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Interruptions in time-critical, dynamic, and collaborative environments, such as air traffic control (ATC), can provide valuable, task-relevant information. However, they also negatively impact task performance by distracting the operator from on-going tasks and consuming attention resources. This thesis develops and assesses a tool to assist radar air traffic controllers in managing interruptions. Field observations and interviews with air traffic controllers were utilized to develop an understanding of how interruptions occur in real ATC environments, and to identify where opportunities exist to use technology to support the interruption management process. It was identified that operators in these environments could better manage the effects of interruptions if there were indications to one operator of the availability of a collaborator and the urgency of an interruption from a collaborator. Present communication systems do not facilitate the awareness of these functionalities. An initial prototype for providing these functionalities in operational ATC displays was designed. Feedback on the prototypes was solicited through Participatory Design (PD) sessions with air traffic controllers. Based on the refinement of these prototypes, the Working Awareness Interruption Tool (WAIT) was developed to support more efficient and appropriate interruption timing in the context of complex, real-time, distributed, human operator interactions. Variations of the tool demonstrated several ways of showing the availability of the controller to be interrupted (either through manual settings or automatic detection) as well as incorporating a means of conveying the urgency level of the interruption. In order to examine the utility of the tool and to assess the importance and validity of its features, an experiment was conducted in a laboratory-based setting. The results of the experiment show the potential of this tool in an environment representative of air traffic control tasks and communication. Although the sample size was limited, the WAIT facilitated improved performance on both objective measures and self-reported measures, and reduced the distraction effects of interruptions from other operators. These improvements occurred without affecting perceptions of the effectiveness of communications. Questionnaire and interview results showed that participants appear to prefer an automated setting of availability to be shown to other collaborators. Identifying two examples of key features supporting interruption management (communicating availability and urgency) in air traffic control is one of the key contributions of this work. The work also makes a contribution by demonstrating that providing a tool incorporating these features can improve performance in an environment representative of ATC, albeit with naïve participants. Finally, the research makes a contribution by presenting the challenges associated with evaluating interruption management tools that require collaboration between operators in a system.

Workload and complexity measures are, as of today, often imprecise and subjective. Currently, two commonly used workload and complexity measuring formulas are Monitor Alert Parameter and the “Bars”, both using the same measurement variables; amount of aircraft and time. This study creates formulas for quantifying ATC complexity. The study is done in an approach environment and is developed and tested on Stockholm TMA by the creation of 20 traffic scenarios. Ten air traffic controllers working in Stockholm TMA studied the complexity of the scenarios individually and ranked the scenarios in reference to each other. Five controllers evaluated scenario A1-A10. These scenarios were used as references when creating the formulas. The other half of the scenarios, B1-B10, ranked by another five controllers, was used as validation scenarios. Factors relevant to an approach environment were identified, and the data from the scenarios were extracted according to the identified factors. Moreover, a regression analysis was made with the ambition to reveal appropriate weights for each variable. At the first regression, called formula #1, some parameter values were identical. Also, some parameter weights became negative in the regression analysis. The basic requirements were not met and consequently, additional regressions were done; eventually forming formula #2. Formula #2 showed stable values and plausible parameter weights. When compared to a workload measuring model of today, formula #2 showed better performance. Despite the small amount of data samples, we were able to prove a genuine relation between three, of each other independent, variables and the traffic complexity.

Our intended topic is a general discussion of the basic elements of liability related to airline accidents to which fully automated cockpits have constituted an associated contributory factor. In addition we addressed the liability of air carriers arising from injuries or death caused to passengers traveling on international flights. For this purpose, we reviewed the Warsaw System and the different international instruments that constitute it. We also reviewed principles of common law applicable to aircraft manufacturers and the "Free Flight" as an example of the growing automation environment, which is a general benefit to commercial aviation but also a likely contributory cause for accidents in particular cases. In the last part we briefly discuss a personal view regarding the interplay between manufacturers and airlines under the 1999 Montreal Convention, which is an international treaty unifying the desegregated Warsaw System into one single instrument that is expected to enter into force in a few years.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2001. / Title from PDF t.p.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Engineering-Civil and Environmental)--University of California, Berkeley, 2004. / "Fall 2004." Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-147). Also available online via the ITS Berkeley web site (www.its.berkeley.edu).

Thesis (doctoral)--Rijksuniversiteit Groningen), 1996. / In English, with summary in Dutch.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Berkeley, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-147). Also available online via the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Berkeley web site (www.its.berkeley.edu).