Title: Air Traffic Control Simulation Fidelity and Aircrew Training: A Field Study
Authors: Lee, A.T.
Reference: Tech. Report, Beta Research, Inc., March, 2003.
Report No.: BRI-TR-130303

Abstract

Air Traffic Control (ATC) communication is essential for safe and efficient flight operations. Simulation of these communications during line-oriented training and evaluation would be a logical requirement for all types of flight simulator training. However, a high degree of fidelity is currently not possible for simulators despite the substantial investment in flight simulation technology development which, in every other aspect of flight operations, currently provides significant operational realism. This lack of realistic ATC communications simulation fidelity in airline training simulators may affect crew performance and an instructor’s ability to evaluate that performance. In any case, the utility of line-oriented simulations as valid crew assessment tools may be compromised. An assessment of the impact of variations in ATC fidelity on aircrew training and evaluation is needed in order to identify the potential benefits, if any, that may arise from improvements in existing communications simulation technologies. Toward this end, a field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of variations in ATC communications simulation fidelity on crew and instructor/evaluator behavior in Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) at a major airline training organization. Results of the study indicate that variations in ATC fidelity do affect crew communications behavior. When a high level of ATC fidelity is present, a level comparable to that of line operations, management of communications both within and outside the cockpit is affected significantly. While there was no evidence that crews commit more communications procedural errors with high fidelity ATC simulations, the presence of high fidelity frequency chatter regularly produced call sign confusion errors. Crew and instructor comments reiterated the importance of high fidelity ATC communications simulation in LOFT environments. Implications of the findings for the role of ATC fidelity in line-oriented training are discussed.