Multisensory Enhancement of Command Displays for Unusual Attitude Recovery

Abstract

In a low-fidelity, fixed-base F-16 flight simulator, 12 fighter pilots attempted to recover from unusual pitch-down inverted attitudes. Recovery was done in a control condition, aided by a heads-up display (HUD) only, and with 3 command display augmentations: (a) a command visual icon, pointing in the direction of appropriate control; (b) the icon augmented with a voice command; and (c) the icon augmented with a tactile command. All 3 command displays reduced the time to make the initial recovery response relative to the control condition, and decreased the frequency of initial incorrect roll responses. The tactile and voice augmentations also improved the speed of initial recovery response from the most severe inversions.

Notes

¹A Class A mishap is defined as one where there is loss of life, injury resulting in permanent total disability, destruction of an aircraft, or property damage or loss exceeding $1 million (Air Force, 2001).