ABSTRACT
As a preliminary step toward identifying the best training techniques for introducing NextGen tools and concepts to air traffic control, the present paper reports data from a debriefing session with 15 students who were trained to manage a sector with NextGen equipped and unequipped aircraft after 14 weeks of practice with a particular training schedule. Participants in the Whole-Task Training group learned manual air traffic control skills in conjunction with potential NextGen tools. Participants in the Part-Whole training group were trained with only manual skills for 7 weeks, and then were subsequently trained with manual skills and NextGen tools during the remaining 7 weeks. In general, students’ performance benefited from both training procedures. The students indicated that it was easy to learn NextGen tools and that the use of the tools allowed them the capability to manage more traffic. However, if all the aircraft in their sector were NextGen equipped, the participants indicated that the air traffic management task became boring, and that it was hard for them to pay attention to the task. Moreover, after being exposed to NextGen tools, participants in the Whole-Task Training group felt it would be more difficult to revert back to only the manual mode of air traffic management than participants in the Part-Whole group. Implications of these findings for training are discussed.
