Ecological display symbology to support pilot situational awareness during shipboard operations

We present two critical elements from the design of a cockpit heads-down display symbology to support safe and efficient shipboard landings of rotorcraft in degraded visual environments. The symbology applies ecological interface design (EID) principles to support pilots´ direct perception of critical vehicle operating characteristics within the limitations of safety and performance constraints (while remaining viable in daylight, nighttime, and night-vision compatible viewing contexts). Our approach combines precision, ship-relative navigation (PS-RN) information with automated flight director cues in an integrated heads-down display designed for cockpit multifunction displays to help pilots perceive, understand, and respond to dynamic landing situations.