helmet-mounted symbology systems can enhance helicopter safety in challenging visual conditions.