FORMAT, AND SYMBOLOGY

ALTHOUGH ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR WEAPON AIMING PURPOSES, THE HEAD-UP DISPLAYS (HUDS) HAVE EVOLVED TO INCLUDE SYMBOLIC CONTENT FOR TASKS WHICH DEMAND PRECISION FLIGHT CONTROL UNDER INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS AS WELL AS VISUAL CONDITIONS. TO PROVIDE THE PILOT WITH USEABLE CUES FOR SAFE, PRECISE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT, EXTREME CARE MUST BE TAKEN IN THE SELECTION OF THE DISPLAY CONTENT, THE DISPLAY FORMAT,THE SYMBOL DYNAMICS, HOW THE INTEGRITY OF THE DISPLAY CAN BEMONITORED, AND HOW THE PILOT IS ADVISED OF DISPLAY MALFUNCTIONS. IN SPITE OF THE APPARENT DISARRAY AMONG HUD STANDARDS FOR SYMBOLOGY, THERE EXISTS A METHODICAL TECHNICAL APPROACH, DISCLOSED HEREIN, FOR RESTORING A SEMBLANCE OF ORDER TO DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS OF DISPLAY CONTENT AND FORMAT FOR HUD. THIS TECHNICAL APPROACH EMPLOYSCLOSED-LOOP ANALYSIS OF THE PILOT'S TASKS ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIFIC VEHICLE OPERATIONAL PROFILE OR MISSION PHASE. THE RESULTING MULTI-LOOP FEEDBACK (AND FEEDFORWARD) STRUCTURES REVEAL, IN DETAIL, NOT ONLY THE CONTENT, FORMAT, AND DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF ESSENTIAL PILOT INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS BUT ALSO APPROPRIATE PILOTING CONTROL TECHNIQUES, WHICH CAN BE HELPFUL IN TRAINING. WE PROPOSE TO OFFER THIS TECHNICAL APPROACH FOR ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF PROLIFERATION OF SYMBOLOGY AND TERMINOLOGY FOR HUD POSED BY THE AIR FORCE AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS DIVISION.