LESSONS LEARNED AND CONCEPTS FOR IMPROVEMENT ON GLASS COCKPIT DESIGN – A TEST PILOT’S PERSPECTIVE.

As the first pilot to fly a new cockpit, test pilots have a unique perspective into the design and development of military glass cockpits. Current military cockpits are considerably behind commercial cockpit design in the use of color and advanced graphics. Two examples - one military and one commercial - are used to highlight the differences in sophistication of display design. Behavioral Optometry concepts are discussed and applied toward the example displays. The use of color, and demonstrations of how color can affect human perception and can be used to enhance cockpit displays are shown. The concept of “dimensionality” – the range and number of dimensions contained in a cockpit design - is introduced and its applicability to cockpit design and analysis is given. Dimensions interact with the human senses and may include time, space, color, sound, vibrations and motion. Many aspects of display design concepts and the design process, along with recommendations are discussed.