How Do Pilots and Controllers Manage Routine Contingencies During RNAV Arrivals

Traditional approaches to risk and safety management have focused on collection and analysis of data describing unwanted outcomes, such as accidents and incidents. These approaches are ill-equipped to enable learning from events in which procedural non-adherences do not result in reported undesired outcomes, nor to explore whether these non-adherences may, in fact, reflect desired behaviors. This study investigated how operators responded to expected and unexpected disturbances during RNAV arrivals into Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Pilots from mainline and regional airlines and terminal radar approach control air traffic controllers were interviewed with regard to how they anticipate, monitor for, respond to, and learn from these routine disturbances. In addition, event reports submitted to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System were also examined. Results of these analyses were used to identify behaviors and strategies that support the everyday resilient performance.