An empirical evaluation of the Integrated Tower Operations Digital Data System

The integrated tower operations digital data system (I-TODDS), designed for use by ground and local control positions in airport traffic control towers (ATCTs), combines surface surveillance capabilities with electronic flight data management, weather information, digital taxi clearances, and taxiway conformance monitoring. I-TODDS uses a high-resolution touchscreen to simplify flight data management and reduce the controllers need to shift visual attention among disparate sources of information. I-TODDS reduces display clutter by showing only relevant information when needed but still preserving access to the full complement of flight data. Additional tools assist the controller in recording important information, timing operations, providing memory cues, and maintaining awareness of aircraft positions on the surface. This paper provides a basic description of I-TODDS and presents the results from a recent experiment. The experiment compared I-TODDS to current ATCT operations using paper flight progress strips and surface surveillance in zero-visibility operations. Sixteen current controllers served as participants. The results showed that I-TODDS reduced taxi-out operations by an average of 106 seconds per aircraft and reduced taxi-in operations by 35 seconds per aircraft. I-TODDS also produced an operationally significant reduction in the number and duration of departure delays while increasing the number of departures. Controllers thought that I-TODDS would have a positive effect on their ability to control airport traffic and I-TODDS may be able to support the Staffed NextGen Tower concept. The Federal Aviation Administration currently has a U.S. patent pending for the I-TODDS prototype.