Data Communications Segment 2 Airport Traffic Control Tower Human-in-the-Loop Simulation

Truitt, Todd R; Muldoon, Robert · 2010 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. William J. Hughes Technical Center

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Summary

This study addresses the potential integration of digital-taxi (D-Taxi) clearances into Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) operations as part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Data Communications (Data Comm) Segment 2 program. The research was motivated by the inefficiencies and error risks inherent in current voice-based taxi clearance procedures, which contribute to radio frequency congestion and potential readback/hearback errors. The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of D-Taxi on controller communications, workload, situational awareness, and airport system efficiency in a mixed-equipage environment. The researchers conducted a high-fidelity, human-in-the-loop simulation involving sixteen current ATCT controllers from Level 10 facilities. Participants operated in pairs at ground and local control positions using the Tower Operations Digital Data System (TODDS) within a simulated airport environment resembling Boston Logan International Airport. The experimental design compared three conditions: Voice Only, 40% Data Comm equipage, and 75% Data Comm equipage. Controllers issued taxi clearances via digital data link for equipped aircraft while maintaining voice communications for others. The study also included exploratory scenarios to assess controller responses to complete data link failures and taxiway conformance violations. Data collection methods included objective measures of voice communication duration and frequency, aircraft movement times, operational errors, and eye-tracking data, alongside subjective workload ratings and usability questionnaires. The results indicated that D-Taxi clearances reduced ground control voice radio usage by 12.5% under the 75% equipage condition without increasing controller workload or "heads-down" time. Controllers preferred D-Taxi because it streamlined communication responsibilities and eliminated readback errors. Although aircraft waited longer on the ramp due to data link transmission and pilot response delays, improved aircraft metering and reduced taxiway congestion mitigated these delays, resulting in equivalent overall taxi-out durations. D-Taxi did not adversely affect arrival and departure rates or the number and duration of delays. Eye-tracking data confirmed that visual attention remained focused on primary tasks, and controllers successfully detected and responded to data link failures and conformance violations in exploratory scenarios. The study concludes that D-Taxi offers significant benefits for ATCT operations by reducing voice frequency congestion and enhancing safety through error reduction, without compromising operational efficiency or increasing controller workload. The findings support the continued development and implementation of Data Comm concepts for the Segment 2 timeframe. The authors recommend future research focus on standardized Data Comm procedures, integration with decision support tools, and more complex operational scenarios, such as air-ground integration and gate push-back operations, to further validate the technology’s viability.

Key finding

D-Taxi clearances reduced ground control voice radio frequency usage by 12.5% when 75% of aircraft were data link equipped, without increasing controller workload or negatively affecting surface operation efficiency.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 16

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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