The Effects of Ambient Illumination, Aircraft Velocity and Feedback on Absolute Distance Judgments during Simulated Night Nap-of-the-Earth Flight

A study was conducted to determine the effects of illumination, velocity and knowledge of results on distance judgment accuracy in simulated night NOE flight. Twenty subjects were randomly divided into KOR and NK groups and then shown a part task, video tape simulation of NOE flight which contained 45 target presentations. The subject's task was to approach the obstacle on a collision course until he reached his minimum safe breakaway distance, then make an avoidance response with his simulated control stick. Illumination, velocity and feedback conditions were varied while measuring the accuracy of response in terms of mean error distances from the analytically determined breakaway point. The results indicated that reductions in illumination, given that the object is visible at all, had no significant effect on distance judgment while both feedback and reduced velocity produced improved accuracy. The results were interpreted in terms of their interactions and then translated to operational suggestions concerning training for NOE pilots.