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The development of this paper is framed within the CRITERIA project (atC event-dRiven capacITy modEls foR aIr nAvigation) . This project is framed within a research, development (R & D) , and innovation partnership between CRIDA and Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. This project is financially managed under the code P2214150422. The authors would like to thank CRIDA for their support in the development of this research line.

Analysis of institutional authors

Suárez, María ZamarreñoCorresponding AuthorValdes, Rosa Maria ArnaldoAuthorMoreno, Francisco PérezAuthorJurado, Raquel Delgado-AguileraAuthorComendador, Victor Fernando GomezAuthor

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October 15, 2024
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Understanding the research on air traffic controller workload and its implications for safety: A science mapping-based analysis

Publicated to:Safety Science. 176 106545- - 2024-08-01 176(), DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2024.106545

Authors: Suarez, Maria Zamarreno; Valdes, Rosa Maria Arnaldo; Moreno, Francisco Perez; Jurado, Raquel Delgado-Aguilera; de Frutos, Patricia Maria Lopez; Comendador, Victor Fernando Gomez

Affiliations

ATM Res & Dev Reference Ctr CRIDA, Madrid 28022, Spain - Author
Univ Politecn Madrid UPM, Sch Aerosp Engn, Dept Aerosp Syst, Air Transport & Airports, Madrid 28040, Spain - Author

Abstract

The study of the workload of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) is a basic pillar to ensure the safety of air transport. In this paper, the results of a detailed science mapping-based analysis on the publications that focus on this topic are presented. The query was carried out on Web of Science, using the keywords 'workload' and 'air traffic controller*' and a subsequent filtering was performed. 374 studies have been included in the analysis. It has been approached in a top-down manner, starting from the more general topics to the more detailed ones. To present the results in a visual form, graphs created using VOSviewer software have been used. The results of this analysis provided the answers to the nine research questions posed. The analysis has been divided into two parts. In the first part, the 374 previous works were analysed together. Thanks to their analysis, it has been possible to answer questions related to the relevance of these studies to improve the safety of air operations, identify the pattern of co-authorship, the geographical distribution of the authors, the main lines of research followed in the study of the workload of air traffic controllers, or the keywords most frequently used. Additionally, a second part of the paper focuses on a detailed analysis of some of the publications considered. Within this second part, the three pillars of the workload study have been considered: workload management, assessment, and prediction. The relationship between air traffic controllers' workload and capacity has also been explored in detail. Finally, the five papers with the highest number of citations and their implications for future research were analysed. This was complemented by an analysis of the emerging issues covered by the latest publications. The aim was to identify emerging topics of study. In this way, a general but also detailed analysis of the study of the workload of air traffic controllers has been carried out and its study has been related to its importance in improving the safety of air operations.

Keywords

Air traffic controllersBibliometric analysiHuman factorsMental workloadRelational complexitySafetyScience mappingVosvieweVosviewerWorkload

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Safety Science due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2024 there are still no calculated indicators, but in 2023, it was in position 15/106, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Operations Research & Management Science.

Independientemente del impacto esperado determinado por el canal de difusión, es importante destacar el impacto real observado de la propia aportación.

Según las diferentes agencias de indexación, el número de citas acumuladas por esta publicación hasta la fecha 2025-07-24:

  • Google Scholar: 6
  • Scopus: 2

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-24:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 53 (PlumX).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: https://oa.upm.es/84318/

As a result of the publication of the work in the institutional repository, statistical usage data has been obtained that reflects its impact. In terms of dissemination, we can state that, as of

  • Views: 106
  • Downloads: 22

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (ZAMARREÑO SUÁREZ, MARÍA) and Last Author (GOMEZ COMENDADOR, VICTOR FERNANDO).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been ZAMARREÑO SUÁREZ, MARÍA.