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A study was conducted to investigate the impacts of obstacles on pilot performance, workload, and perceptions of safety in a visual flight rule (VFR) obstacle-rich environment (ORE). The study was conducted using a piloted simulation of a single-rotor, multi-engine helicopter operating in a highly detailed urban visual scene database. The database contained multiple obstacle types, with variable obstacle heights and densities. Nine pilots completed the approaches and departures into and out of a heliport located in the center of the generic urban environment. Two flight routes offered unique presentations of terrain and obstacle types. Obstacle height/density and time of day/lighting parameters were systematically manipulated. A multi-dimensional data collection methodology employing the simultaneous collection of direct aircraft state, pilot performance data, pilot physiological data and pilot subjective responses was employed.

Over the last several years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the rotorcraft industry have maintained a dialogue regarding minimum airspace requirements at visual flight rule (VFR) heliports. The industry is anxious to locate heliports in strategic downtown city-center areas and wants to size heliport airspace to fit these constrained geometries. The FAA, on the other hand, is concerned that the minimum recommended airspace for VFR heliports or vertiports must be sufficient to ensure safety of operations. Prior FAA studies and testing on this issue have been concerned with a very limited number of obstacles in the vicinity of a specific heliport. No consideration has been given to the psychological effect of a large number of obstacles, or an obstacle-rich environment (ORE), in the vicinity of a heliport or vertiport on pilot performance. This research project is designed to explore and investigate what part obstacles play in pilot performance and perception.