The history of the General Aviation Single Pilot IFR research program at NASA LaRC was discussed in general terms. The program objective, justification, and technical approach were given. The facilities used to conduct the research were discussed briefly. A general overview of recent accomplishments, present activities and near term plans were given

Shaughnessy, J. D.

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NASA Technical Reports Server

SINGLE PILOT IFR PROGRAM OVERVIEW AND STATUS 
John D. Shaughnessy 
NASA Langley Research Center 
ABSTRACT 
The history of the General Aviation Single Pilot IFR research program at 
NASA LaRC was discussed in general terms. The program objective, justification, 
and technical approach were given. The facilities used to conduct the research 
were discussed briefly. A general overview of recent accomplishments, present 
activities and near term plans were given. (This overview is essentially 
section II of this report.) 
SINGLE PILOT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES RESEARCH PROGRAM. -----_ ----___-___ 
OBJECTIVE: TO PROVIDE A TECHNOLOGY BASE TO ENHANCE SINGLE CREWMAN 
EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY IN FUTURE AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS 
AND AUTOMATED ATC SYSTEMS THROUGH EXPLOITATION OF llODERN 
COMPUTERS, CONTROLS, AND DISPLAYS, 
JUSTIFICATION: GA IFR OPERATIO!iS ARE FORECASTED TO INCREASE FROM 1885 
TIlLLION IN 1981 TO 30.4 MILLION BY 1993, AND SPIFR ACCIDENTS 
DUE TO "PILOT ERROR" ARE FORECASTED TO INCREASE FROM ABOUT 
150 PER YEAR TO 250 PER YEAR Ill THE SAME TIME PERIOD, RESEARCH 
INTO MORE EFFICIENT METHODS FOR TRANSFERRING HEATHER INFORMATION 
TO THE PILOT, IMPROVING THE PILOT'S INTERFACE WITH AUTOMATION 
AND AIRCRAFT CONTROL, AND DEVELOPING NEW PRIMARY COCKPIT DISPLAY 
FORMATS AND INFORMATlON TRANSFER CONCEPTS SHOULD PROVIDE A 
TECHNOLOGY BASE THAT WILL ALLOW FOR SAFER MORE EFFICIENT SPIFR 
OPERATIONS. 
APPROACH: ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH IS BEING CONDUCTED AT 
LANGLEY, IN INDUSTRY AND AT UNIVERSITIES. AT LARC, VARIOUS 
SIMULATORS, AND NASA AIRCRAFT ARE BEING UTILIZED FOR THE 
EXPERIMENTAL EFFORTS, SINGLE CREWMAN FLIGHT OPERATIONS RESEARCH 
IS COORDINATED BETWEEN NASA, FAA, DOD 8 USER/MANUFACTURER 
ORGANIZATIONS. 
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19840003962 2020-03-22T07:57:27+00:00Z
SINGLE PILOT INS'I'RU~lI?JT PLIGHT RESEARClI SIMULATOR 
The general aviation (GA) simulator at LaRC has recently been upgraded to 
provide a valid simulation environment for research in full mission IFR studies. 
The simulator is constructed around a light twin GA aircraft cabin and is 
mounted on a two degree-of-freedom motion base (pitch -10" +15', roll +16O). - 
Control inputs in pitch and roll are applied through a standard yoke 
arrangement. This arrangement is reverse driven by hydraulic actuators in 
order to feed back aerodynamic control force cues. This allows a realistic 
simulation of aircraft controller forces in pitch and roll. 
An out-the-window visual display is obtained by using a closed circuit 
TV system and a terrain model board. The system is called the visual landing 
display system (VLDS). The model board is scaled so as to encompass an area 
of approximately 2 x 6-l/2 miles. The model includes two airports, country 
and suburban terrain, and a small city. The model airports are equipped with 
runway, approach, and sequence flashing lights. Both night and day scenes and 
various ceilings and visibilities can be simulated. 
The GA simulator is equipped with an oculometer. This system provides 
pilot look point information over an area defined by a pilot's view angle 
of 40" x 60". 
A high quality full range engine and airstream noise simulation has been 
developed and installed in the GA simulator. The system can be used to provide 
both the detrimental and beneficial effects of the real world aircraft noise 
environment. 
The GA simulator incorporates a complete dual radio/ATC communications 
network capability. 
The GA software program includes the simulation of two geographical areas, 
Atlanta and Washington/Norfolk. The Washington/Norfolk area, for example, 
encompasses an area approximately 170 x 180 miles. All VOR's and NDB's in the 
area are programmed with respect to the latitude/longitude, elevation, frequency, 
and coded identification. Twelve airports were also chosen in this area and 
all associated navaids with respect to these airports.(ILS, LOM, OM, MM, etc) 
were programmed. All of the twelve airports, and their corresponding navaids, 
can be oriented to coincide with the VLDS runway. 
A complete autopilot capability, encompassing the pitch and roll control 
modes (heading select, altitude select, nav couplers, etc), has been installed 
on the GA simulator. 
The simulator hardware and computer s'oftware allows the programming of any 
single or twin GA aircraft for which the stability derivatives exist. Presently, 
a Cessna 172 and a Cherokee 180 are programmed on the computer. A Cessna 402 
is being developed and should be completed shortly. 
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21 
Cessna 402B 
The NASA LaRC Cessna 402B is a research aircraft used in the Single Pilot 
Flight Management program. The instrument panel and nose baggage compartment 
have been modified to accept the DAAS research system displays and computer. 
The C402B is a turbo-charged twin engine airplane with performance characteristics 
typical of the general aviation aircraft used for business and corporate 
transportation. 
22 
DAAS 
The Digital Advanced Avionics System (DAM) is a highly integrated flight 
control system consisting of a central integrated data/control console (IDCC) 
moving map display CRT, digital autopilot/flight director, navigation radios, 
airplane configuration monitoring/warning, and built-in test logic. After 
manual entry of navaid and waypoint data,the system automatically tunes 
navigation receivers and draws a moving map display. The autopilot/flight 
director can be commanded to follow the programmed flight path. Airplane 
operating checklists can be called up on the IDCC. Airplane distance to, time 
to, and fuel remaining at each programmed waypoint can be displayed on the IDCC. 
Airplane wing flap, landing gear, cowl flap, and trim positions as well as 
altitude, vertical speed, airspeed, and engine parameters are monitored and the 
pilot is alerted to out of tolerance conditions. The DMS is implemented with 
a modular computer architecture to permit additional capabilities to be added. 
Various DAAS functions are allocated to individual microprocessor modules. 
The modules communicate over a common IEEE-488 bus. The addition of new features 
can be accomplished by adding a processor module to the bus. The DAAS system is 
installed in NASA Langley's Cessna 402B research airplane. 
23 
DElblONSTRATION ADVANCED AVIONICS SYSTEM (DAAS) 
CAPABILITiES 
l AUTOPILOT/FLIGHT DIRECTOR 
010 WAYPOINT RNAV/VNAV WITH AUTOMATIC VOR/DME TUNING 
. ELECTRONIC MOVING MAP dlSPLAY 
. WEIGHT AND BALANCE COMPUTATIONS, TAKEOFF AND CRUISE PERFORMANCE 
.DlSPLAY OF TIME TO, DISTANCE TO. AND FUEL REMAINING AT 
EACH WAYPOINT 
l MONITORING OF ENGINE PARAMETERS, A 
AIRSPEED, AND RADAR ALTITUDE 
l MODE S TRANSPONDER DATA LINK 
l NAVIGATION SIMULATOR 
IRPLANE CONF IGURATION;, 
SPIFR PROGRAI REVIEW OUTLINE 
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION RESEARCH 
o SINGLE PILOT IFR ACCIDENT DATA ANALYSIS 
o STUDY TO DETERMINE THE OPERATIONAL PROFILE AND PROBLEMS OF THE SPlFR PILOT 
o SPIFR PROBLEM DEFINITION CORRELATION STUDY 
INFORMATION TRANSFER ESEARCH 
o EFFICIENT TRANSFER OF WEATHER INFORMATION TO THE PILOT 
o FLIGHT INVESTIGATION OF SIMULATED ATA LINK COMMUNICATIONS DURING SPIFR FLIGHT 
o STUDY TO DETERMINE POTENTIAL FLIGHT APPLICATIONS AND HUMAN FACTORS GUIDELINES 
OF VOICE INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEMS 
COCKPIT DISPLAYS RESEARCH 
o PILOT RESPONSE WITH CONVENTIONAL DISPLAYS 
o ADVANCED THREE DIMENSIONAL PICTORIAL DISPLAY FOR ENROUTE, TERMINAL AREA, AND 
FINAL APPROACH GUIDANCE 
AIRCRAFT CONTROLS RESEARCH 
o SPIFR AUTOPILOT COMPLEXITY/BENEFIT TRADEOFF STUDY 
0 AUTOMATIC TERMINAL APPROACH SYSTEM FOR SPIFR OPERATIONS 
0 NONCONVENTIONAL H ND CONTROLLER STUDY 
o CONTROL/DISPLAY TRADEOFF STUDY 
NASA CESSNA 402B/DEMONSTRATION ADVANCEDAJITJNICJ SYSTEfliD/JAS) 
o SYSTEM CAPABILITY/DESCRIPTION 
o LARC UTILIZATION PLAN 
PROGRAM OUTPUT 
o 'IVER 30 REPORTS PUBLISHED 
o GA WORKSHOP HELD 
24 


Single pilot IFR program overview and status

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