A Situation Awareness Design Approach to the Position of Airline Maintenance Control in a Simulated Operations Control Center

Research is being conducted at mid-sized public university regarding the collaborative team efforts of aviation students in a simulated airline control center. The students employ coordinated problem solving efforts toward disruption management and schedule optimization. Although the focus of this research is communication of the decision support systems, the design of the Maintenance Control position is discussed at length. The Maintenance Controller(s) communicate with all positions, as well as departments located outside the center’s physical location that may and may not be accessed by other participants. This position is one of the most vital and engaging in the simulation, and its details help illustrate the myriad of research areas and opportunities that a center of this magnitude represents