ATC Communication Research Articles

Safety Aspects of Supporting Apron Controllers with Automatic Speech Recognition and Understanding Integrated into an Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System

The information air traffic controllers (ATCos) communicate via radio telephony is valuable for digital assistants to provide additional safety. Yet, ATCos have to enter this information manually. Assistant-based speech recognition (ABSR) has proven to be a lightweight technology that automatically extracts and successfully feeds the content of ATC communication into digital systems without additional human effort. This article explains how ABSR can be integrated into an advanced surface movement guidance and control system (A-SMGCS). The described validations were performed in the complex apron simulation training environment of Frankfurt Airport with 14 apron controllers in a human-in-the-loop simulation in summer 2022. The integration significantly reduces the workload of controllers and increases safety as well as overall performance. Based on a word error rate of 3.1%, the command recognition rate was 91.8% with a callsign recognition rate of 97.4%. This performance was enabled by the integration of A-SMGCS and ABSR: the command recognition rate improves by more than 15% absolute by considering A-SMGCS data in ABSR.

Designing the Air–Ground Data Links for Future Air Traffic Control Communications

The future air traffic management in Europe and the USA is being defined by the SESAR and NextGen programs, respectively. In the mid-2020s, air-ground air traffic control communications will be primarily data-centric as opposed to current voice-centric communications. The International Civilian Aviation Organization has proposed the required communication performance (RCP) metric to define the requirements to support the new data communication services. In this paper, we propose a model to calculate the expected performance using the RCP metric based on the air-ground data link characteristics. Then, we present the results of using the model to obtain the characteristics that an air-ground data link must have to support the future ATC communication requirements proposed by Eurocontrol and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Research of a Mobile ATC Communication Training System

There are some problems in the ATC system such as the communication procedures and non-standard pronunciation between controllers and pilots. These can cause misunderstanding of communication, and sometimes result in traffic accidents. Therefore, it is quite useful and worthy to construct an ATC communication training system. As the popularity of the smart phones, a standard mobile ATC communication training system is designed based on IFLYTEK API, GOOGLE SPEECH API and Pocket Sphinx. The system help the trainees train listening and pronunciation.

Multimodal Information Management: Evaluation of Auditory and Haptic Cues for NextGen Communication Displays

Auditory communication displays within the NextGen data link system may use multiple synthetic speech messages replacing traditional ATC and company communications. The design of an interface for selecting amongst multiple incoming messages can impact both performance (time to select, audit and release a message) and preference. Two design factors were evaluated: physical pressure-sensitive switches versus flat panel switches, and the presence or absence of auditory feedback from switch contact. Performance with stimuli using physical switches was 1.2 s faster than virtual switches (2.0 s vs. 3.2 s); auditory feedback provided a 0.54 s performance advantage (2.33 s vs. 2.87 s). There was no interaction between these variables. Preference data were highly correlated with performance.

Book Review: Understanding the Misunderstandings in Pilot-Controller Dialogue

Misunderstandings in any environment can be detrimental, if not counterproductive, to the intentions, expectations, or objective(s) of any communication, but in complex airspace congested by heavy traffic, pilot-controller transmissions, and various meteorological phenomena, they can be catastrophic. Barshi and Farris combine 45 years of aviation experience, 20 years of related research, and advanced education with sound methodology to deliver a well-balanced combination of theoretical and practical work to the fields of aviation, human factors, and psychology. Though Misunderstandings in ATC Communications, the authors guide readers through a series of experiments, literature, and transcribed air traffic control recordings to explore how linguistics and cognition impact communication in aviation.

Misunderstandings in ATC Communication: Language, Cognition, and Experimental MethodologyMisunderstandings in ATC Communication: Language, Cognition, and Experimental Methodology

Misunderstandings in ATC Communication: Language, Cognition, and Experimental Methodology<b>Misunderstandings in ATC Communication: Language, Cognition, and Experimental Methodology</b>

NextGen Flight Deck Data Comm: Auxiliary Synthetic Speech – Phase I

Data Comm—a digital, text-based controller-pilot communication system—is critical to many NextGen improvements. With Data Comm, communication becomes a visual task. Although Data Comm brings many advantages, interacting with a visual display may yield an increase in head-down time, particularly for single-pilot operations. This study examined the feasibility of supplementing the visual Data Comm display with an auxiliary synthetic speech presentation. Thirty-two pilots flew two experimental scenarios in a Cessna 172 Flight Training Device. In one scenario, ATC communication was with a text-only Data Comm display; in the other, the text Data Comm display was supplemented with a synthetic speech display annunciating each message (i.e., text+speech). In both scenarios, pilots heard traffic with similar call signs on the party line and received a conditional clearance; however in just one scenario (counter-balanced between communication conditions), pilots received a clearance that was countermanded by a live controller before it was displayed. Results indicated that relative to the text-only display, the text+speech display aided single-pilot performance by reducing head-down time; and it may have prevented participants from acting prematurely on the conditional clearance. Supplementing text Data Comm with speech did not introduce additional complications: participants were neither more likely to erroneously respond to similar call signs, nor to ignore a live ATC voice countermand. The results suggest that the text+speech display did not hinder single-pilot performance and offered some benefits compared to the text-only display.

항공교통정보가 제공되는 CDTI 효과 연구

국제민간항공기구(ICAO)는 급증하는 항공교통 수요에 대비하고자 위성항법과 데이터 통신 기술이 접목된 차세대 항행시스템 CNS/ATM의 도입을 권고하고 있다. 차세대 항행시스템은 통신, 항법, 감시 및 교통관리로 구성되어 있다. 이중 감시 분야에 대해서는 ADS-B 정보를 바탕으로 한 CDTI가 구축이 되어 지고 있으며, 항공기 조종사, 항공교통관제사, 지상 이동체의 운용자 등에게 항공교통정보를 공유할 수 있는 장치이다. 본 논문에서는 CDTI를 통해 조종사와 관제사 사이에 어떠한 효과가 있는지 알아보기 위한 연구이다. 실제 조종사와 관제사 사이에 주고받은 ATC통신 내역을 바탕으로 시뮬레이션 환경을 구축하여 비교분석을 하였으며, 분석 결과 CDTI를 사용할 경우 ATC 환경과 기존레이더 체계보다 항공기 식별부호, 위치, 고도 정보 인식률이 향상 되는 것을 확인하였고, 조종사와 관제사의 항공교통정보 인식이 개선되어짐을 확인을 하였다. ICAO has recommended the introduction of New CNS/ATM based on GNSS technologies and Data link communication to purpose increasing air traffic demand. The CNS/ATM is composed of communication, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management. Cockpit Display Traffic Information(CDTI) that is equipment to share air traffic information to Pilot, Traffic Controller and ground vehicles has been built based on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast(ADS-B) information in Surveillance field. This paper is research that what is the effect between pilot and controller through CDTI. Based on ATC communication between Pilot and Controller, We construct simulation environment and did a comparative analysis of it. according to result, We can verify that CDTI makes aircraft Call sign, Position, Altitude information read rate, and notice of air traffic information between Pilot and Controller more improve than ATC environment and Existing Radar System.

Using Language Technology to Increase Efficiency and Safety in ATC Communication

Voice communication is a volatile part ofAir Traffic Control (ATC) and thus the InternationalCivilAviationOrganization(ICAO)putsgreatemphasisonimprovingcommunication in ATC. Research has shown that miscommunication happens on average once every hour per radio frequency where there is frequent communication, such as in Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). This paper proposes that a Language Technology System (LTS) can make communication between controller and pilot more reliable and efficient, thus improving safety in aviation. An LTS can for example detect read back errors. It can also directly feed data from the voice recognizer into a Flight Data Processing System or interact with it otherwise as we show. By interviewing air traffic controllers and studying the literature, we identified these and several other examples of use of language technology in ATC. In this paper, we explore one of the identified examples, a system that takes over the communication between controller and pilot in oceanicATC. This system is not meant to control the airspace autonomously, but only relay information. Latest advances in language technology have enabled the development of such a system. The functionality of the proposed LTS is described using scenarios and sequence diagrams.A demonstration LTS using Hex Technology was implemented. A usability test was administered to seven controllers. Their attitude towards the agent was positive and indicates that there is reason for further research. The performance and error logs of the LTS were analyzed and give guidance on further development of a fully functioning LTS for ATC.

Interference Effects on the Recall of Words Heard and Read: Considerations for ATC Communication

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of interference on memory for words that were either read or heard. Interference tasks required either visual, verbal, or central executive (CE) working memory resources. Experiment 1 examined effects of simultaneous interference, whereas Experiment 2 examined the effects of posttask (subsequent) interference. When interference occurred simultaneously with word presentation, the verbal and CE interference tasks were most disruptive, regardless of whether the words were read or heard. Furthermore, hearing words facilitated recall in comparison to reading words regardless of interference source. When the interference task followed word presentation, CE interference again was the most disruptive. However, the effects of the visual and verbal interference tasks were equivalent. These results are discussed with respect to communication mode in ATC messages to pilots (i.e., textual data-link messages vs. voice transmissions).

Identification of Error Patterns in Terminal-Area ATC Communications

Advancing air traffic management technologies have enabled a greater number of aircraft to use the same airspace more effectively. As aircraft separations are reduced and final approaches are more finely timed, there is less room for error. The present study examined 122 terminal-area, loss-of-separation and procedure violation incidents reported to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) by air traffic controllers. Narrative description codes were used for the incidents for type of violation, contributing factors, recovery strategies, and consequences. Usually multiple errors occurred prior to the violation. Error sequences were analyzed and common patterns of errors were identified. In half of the incidents, errors were noticed in time to correct mistakes. Of these, almost 43% committed additional errors during the recovery attempt. This analysis shows that redundancies in the present air traffic control system may not be sufficient to support large increases in traffic density. Error prevention and design considerations for air traffic management systems are discussed.

Effects of Data Link ATC Communications on Controller Teamwork and Sector Productivity

The single channel nature of voice radio communications often limits the productivity of air traffic controller teams in congested en route airspace. The premise of this article is that implementing a controller-pilot data link system will improve sector performance in such situations by facilitating the distribution of communications and decision making tasks among team members. Supporting data are presented from a recent high fidelity simulation study designed to assess user benefits of data link. The results showed that three-controller teams using voice and data link communications were able to better distribute position work load, and exhibited increased teamwork, intrateam communication, and improved sector productivity in comparison to teams working in a voice-only communications environment. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.