Important Research Focus Areas:

The View from OSU

Philip J. Smith

• Issue 1. Integrated management of airport surface and airspace constraints during 

weather

• Issue 2. Collaborative routing to support adaptive air traffic flow management

• Issue 3. Human factors issues in the design and use of RNAV/RNP routes

• Overarching human factors issue:

Assuming Old Human Factors Problems are Still Solved When Introducing N

Smith, P.J. (2014). Yearly Report: Critical Human Factors Issues for Guiding Advances in t

Execution of Collaborative Decision Making. CSEL Technical Report 2014‐12, The Ohio St

Supported by the FAA Human Factors Division (ANG‐C1)

Smith, P.J., Murphy, M., Stellings, E. and the CDM Flow Evaluation Team (2014). Operatin

(Collaborative Trajectory Options Program) Environment. CSEL Technical Report 2014‐10University. Supported by the FAA Collaborative Decision Making Program and the FAA HuDivision (ANG‐C1)

Smith, P.J., Durham, K. and Evans, M. (2014). Best Practices and Lessons Learned in the 

Use of RNAV Routes. CSEL Technical Report 2014‐16, CSEL, The Ohio State University. Sup

Human Factors Division (ANG‐C1).
Issue 1. Integrated Management of Airport Surface and Airspace Const

During Convective Weather

Figure 12. Flights filed to depart via WICKR and WILEY highlighted in gr

flights filed to depart via WORTH and WILEY highlighted in green.
Issue 2. Collaborative Routing:

New Strategies and Tools for Adaptive Air Traffic Flow Managemen

Figure 21. Integration of airspace, airport surface information

to support manual reroutes using the information in a TOS
Overarching Human Factors Issue:

Assuming Old Human Factors Problems are Still Solved When Introducing N

(Example: Issue 3. Human factors issues in the design and use of RNAV/RN

Human‐Automation Interaction:

Predicted Accident in the Use of an RNAV Approach –

Overtake on Approach & Missed Approach Conflict (Smith, Rinehart and Sp





Overarching Human Factors Issue:

Assuming Old Human Factors Problems are Still Solved When Introducing New S

How do we detect such assumptions?How do we ensure that such assumptions are dealt with during the design so that eith

• The problem is eliminated so that the critical scenarios cannot arise?

• There are sufficient safety nets so that, if a critical scenario arises, the system is suffi

to deal with it?
CTOP (Collaborative Trajectory Options Program

Historical problem (2001): Dispatcher filing CDRs w“unusual” turns

Example: CDR EWRBNA36 (KEWR COATE Q436 HER

JHW J29 DJB J29 ROD FLM HYK DREFT PASLY2 KBNA

Overarching Human Factors Issue:

Assuming Old Problems are Still Solved When Introducing New System

(Example: Issue 2. Collaborative routing to support adaptive air traffic flow m

Design of Distributed Work System

Predicted Accident due to predictable performance by software designers, dispa

managers and controllers
CTOP Review
CTOP Review
CTOP (Collaborative Trajectory Options Program)

Historical issue (2001): Dispatcher filing CDR with “unu

turnsExample: CDR EWRBNA36 (KEWR COATE Q436 HERBA J

DJB J29 ROD FLM HYK DREFT PASLY2 KBNA)Historical safety nets to this unanticipated issue (2001):

Departure Center TMU (weak solution); Display of route strip (weak solution); Controller detecting unexpected

trajectory; Pilots; TCASHistorical solution (2002): Procedures, training and airl

automation (in response to actual occurrences)

Overarching Human Factors Issue:

Assuming Old Problems are Still Solved When Introducing New System

(Example: Issue 2. Collaborative routing to support adaptive air traffic flow m

Design of Distributed Work System

Predicted Accident due to predictable performance by software designers, dispa

managers and controllers
CTOP (Collaborative Trajectory Options Program)

New issue (2014): Flight operator software submitting TOS in

“unusual” CDR; FAA software selecting this route

Safety nets(?):• Automation Developers

– Flight operators

– FAA

• Dispatcher• Departure center traffic manager (weak solution)

• Display of route on strip (weak solution)

• Controller detecting unexpected trajectory

• Pilots detecting potential loss of separation

• TCAS detecting potential loss of separation

Solution(?)

Overarching Human Factors Issue:

Assuming Old Problems are Still Solved When Introducing New System

(Example: Issue 2. Collaborative routing to support adaptive air traffic flow m

Design of Distributed Work System

Predicted Accident due to predictable performance by software designers, dispa

managers and controllers
Overarching Human Factors Issue:

Assuming Old Human Factors Problems are Still Solved When Introducing New 

How do we detect such assumptions?How do we ensure that such assumptions are dealt with during the design so that eith

• The problem is eliminated so that the critical scenarios cannot arise?

• There are sufficient safety nets so that, if a critical scenario arises, the system is suffi

to deal with it?