Citation

Salzinger K, McShane WR, Cantilli EJ, Horodniceanu M. Transp. Res. Rec. 1979; 732: 64-72.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1979, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The principles of behavior theory are used as the basis for a study of the verbal interaction between air traffic controllers and airplane pilots. The danger created by the diversity of rules and regulations that govern the behavior of pilots and controllers is shown to be a primary reason for such an analysis. Basic concepts of behavior theory are discussed in relation to air traffic control operations. Graphs compiled by using tape recordings of pilot-controller conversations are used to analyze cumulative word rates and speech content. The analysis reveals problems such as high speech rate among air traffic controllers and aberrant patterns of behavior and response among pilots. Further application of the principles of behavior theory to air traffic control operations is recommended.