System Performance, Error Rates, and Training Time for Recent FAA Academy Nonradar Graduates, Community Persons, and Handicapped Persons on the Radar Training Facility Pilot Position

In May 1980 the Federal Aviation Administration completed construction of a Radar Training Facility (RTF) in Oklahoma City. The primary objective of the RTF is to closely duplicate the specialized operational environment existing at automated Terminal and En Route facilities as well as to have the capability of synthesizing a wide variety of air traffic control situations. Corresponding to each radar training sector, there is a manual controller position, a ghost position, and three pilot positions. The ghost positions serve as the adjacent sectors to the radar position, while persons at the pilot positions control the flight of the aircraft simulated at the radar positions. Errors at the pilot position confound the scoring procedure for evaluating the performance of the trainee in the radar position. This study was designed to determine the expected error rates, what inputs result in the most errors, how long it takes to train pilots to proficiency, and who should/could operate the pilot positions. With respect to the latter, error rates and training time were compared for three groups; namely, air traffic control specialist trainees, community persons, and handicapped persons. The results of the study indicate that all three groups can learn to operate the pilot position within a reasonable length of time with an acceptable error rate. A recommendation is made to employ handicapped and community persons at the pilot position in order to maintain a stable, competent group of RTF pilots. (Author)