Opportunities to Improve Helicopter Cockpit Displays; A Pilot's Perspective

Human error remains as the major cause/factor identified in both civil and military helicopter accident reports. This paper identifies some opportunities for improving helicopter operational performance and reduce human error accidents based on critical event analysis of accident reports and associated operational requirements. Analysis identified areas where the pilot was overloaded and information available to the pilot was inadequate for the particular situation. These results suggest several areas where the task demands could be made more compatible with the pilot capabilities for improved performance, fewer errors, and timely decisions in critical situations. Two areas addressed are power/flight performance management and obstacle avoidance. This information can be useful in developing helicopter automation and electronic display systems that improve safety and mission reliability.