THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FINAL APPROACH SPACING TOOL (FAST) - A COOPERATIVE CONTROLLER-ENGINEER DESIGN APPROACH

Historically, the development of advanced automation for air traffic c ontrol in the United States has excluded the input of the air traffic controller until the end of the development process. In contrast, the development of the Final Approach Spacing Tool (FAST), for the termina l area controller, has incorporated the end-user in early, iterative t esting. This paper describes controller involvement in three successiv e phases of system development, tailored to the complexity of the soft ware testing process. In addition, the creation of a Controller Accept ance Rating Scale to aid user assessment and guide system design is de scribed. This approach has enhanced the usability of FAST, and its int roduction into the operational environment.