An Evaluation of an Altitude Awareness Study

Abstract

Because of the increase in altitude deviations at USAir during the spring and summer of 1990, an Altitude Awareness Program was instituted in September of 1990. The program emphasized cockpit altitude awareness procedures for pilots to utilize when handling altitude clearances and pilot altitude awareness in general. The program included a data collection and analysis effort involving voluntary pilot reported altitude deviations and potential deviations. USAir's program was subsequently expanded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to include the air traffic controllers at six mid-Atlantic facilities. The study, like the program, focused on a team approach and a positive data collection environment. The study results show that there was a significant difference between the average monthly rates of FAA reported altitude deviations concerning USAir flights for the thirteen month period prior to initiation of the Altitude Awareness Program and the fourteen month period after the program started. An error classification analysis showed that most of the pilot and controller errors were identified as information processing, task prioritization, and decision making errors.