Review of Air Traffic Controller Selection: An International Perspective

Broach, Dana; Manning, Carol A. · 1997 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1037/e530342006-001

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Summary

This 1997 report by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reviews air traffic controller selection procedures in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, with a primary focus on the evolution of U.S. selection systems. The research addresses the critical need for valid, efficient, and legally defensible methods to select air traffic controllers, a role where errors can have catastrophic consequences. The study was motivated by the high costs and significant attrition rates associated with the FAA’s existing multi-stage selection process, particularly the nine-week Academy screening program, which imposed substantial financial burdens on the agency and required applicants to leave their jobs with a high risk of failure. The report details the historical development of the U.S. selection system from 1976 to 1992, which included a written aptitude test battery, personal interview, medical examination, and performance-based screening at the FAA Academy. To address the inefficiencies of this system, the FAA developed a computer-administered test battery known as the Air Traffic Controller Selection/Pre-Training Screen (ATCS/PTS). This battery, grounded in Multiple Resources Theory, included two information processing tests—Static Vector/Continuous Memory (SV/CM) and Time Wall/Pattern Recognition (TW/PR)—and a low-fidelity radar simulation called the Air Traffic Scenario Test (ATST). These tests assessed cognitive attributes such as spatial reasoning, working memory, time estimation, and multitasking under pressure. Validation studies involving hundreds of trainees demonstrated that the ATCS/PTS effectively predicted performance in field training. In a predictive validity study, the computerized tests accounted for an additional 20% of the variance in Academy screening scores beyond that explained by prior civil service aptitude ratings. In a concurrent validation study, the ATCS/PTS showed a corrected multiple correlation of .25 with a composite criterion of field training performance, which was superior to the .19 correlation observed for the traditional Academy screening score. Importantly, the validity of the new battery did not vary by sex or minority status, addressing concerns about adverse impact. The report also briefly reviews selection approaches in Germany, the UK, and Sweden, and discusses challenges in measuring job performance, suggesting that simulations and operational data analysis offer promising alternatives to historical training records. The significance of this work lies in its demonstration that a shorter, computer-based selection battery can maintain or improve predictive validity while reducing costs and adverse impact on protected groups. The findings supported the FAA’s transition to a system where all selection occurs prior to hiring, eliminating the need for costly and risky pre-employment training screens. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of continued research into cognitive constructs underlying controller performance and the development of criterion measures that accurately reflect the demands of modern air traffic control.

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• situation awareness theory