Abstract
This chapter describes the metrics for the validation of a Remote Tower Control workplace. The study shows how Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) observe traffic from a Tower Control Working Position at Airport Erfurt-Weimar in comparison to a Remote Controller Working Position. Shadow-mode trials were used to cover perceptual, operational, and human factors aspects of a Remote Tower System, including a live video panorama and a research aircraft. The aircraft was used to fly different maneuvers within the aerodrome. These maneuvers allow insights on the detectability of an aircraft within different distances from the tower and the gathering of operation information about aircraft status. In addition, a vehicle was used to position static objects on the airfield to determine the detectability of these objects for different distances to the Control Tower (RTO-camera system). Eight ATCOs from the DFS participated in the validation exercise. Time-synchronized questionnaires for the controller working position remote (CWP-remote) and the controller working position tower (CWP-tower) were applied, addressing operationally relevant questions to the ATCOs. The validation exercise targets the evaluation of metrics that could help standardize the process of testing Remote Controller Working Positions. The results consider expense of realization, comparability and feasibility as major classifications for the used metrics. Further an approach for combining the classification into one score is presented, to rank the metrics in relation to each other.
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Notes
- 1.
However, due to the problematic interpretation of the Landing Lights RTM the %-correct analysis in Table 3 shows now significant difference altogether. An extended analysis is discussed in Chapter “Multiple Remote Tower Simulation Environment (S. Schier)”.
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Acknowledgements
We are indebted to Dr. B. Brunner of the DLR program directorate for continuous support and providing the funding of these experiments within the DLR project “RaiCe”. The activities were co-financed by the EU and EUROCONTROL within SESAR Lot 1 (SJU/D/12-446 study) for the SESAR Joint Undertaking. The opinions expressed herein reflect the authors’ view only. The SESAR Joint Undertaking is not liable for the use of any of the information included herein. The experimental set-up was contributed by DFS and DLR within RaiCe/RAiCon. The authors thank the ATCOs for participating in the field trial and the system matter experts from the DFS for their input on the study. We would like to express our greatest gratitude to the people who have helped and supported us throughout the validation. We are grateful to all the technicians that developed and implemented the CWP-remote. Special thanks go to Markus Schmidt, Michael Rudolph and Tristan Schindler for design and experimental setup, Anne Papenfuss and Nils Carstengerdes for their experimental input, Norbert Fürstenau for support of the experiments as RaiCe project manager, Monika Mittendorf for her help with data analysis, Andreas Grüttemann for his expertise in capturing flight path data and the pilots G. Mitscher and P. Bergmann of the department for flight experiments for excellent cooperation.
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Friedrich, M. (2022). Which Metrics Provide the Insight Needed? A Selection of Remote Tower Evaluation Metrics to Support a Remote Tower Operation Concept Validation. In: Fürstenau, N. (eds) Virtual and Remote Control Tower. Research Topics in Aerospace. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93650-1_9
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