Does Workload Modulate the Difference between Cockpit Traffic Display Formats?

Abstract

Eighteen certified flight instructors from the University of Illinois Institute of Aviation participated in an experiment exploring the format of the Cockpit Display of Traffic Information for free flight traffic avoidance maneuvers. Pilots flew a sequence of flight scenarios to compare the effects of traffic load, display dimensionality (3D vs. 2D coplanar), and a vertical profile orientation on maneuver choice, conflict avoidance performance, and maneuver efficiency. The highest levels of workload induced more combined lateral/vertical maneuvers, degraded safety on the 2D coplanar displays, and degraded efficiency regardless of display type. In the context of an overwhelming preference for vertical maneuvers, the 3D display increased the frequency of the less-safe descent maneuvers (relative to climbs) and increased subjective workload, while the 2D rear-view display decreased the vertical efficiency of all maneuvers, relative to its side-view counterpart.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alexander

A.L.

Wickens

C.D.

(2000). Cockpit display of traffic information: The effects of traffic load, dimensionality, and vertical profile orientation. (Technical Report ARL-01-17/NASA-01-8). Savoy, IL: Aviation Research Lab.

Boeckman

K.J.

Wickens

C.D.

(2001). The resolution and performance effects of three-dimensional display rotation on local guidance and spatial awareness measures (Technical Report ARL-01-4/NASA-01-3). Savoy, IL: Aviation Research Lab.

DeJonge

(2000). Displaying the FMS vertical profile. In Proceedings of the 2000 World Aviation Conference (2000-01-5615). Anaheim, CA.

Ellis

S.R.

McGreevy

M.W.

Hitchcock

R.J.

(1987). Perspective traffic display format and airline pilot traffic avoidance. Human Factors, 29, 371–382.

Johnson

W.W.

Battiste

Bochow

S.H.

(1999). A cockpit display designed to enable limited flight deck separation responsibility. In Proceedings of the 1999 World Aviation Conference (1999-01-5567). Anaheim, CA.

Kreifeldt

J.G.

(1980). Cockpit displayed traffic information and distributed management in air traffic control.

Merwin

D.H.

Wickens

C.D.

(1996). Evaluation of perspective and coplanar cockpit displays of traffic information to support hazard awareness in free flight. University of Illinois Institute of Aviation Technical Report (ARL-96-5/NASA-96-1). Savoy, IL: Aviation Research Laboratory.

Merwin

D.H.

Wickens

C.D.

O'Brien

J.V.

(1997). Display format-induced biases in air traffic avoidance behavior. Proceedings of the World Aviation Congress (98WAC-71). Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

Oman

Kendra

Hayashi

Stearns

Burki-Cohen

(2001). Vertical navigation displays: Pilot performance and workload during simulated constant angle descent GPS approaches. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 11, 15–32.

10.

Wickens

C.D.

(2000). The when and how of using 2-D and 3-D displays for operational tasks. In Proceedings of the IEA 2000/HFES 2000 Congress. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

11.

Wickens

C.D.

Helleberg

(1999). Maneuver choice in free flight. Proceedings of the 1999 World Aviation Conference (1999-01-5591). Anaheim, CA.

12.

Wickens

C.D.

Merwin

D.H.

Lin

(1994). Implications of graphics enhancements for the visualization of scientific data: Dimensional integrality, stereopsis, motion, and mesh. Human Factors, 36, 44–61.