Synthetic vision cockpit display in Research Flight Deck simulator at Nasa Langley Research Center. Credit: NASA/Langley Research Centre.

Nasa has collaborated with Boeing to test and certify synthetic vision systems as part of a research programme that aims to enhance flight training and aviation safety.

Conducted as part of a new Space Act Agreement, the research will also use Boeing’s 787 simulators to test pilots’ awareness and reactions to unexpected situations.

The research is expected to be carried out at Boeing’s training facilities in Miami, Florida, US, later this year.

The tests are anticipated to help pilots deal with more challenges, including higher levels of aviation traffic and bad weather, as well as unpiloted vehicles and other challenges associated with the global airspace.

A group of young pilots who will participate in the upcoming tests are expected to fly for Avianca Airlines in Colombia.

“Synthetic vision systems are essentially weather-immune displays that allow you to see what the world looks like in perfect weather conditions all the time.”

Nasa research technical lead Kyle Ellis said: “We’ve developed technology that allows us to be ‘weather independent’.

“Synthetic vision systems are essentially weather-immune displays that allow you to see what the world looks like in perfect weather conditions all the time.”

Currently, Ellis and his research team are working with Boeing to test and certify synthetic vision systems for attitude state awareness.

The work is set to pave way for the development of future combined vision systems, the technology that will enable pilots to see far beyond what their eye can see.

A combined vision system combines synthetic vision that includes the systems that generate rendered environments in real-time based on stored database information and improved flight vision systems. This can use forward-looking infrared systems and millimetre wave radar to give pilots a live look at the world around the aircraft.