Selection Of Air Traffic Controllers: Complexity, Requirements, And Public Interest

Wing, Hilda; Manning, Carol A. · 1991 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1037/e539292006-001

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Summary

This report, edited by Hilda Wing and Carol A. Manning, compiles presentations from a 1990 American Psychological Association symposium addressing the complexities of selecting air traffic controllers (ATCs) for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The research is motivated by the critical need to maintain safety and capacity within the National Airspace System (NAS) amidst unprecedented growth in aircraft operations and the modernization of air traffic control technology. The FAA faces the challenge of recruiting, selecting, and training a workforce capable of operating highly automated systems while adhering to strict civil service regulations and public scrutiny following the 1981 controllers' strike. The document outlines a comprehensive human resource management planning process initiated by the FAA in 1988. This approach involves four phases: contextual analysis to define future work environments; human resource analysis to estimate demand for staffing and skills versus supply pipeline capacity; policy analysis to evaluate alternative programs and costs; and ongoing evaluation to ensure feasibility. The report details the specific selection procedures for ATCs, which include aggressive recruitment strategies to overcome demographic constraints, such as a maximum entry age of 30 and a mandatory separation age of 56. The selection process utilizes a competitive civil service examination developed by the Office of Personnel Management and the FAA, consisting of figure classification, radar scope simulation, and aviation knowledge tests. Candidates must achieve a passing score, with the FAA preferring scores of 90 or above. Additional selection steps include structured interviews, medical examinations with strict vision and hearing standards, psychological screening using the 16PF personality test, and thorough background investigations. Key findings highlight the tension between the need for rapid workforce rebuilding and the rigorous requirements for valid selection. The FAA employs streamlined hiring procedures to address public pressure but maintains strict eligibility criteria, including U.S. citizenship and specific experience or education requirements. The report notes that while the selection battery is validated, it faces criticism regarding adverse impact on minority groups and women, as well as concerns about practice effects from commercial test preparation materials. Furthermore, the psychological screening is not used as an absolute screen-out but identifies candidates requiring further clinical evaluation. The background check process is described as time-consuming, though the FAA has expedited hiring by assuming responsibility for routine investigation tasks. The significance of this work lies in its integration of human resource planning with technological modernization. By institutionalizing a participative management process, the FAA aims to ensure that human resource strategies are aligned with system design and operational policies. The report emphasizes that successful NAS modernization depends on having adequate numbers of properly trained personnel available at the right time. It underscores the importance of early human resource analysis in system design to avoid limitations or excessive costs, providing a framework for managing the workforce through a period of significant technological and organizational change.

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• situation awareness theory