A Review of Situational Awareness in Air Traffic Control

Abstract

As demand for air transport continues to grow, the complexity of the operating environment of air traffic has intensified. Air Traffic Controllers (ATCos) are faced with the critical task of making timely decisions in response to rapidly changing air traffic. In this context, maintaining Situation Awareness (SA) becomes critical, directly influencing ATCos’ decision making and preventing potential traffic accidents or incidents. This paper presents a systematic review of the theoretical development of SA measurement techniques for ATCos. Firstly, the measurement techniques developed to assess individual and team SA are discussed and summarized. Additionally, some recently developed novel measurement methods are introduced. Four specific techniques applied to evaluate ATCos’ SA are highlighted. Second, the article analyzes the comprehensive utilization of neurophysiological measurement techniques, with a particular focus on eye movement and EEG methodologies. These techniques exhibit promising potential in measuring ATCos’ SA and are explored in-depth. Furthermore, four distinct types of sensitivity factors that primarily affect ATCos’ SA are summarized. This paper provides some insight into the current state of SA measurement techniques for ATCos. It concludes with recommendations for future research, specifically addressing the evaluation of ATCos SA in high-automation environments.

Keywords

• Situational awareness
• air traffic control
• human factors
• air traffic controllers
• human-automation teaming