SIMULATION MEETS REALITY The Remote Tower System as an Air Traffic Control Training-Environment

Abstract

The remote tower system provides a new way of controlling traffic at an airport, and it might change the way air traffic controllers are trained as well. The purpose of this study was to explore the remote tower system as an air traffic control training-environment. Investigating new functional possibilities, such as moving the simulator into the workplace, and implications for the practical implementation of the system for training. There has been very little investigated about the remote tower system as a training-environment, which means that this study is breaking new ground. To explore this new setting, theoretical aspects relevant to the remote tower has been identified from literature in related areas, a survey was held among air traffic control trainees, and interviews were held with a heterogenous group of experts. Based on the results there are clear implications for the potential of the remote tower system as a training-environment. Moving the simulation into the workplace improves fidelity and facilitates transfer, functional aspects could positively contribute to the training by increasing situational awareness and reducing cognitive load, and by implementing the remote tower in a centre setting the training can be shortened due to a greater similarity between workingpositions and equipment. The implications need to be investigated further to get a more concrete idea of the implied positive effects and how the remote tower system as a training-environment can be used in the most efficient way.