Air Traffic Management Concept Baseline Definition - The Boeing ...

4 Human Factors
This section addresses some of the major thrusts in the role human factors must play in
enabling increases to the throughput of the ATM system. The primary focus of Section 4
is on human factors roles and issues in increasing throughput in the terminal area.
However, the basic thrust of human factors involvement as well as the issues addressed
apply throughout the ATM system. Section 4.1 frames the top level issues. Section 4.2
describes areas where human factors involvement in the system research, development,
design and implementation process should be improved. Section 4.3 raises some key
human factors issues that require research and development to avoid the unwanted sideeffects
that tend to develop from technically focused initiatives.
4.1 The Search For Greater Throughput And The Demands On The Human
Automation will always be beneficial: the data obtained in experiments
employing fine grained performance and workload measurements indicate that
many ‘tools’ will not be used as predicted or even at all, especially under high
task loading conditions.
(Jorna, 1997)
The current ATM system is a large, complex, almost organic system with human
interactions as the glue that holds it all together. Controllers and pilots manipulate and
manage complex subsystems in real time. They also manage the inherent risks, within
these subsystems, through being adaptive and flexible in times of critical circumstances.
These factors tend to make the development and design of new systems very complex.
The fact that the system has both tightly coupled and loosely coupled components further
complicates the task of defining, designing, and implementing changes which will increase
the throughput of the system and protect safety levels. It is this need for increased
capacity that is driving the need for change. If the American Airlines forecast (Chew,
1997) of impending severe throughput limitations in terminal airspace is valid, then change
must occur in the entire system. Since humans play central roles within this system, it can
be reasoned that a major drive for increased throughput will also drive a requirement for
major changes in the roles of the humans in the system and consequently in the tasks they
perform.
Human factors input is a key element in determining the way that changes to the human
role should best be managed in order to achieve increased capacity without suffering the
unwanted side effects that could adversely affect safety.
4.2 The Role Of Human Factors In Enabling Change
Before actual changes can be discussed or determined it is essential to have an appropriate
framework for the process of research, development, design and implementation itself.
Combined with this system development process there is a need to identify and
incorporate the right skills and knowledge into a team.
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