NTL Record

Title Evaluation of a technique to simplify area navigation and required navigation performance charts
Record ID 47998
Personal Name
Creator
Chandra, Divya C; Grayhem, Rebecca J.
Source 98p. in various pagings
Corporate Creator John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration
Publisher John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
Publication Date 20130630
Language English
Abstract Performance based navigation (PBN), an enabler for the Federal Aviation Administration's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGEN), supports the design of more precise flight procedures. However, these new procedures can be visually complex, which may impact the usability of charts that depict the procedures. This study evaluated whether there are performance benefits from simplifying aeronautical charts by separating visually complex area navigation (RNAV) and required navigation performance (RNP) procedures onto difference chart images. Forty-seven professional pilots who were qualified to operate with RNAV and RNP participated. They used high-fidelity current and modified charts to find specific information from RNAV (RNP) approach and RNAV Standard Instrument Departure (SID) chart images that were shown one at a time on a computer monitor. Response time and accuracy were recorded. Results showed a consistent and significant reduction in the time to find information from the simplified chart images. Response time varied linearly with a simple clutter metric, the sum of visual elements in the depiction, indicating serial visual search. Most questions were answered with high accuracy, but some questions about altitude constraints yielded low accuracies. This experiment did not explore practical disadvantages of separating paths, such as the increased number of images to handle.
Rosap ID dot:10033
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/10033
TRT Terms Air pilots; Aeronautical charts; Navigation charts; Experiments; Human factors; Radar clutter; Accuracy
General Subjects Performance based navigation; Area navigation; Required navigation performance; Clutter; NextGen; Usability
Classification NTL - AVIATION - Aviation Safety/Airworthiness;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Human Factors;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Aviation Safety/Airworthiness
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
1489976
Contract Number FA6YC5 KLA12; FA6YC5 KT843; FA6YC8 KJ225; FA6YC8 LJ225
Report Number DOT-VNTSC-FAA-13-02
Availability Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/47000/47900/47998/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-13-02.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository