Application of Linear Mixed-Effect Modeling for the Analysis of Human-in-the-Loop Simulation Experiments

A real-time human-in-the-loop (HITL) simulation is a crucial validation activity in the life cycle of air traffic management operational concept development. When planning HITL simulations, however, researchers face a series of experimental design constraints that often limit the application of advanced statistical data analyses. Linear mixed-effects modeling (LMEM) is a multiple regression analysis technique that is comparatively flexible in considering the covariance present in repeated measures data. This paper aims to make LMEM better known to applied researchers in the field of aviation research, particularly those applying HITL. For this purpose, the building steps of LMEM, the output, and model-fit tests are explained based on data obtained from an Airbus 320 flight simulation study that examined the impact of two different wake separation schemes on either a final approach or a departure path on the pilots’ perceived severity of a wake-vortex impact. The experimental setup involved six experimental factors that were not fully crossed, had an unbalanced number of repeats per pilot, and contained missing data. This prevented the use of the more traditional repeated measures analysis of variance. The LMEM was able to handle this and could explicitly test the study hypotheses with statistical confidence.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.2514/1.D0394
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Copyright © 2024 by EUROCONTROL. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission. All requests for copying and permission to reprint should be submitted to CCC at www.copyright.com; employ the eISSN 2380-9450 to initiate your request. See also AIAA Rights and Permissions www.aiaa.org/randp.
• Authors:
  • Lorenz, Bernd
  • Chalon-Morgan, Catherine
  • De Visscher, Ivan
  • Feuerle, Thomas
• Publication Date: 2024-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 71-83
• Serial:
  • Journal of Air Transportation
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
  • EISSN: 2380-9450
  • Serial URL: https://arc.aiaa.org/journal/jat

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air traffic control; Approach control; Experiments; Multiple regression analysis; Simulation; Wakes
• Identifier Terms: Airbus A320
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Data and Information Technology; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01912704
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 21 2024 11:04AM