Presenting in-flight icing information: a comparison of visual and tactile cues

In-flight icing continues to represent a major safety hazard for a large segment of the aviation industry. A new system, the so-called Ice Management System (IMS), is currently under development to support pilots in detecting, diagnosing, and responding to icing conditions in a timely and appropriate manner. The IMS will provide crews with information about the onset and development of ice accretion as well as its effects on flight dynamics and aircraft performance. The present study was conducted as part of the development of the pilot-IMS interface. It examines the effectiveness of presenting icing-related information via different sensory channels in an attempt to minimize cross-modal interference. In particular, it compares the use of tactile and visual cues for alerting pilots to the onset of ice accretion and for indicating the nature of the icing condition