A Functional Collaborative Work Unit for Analysing Hazardous Flight Approaches

Abstract

We report in this ongoing study on the resilience of Air Traffic Management approach operations by considering a collaborative work unit consisting of the Executive Controller, the Pilot Flying and the Pilot Non-Flying — the behaviour of the team is hypothetically structured by, a) the divided labour strategies of approach control and, b) an adaptiveness to organisational objectives of efficiency. Normal Accident Theory is used as a framework for analysing 348 verbal exchanges from five aviation occurrences. We make use of navigation in hazardous atmospheric situations, as a safety-boundary condition to inform on the behaviour of operator teams. Five broad activity-related themes leading to four detailed collaborative themes were obtained: 1) Monitoring of activities, 2) Redirecting attention to perceived priorities, 3) Implicit redistribution of responsibilities, and 4) Explicit assignation of decisional activities. We conclude that the dynamic interactions within the team during hazardous approaches indicate a functional unit of collaborative work.