Field evaluation of a Synthetic Vision information System onboard the NASA Aries 757 at Eagle County Regional Airport

Research approaches using synthetic vision systems (SVS) were flown into the Eagle County Regional Airport (KEGE) in Eagle-Vail, Colorado during the period from August 19 to September 9, 2001. The approaches were conducted with NASA´s Aries 757 research aircraft. NASA, who funded these tests flights, and Rockwell Collins evaluated their respective SVS display concepts with separate qualitative and quantitative assessment techniques. This paper describes the results obtained with the Rockwell Collins synthetic vision information system (SVIS) concept. The SVIS uses a square wire-frame pathway tunnel in conjunction with a flight path predictor that is quickened in the lateral direction (based on angle of bank). The Rockwell Collins evaluation also included a heads up display (HGS 4000 stroke on raster) with a wire frame terrain depiction and a circular flight director cue. The heads-up display did not include a tunnel pathway. The results indicate very small flight technical errors (FTEs) when the aircraft was flown under SVIS guidance.