Multiple Pilot Evaluation of Third Party Flight Identification

Air traffic controllers have long used voice communications to refer pilots to specific air traffic of interest. This kind of communication plays an important part in the operations envisioned to evolve from cockpit applications of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology. In this paper we review past research on applications involving such communications and report the results of a multiple-pilot simulation study comparing three alternative communication formats. The study contrasted a baseline (Readback) format in which the controller describes relative position to point out referent traffic with alternatives which used Traffic Call Sign or a relative position (Essential) and "Flight" combined with the trip number part of the call sign (Alternate). Formats were tested in three types of traffic conditions: (a) with normal call sign traffic, (b) with highly similar call signs and (c) with unconventional call signs. Twenty pilots participated in a series of scenarios and communicated with a controller and other pilots using each of the alternatives. The findings indicated a significant effect of format on controller and pilot transmission times, and error correction rates. Both formats in which the controller used traffic call sign to identify third party traffic—Essential and Alternate—outperformed the Readback format with fewer transmissions required to complete a communication transaction. Additionally, controller and pilot transmission times were shorter with the Essential and Alternate formats in comparison to the Readback format. The Alternate format had significantly more uncorrected errors than either the Readback or Essential formats. In terms of acceptability, the subjective measures indicated a trend favoring both Essential and Alternate formats. These findings suggest aspects of procedures and operations that influence pilots' perceptions of risk and acceptability and have implications on further development of messages and communication formats. Further, across multiple studies, results consistently showed that Essential format outperformed Alternate format, which in turn outperformed the Readback format.