Evaluation of primary flight display enhancements for improving general aviation safety
Name
61719013-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
14.34 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
5560ea4d850c6fa3f7c68b2c2f5d33f2
Author(s)
Craig, Daniel R
Advisor(s)
R. John Hausman.
Alternative Title
Evaluation of PFD enhancements for improving general aviation safety
Date Issued
2005
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
The information architecture of general aviation cockpits is shifting from one of independent mechanical instruments to one of digital sensors, common databuses, and liquid crystal displays. This integrated architecture presents an opportunity to improve general aviation safety through enhancements to the flight display utilizing the data, computing power, and display capabilities available on a modem integrated cockpit. A study of general aviation accident causes identified takeoff and climbout, stall, and spatial disorientation as potential root causes that could be addressed with enhancements to the Primary Flight Display of an integrated general aviation cockpit. To address these accident causes, four prototype enhancements were designed, implemented on a PFD, and flight tested in a single-engine general aviation aircraft. A Takeoff Performance Monitor prototype demonstrated the usefulness of automating the published takeoff distance calculation required of, but seldom performed by, pilots and also showed that performance deficiencies as small as a 10% reduction in power can be detected within the first few seconds immediately after throttle-up. The prototype was also able to predict takeoff distance in real-time within 200 feet by 55 knots using a simple acceleration model. A Dynamic Stall and V-Speeds prototype calculated stall speeds, best angle of climb speed, best rate of climb speed, and best glide speed given the current flight conditions and marked them on the airspeed indicator. Subject pilots reported the speeds aided in maintaining awareness of stall margin and optimal performance conditions.
(cont.) An Angle of Attack Estimator that used a speed-based method and an angle-based method to compute the angle of attack using only the data available on the PFD without additional sensors was prototyped along with two means of display; a traditional angle of attack gauge and a Pitch Limit Indicator. Both estimator methods were compared to an angle of attack vane during a series of maneuvers. It was shown that a speed-based angle of attack estimator along with the pitch limit indicator is a useful stall avoidance aid. Finally, an Unusual Attitude Alerting prototype provided specific verbal cues over the intercom when pitch or roll limits were exceeded to aid a pilot in recovery from unusual attitudes. Subject pilots preferred alerts that commanded the recovery maneuver over alerts that informed the pilot of the attitude but left the recovery procedure to the pilot, and preferred both to alerts that simply told the pilot to recover without specific information about the attitude.
Description
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2005.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-129).
Subjects
Aeronautics and Astronautics.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Terms of Use
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