Use of decision support tools to assist ATC traffic management coordinators in airport surface management

This paper discusses the roles and tasks of Air Traffic Control Tower Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs), who coordinate the flow of surface traffic at major U.S. airports. It examines decision support tools designed to moderate often high workloads placed on TMCs and improve their situation awareness and efficiency. The paper results from several field and simulation studies of surface traffic management at large airports and extensive discussions and knowledge elicitation sessions with subject matter experts. The goals of the studies were to: Identify tasks involved in surface management at airports and gain insight into how and by whom these tasks are accomplished; Understand how decision support tools (DSTs) could assist TMCs and airline operations personnel in accomplishing surface management tasks; Suggest how decision support tools can best be structured to improve surface situation awareness and performance and decrease workload of air traffic control and airline personnel.