An Empirical Investigation of the Effects of Controller Experience on Conflict Detection Ability under Free Flight

Abstract

The progression towards the implementation of Free Flight has raised concerns over lapses in a controller's ability to detect the presence of conflicts amongst multiple aircraft pairs. These concerns have been supported through numerous empirical studies. An issue that has not received much attention is the impact of controller experience on conflict detection ability under Free flight. In the present study, fourteen controllers performed a conflict detection task. Variables manipulated included experience level and traffic load and controller performance was assessed using response time and accuracy as measures. Results from the study surprisingly suggest that controllers with more experience take longer to ascertain conflict likelihood under free flight conditions compared to their novice counterparts, even when the age factor is accounted for. We attribute the presence of the effect to the greater reliance on conventional cues, such as a route structure, and postulate that the absence of such cues produce the observed effects. The implications of these findings are discussed.