Cognitive and operational implications of non-homogeneous aircraft equipage for aviation system transformation

The air traffic management system is currently experiencing a significant transformation to provide better quality service and to match the increasing air traffic demand. This transformation requires airlines to retrofit their fleet. However, airlines implement new operating capabilities at different rates resulting in long transition periods in which aircraft with different equipage levels coexist in the same airspace. Mixed equipage environments can increase controller workload and task complexity, limit the operational benefits of new operating capabilities, and deteriorate the overall system performance. This study proposes a three dimensional approach to explore mixed equipage effects: (1) understand cognitive implications for controllers, (2) understand operational implications for users, and (3) understand system level implications. To further investigate mixed equipage effects and to illustrate the proposed approach, this study analyzed the implementation of reduced separation standards in the North Atlantic. An experimental analysis was conducted to study the integration of mixed separation standards. Results show significant human factor concerns. Controllers had higher error rates at very low mixed equipage levels. Results also suggest that a contributing causal factor may have been that participants employed inadequate system abstractions based on their current mental models. Airspace segregation based on equipage levels is recommended in the North Atlantic to alleviate controller cognitive limitations and ensure incentives for equipped aircraft. Segregation can facilitate the transition to reduced separation standards.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Pina, Patricia E. (Patricia Elena)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• R. John Hausman.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/42198

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/42198