An evolutionary approach to introduce 3D into the cockpit

Perspective flightpath displays and the depiction of 3-D terrain are regarded as a potential means to increase safety. Although the technology to generate such presentations in real-time is available, other issues which are required for a safe introduction must still be resolved. This paper focuses on some of the major obstacles which are still present. It discusses several objections against perspective flightpath displays and shows why most of them are no longer justified. The potential for an increase in safety is related to navigation, guidance, and control task requirements, and potential implementations, ranging in complexity, to satisfy these requirements are discussed. This classification allows a gradual transition from today's 2-D symbolic displays to future spatial displays. The paper proposes an approach which supports an evolutionary introduction of 3-D navigation displays into the cockpit.