19 - Air Traffic Control

Abstract

This chapter discusses air traffic control system operations and the role of the controller. The application of human factors evidence to air traffic control is an active topic. Much invaluable routine work promotes the objectives of air traffic control directly by increasing human efficiency, minimizing errors, and ensuring the well-being of the controllers themselves. However, new traffic demands, better navigational data, new forms of automated assistance, and technological innovations require air traffic control to evolve to meet new requirements in new ways. The role of the controller must also evolve but in ways that emphasize his capabilities such as innovation, flexibility, motivation, and the development of skills, and circumvent his limitations such as monitoring. Most changes in air traffic control systems are not suggested or introduced for human factors reasons; not all their consequences are beneficial in human factors terms. One possible option that technological advances may bring is the restoration to the controller of the central role in the system, with technology used to enhance the efficiency and satisfaction of that central role. As long as there is an air-traffic controller in an air traffic control system, the air-traffic control workspace will still seem mystifying to the non-controller, and the skills and knowledge of the professional controller will still be needed for the conduct of air traffic control.