Auditory skills of figure-ground and closure in air traffic controllers.

Anna Carolina Nascimento Waack Braga Villar,Liliane Desgualdo Pereira

doi:10.1590/2317-1782/20172016201

Anna Carolina Nascimento Waack Braga Villar, Liliane Desgualdo Pereira

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/2317-1782/20172016201

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Abstract

To investigate the auditory skills of closure and figure-ground and factors associated with health, communication, and attention in air traffic controllers, and compare these variables with those of other civil and military servants. Study participants were sixty adults with normal audiometric thresholds divided into two groups matched for age and gender: study group (SG), comprising 30 air traffic controllers and control group (CG), composed of 30 other military and civil servants. All participants were asked a number of questions regarding their health, communication, and attention, and underwent the Speech-in-Noise Test (SIN) to assess their closure skills and the Synthetic Sentence Identification Test - Ipsilateral Competitive Message (SSI-ICM) in monotic listening to evaluate their figure-ground abilities. Data were compared using nonparametric statistical tests and logistic regression analysis. More individuals in the SG reported fatigue and/or burnout and work-related stress and showed better performance than that of individuals in the CG for the figure-ground ability. Both groups performed similarly and satisfactorily in the other hearing tests. The odds ratio for participants belonging in the SG was 5.59 and 1.24 times regarding work-related stress and SSI-ICM (right ear), respectively. Results for the variables auditory closure, self-reported health, attention, and communication were similar in both groups. The SG presented significantly better performance in auditory figure-ground compared with that of the CG. Self-reported stress and right-ear SSI-ICM were significant predictors of individuals belonging to the SG.

Highlights

METHODSAircrafts have their trajectory controlled by Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) from flight departure to arrival
ATCs who work in the TWR are responsible for the aircraft until they lose visual contact with it; those who work in the Approach Control (APP) are in charge of directing the airplane in its intermediate trajectory, regarding takeoff and landing; and those who work in the Area Control Center (ACC) are responsible for the direction of the aircraft for most of the flight[1]
According to Villar et al[1], ATCs at the APP ensure that a minimum distance is maintained between aircrafts when they are close to the airports under their command; to this end, they indicate by radiofrequency the coordinates, speed, and altitude that the pilot should adopt to fly with maximum safety in order to avoid collisions

Summary

Introduction

METHODSAircrafts have their trajectory controlled by Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) from flight departure to arrival. According to Villar et al[1], ATCs at the APP ensure that a minimum distance is maintained between aircrafts when they are close to the airports under their command; to this end, they indicate by radiofrequency the coordinates (headings), speed, and altitude that the pilot should adopt to fly with maximum safety in order to avoid collisions. This is a very delicate task, and it requires special attention from these controllers because, in addition to providing the final orientation for landing, they must separate the aircrafts that are landing from those that are taking off. Their actions determine the success and safety of flight displacements[1]

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