I discovered the work of Ectoras Symeonides via this Linkedin post promoting his eBook titled “Human Factors in Air Traffic Control – Why the human still matters in an increasingly automated sky”. Ectoras is an Air Traffic Controller (ATCO), On-the-Job Training Instructor (OJTI) and safety assessment specialist with the department of Civil Aviation in Cyprus.
Although there are many human factors publications, not many target Air Traffic Control (ATC) specifically. A lot of activities in this domain are led by Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) directly as internal tasks and their results are not systematically made publicly available.
The eBook is clearly two-faceted. The first facet is about human factors in general and provides the reader with a solid foundation. It covers the usual topics:
- Sleep and fatigue management
- Stress
- Team resources management
- System design, including ergonomics and automation
The second facet of the book is its ATC orientation and this is what makes it a unique resource for ATCOs, safety experts, and regulatory authorities. Short and effective chapters like “Detecting Fatigue in ATCOs”, “The Fight or Flight Mechanism: An Elaboration for ATC”, and “Human-Machine Interaction and Automation in ATC” build upon the general topics. Those chapters are often in the form of very compact tables or bullet lists, and they create the often missing link between practice and theory.
This particular structure makes this book helpful for different readers. Newcomers to the field of human factors in ATC can read it cover-to-cover. ATCOs and instructors can start from the ATC-oriented chapters and move backwards to the theory chapters to improve their understanding of human factors. Safety experts can use it as a quick reference or to deepen their understanding.
“Human Factors in Air Traffic Control” is authored by Ectoras and is self-published online. This makes sense given the relatively limited potential audience of such a work. The work of Ectoras would deserve a full edition and publication, and maybe this will happen. If you are interested in the topic, don’t let the self-publishing aspect give you doubts. It may not be as polished as it could be, but it is definitely worth reading.
The eBook is endorsed by Tony Licu, Former Head of Safety Unit, EUROCONTROL: “This is a great professional resource that successfully bridges the gap between human factors science and operational air traffic control practice. Ectoras Symeonides has created what appears to be a comprehensive human factors guide specifically tailored to ATC environments currently available. The book’s greatest strength lies in its practical applicability – readers can immediately relay and test the frameworks, tools, and assessment methods provided. The author’s dual expertise as both an operational controller and HF specialist is lending authenticity and credibility to the recommendation.”
Ectoras provided me with a free copy of his eBook for this review. If you are interested in getting a copy, you can purchase it from https://www.expertsonhumanfactors.store/ for 15 EURO.
