FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-20/03

Title and Subtitle: Use of an Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS) in Lieu of Low-Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) Infrastructure

Report Date: October 2019

Authors: Sparko AL, Beringer DB, Jaworski JM

Abstract: Two studies examined the use of an Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS) for taxiing in low visibility without infrastructure for Low-Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems. The study methods were identical except that Study 1 was conducted in a Boeing (B)-777 simulator with B-777 pilots, and Study 2 was conducted in a B-737 simulator with B-737 pilots.

Flight crews completed taxi scenarios at different combinations of Runway Visual Range (RVR), EFVS, and taxiway infrastructure. With EFVS, flight crews made fewer route deviations at 300 ft RVR without centerline lighting, and the EFVS may have helped flight crews to detect a truck that was parked on the right side of the taxiway. Sharp turns were difficult due to the loss of visual references, particularly when there were no centerline lights, and flight crews made more route deviations on sharp turns.

Recommendations are provided regarding the benefits and limitations of EFVS for LVO, procedures for low-visibility taxi in general, and suggestions for future research.

Key Words: enhanced vision, Enhanced Flight Vision System, EFVS, Low-Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System, LVO/SMGCS, centerline lighting

No. of Pages: 78