Human factors issues of navigation reference system waypoints  (2011)

As part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System initiative the Navigation Reference System waypoint grid was developed to realize additional benefits of area navigation. Despite industry and government involvement in the original design of the grid, it has been met by operators and air traffic controllers with limited enthusiasm. The FAA is sponsoring research to identify human factors issues that might explain this lack of usage and the development of mitigations or recommendations for those issues discovered. In this paper, we will discuss our initial examination of the Navigation Reference System and review potential recommendations to several areas for improvement with specific focus on changes to waypoint nomenclature.

+ Dismukes, Robert

+ Pruchnicki, Shawn

+ Christopher, Bonny

+ Burian, Barbara

+ Flight Cognition

factors, Human, issues, navigation, reference, system, waypoints

In Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on Aviation Psychology. Dayton, OH: Wright State University

  ISAP_2011_HF_Issues_NRS_Wpts.pdf (Download Acrobat Reader )
  (569KB) (application/pdf)