Integrated Control/Display Unit vs. Dedicated Control Heads for Radio Tuning in a KC-135 Flight Simulator

A two-part study was conducted in a KC-135 flight simulator to determine the appropriateness of replacing dedicated control heads with an integrated control/display unit (CDU) for accomplishing cockpit communication (UHF, HF) and navigation (VOR) radio tuning. The CDU is being evaluated as a means of decreasing pilot workload to potentially enable a proposed reduction in KC-135 crew size. During both individual tuning tasks and simulated missions, time and error data were collected comparing pilot performance for the two tuning methods. Although subjective opinion favored the CDU concept, objective results indicated that the conventional tuning method (except HF) was faster. Various features of the CDU plus relative subject inexperience using the CDU were probable contributers to these unexpected results. Subsequent reevaluation is scheduled to occur incorporating changes which are designed to enhance CDU operability.