Influence of icing information on pilot strategies for operating in icing conditions

The influence of potential remote ice-detection system features on pilot de cision making was investigated through a Web-based experiment. Display feat ures including a graphical plan view depiction of icing severity, vertical view depiction, single and multiple icing severity levels as well as sensor range were varied in a part-task simulation experiment. Using information from each display, pilots were presented with a set of four Eight scenarios and probed on their routing decisions and comfort level with those decisio ns. The experiment also included a subjective display preference evaluation . Results show that all of the displays improved pilot decision making over existing text-based icing information. The three-dimensional displays that included vertical depiction of icing conditions were found to support impr oved decision making. Range was not found to be a strong factor in the expe riment; however, the minimum range tested was 25 n miles, which may be in e xcess of current technical capabilities, The depiction of the severity of i cing conditions was not found to be as important as accurate information on the location of icing conditions.