The DLR internal project Aviator II is lead by the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine with its department of Aviation and Space Psychology. It aims at investigations of monitoring and decision making tasks of operators in future air traffic management systems. During the predecessor project Aviator 2030 simulation platforms have been developed to run validation trials. Aviator II will test and assess demands on future operators. These demands are derivated from high automation support and task shifting concepts influencing the expected workload.
Above: Extract of standard approach controller display Bottom: Display element with mileage separation information
Based on the results of Aviator 2030 the focus lies on operational cooperation in teams. The simulation platforms have shown their readiness for deployment. AviaSim is a low-fidelity air ground simulation specially designed to be used by pilots and controllers. SSAS (Self Separation Airspace) is a more abstract simulation of a flow control that was successfully used as basis for a psycho-metric test development.
The department of Controller Assistance connects its decision support system 4D-CARMA to AviaSim. Furthermore it adds a new component for adaptive automation.
In Aviator II simulation trials controllers use a workload metering indicator depicted as traffic light with the conditions green, yellow and red. Periodically they will propagate their workload status to the automation system. These data will be used to adapt the level of support to the level of workload. The mileage display showing the actual separation in nautical miles on the centerline is one example of a support element that can be shown or hidden corresponding to the workload status.
DLR-Institute of Flight Guidance DLR-Institute of Aerospace Medicine