Ability requirements for Remote Tower Control – first insights

Abstract

This study examines the impact of providing Air Traffic Control at a smaller aerodrome in a Remote TWR on ATCO's ability requirement profiles and on their training. 6 Air Traffic Controllers (60% of the licensed controllers) from DFS RTC Centre in Leipzig operating Saarbruecken airport TWR operations remotely since December 2018 were interviewed and took part in an ability requirements analysis based on the Fleishman Job Analysis Survey. The paper includes an outline of DFS's ATC operations, the results of the interviews and a first comparison of the ability requirements for air traffic controllers in the traditional vs. remote Tower set up. The results suggest that RTC does not, apart from obvious changes in sensory abilities due to the lack of direct view on the manouevring area and airspace, impose significant changes on the mental and social abilities required to successfully provide ATC.