At NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, volunteers experienced virtual flights in a motion simulator. Each participant encountered four levels of pitching, side-to-side tilting, rotation or rapid acceleration into a climb or dive, then rated each flight on a five-point scale and identified uncomfortable motions. [S1]
The responses were not uniform: moderate changes reduced comfort for some participants, while others stayed comfortable at higher levels. NASA says the data let researchers estimate when increasing motion may begin to feel uncomfortable, including movements associated with gusting winds or landings. [S1]
NASA's models link sudden aircraft motions to passengers' willingness to fly and are intended to help guide future aircraft design and flight operations. The report describes this as guidance for producers, not a change already implemented in air-taxi service. [S1]
Source documents
- NASA Study Points to Smoother Air Taxi Rideshttps://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/nasa-study-points-to-smoother-air-taxi-rides/