Intuitive, High Confidence Human-Machine Interface Symbology for Carrier Landing

Perhaps the most critical task facing a naval fixed-wing aviator each day is to safely land his or her aircraft on the deck of an aircraft carrier underway that is also responding to sea state. Confounding this already difficult task is a degraded visual environment in which key guidance cues may no longer be present. The Navy continually develops new technologies designed to ease pilot workload and enhance safety. One such technology is the Navy-developed Maritime Augmented Guidance and Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies (MAGIC CARPET). This advanced flight control law provides command and stability augmentation that allows the pilot to directly control glideslope. MAGIC CARPET also adds a new glideslope indicator and reference to the head-up display (HUD) to further reduce workload. This HUD symbology, however, loses its effectiveness in reduced visibility that degrades to zero-zero conditions. To address the need for enhanced display guidance in these conditions, a team led by Systems Technology, Inc. proposes the Advanced LAnding Dynamic DIsplay for Fixed Wing Naval operations (ALADDIN-FW) that combines advanced symbology and guidance modes with the MAGIC CARPET control laws to direct pilots to safe recoveries regardless of visibility conditions or sea state.