{"id":600,"date":"2026-08-27T15:28:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T14:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/?post_type=avada_portfolio&#038;p=600"},"modified":"2026-08-27T15:28:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T14:28:39","slug":"simulator-study-atco-readiness-non-endorsed-sectors","status":"publish","type":"avada_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/portfolio-items\/simulator-study-atco-readiness-non-endorsed-sectors\/","title":{"rendered":"Competent, Not Necessarily Confident: Insights From a Simulator Study on ATCO Readiness on Non-Endorsed Sectors"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-padding-bottom:25px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1248px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_2_5 2_5 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:40%;--awb-margin-top-large:40px;--awb-spacing-right-large:4.8%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:30px;--awb-spacing-left-large:4.8%;--awb-width-medium:40%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:4.8%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:4.8%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element\" style=\"--awb-max-width:8000px;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-no-lightbox\" href=\"https:\/\/zenodo.org\/records\/22129378\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Competent, Not Necessarily Confident: Insights From a Simulator Study on ATCO Readiness on Non-Endorsed Sectors\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/08\/IFAV3-Website-items-1024x726.png\" alt class=\"img-responsive wp-image-598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/08\/IFAV3-Website-items-200x142.png 200w, https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/08\/IFAV3-Website-items-400x284.png 400w, https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/08\/IFAV3-Website-items-600x426.png 600w, https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/08\/IFAV3-Website-items-800x568.png 800w, https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/08\/IFAV3-Website-items-1200x851.png 1200w, https:\/\/research.dblue.it\/ifav3\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/08\/IFAV3-Website-items.png 1748w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><h5 style=\"color: var(--awb-color5);\">Competent, Not Necessarily Confident: Insights From a Simulator Study on ATCO Readiness on Non-Endorsed Sectors<\/h5>\n<p>Abstract: Conventionally, air traffic controllers (ATCOs) in upper airspace control centers must undergo sector-specific endorsement to operate them. This implies high training costs and limiting operational flexibility during staff shortages. Given the strict selection and education process, as well as operator experience, ATCOs may be capable of safely handling non-endorsed sectors with similar characteristics. Additionally, they could benefit from further training and competency expansion. To investigate this, an experience-based allocation tool was developed by the German Aerospace Center and tested at Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC). The study evaluated ATCOs\u2019 mental stress as well as self-assessments of mental workload, situation awareness, performance of air traffic management (ATM) flow, and job satisfaction. 17 executive ATCOs participated in a human-in-the-loop simulation at MUAC, completing reference run on endorsed sectors and test runs on both non-endorsed sector predicted \u2018able\u2019 or \u2018not able\u2019 by the experience-based allocation tool. Traffic scenarios varying in intensity included nominal and non-nominal conditions and covered adverse weather conditions, military activities, and emergencies. Although expected differences were found between endorsed sectors and non-endorsed sectors, human factors indicators remain within the predefined acceptable operational limits. One of the identified challenges for successful future implementation represents the observed competence-confidence gap, as ATCOs expressed concerns about the new endorsement method.<\/p>\n<\/div><div ><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default fusion-button-default button-1 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" style=\"--button-border-radius-top-left:200px;--button-border-radius-top-right:200px;--button-border-radius-bottom-right:200px;--button-border-radius-bottom-left:200px;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/zenodo.org\/records\/22129378\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text awb-button__text awb-button__text--default\">Download the conference paper<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"portfolio_category":[],"portfolio_skills":[],"portfolio_tags":[],"class_list":["post-600","avada_portfolio","type-avada_portfolio","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - 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