Next Generation Concepts

As the population and complexity of air-travel within National Air Space (NAS) increases, our systems also require a proper design between automation tools and human operators. Current methods require Air Traffic Controllers (ATCos) to analyze NAS traffic and operate their airspace through radio clearances. The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) integrates new technologies and procedures to improve the future of air transportation and reduce environmental impacts of air-travel. The following studies helped us further assess the effects of NextGen on pilots and ATCos, and also help strive towards automated Air Traffic Management. We measured separation assurance and interval spacing through situational awareness and workload – assessing the effects of NextGen-operator effects and performance.

Using cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI) and the concept of free flight, where the majority responsibility of airborne conflict-resolution roles is delegated to the flight deck. Delegating the conflict-resolution to the flight deck relieves the ATCos of airborne conflict responsibility, with the exception of emergencies. Utilizing online probing techniques, our current evaluations of role reallocation showed pilots had an increase in situation awareness and minimal to no increase in workload. ATCos had reduced workload when greater automation was involved. Interestingly, ATCos showed inconsistencies with situation awareness measures and conflict-resolution performance for loss of separation (LOS) incidents, within their realm of responsibility. When ATCos have high measures of situation awareness they are expected to minimize LOS incidents. The inconsistencies were attributed from sector differences and other situational variables. We cannot simply use situation awareness and workload measures to assess the NextGen-operator performance for separation assurance and interval spacing. Current studies involve further refinements of automation tools and development of transparent interfaces to optimize performance between operators and NextGen.

References

Strybel, T. Z., Vu, K.-P. L., Battiste, V., & Johnson, W. (2013). Measuring the impact of NextGen operating concepts for separation assurance on pilot situation awareness and workload. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 23(1), 1-26, doi:10.1080/10508414.2013.746156

Strybel, T. Z., Vu, K. P. L., Chiappe, D. L., Morgana, C. A., Morales, G., Battiste, V. (2016). Effects of NextGen Concepts of Operation for Separation Assurance and Interval Management on Air Traffic Controller Situation Awareness, Workload, and Performance. In The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 26(1), pp.1-14 DOI: 10.1080/10508414.2016.1235363