EMPIRICAL COMPARISON OF A FIXED-BASE AND A MOVING BASE SIMULATION OF A HELICOPTER ENGAGED IN VISUALLY CONDUCTED SLALOM RUNS

摘要

An evaluation study has been completed of combined visual, motion, and aural cues for a helicopter engaged in visually conducted slalom runs at low altitude. The evaluation of the visual and aural cues was subjective, whereas the motion cues were evaluated both subjectively and objectively. Subjective opinion and objective data conflicted in the detection of differences in the performance of a primary and secondary task under motion and no motion conditions. Subjectively, differences in performance were expected, and objectively, no significant differ¬ences were detected. However, subjective and objective results coincided in the area of control activity. Generally, less control activity is present under motion conditions than under fixed-base conditions, a fact attributed subjectively to the feeling of realistic limitations of a machine (helicopter) given by the addition of motion cues. The objective data also revealed that the slalom runs were conducted at significantly higher altitudes under motion conditions than under fixed-base conditions.