Shore Based Hover Trials Using a Helmet Mounted Display

NLR has 40 years of experience in the field of helicopter-ship qualification testing. A cost effective and safe approach has been developed in the course of time, based on a thorough understanding of the helicopter's operational properties and the ship's environment. Part of this approach are the 'shore based hover trials' in which the helicopter's low speed characteristics are investigated. Traditionally, these trials are performed by NLR by hovering in the naturally occurring wind. An alternative method is the use of a pace car. A project was started to compare these methods. Because a helmet mounted display or cockpit display can have additional benefits over the pace car method, this method was included in these trials. The helicopter flight test display method involving a HMD was found to be a promising alternative for the pace car method.