Research on Evaluating the Workload of Apron Controllers Based on DORATASK Model

Abstract

With the rapid development of air transport industry, implementing the independent apron control has become an urgent need for the large-scale airports in China. Apron controllers are very important to the apron control for their dominant roles in commanding, monitoring and coordinating aircraft apron operations at airport. To ensure the safety of apron operation and improve the operational efficiency of the apron control, it is necessary to scientifically evaluate the workload of apron controllers and reasonably arrange the required controller positions. There has two people from the apron control: the controller and the coordinator. This paper focuses on analyzing the controller’s workload. The observable tasks performed by apron controllers could be mainly composed of 3 parts: standard communications with pilots, including issuing commands and monitoring pilots repeat commands; electronic strip system operations, such as manually using keyboard and mouse; and the telephone coordination to solve problem when an aircraft is facing an actual or potential conflict. In this paper, actual flight data from July 1st to August 31st, 2020 at Beijing Capital International Airport is firstly analyzed to determine the peak and valley traffic hours, and then based on field observation and time collection for measuring those observable tasks for the controllers at those peaks and valleys, the average time required for the controllers to command a single flight is obtained. Then the total task load of the controllers is calculated by using DORATASK model, which considers the observable, non-observable and recovery tasks. With the calculated workload and required positions for apron controllers, comparative analysis is conducted. Experiment results show that the proposed model is applicable and is very in good consistency with practical operations at airport.