A Comparison of Final Approach Spacing Aids for Terminal ATC Automation

A real-time simulation study was conducted at NASA Langley to gather comparative performance data among three candidate final-approach spacing aid (FASA) display formats using 12 active, full-performance level, terminal radar approach control (TRACON) controllers. Several objective measures of controllers’ performance including eye-scan behavior, and subjective workload and rating questionnaires were used. For each of two representative pattern-speed procedures (a 170-knot procedure, and a 210-knot procedure with speed-control aiding), data were collected using four final-controller display-format conditions: manual/ARTS III, graphic marker, DICE (direct-course error) countdown, and centerline slot marker. Measured runway separations were found to be more precise with both the graphic marker and DICE countdown formats than with the centerline slot marker and both formats improved precision relative to the manual/ARTS III format. For three separate rating criteria the subject controllers ranked the formats...