Impact of Air Traffic Controllers' Strike on the Safety of National Airspace System

1983 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 848-851
Author(s):  
Mallik M. Arjunan
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Autoregressive Process ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
National Airspace System ◽  
Air Traffic Controllers ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Operational Errors ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Operational Error

The findings of the study performed for FAA/DOT Office of Aviation Safety are presented. The level of safety of performance in the ATC system after the strike of August 1981 was analysed. There were two parameters of interest, viz. 1, near mid air collisions, 2, operational error reports, of these, the operational errors related more directly to the performance of ATC and was analyzed in detail. The data consisted of 54 weekly frequency counts of operational errors and the volume of operations covering the periods from January 1980 to July 1982. The model used a linear autoregressive process, but the parameters were estimated using a derivative-free non-linear least squares estimation method. The post-strike operational error data normalized to the volume of operations were found to be lower than the same rate for the pre-strike period. The analysis of operational errors of the Air Traffic Controllers reported during comparable periods before and after the strike date of August 3, 1981 showed that there was a lack of degradation of safety of the National Airspace System in the post-strike period. This was found to be true both for terminals and the air route traffic control centers.

scholarly journals Visual Search and Conflict Mitigation Strategies Used by Expert en Route Air Traffic Controllers

Aerospace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 170
Author(s):  
Ricardo Palma Fraga ◽  
Ziho Kang ◽  
Jerry M. Crutchfield ◽  
Saptarshi Mandal
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Air Traffic Controllers ◽  
Search Patterns ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Conflict Mitigation

The role of the en route air traffic control specialist (ATCS) is vital to maintaining safety and efficiency within the National Airspace System (NAS). ATCSs must vigilantly scan the airspace under their control and adjacent airspaces using an En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) radar display. The intent of this research is to provide an understanding of the expert controller visual search and aircraft conflict mitigation strategies that could be used as scaffolding methods during ATCS training. Interviews and experiments were conducted to elicit visual scanning and conflict mitigation strategies from the retired controllers who were employed as air traffic control instructors. The interview results were characterized and classified using various heuristics. In particular, representative visual scanpaths were identified, which accord with the interview results of the visual search strategies. The highlights of our findings include: (1) participants used systematic search patterns, such as circular, spiral, linear or quadrant-based, to extract operation-relevant information; (2) participants applied an information hierarchy when aircraft information was cognitively processed (altitude -> direction -> speed); (3) altitude or direction changes were generally preferred over speed changes when imminent potential conflicts were mitigated. Potential applications exist in the implementation of the findings into the training curriculum of candidates.

Stress Management and Air Traffic Control Trainees: Development and Evaluation of a New Training Course

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 1155-1159
Author(s):  
Jamie D. Barrett ◽  
Brett Torrence ◽  
Michelle Bryant ◽  
Linda Pierce ◽  
Julia Buck
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Federal Aviation Administration ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Medical Institute ◽  
Stress Management Training ◽  
Air Traffic Controllers ◽  
Aerospace Medical ◽  
And Performance

The primary mission of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is to maintain the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS). As part of this mission, the FAA is tasked with ensuring that future air traffic controllers are adequately trained to perform the high-risk job of directing air traffic. The FAA Academy curriculum for newly hired controllers involves 3-4 months of intensive lessons and performance assessments. It has been suggested that this training program is quite stressful, and successful trainees tend to be those who can better manage stress. To support ATC trainees, researchers at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) have conducted operational research to develop and evaluate a stress management training to help trainees manage their stress during training at the FAA Academy.

scholarly journals Coding ATC Incident Data Using HFACS: Intercoder Consensus

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Wang ◽  
Yaohua Wang ◽  
Xiaoqiang Yang ◽  
Kai Cheng ◽  
Haishan Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
The Other ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Factors Analysis ◽  
Air Traffic Controllers ◽  
High Hazard ◽  
Incident Reports ◽  
Comparability Of Results

Reliability studies for coding contributing factors of incident reports in high hazard industries are rarely conducted and reported. Although the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) appears to have a larger number of such studies completed than most other systems doubt exists as the accuracy and comparability of results between studies due to aspects of methodology and reporting. This paper reports on a trial conducted on HFACS to determine its reliability in the context of military air traffic control (ATC). Two groups participated in the trial: one group comprised of specialists in the field of human factors, and the other group comprised air traffic controllers. All participants were given standardized training via a self-paced workbook and then read 14 incident reports and coded the associated findings. The results show similarly low consensus for both groups of participants. Several reasons for the results are proposed associated with the HFACS model, the context within which incident reporting occurs in real organizations and the conduct of the studies.

Expertise in Air Traffic Control (ATC): What is it, and how Can we Train for It?

1992 ◽  
Vol 36 (17) ◽  
pp. 1326-1330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard E. Redding ◽  
John R. Cannon ◽  
Thomas L. Seamster
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Federal Aviation Administration ◽  
Cognitive Task Analysis ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Curriculum Redesign ◽  
Air Traffic Controllers ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Training Efficiency

The Federal Aviation Administration has embarked on a major curriculum redesign effort to improve the training efficiency of en route air traffic controllers. Included in this effort was a comprehensive cognitive task analysis conducted in several phases, spanning several years. Eight different types of data collection and analysis procedures were used, resulting in an integrated model of controller expertise. This paper provides a description of controller expertise, and describes the training program under development. This is one of the first examples of cognitive task analysis being applied to study expertise in complex cognitive tasks performed in time-constrained, multi-tasking environments.

Pengkajian Tingkat Kelelahan Petugas Air Traffic Controller (ATC) Dalam Meberikan Pelayanan Lalu Lintas PEnerbangan di Bandara Juanda Surabaya

WARTA ARDHIA ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-222
Author(s):  
Susanti Susanti
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Data ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Air Traffic Controller ◽  
Know How ◽  
Air Traffic Controllers ◽  
Data Compilation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Method Analysis ◽  
Assessment Result

Assessment of Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) Fatigue Level in Providing flight Traffic services at Juanda International Airport Surabaya is to know how the description of Air traffic controller fatigue level in guiding services air traffic that impact on aviation safety. Assessment method used descriptive quantitative method by using Paired Sample T-Tesf method analysis, comparing the condition of fatigue before and after the ATC on duty, as well as exposure and detailed explanation based on the primary and secondary data compilation and the data have been processed. The assessment result shows that there are level of fatigue of Air Traffic Controller that significant, both of physical and psychological factors.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document