Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) worldwide have to deal with Air Traffic Controllers (ATCO) shortage. The head of recruiting for a major European ANSP recently told Global Airspace Radar anonymously that “the search for candidates feels like fishing in a pond that gets smaller and smaller every year.”
One solution could come from recent research done by Professor Alewife Fisher at the Forschung Institut für Super Harmonics (FISH) in Anglerstadt, Germany. Professor Fisher’s research focuses on using optical devices to enhance human capabilities and they recently tested so-called “fisheye” glasses and their applicability in air traffic control (ATC). By wearing such spectacles, ATCOs can get a field of view of almost 210 degrees in all directions, which comes at a great advantage.
Applications for tower and radar ATCOs
For tower controllers, this means being able to see around a larger portion of the airfield, making it possible to operate two working positions at once. The downward field of view is also improved, therefore allowing controllers to work traffic in the air and on the ground at the same time, without even having to move their head.
The new spectacles also benefit radar controllers, either in approach or en-route facilities. The enhanced field of view allows controllers to watch multiple radar screens at once, without any additional effort. The only negative side effect observed so far is a slight tendency by a small proportion of ATCOs to feel sea-sick, but this can be compensated by taking standard sea-sickness medication for a few days, until the symptoms completely disappear.
Trade unions confirmed the results
Global Airspace Radar consulted with representatives of ATCO trade unions to confirm the feedback from Professor Fisher’s results. While they were sceptical at first, thinking that the results were not foolproof, prolonged testing periods validated the results and the adoption rate amongst a large number of ATCOs is high.
The glasses can be made light enough to be comfortable for prolonged periods and during the test phases, some ATCOs even decided to wear them outside the control room. Some started to go to lunch with them, as they reported it enhanced their vision in a vast variety of ways, which they enjoyed a lot. Another advantage is that the glasses do not require any modifications to existing Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems and are therefore not subject to certification by regulatory activities. ATCOs which have to wear glasses already can have their correction integrated in the fisheye glasses too, ensuring they can also benefit from this innovation.
“Our results have shown that the spectacles can dramatically improve ATC capacity and we are now looking for a partner to produce them at large scale. When it comes to production, the institute is just a small fish and we are looking for an industrial partner”, said Professor Fisher.
The institute is now ready for a public-private partnership to produce spectacles at large scale and they hope to be able to hit the market by 1st of April 2026.
