Comparison of novice and experienced pilots using analog and digital flight displays

Using 2 computer generated flight displays, 38 flight-naive persons and 18 experienced pilots were taught to perform 5 basic flight maneuvers. One display type used analog tapes to display the flight parameters while the other used digits. After learning to perform the maneuvers to the preset criteria using each of the display types, the subjects had to perform the same maneuvers to the same criterion level with the same displays while performing an aural side task. Overall, the digital displays were more difficult to learn to fly with than the analog displays, and the analog displays resulted in superior performances while under side task loading.