Effects of field-of-view on pilot performance in night vision goggles flight trials: preliminary findings

Sion A. Jennings; Greg Craig

doi:10.1117/12.389163

23 June 2000 Effects of field-of-view on pilot performance in night vision goggles flight trials: preliminary findings

Sion A. Jennings, Greg Craig

Proceedings Volume 4021, Helmet- and Head-Mounted Displays V; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.389163
Event: AeroSense 2000, 2000, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

Night vision goggles (NVGs) allow pilots to see and navigate under minimal levels of illumination. While NVGs allow the user to see more than they typically could under these levels of illumination, the visual information provided by NVGs has a limited field-of-view. The size of the field-of- view can diminish the pilot's spatial orientation ability in the night flying environment. We examined pilot performance in low level helicopter flight while the pilots were using NVGs with 40 degree(s), and 52 degree(s) fields-of-view. The pilots flew a standardized ADS-33D hover maneuver in a Bell 206 helicopter equipped with an accurate position measurement system. The tests were conducted in simulated night conditions and both subjective and objective measures of task performance were obtained. Pilot Cooper-Harper ratings increased from Level 1 baseline ratings to Level 2 ratings when the NVGs were used, indicating worse performance when using the NVGs. Small rating differences were noticed between the 52 degree(s) and 40 degree(s) field-of-view conditions. Similar trends were noticed in the objective data of altitude, and lateral and longitudinal station keeping errors.

Citation Download Citation

Sion A. Jennings and Greg Craig "Effects of field-of-view on pilot performance in night vision goggles flight trials: preliminary findings", Proc. SPIE 4021, Helmet- and Head-Mounted Displays V, (23 June 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.389163

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