Effects of Fatigue and Tension on the Physical Characteristics and Abilities of Young Air Traffic Controllers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of fatigue and tension on the physical characteristics and abilities of air traffic controllers (ATCOs) and determine their influence mechanisms. A simulated experiment was designed to evaluate the responses of ATCOs in four states: alertness, fatigue, tension, and fatigue and tension. Thirty young male ATCOs participated in the experiment. Fifteen parameters of their physical characteristics and abilities were collected and analyzed to estimate the effects and the decreasing order of influence of fatigue and tension on the indicators. The results showed that most of the parameters of the ATCOs were significantly affected by fatigue and tension. The attention, perception, reaction time, decision-making ability, and comprehensive performance of the ATCOs were adversely affected by fatigue, and tension had negative effects on their attention, decision-making ability, and comprehensive performance. Fatigue and tension impair the physical characteristics and abilities of ATCOs. Both states initially affected the physical characteristics of the ATCOs and then impaired their abilities. However, the influence mechanisms involved were different. The primary effect of the fatigue state was slowing down, whereas the effect of the tense state was instability. These results provide a reference for the evaluation and management of fatigue and tension states in ATCOs.