published_or_final_version / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

D. Litt. et Phil. / The influence of the human factor in the causation of accidents no doubt has been recognised from the very origins of humankind. In the words of Cicero "It is in the nature of man to err". Epithets such as 'human error', 'accident prone', 'inattentive', 'clumsy', 'drunk', etcetera form part of our everyday language to ascribe the reasons for accidents. In aviation, the general term 'pilot error' has been used to ascribe the cause of accidents since the time of the first heavier-than-air aircraft flights by the Wright brothers in 1903. The problem with this generalised term is that it offers no insight into why the pilot erred so that training steps may be undertaken to try to avoid the error from recurring – not only for the pilot concerned, but for the entire community. Under the direction of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States in 1976, Jensen and Benel determined that poor pilot decision-making is a significant factor in the causation of accidents in general aviation (Lester, Diehl, & Buch, 1985). These results were corroborated in an analysis of airline and military accidents by Diehl (1991b). The follow up to the Jensen and Benel findings was the development of training manuals by the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) to address the identified problem. The effectiveness of these manuals in practice was tested empirically in experiments conducted in the U.S.A., Canada, and Australia that showed improvements in pilot decision-making ranging from 8% to 46% (Diehl, 1990). Simultaneously with this work airlines such as KLM and UAL developed their own human factors training programmes, which was the beginning of the significant industry of aviation human factors training. This activity has been supported academically through a bi-annual 'Symposium on Aviation Psychology' held at the University of Illinois since 1981. iv Since the initial verification of the ERAU training programmes, the continued support for aviation human factors training has come mainly from anecdotal evidence of its success in assisting pilots to avoid accidents. There is a paucity of experimental evidence to support this dynamic activity. Evidence for this is illustrated from the intense and extensive debate on the Crew Resource Management website (crmdevel@ yahoogroups.com) in 2001/2 on the topic "CRM – is it working?" Despite the widely accepted and even legislated (by the International Civil Aviation Organisation) application of aviation human factors training for pilots, this activity has been slow to filter through to other aviation activities. For example it was introduced into the South African air traffic control community for the first time only in 2001. With the introduction of this training the opportunity arose to develop a practical means to assess its effectiveness. This research study outlines the basis on which the developed assessment method has been achieved. The research method followed in the study is the Design and Development model of Thomas and Rothman (1994a). The disciplined approach to intervention development in the human sciences that the model demands, ensures that the parameters for the successful development of the intervention are clearly established in advance of its application, so that its validity can be assessed on an acceptable academic basis. It is confidently anticipated that the assessment questionnaire and the recommended procedures for its implementation will demonstrate whether or not human factors training (team resource management training [TRM training]) is effective in improving the attitudes and performance of air traffic controllers. A secondary outcome of this research project is the development of a TRM training manual for South African air traffic controllers and the measurement of the empirical results of this training. These results indicate positive acceptance, learning, and attitudinal changes as a result of the implementation of the training programme.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-101). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1958. / Typescript. Abstracted in Dissertation abstracts, v. 19 (1959) no. 8, p. 2188-2189. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [144]-166).

Thesis (M.S.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 36-39).

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One of the major problems plaguing the airline industry in recent years has been the steady increase in the number and duration of flight delays. Airports have not been able to keep pace with the increase in air traffic. Consequently, Congress has directed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to initiate programs to reduce delays and improve airport capacity. One program the FAA has initiated evaluates the simultaneous use of three and four closely spaced parallel runways. These operations would allow cost efficient capacity increases through concurrent use of already constructed runways and through the construction of additional runways at existing airports. Recent simulation studies have indicated that improvements in controller displays are required to safely conduct multiple parallel ILS approaches to runways spaced 4300 ft apart or less. This study was designed to quantify the ability of the Precision Runway Monitor (PRM) display to enhance controller performance over the current display, the Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS) ILIA. Additionally, the effects of blunder degree and the number of simultaneous parallel approach operations (dual or triple approaches) on the controller's ability to detect aircraft blunders were also examined. A blunder is an unusually sharp turn by an aircraft off its ILS localizer course toward an adjacent ILS course. The PRM display, a high resolution raster scan color monitor, enhanced the controller's ability to quickly detect aircraft blunders over the ARTS ILIA display (the current display system), a Plan position Indicator (PPI). The average controller response times were smaller (4 seconds) and the average closest points of approach (CPAs) between the blundering and the evading aircraft were larger (776 ft) when the controllers used the PRM display. As in earlier studies, the thirty degree blunders resulted in conflicts that were more severe than the conflicts associated with twenty degree blunders. Conversely, contrary to earlier studies, the controllers were able to detect the twenty degree blunders as quickly as they detected thirty degree blunders. The controllers performed as well in the dual parallel approach operation as they did in the triple approach operation for all measures. The results of this study generally agreed with those found in earlier studies on controller performance. Controller performance can be improved with the use of high resolution displays with alert systems. However, unlike earlier studies, this study provided a quantification of the benefit of a proposed system relative to the current system. / Master of Science

The job of an air traffic controller is stressful by nature. Conditions like aircraft congestion in the skies, an outdated air traffic system and understaffing at control centers can add to the daily stresses of controllers and often cause fatigue. These conditions describe the current status of Air Traffic Services (ATS) in the United States. If left unaddressed, they could compromise safety, the primary objective of air traffic control. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the regulatory framework surrounding ATS specifically in the area of Safety Management Systems (SMS) and Human Factors and determine the course of action to be taken to improve safety in air traffic control. / This thesis begins with a description of what air traffic controllers do and the issues that ATS face in the U.S. It then examines the regulatory framework of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the U.S. regarding ATS, specifically SMS and Human Factors. A comparison is made between the privatized air traffic system of Canada and the government owned air traffic system of the U.S. and how privatization makes a difference economically, politically and legally when implementing standards and regulations and enforcing them. Finally, suggestions are made in order to improve the legal framework of air traffic services in the U.S.

No description available.

Esse estudo teve o objetivo de verificar se a apresentação DICÓTICA (ou espacializada, sistema de áudio em 3D) de duas frases simultâneas facilitaria a compreensão da frase alvo em relação à apresentação diótica (não espacializada). Participaram dessa pesquisa controladores de tráfego aéreo (CsVoo), divididos em dois grupos de acordo com sua experiência profissional (novatos e experientes). Todos os participantes tinham o Português Brasileiro como língua-mãe, mas as duas frases apresentadas a eles pelo protocolo experimental (uma alvo, outra mascaradora) eram em inglês. A espacialização das mensagens beneficiou o reconhecimento da mensagem alvo pelos voluntários. Não houve diferenças significativas entre voluntários com diferentes níveis de conhecimento em inglês, experiência profissional ou sexo. / This study aimed to verify whether the dichotic or spatialized (3D audio system) presentation of two simultaneous sentences in English facilitate the identification of a target information comparing to dihotic (nonspatialized) presentation. The subjects in this study were air traffic controllers having as L1 (mother tongue) Brazilian Portuguese, and were divided into two groups (novice and experienced), according to their period of experience on the job. The spatialization of messages improved recognition of the target message by the volunteers. There were no significant differences between volunteers with different levels of knowledge in English, professional experience or gender.