This study investigates an aspect of multiple-task management, interruption management, in an operational context. Fourteen commercial airline pilots each performed 16 approaches in a simulated commercial flightdeck. Air traffic control (ATC) clearances interrupted subjects as they performed three procedures during these approaches. Common ATC interruptions were found to be significantly disruptive to ongoing procedure performance on the flightdeck by producing significantly more procedure performance errors and increased flightpath management activity. These results corroborate, for the flightdeck, that which is true in laboratory experiments, and which is evidenced in aviation accident/incident reports.
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