Visual Aids for Merging Mixed Arrival Traffic: Effects on Controllers' Performance, Situation Awareness, and Mental Workload

Abstract

Innovative concepts for fuel-efficient and noise-reduced air traffic suggest a better utilization of modern aircraft capabilities, like time-based planning of continuous descent approaches (CDA). One challenge of such concepts is the integration of aircraft flying CDA approaches and conventional air traffic. In this study, we examined the effects of different levels of automation provided by four different variants of visual aids on performance, information acquisition, resultant situation awareness, and workload with N = 78 students in a complex and dynamic microworld setting. While visual assistance had a positive effect on performance, attention was deviated from real aircraft. Nevertheless, attention deviation did not negatively affect conflict detection when assistance was activated manually. Moreover, anticipation of future losses of separation was improved by visual aids.