Effects of visual flight display dynamics on altitude tracking performance in a flight simulator

The effects were studied of visual display dynamics on pilot tracking performance in a simulator. The tracking task consisted of maintaining the piloted aircraft at the same altitude as two aircraft positioned three-hundred feet ahead; as would be required in level formation flying. The two leading aircraft were represented symbolically along with the horizon on a CRT display. Vertical position of these aircraft with respect to the horizon indicated the altitude of the subject's aircraft, which was disturbed by atmospheric turbulence. Various bandwidths of second-order dynamics were interposed between the true aircraft altitude and the displayed altitude, whereas no dynamics were interposed in the attitude display. Experiments were run using two experienced pilots and two substantially different longitudinal dynamics for the piloted aircraft. Preliminary results indicate a significant decrease in altitude tracking performance for display dynamics with natural frequencies below ten radians per second.