Issues of Dependence and Reliance on Technological Advancement: Examples from American Football and Air Traffic Control

1995 ◽  
Vol 39 (18) ◽  
pp. 1194-1198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barrett S. Caldwell ◽  
Nick C. Everhart ◽  
Piyusha Paradkar ◽  
Hyun-Suk Suh
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
American Football ◽  
Auditory Signal ◽  
Technological Advancement ◽  
Innovative Thinking ◽  
Audio Communication

This paper addresses aspects of dependence and reliance on new technologies, using American football and air traffic control as examples. Football has developed an audio communication system between the coach and quarterback in a hostile environment (auditory signal in a noisy stadium). Should technological breakdown occur, performance could suffer if the users are not proficient with backup systems (hand signals transmitted from the sideline). Dependence on technology takes a more serious form in air traffic control, as thousands of lives depend on technology performing as expected. Backup systems exist, but suffer from the same weaknesses as the existing system and cannot handle the volume of system activity. The possibility of technological failure needs to be considered before implementing and relying on new systems, and can often be mediated by careful and innovative thinking before new technology is adopted.

scholarly journals New Technologies of the Observer: #BringBack, Visualization and Disappearance

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 51-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Day ◽  
Celia Lury
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Recursive Relations

This article explores two examples of non-visibility as a way of describing the specificity of contemporary surfaces of visualization. The two cases are the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, the scheduled passenger flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, which lost contact with air traffic control on 8 March 2014 at 01:20 MYT, and the 276 Nigerian girls who went ‘missing’ at about the same time. The analysis is developed through an exploration of these examples in terms of the patterning of vision produced in recursive relations, or relations of feedback with the environment. We argue that changes in the organization of this feedback, which we describe as ‘rendition’, equip contemporary observers with both the capacity to see ‘close up at a distance’ and the capacity to be situated adjacent, next to or ‘beside from above’.

Workload Perception of Air Traffic Control Officers and Pilots During Continuous Descent Operations Approach Procedures

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-11
Author(s):  
Marina Efthymiou ◽  
Frank Fichert ◽  
Olaf Lantzsch
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Reduce Fuel Consumption ◽  
Total Load ◽  
Open Path

Abstract. The paper examines the workload perceived by air traffic control officers (ATCOs) and pilots during continuous descent operations (CDOs), applying closed- and open-path procedures. CDOs reduce fuel consumption and noise emissions. Therefore, they are supported by airports as well as airlines. However, their use often depends on pilots asking for CDOs and controllers giving approval and directions. An adapted NASA Total Load Index (TLX) was used to measure the workload perception of ATCOs and pilots when applying CDOs at selected European airports. The main finding is that ATCOs’ workload increased when giving both closed- and open-path CDOs, which may have a negative impact on their willingness to apply CDOs. The main problem reported by pilots was insufficient distance-to-go information provided by ATCOs. The workload change is important when considering the use of CDOs.

How to Evaluate Remote Tower Metrics in Connection With Weather Observations

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maik Friedrich ◽  
Christoph Möhlenbrink
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Control ◽  
Air Traffic Control ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Air Traffic ◽  
Weather Event ◽  
Evaluation Of Performance ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Weather Observations ◽  
Validation Experiment ◽  
Remote Controller

Abstract. Owing to the different approaches for remote tower operation, a standardized set of indicators is needed to evaluate the technical implementations at a task performance level. One of the most influential factors for air traffic control is weather. This article describes the influence of weather metrics on remote tower operations and how to validate them against each other. Weather metrics are essential to the evaluation of different remote controller working positions. Therefore, weather metrics were identified as part of a validation at the Erfurt-Weimar Airport. Air traffic control officers observed weather events at the tower control working position and the remote control working position. The eight participating air traffic control officers answered time-synchronized questionnaires at both workplaces. The questionnaires addressed operationally relevant weather events in the aerodrome. The validation experiment targeted the air traffic control officer’s ability to categorize and judge the same weather event at different workplaces. The results show the potential of standardized indicators for the evaluation of performance and the importance of weather metrics in relation to other evaluation metrics.

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