Identifying ability requirements for operators of future automated air traffic control systems.

Manning, Carol A.; Broach, Dana · 1992 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1037/e409752004-001

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Summary

This study addresses the challenge of identifying ability requirements for air traffic controllers operating future automated systems, specifically the Automated En Route ATC (AERA 2) system. As the Federal Aviation Administration plans to introduce increasingly sophisticated automation, it is critical to determine whether job complexity and selection criteria will change. The research was motivated by the need to anticipate these changes early in the system development cycle to ensure appropriate selection procedures are in place when the automation is implemented. The study focused on clarifying the role of the AERA 2 controller, identifying required abilities for specific tasks, and comparing these requirements to those of the current system. The methodology involved a strategic job analysis using a panel of nine Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from the Air Traffic AERA Concepts Team (ATACT). These experts, possessing extensive operational and supervisory experience, evaluated four key job tasks: responding to pilot clearance requests, handling conformance deviations, and performing strategic and tactical conflict resolutions. The researchers derived these tasks from existing analyses and operational descriptions, presenting them as flowcharts for SME review. The SMEs assessed the importance of nine specific ability categories—Spatial Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Number Reasoning, Manual Dexterity, Selective Attention, Coding, Short-term Memory, Time Sharing, and Long-term Memory—and determined whether the requirement for each ability would differ from the current system. The findings indicate that while automation will alter task execution, the underlying ability requirements remain largely consistent with the current system. Controllers predicted that automation would reduce the need for verbal coordination and manual conflict detection, with information presentation shifting toward graphical formats. Consequently, Number Reasoning was deemed less important for certain tasks, as automation would handle numerical calculations. However, Spatial Reasoning and Coding were identified as critically important for interpreting graphical data and automation-generated information. Notably, the SMEs concluded that future controllers would need approximately the same levels of the assessed abilities as current controllers, and no new abilities were identified as necessary. They also emphasized that controllers would still need to exercise judgment, such as validating pilot requests and evaluating automation-generated resolutions, rather than acting merely as monitors. The significance of this study lies in its conclusion that major revisions to air traffic controller selection procedures may not be immediately necessary for the AERA 2 stage of automation. The results suggest that while the nature of tasks will shift, the core cognitive and perceptual abilities required for safe and effective performance remain stable. This provides a basis for maintaining current selection standards while allowing for future adjustments as more detailed information about human-machine interaction becomes available. The study highlights the importance of involving operational experts in the early stages of system design to accurately forecast job requirements.

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• automation