Air Traffic Controller Workstation Enhancements for Managing High Traffic Levels and Delegated Aircraft Procedures

Abstract

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is designed to transform the existing air traffic system and introduce new procedures to accommodate increased traffic levels. This simulation evaluated three potential procedures using two simulated en route controller workstation systems. The Baseline system modeled the workstation planned for use in the field after 2010. The Future En Route Workstation (FEWS) added features and functions to the Baseline system to further support the management of high traffic levels and procedure use. When using the FEWS system, the participants managed more aircraft, held traffic less, and reported lower workload than when using the Baseline system. When the participants worked with Area Navigation (RNAV) procedures that included both lateral and vertical conformance constraints, they managed more aircraft and issued fewer voice clearances than when they worked with RNAV procedures that included only lateral constraints. We did not find additional benefits for the other two delegated aircraft procedures.