NTL Record

Title An Analysis of Voice Communication in a Simulated Approach Control Environment: Final Report
Record ID 39775
Personal Name
Creator
Prinzo, O. Veronika
Corporate Creator Civil Aeromedical Institute
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Office of Aviation Medicine
Publisher Civil Aeromedical Institute
Publication Date 19980500
Language English
Abstract This report consists of an analysis of simulated terminal radar approach control (TRACON) air traffic control communications. Twenty-four full performance level air traffic controllers (FPLATC) from 2 TRACON facilities participated in the simulation study. Each controller worked 2 light- and 2 heavy-traffic density scenarios for feeder and final sectors. All communications were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim by a retired FPLATC. Once transcribed, transmissions were parsed into communication elements. Each communication element was assigned a speech act category (e.g., address, instruction, request, or advisory), an aviation topic (e.g., altitude, heading, speed) and then coded for irregularities (e.g., grouping numbers together when they should be spoken sequentially, or omitting, substituting, or adding words contrary to required phraseology) (ATSAT, Prinzo et al., 1995). The simulated communications were compared to an analysis performed on audiotapes from the same TRACON facilities. Percentages in 3 speech act categories were comparable (Instruction, 55% versus 51%; Address 14% versus 26%; Advisory, 24% versus 18%). Detailed analyses revealed that, although there were fewer irregular communications produced during simulation, the distributions of those communication irregularities were very much the same, with the exception of aircraft call sign. The differences in those distributions were attributed to the voice recognition system; it could not recognize a call sign spoken sequentially and then restated in grouped form.
Rosap ID dot:21476
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/21476
TRT Terms Air traffic control; Simulation; Approach control; Voice communication; Radar; Air traffic controllers; Data analysis; Taxonomy
General Subjects ATC communications; communication taxonomy; ATC phraseology
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Report Number DOT/FAA/AM-97/17
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/39000/39700/39775/9817.PDF
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository