Investigation of control configurations for low-level single and dual piloted rotorcraft combat mission tasks

The primary purpose of this simulation experiment was to investigate single and dual pilot operations in the combat rotorcraft low level flight environment. The investigation employed an advanced cockpit and varied control law concepts. This investigation was conducted at the NASA Ames Research Center on the Vertical Motion Simulator, using the Advanced Digital Optical Control System flight augmentation laws and a researcher designed glass cockpit. Control augmentation types were varied to record differences between configurations for dual and single pilot operations in performing low level ingress, air-to-ground attack, hovering, and air-to-air tasks. Handling qualities ratings and workload ratings were recorded at the end of each of the flight task maneuvers. The altitude hold feature was considered by the simulation pilots to be the single most important control feature investigated, since it easily permitted the use of a free hand to perform mission management tasks, and aided in terrain avoidance. Pilot workload analysis indicated significant correlation between Cooper-Harper handling quality ratings and two workload measuring techniques used for simulation.