USING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TASKLOAD MEASURES AND COMMUNICATION EVENTS TO PREDICT SUBJECTIVE WORKLOAD

Abstract : A study was conducted to determine whether air traffic control (ATC) communication events would predict subjective estimates of controller workload as well as measures of controller taskload. We compared different regression models' predictions of subjective workload estimates made by 16 subject matter experts on 5 occasions during 8 samples of air traffic activity. The predictors were different combinations of four taskload principal components computed from routinely recorded ATC data, two principal components representing the number and duration of voice communication events, and two principal components representing the content of voice communications. Several regression model comparisons were computed to identify 'reduced' regression models containing fewer predictors that would predict the workload ratings as well as a full model containing all predictors. Several reduced models predicted ATWIT (Air Traffic Workload Input Technique) ratings as well as the full model but all of these contained the Activity component. These reduced models were a model containing only the Activity component, a model containing the Activity and Instructional Clearances components, and a model containing the Activity, Instructional Clearances, and All Communications Number and Duration components. The results suggest that routinely recorded ATC data provide a good estimate of subjective workload. However, if recordings of voice communications are available and researchers want to invest the time required to analyze the transcripts, they may be able to improve slightly their estimate of subjective workload. The researcher must consider whether the information gained is worth the additional time investment required for analysis.

[1]  Kevin M. Corker,et al.  Free Flight and the Context of Control: Experiments and Modeling to Determine the Impact of Distributed Air-Ground Air Traffic Management on Safety and Procedures , 2000 .

[2]  O. V. Prinzo,et al.  DEVELOPMENT OF A CODING FORM FOR APPROACH CONTROL/PILOT VOICE COMMUNICATIONS , 1995 .

[3]  Christopher D. Wickens,et al.  Flight to the Future: Human Factors in Air Traffic Control Edited by Christopher D. Wickens, Anne S. Mavor, & James P. McGee 1997, 368 pages, $44.95. Washington, DC: National Academy Press ISBN 0-309-05637-3 , 1997 .

[4]  Earl S Stein,et al.  HUMAN OPERATOR WORKLOAD IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. , 1998 .

[5]  Richard Mogford,et al.  Plan View Display Baseline Research Report. , 1995 .

[6]  Kim M. Cardosi.  Time Required for Transmission of Time-Critical Air Traffic Control Messages in an En Route Environment , 1993 .

[7]  Mark D. Rodgers.  SATORI: Situation Assessment through Re-Creation of Incidents , 1993 .

[8]  Carol A. Manning,et al.  INVESTIGATING THE VALIDITY OF PERFORMANCE AND OBJECTIVE WORKLOAD EVALUATION RESEARCH (POWER) , 2001 .

[9]  S. Hart,et al.  Development of NASA-TLX (Task Load Index): Results of Empirical and Theoretical Research , 1988 .

[10]  Frank J. Landy,et al.  Psychology of work behavior , 1976 .

[11]  Edward P. Buckley,et al.  METHODS AND MEASUREMENTS IN REAL-TIME AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM SIMULATION , 1983 .

[12]  Donald A. Rock,et al.  An Explanatory Model for Influences of Air Traffic Control Task Parameters on Controller Work Pressure , 1993 .

[13]  Douglas H. Porterfield.  Evaluating Controller Communication Time As a Measure of Workload , 1997 .

[14]  Carol A. Manning,et al.  POWER: OBJECTIVE ACTIVITY AND TASKLOAD ASSESSMENT IN EN ROUTE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL , 2002 .