Simulator-Based Evaluation of Visual Pilot Assistance for Coaxial Ultralight Helicopters

Presented at the Vertical Flight Society 79th Annual Forum & Technology Display
Crew Stations and Human Factors Technical Session - Paper 1312
15 pages

https://doi.org/10.4050/F-0079-2023-18029

Abstract:
This paper presents a flight simulator study that examines whether a display inside the cockpit can aid helicopter pilots with little to no experience in completing basic maneuvers. The study participants have no prior experience as helicopter pilots. The flight simulation uses a dynamic model of a coaxial ultralight helicopter horizontal motion that includes a stability augmentation system. A virtual reality headset is used to give the participants a realistic sense of perspective. The benchmark task includes decelerating into hover and hovering above a target for a given time. Three cueing configurations are compared. One includes visual cues on the ground that mark the hover target position. The two others add either a heads down display or a heads up display inside the cockpit, which visualize the relative target position and a prediction of the helicopter motion. With the proposed displays available inside the cockpit, participants tend to reach the target faster and more consistently. Hover performance is not improved by an additional display as the pilots mostly rely on visual cues on the ground during hover. In summary, both log data and pilot feedback suggest that the proposed displays are primarily beneficial in flight phases where the helicopter moves.

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