Impact of ATC Support Functions on ATC Workload

Promoting system automation and support functions for air traffic control (ATC) facilitates ATC operations and increases ATC capacity, including the number of aircraft that can be handled by air traffic controllers. Conversely, capacity management capable of responding, even during system failures and other related problems, is required to maintain operational safety. This underlines the need to clarify ATC capacity corresponding to system automation and support functions.

This research work is dedicated to developing an ATC simulation system tool and estimating the number of aircraft that can be handled with the inclusion of different support functions, through real-time ATC simulation experiments. The results obtained are expected to contribute toward safer and more efficient capacity management.

During real-time simulation experiments, ATC workload is evaluated in terms of the availability of ATC support functions by conducting simulated ATC operations involving the participation of experienced air traffic controllers.

With ATC support functions: efficient, automaton, ATC support function / Without ATC support functions: inefficient