Cockpit Display Based Visual Separation During an Instrument Approach: Effect of Traffic Display Size and Location

At many busy airports maximum efficiency and minimum delay occur when visual approaches are being conducted by pilots using visual separation from traffic for a portion of the approach. Pilot willingness to accept responsibility for visual separation also affords controllers maximum flexibility in traffic management under conditions of high traffic load. It may be possible to extend that efficiency to lower weather conditions if pilots are able to perform similar tasks by reference to a Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) in lieu of visual contact out-the-window. This concept is termed CDTI Enhanced Flight Rules (CEFR). CEFR procedures may be applicable during visual or instrument approaches, this study examined the instrument approach application with particular attention to the pilot acceptability of different CDTI locations and sizes. This study is the second in a series of studies designed to examine whether a CDTI can be used by pilots to monitor their separation in relation to traffic in a manner analogous to visual contact. The previous study indicated pilot acceptance of the CDTI feature set and the CEFR procedure (see Bone, Domino, Helleberg, and Oswald, 2003). The current study increased the realism of the simulation environment by introducing aircraft categories other than large (i.e., Boeing 757 and heavies) as well as introducing real time communication with air traffic controllers. Eight commercial airline pilots flew coupled approaches, as the pilot flying, in a flight deck simulator, while maintaining a self-determined visual separation from Traffic To Follow (TTF) by mixed reference to a visual scene and a CDTI. Speed management was used to adjust spacing to a pilot-determined value. Independent variables included two CDTI locations and two CDTI sizes, one of which represented a CDTI that may be the initial implementation in actual operations. The results indicate that pilots are willing and able to perform the CEFR procedure via any of the CDTI sizes or locations tested in the simulation while following various aircraft types.