Experienced pilot flight tests comparing conventional instrumentation and a synthetic vision display for precision approaches

The results of this experiment show that an aircraft primary flight display (PFD) with a flight path superimposed on a synthetic vision system (SVS) terrain image demonstrates a viable means for a pilot to confidently and consistently control an aircraft while flying highly accurate precision approaches to a 200 foot decision height (DH). The pathway, depicted as a Highway-In-The-Sky (HITS) in the display, provides a predictive method, as opposed to the reactive method associated with conventional needle and dial instruments, for controlling an aircraft. The intuitive nature of the HITS/SVS architecture provides greater situational awareness, less pilot workload, and improved accuracy during instrument flying compared to the conventional instrument landing system (ILS) round dials and needles.