Methodology for Determining the Event-Based Taskload of an Air Traffic Controller Using Real-Time Simulations

Abstract

The study of human factors in aviation makes an important contribution to safety. Within this discipline, real-time simulations (RTS) are a very powerful tool. The use of simulators allows for exercises with controlled air traffic control (ATC) events to be designed so that their influence on the performance of air traffic controllers (ATCOs) can be studied. The CRITERIA (atC event-dRiven capacITy modEls foR aIr nAvigation) project aims to establish capacity models and determine the influence of a series of ATC events on the workload of ATCOs. To establish a correlation between these ATC events and neurophysiological variables, a previous step is needed: a methodology for defining the taskload faced by the ATCO during the development of each simulation. This paper presents the development of this methodology and a series of recommendations for extrapolating the lessons learnt from this line of research to similar experiments. This methodology starts from a taskload design, and after RTS and through the use of data related to the subjective evaluation of workload as an intermediate tool it allows the taskload profile experienced by the ATCO in each simulation to be defined. Six ATCO students participated in this experiment. They performed four exercises using the SkySim simulator. As an example, a case study of the analysis of one of the participants is presented.

From Raw Data to Practical Application: EEG Parameters for Human Performance Studies in Air Traffic Control

“…However, since each participant was free to manage the aircraft within his or her sector, the actual taskload profile faced by each participant was different. The methodology developed based on previous simulations to obtain the taskload profile adapted to each participant can be found in a previous work by the authors [24].…”

“…The next band corresponds to alpha waves. The band associated with beta waves is divided into two: beta low (12-16 Hz) and beta high (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). Finally, the last band is gamma waves.…”