ELECTRONIC MAPS FOR TERMINAL AREA NAVIGATION - EFFECTS OF FRAME OF REFERENCE AND DIMENSIONALITY

Two experiments are reported that contrast rotating versus fixed elect ronic map displays, which pilots used for a simulated approach to a la nding. In Experiment 1, a rotating versus fixed-map display was experi mentally crossed with a two-dimensional (2D) versus three-dimensional (3D) view (perspective map) as pilots' ability to maintain the flight path and demonstrate awareness of the location of surrounding terrain features were assessed. Rotating displays supported better flight path guidance and did not substantially harm performance on terrain awaren ess tasks. 3D displays led to a substantial cost for vertical control but did not differ from 2D displays in lateral control. In Experiment 2, pilots flew with the rotating 2D display and with an improved versi on of the rotating 3D display, designed to reduce the ambiguity of rep resenting altitude information. Vertical control improved as a result of the 3D display design improvement, but lateral control did not. The results are discussed in terms of the costs and benefits of presentin g information in 3D, ego-referenced format for both flight path contro l and terrain awareness.