Accession Number:

ADA076782

Title:

Night Training by Simulating the Night Visual Environment during the Day

Descriptive Note:

Research memo.

Corporate Author:

ARMY RESEARCH INST FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ALEXANDRIA VA

Personal Author(s):

• Farrell, John P.

Report Date:

1975-06-01

Pagination or Media Count:

11.0

Abstract:

The purpose of this research memorandum is to 1 document ARI progress on research to develop a night training technique by simulating a night visual environment during the daytime, 2 report results of preliminary field tests, and 3 state plans for future research. It would be advantageous to the Army to be able to conduct certain night operations and training during daylight conditions. Aviation is an area where this advantage would be critical. Hovering or landing a helicopter is a complex perceptual-motor task under the best of conditions at night, or under other conditions of limited visibility, the difficulty increases enormously. Without daylight and the normal perceptual cues, less experienced pilots have a strong tendency to drift out of position, especially to one side or to the rear, making these maneuvers hazardous at night. The author hypothesized that it might be possible to simulate night conditions by means of light-attenuating goggles and to conduct training or evaluation flights in which one pilot would use these goggles while an instructorsafety pilot without goggles sat by dual controls to take corrective action when necessary for safety. The instructor pilot could also better observe the performance of the student pilot, make more extensive evaluations, and provide more feedback than under actual night conditions.

Descriptors:

• *ARMY TRAINING
• *NIGHT WARFARE
• GOGGLES
• MANEUVERS
• NIGHT VISION DEVICES
• OPTICS
• PERFORMANCE(HUMAN)
• SIMULATION
• VISIBILITY

Subject Categories:

• Humanities and History
• Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE