The Effect of Air Traffic Control Experience Levels on Quality of Service

摘要

The median experience level of Air Force air traffic controllers has decreased significantly over the past five years. The purpose of this thesis is to determine what impact, if any, this high turnover rate has had on the quality of ATC services provided as measured by Hazardous Air Traffic Reports (HATR). Trend analysis, proportions, multiple linear regression, and tests on the differences of the population means were used in the analysis of the total, facility, and local experience levels of the controllers cited as cause of the HATRs. The impact of weather, traffic volume, equipment failure, the presence of a crew chief, and the presence/absence of a trainee were also examined. The data base consisted of all HATRs filed from January 1975 to April 1978. The findings were: (1) that the number of HATRs received by controllers is decreasing, (2) the mean experience levels of controllers is not changing significantly, and (3) that a controller is most vulnerable to receive a HATR in his first two years or less on station, regardless of his previous facility and total experience. (Author)