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Visual Factors in Aircraft Navigation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2010

E. Heap
Affiliation:
(Royal Aircraft Establishment)

Extract

In navigating an aircraft visually over terrain the chance of successfully reaching the destination greatly depends upon the human element together with the visual aids provided. Some visual factors are studied in detail in this paper, particularly the detection and identification of ground features from the air. The suitability of various identification points for use as visual fixes is assessed quantitatively and the interaction between navigational accuracy and feature detection is discussed. The effects of visibility, speed and search are also studied. Visual aids considered include different scale maps, heading information, and fixed, zoom and search optics on television. A number of navigational tasks are covered, from following line features to direct cross-country tracks. Successive visual up-dating of a mixed manual and automatic navigation system is then assessed theoretically.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 1965

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References

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