A teamwork-oriented air traffic control simulator

Abstract

Air Traffic Control (ATC) is a complicated domain in which many specialists should collaborate and communicate with each other in order to guarantee safe and efficient air traffic. A significant number of air traffic control errors are associated with either faulty coordination between ATC actors, or a failure of some kind of team coordination. These errors are likely to increase in the future as aircraft density increases. Many researchers suggest that the introduction of team and teamwork concepts during the training phase of the ATC actors will be in help to reduce the amount of these errors. The objective of this research is to conceive, design, and implement a teamwork-oriented Air Traffic Control simulator that can be easily installed and used in ATC schools. The product of this thesis will be a complete software package that allows trainees in the different ATC specialties to work together in the same manner as they do "on-the-job" in order to collaboratively manage an air traffic situation. This type of simulator should allow air traffic control trainees to acquire more robust coordination skills and reduce the amount of traffic control errors caused by lack of teamwork in actual ATC training situations.