Carl Westin

190 Conformance design the strict requirements of an automated conflict resolution decision aids. Our solu- tion for determining a controller’s nonconformal resolution advisory was to use a solution implemented by a colleague for the same designed conflict. This assured that the solution suggested was realistic and not completely random. This approach assumed that there were sufficient variability between controllers’ conflict solutions. During our research, we realized that a rigorous and detailed solution analysis as outlined by the solution parameter framework was impractical. When consider- ing the level of detail specified by intervention time and the fourth step (directional value) in the hierarchy, every solution was unique. Thus, it was unreasonable to ex- pect controllers to solve repeated conflicts exactly the same. This can be interpreted as an inconsistency in controllers’ conflict solving, which complicates the identifi- cation of conformal solutions. However, the important aspect here is not how well a resolution advisory matches a controller’s problem-solving style in detail. In the- ory, they need only to appear enough similar so that the controller perceives the resolution advisory to be conformal (i.e., matching) wit his/her preferred solution. As such, the perceived similarity is determined by the controller’s perceptual limita- tions. It is reasonable to expect that in most cases, a 20 degree turn and a 25 degree turn would be perceived as identical. In contrast, interacting with different aircraft to solve the same conflict would likely be seen as two different solutions. Therefore we decided to limit the determination of problem-solving styles to the third step in the solution parameter framework (direction). Table A-5 illustrates the criteria used for determining the degree of conformance for a resolution advisory. Five conformance levels were considered. Conformal res- T ABLE A-5: Levels of conformance Level Conformance Description 1 Exact replay Aircraft match, resolution type match, resolution direction match, and resolution value match (Speed in kts, Heading in degrees). 2 Mismatched resolution value Aircraft match, resolution type match, resolution direction match. Resolution value mismatch (i.e., Heading differed by 20 degrees or more, and/or Speed differed by 20 kts or more). 3 Mismatched resolution direction Aircraft match, resolution type match. Resolution direction mismatch (e.g., Heading left instead of right; Speed decrease instead of increase). 4 Mismatched resolution type Aircraft match. Resolution type mismatch. 5 Aircraft mismatch Aircraft mismatch