Safety in the skies and one of the most stressful vocations — air traffic control — will come under the microscope in The University of Queensland’s Air Traffic Control Workload Study Project.
Undertaken in conjunction with Airservices Australia, the nation’s air traffic control organisation, the project will develop a model simulating how air traffic controllers carry out their work under different levels of workload.
Funded by the Australian Research Council, the University and Airservices Australia, the three-year project is being carried out at the University`s Key Centre for Human Factors and Applied Cognitive Psychology.
Key Centre researchers will use their findings to determine appropriate workload levels for controllers, in an effort to enhance safety and efficiency.
“By combining information about aircraft conflict detection and resolution, air traffic management, and information given to pilots, we aim to determine levels of workload that will not overload controllers,” research leader Dr Andrew Neal said.
“The critical event study we are currently conducting will provide us with comprehensive data about controllers’ priorities, scanning strategies, and decision processes.
“It will also tell us about differences between controllers.
“The usual nature of the scenarios we are using is intended to prompt controllers to articulate their priorities and their strategies.
“From this we hope to capture information that will apply to a wider variety of scenarios.”
With the first of a series of interim reports almost completed, researchers are observing that the responses of controllers vary according to their years and their professional experience.
Controllers are also very articulate when it comes to explaining the thought processes behind their decision making.
The Key Centre researchers are also reviewing similar ATC workload studies throughout the world, ito ensure the project advances prior work and does not disregard findings that may be applicable in an Australian context.
“Obviously certain variables, such as the systems, technology, and the platform on which we operate, make the function of air traffic control within Australia unique,” Airservices Australia Project Manager Gerard Champion said.
“Because of these dynamics, it was important to establish the boundaries of the project and not assume anything about how ATCs manage workload or respond to abnormal situations.”
Lab investigations and the development of a simulator that can replicate some features of the air traffic management operating system will start soon, with the broad data collected in this initial stage expected to influence the design of future experiments.
Once this initial data-gathering phase is complete, the concepts that emerge about controller work values and priorities will enable the Key Centre researchers to develop initial workload models.
The UQ-ATC Workload Study Project started in April 2004 and is the first of its kind in the world.
Several controllers from Brisbane are expected to be involved via interviews, simulator exercises and observation.
Airservices Australia manages 11 per cent of the world’s air space, and has made a significant financial and in-kind contribution to the project, with a view to the long-term benefits realised from improved safety and efficiency.
For more information, contact Dr Andrew Neal at the University of Queensland (telephone 3365 6372, email a.neal@humanfactors.uq.edu.au) or Gerard Champion at Airservices Australia (telephone 3866 3417, email gerard.champion@airservicesaustralia.com).
