Evaluation of Tactile Cueing Embedded in an Aviation Headset on Pilot Altitude Control

Abstract

Verbatim from Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons. Not paraphrased, not summarized.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of tactile cueing integrated into a pilot’s headset on pilot altitude control during simulated instrument conditions. Pilots typically rely on visual and auditory inputs to maintain situational awareness, but in high-workload or instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), these channels can become overloaded. One underutilized alternative for alerting is a tactile cueing apparatus. Using an X-Plane simulation of a Piper Archer equipped with a G-1000 avionics suite, 39 FAA-certified pilots flew two precision approaches. The experimental group (n = 20) received haptic cues via ear seal-embedded tactors when deviating from assigned altitude or glideslope. The control group (n = 19) received no tactile feedback. Results showed that the experimental group performed 41% fewer altitude deviations (p = .001) across both approaches. These findings support prior research indicating that tactile interventions can enhance SA and increase performance by providing an additional sensory channel for operational decision-making.

Authors

• Wilson, Nicholas D Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Van Bree, Jessica Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Cleveland, Matthew Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Charakuru, Sunny Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Petros, Thomas Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Ferraro, Richard Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Tavakolian, Kouhyar Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Keywords

• pilot
• tactile
• headset
• alerting
• haptic
• Aviation Safety and Security
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Ergonomics
• Other Aerospace Engineering