Abstract:
The present work reports the results of a research investigation into the handling qualities of a ship approach and landing task. The investigation was performed via fixed-base, pilot-in-the-loop flight simulation and included six test pilots with extensive operational and test experience in the shipboard environment. Representative approach/landing tasks were flown with three different response types to the field and to multiple spots on a LHA. The ship was stationary and there was no simulated ship airwake, so the fundamental differences between the field and ship approaches were limited to visual cueing. Traditional subjective handling qualities ratings were supplemented with multiple other analysis techniques, including: (i) approach profile analysis, (ii) pilot eye tracking analysis, and (iii) pilot control activity analysis. The results show that there are multiple fundamental differences caused by differences in visual cueing between field and ship approaches. Such differences are seen in the overall approach profiles as well as in the pilot gaze patterns. Additionally, subjective assessments indicated that pilots preferred higher degrees of aircraft stabilization in the shipboard environment than in the field environment, though there were not significant differences between pilot control techniques in these environments for a given aircraft response type.