Comparison of Pilot Effective Time Delay for Cockpit Controllers Used on Space Shuttle and Conventional Aircraft
Privoznik, Cynthia M. and Berry, Donald T. (1986) Comparison of Pilot Effective Time Delay for Cockpit Controllers Used on Space Shuttle and Conventional Aircraft. Technical Report NASA TM-86030, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.
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Abstract
A study was conducted at the Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) to compare pilot effective time delay for the space shuttle rotational hand controller with that for conventional stick controllers. The space shuttle controller has three degrees of freedom and nonlinear gearing. The conventional stick has two degrees of freedom and linear gearing. Two spring constants were used, allowing the conventional stick to be evaluated in both a light and a heavy configuration. Pilot effective time delay was obtained separately for pitch and roll through first-order, closed-loop, compensatory tracking tasks. The tasks were implemented through the space shuttle cockpit simulator and a critical task tester device. A total of 900 data runs were made using four test pilots and one nonpilot (engineer) for two system delays in pitch and roll modes. Results showed that the heavier conventional control stick had the lowest pilot effective time delays. The light conventional control stick had pilot effective time delays similar to those of the shuttle controller. All configurations showed an increase in pilot effective time delay with an increase in total system delay.
| EPrint Type: | NASA Technical Memorandum |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Cockpit simulators, Controllers, Pilot performance, Pilot time delay, Space shuttle |
| Subjects: | (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (08) Aircraft Stability And Control Aircraft/Project: Space Shuttle Orbiter |
| ID Code: | 521 |
| Deposited On: | 24 January 2006 |
| Additional Information: | 20 pages. |
