(1) Since the introduction of The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) how many air traffic control incidents have been found to have TAAATS human factors as causal factors in those incidents.

(2) Has Airservices Australia conducted, arranged to be conducted or commissioned any studies or research into TAAATS human factors; if so, what were the findings or recommendations and when will each be implemented; if not why not.

(3) Will Airservices publish or make available any studies that have been conducted into TAAATS human factors; if so, when and where; if not, why not.

I am advised by Airservices that:

(1) The term `human factors' encompasses all considerations that affect a person at work. Any incident that by definition is a breakdown in procedure, process, and item of equipment or performance necessarily has an element of human factors as a causal factor. This factor could be a result of design, implementation, maintenance or service delivery. With that in mind, Airservices sees little value in identifying the number of incidents that are attributable to the broad term human factors. Instead, Airservices considers its involvement in the incident and the factors relating to that incident. As can be seen by the information below, the Air Traffic Services (ATS) attributed incident rate has reduced since the transition to TAAATS. Airservices has concluded that the TAAATS environment has improved the safety of the system in which Airservices operates. For example, the following graph represents ATS incidents for Terminal Control Area (TMA)/Tower (TWR) services at Sydney Airport (Kingsford-Smith Airport).

(2) Extensive research and evaluation of human factors issues were conducted during the design, implementation and operation of TAAATS. These include:

Post implementation reviews were undertaken to ensure any deficiencies that had not been identified or issues that had not been completely rectified, were identified and actions taken to address them.

Commissioned research in relation to TAAATS human factors include:

The findings and recommendations of these studies have and continue to be evaluated by Airservices with respect to our increasing experience with TAAATS. Many of these recommendations have been implemented becoming an integral part of the system.

(3) The research commissioned by Airservices in relation to TAAATS human factors could be made available on request.