Experimental studies of cognitively based air traffic control complexity metrics for future operational concepts

New procedures and technologies of Air Traffic Control (ATC) under development in Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) will change controllers' tasks, roles, and responsibilities. However, cognitive complexity will remain one of the limiting factors in future system's capacity and none of existing complexity metrics can be directly extended to evaluate cognitive complexity under future operational concepts. Therefore, complexity metrics, applicable to future operational concepts, need to be developed. This thesis developed the structure for a cognitively based complexity metric, Modified Aircraft Count (MAC). Cognitive complexity is decomposed based on in- individual aircraft complexity factors and sector level complexity factors. The complexity con- contributing of each aircraft is summed and adjusted by sector level complexity factors. Cognitive principles, such as controller strategies, may be incorporated in aircraft specific complexity factors and sector level complexity factors. To investigate complexity factors in Modified Aircraft Count, two simulations were developed to explore two proposed NextGen operational concepts, including Time-Based Control at a Metering Fix and Dynamic Route Structure Control. Two experiments were designed to evaluate controller performance and subjective workload under the simulated operational concepts. The Time-Based Control at a Metering Fix was found to have enhanced schedule conformance, reduced operational errors and lower perceived complexity. The Dynamic Route Structure Control introduced longer hand-o acceptance times, however, no other significant changes of controller performance and subjective workload were found.

Department dc:contributor.department

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

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Li, Lishuai

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• R. John Hansman.

• 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/1721.1/54225

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/54225