Visual Scanning in an Air Traffic Control Tower – A Simulation Study

Abstract

Visual scanning in an air traffic control tower – A simulation study Air traffic controllers at an airport tower ensure for safe and efficient movements of aircraft at the airport and its vicinity. Their decisions always depend on the current situation. To assess the relevant situational aspects information is mostly acquired visually. While takeoff and landing in particular a sufficient picture of the situation is crucial to safe decision making. Situations in which the runway is used by several aircraft after each other in a close temporal proximity are considered to be more complex. It is assumed that also more scans of more crucial areas are required in complex than in simple situations to clear aircraft to use the runway. Therefore an eye tracking study was conducted in a high fidelity tower simulator. Six air traffic controllers handled IFR traffic at a local airport with simple as well as more complex situations. Their scanning behavior was assessed while giving takeoff- and landing-clearances. Results show similarities among participants and situations regarding visual movements while delivering clearances. Slightly more scans were made in complex than in simple situations. The attended areas indicate highly trained behavior of the controllers. Eye tracking as a tool to detect inattentiveness in air traffic control is discussed.