Head-up displays assist helicopter pilots landing in degraded visual environments

Civilian rotary-wing aircraft pilots typically rely on visual information from the external environment to guide flight, but are increasingly required to operate in degraded visual environments. The current study evaluated the impact of a head-up display (HUD) upon pilot performance, perceived situation awareness and workload. A 2 × 2 repeated measures design required qualified rotary-wing pilots (N = 6) to fly in clear and degraded visual conditions both with and without the HUD. In degraded visual conditions, the HUD significantly improved pilot perceived situation awareness whilst simultaneously reducing workload. Objective flight technical performance data offered preliminary support for a positive change in pilot behaviour when using the HUD in degraded visual conditions.