The Efficacy of Head-Down and Head-Up Synthetic Vision Display Concepts for Retro- and Forward-Fit of Commercial Aircraft

The retrofit question concerns whether useful and effective synthetic vision displays are usable in aircraft that have limited-size display spaces. Two experiments were conducted to examine the efficacy of these displays and develop field-of-view and terrain texture recommendations for design. The first experiment examined issues of field of view and display size using an Asheville, North Carolina, synthetic vision database and fixed-based simulator. The second experiment was conducted on the NASA B-757 aircraft at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and investigated the efficacy of both head-down and head-up displays and generic and photorealistic terrain texture. Both experiments confirmed the retrofit capability and that all sizes and texturing methods were found to be viable candidates for synthetic vision displays. These results, future directions, and implications for meeting national aeronautic safety and capacity goals are discussed.