AN INVESTIGATION OF SINGLE-PILOTED ADVANCED COCKPIT AND CONTROL CONFIGURATIONS FOR NAP-OF-THE-EARTH HELICOPTER COMBAT MISSION TASKS

A two phase handling qualities and pilot workload investigation of single pilot operation in the combat Nap-of-the-Earth (NOE) environment was started by the Aeroflightdynamics Directorate in October 1985. Phase one of the investigation was conducted in cooperation with the NASA-Ames Research Center on the NASA Vertical Motion System (VMS) simulator, using the Advanced Digital Optical Control System (ADOCS) laws and a glass cockpit. Handling Quality Ratings (HQR) and workload ratings were recorded for NOE flight task maneuvers during single pilot and "dual" pilot operation. Control automation/augmentation was varied to record differences between configurations for dual and single pilot operation. Only one control system configuration investigated was rated satisfactory for single pilot NOE flight due to increased attentional demands placed on the pilot. Altitude hold was considered by the simulation pilots to be the single most important automation feature investigated since it freed one hand for other tasks and aided in terrain avoidance. Air-to-ground and air-to-air engagements were also performed to study preferred control configurations and pilot workload. Pilot workload analysis indicated significant correlation between handling quality ratings and two workload techniques used for this simulation. A very high degree of control and cockpit automation/ augmentation is indicated for single pilot operation.