Use of a Monocular Head-Worn Display in Lieu of a Head-Up Display for Commercial Aircraft Approach and Landing With an Enhanced Flight Vision System: Considerations for Safety and Usability

An experiment was conducted to determine whether pilot performance, workload, and usability during low-visibility approaches and landings differed depending on whether pilots flew with a HUD or a monocular HWD, as well as whether they flew with or without an Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS). Eleven Part 121 flight crews flew SA CAT I approach and landing scenarios using a HUD and a monocular HWD with and without an EFVS in a Boeing 737 Level D-equivalent simulator. Findings suggest that a monocular HWD may not have a significant impact on a pilot’s ability to manage the flightpath during a routine SA CAT I operation with or without an EFVS; however, the monocular HWD elevated pilot workload. Pilots reported that the EFVS enhanced their awareness of the runway environment when transitioning from instrument to visual flight references; however, it was reported to interfere with natural runway visibility when transitioning to landing.