Space-time display: a human-centered concept for cockpit-centered air traffic systems

A novel concept for a cockpit decision aid was designed and subsequently tested in two experimental studies. The concept was derived from an analogy with the Minkowski "space-time" diagram (Hawking, 1988), which is generally used to explain the four-dimensional space-time construct in theoretical physics. In the first study, a pseudo three-dimensional (pseudo-3D), low-fidelity, display animation was created and tested with two other two-dimensional paradigms: a distance-from-ownship based depiction, and a time-from-ownship based depiction of air traffic. Eighteen pilots were asked to indicate in various scenarios, whether a manoeuvre was required to avoid a collision, the initial direction of such a manoeuvre, and the most imminent collision threat. Response times were found to be the least for the pseudo-3D "space-time" display. In the second study, three different pseudo-3D displays, all of which used the space-time predictor concept, were compared for utility and acceptability. Eighteen pilots were asked to respond to various scenarios, similar to the first part of the study. The results supported the "pilot's perspective" display as a more effective display for conflict avoidance. Overall results suggested that the presentation of spatio-temporal air traffic information, using the "space-time" paradigm, may be an effective human-centered concept for probable use in a cockpit-centered air traffic system.