Navigating Complexity: An Eye-Tracking Study on the Redesign of the Swiss VFR Aeronautical Chart

This thesis investigates the effectiveness of a proposed design update to the Swiss 1:500,000 VFR area chart using eye-tracking methods. Drawing from ICAO Annex 4, which outlines worldwide design standards, the updated chart features reduced visual clutter and enhanced visual saliency. Both expert and non-expert participants, represent ing student pilots, completed visual search tasks on both charts in two separate regions, each exhibiting different levels of visual complexity. A within-subject, counterbalancing study-design was implemented to strengthen the internal validity. Results show that both task completion time and time to first AOI hit were significantly reduced with the updated chart design, while answer accuracy remained stable. Non-expert participants benefited more noticeably from the improved layout, and no systematic bias toward the current chart could be observed for expert participants. Findings from previous literature regarding differences between experts and non-experts could not be recreated for sac cade and fixation metrics. However, heat maps and scan paths indicated more focused attention under the updated design. The study demonstrates that a more effective chart design is achievable. In light of the ongoing transition from paper charts to electronic f light bags, such updates to existing charts should be considered.