Functional Symbology - Evaluation of task-specific Head-Up Display information for use on a commercial flight deck

Traditionally information displayed on a flight deck is presented from an engineering perspective, whereby data and information is made available to the pilot through the use of a Head-Down Display (HDD). The increased utilisation of automation has to some extent reduced the burden on the pilot having to make comlpex decisions from the large amounts of data displayed to them via the cockpit displays. However, we propose a rationale whereby the focus is on the nature of when and how the information is presented to the pilot during the flight. This would lead to an information rationale that would dictate that the pilot is shown only task-specific information on their primary flight display, as opposed to having all information presented at all times. Within the Future Flight Deck research programme several candidate cockpit technologies are being examined that may enhance pilot performance and improve operational safety. This paper disucsses the use of adaptive symbology displayed on a Head-Up Display (HUD), whereby symbology is automatically updated to match the requirement of the pilot’s information requirement during a given phase of flight. This is compared to the presentation of all information presented on the HUD regardless of phase of flight, and also a condition where no HUD is used. These findings are discussed with reference to Human Factors and the rationale behind task-specific adaptive symbology on the HUD.