The study, using CH112 light helicopters and experienced pilots, was aimed toward answering two questions. Can the Army helicopter pilot navigate and simultaneously fly very low when, without the opportunity for briefing, he must fly between successive points in unfamiliar, relatively featureless terrain. Is navigation accuracy improved when the task is shared by two pilots forming a pilot and navigator team. Six pilots participated in a comparison of solo and dual performance, in which 358 short tracks were flown in the course of 36 sorties. Each track could be described as a short flight in itself, since each was terminated by a landing. In the dual sorties, the task was shared by two pilots, one responsible for flying the helicopter, the other concerned solely with navigation. No difference was found between dual and solo performance in terms of the numbers of endpoints reached (entering a circle of one-eighth mile radius at the endpoints). Advantages of a secondary nature, however, were shown for the dual teams, e.g., smaller errors in landings beyond the criterion circle, fewer initial heading errors and enroute 'sit downs'. At the conclusion of the main trial a small test was conducted in which dual teams were permitted to fly routes of their choice as opposed to straight tracks. Although no statistical validity can be attached to the meagre post-trial data, it appears that improved performance is possible, but the duration of sorties may be greatly increased. (Author)
Dual Versus Solo Pilot Navigation in Helicopters at Low Level
1968
14 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Dual versus solo pilot navigation in helicopters at low level
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