FATIGUE IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Fatigue is a common safety challenge in the aviation industry. It is a multidimensional issue that encompasses the cognitive, psychological, and behavioral factors. Air traffic controllers in Paraguay operate under demanding conditions that predispose them to fatigue, yet there is no comprehensive mechanism to evaluate its prevalence or consequences. Fatigue remains a hidden hazard that can silently degrade performance, judgment, and communication in air traffic management. This research sought to identify and categorize the causes of fatigue among Paraguayan ATCOs and to evaluate the relationship between fatigue and performance degradation, including alertness, error frequency, and decision- making accuracy. Another objective was to analyze the distribution of responsibilities between the State, service providers, and individual controllers in managing fatigue risks. The researcher employed a quantitative research method in this study. A descriptive correlational study design was used. Stratified random sampling was used as the sampling method. A total of 112 licensed ATCOs completed the survey and submitted their responses within the specified time frame. The Cronbach alpha for the scale is 0.952, which is more than 0.7, thereby indicating strong internal consistency. The findings obtained in this study revealed that the participants had an average of 6-8-hour shift duration and the work duration as perceived to be moderate while some perceived their workload as high. The average sleep hours were around 6.5 hours. There were also instances where the participants recorded as short as 2 hours of sleep. Correlational analysis revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between work hours and levels of fatigue. Based on the evidence found in this study, H1 suggests that effective fatigue management guidelines improve ATC performance is not rejected. However, H2 is rejected, as shift duration and workload did not significantly moderate the relationship between fatigue management and ATC performance. Only age and years of experience were found to be significant moderators. Keywords: Fatigue, Air Traffic Controllers, Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS), Operational Performance, Sleepiness, Circadian Rhythm, Shift Scheduling, Human Factors.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1
• 1.1 Background of the Study 1
• 1.1.1 Fatigue: Definition and Perspectives 2
• 1.1.2 Air Traffic Controllers in Aviation 3
• 1.1.3 Fatigue in Air Traffic Controllers 3
• 1.2 Air Traffic Control and Fatigue in Paraguay 4
• 1.3 Problem Statement 5
• 1.4 Significance of the Study 6
• 1.5 Research Objectives 7
• 1.6 Research Questions 8
• 1.7 Scope and Limitations 8
• CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 10
• 2.1 Fatigue in Air Traffic Control 10
• 2.2 Causes and Contributing Factors of Fatigue ATCOs 11
• 2.2.1 Workload and Burnout 11
• 2.2.2 Complexity in Air Traffic 12
• 2.2.3 Psychological Stressors Impacts on Operational Performance 14
• 2.3 International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Framework for Fatigue Risk Management 17
• 2.5 Hypotheses 19
• CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 20
• 3.1 Research Design 20
• 3.2 Research Philosophy and Approach 21
• 3.3 Study Population and Sampling 22
• 3.4 Data Collection 22
• 3.4.1: Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) 23
• 3.4.2 Samn Perelli Fatigue scale 23
• 3.4.3 The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) 23
• 3.4.4 The Job Stress Survey (JSS) 24
• 3.5 Data Collection Procedures 24
• 3.6 Data Analysis 25
• 3.7 Validity and Reliability 26
• 3.8 Ethical Considerations 26
• CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND FINDINGS 27
• 4.1 Reliability Analysis 27
• 4.2 Descriptive Statistics 27
• 4.3 Correlational Analysis 30
• 4.4 Regression Analysis 31
• 4.4.1 Fatigue Management and ATC Performance 31
• 4.4.2 Moderating Effect of Shift Workload and Shift Duration 32
• CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 34
• 5.1. Recommendations 35
• 5.2. Future Research 36
• 6. REFERENCES 38