Human-Centered Approach of Philippine Air Traffic Control Operators (ATCOS): A Comprehensive Cognitive Evaluation Towards Decision Making and Resiliency

Abstract

The exponential growth of the Philippine aviation industry cultivates the upsurge of air traffic volume and flight delays that imposes great pressure on Air Traffic Control Operators (ATCOs) to achieve efficient and safe Air Traffic Management (ATM).  This paper explores an in-depth cognitive analysis of Philippine Air Traffic Control Operators (ATCOs) to produce a comprehensive approach toward decision-making and resiliency. The study specifically targeted ATCOs registered under the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), encompassing different ratings within the profession- 20 participants were selected through a parametric convenience sampling technique tailored to the practical constraints of active ATCOs. The investigation integrated principles from aviation psychology, incorporating cognitive testing within a controlled setting. The researchers administered psychological assessments; Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Raven's Progressive Matrices, and Multi-domain Decisiveness Test, supervised by a registered psychometrician. The qualitative phase involved in-depth interviews with three ATCOs to further deepen the findings. Contrary to expectations, no significant differences in cognitive state and resilience were discerned between ATCOs with 0-9 and 10-20 years of experience. However, a significant difference is seen in decision-making indicating superior scores among those with a decade or more of service. Moreover, psychological variables influence resilience and decision-making, including cognitive and attentional decline, error recovery, situational awareness, and stress. Recommendations proposed by researchers in the case of replication studies as follows; investigations into gender and rating-specific, geographic locations and procedures influenced by culture that may influence the outcome of the study.