To accomodate the expected growth of air traffic over the next two decades new operational concepts
are currently under development, which will affect to some extent the job tasks and responsibilities of
pilots and air traffic controllers. How will the operators perform in their potential new roles? Can we
presume that they will easily be re‐trainable? Or will the job profile change to such an extent that it has
to be considered already during the selection of the most suitable candidates? Especially for ab‐initio
pilot and controller candidates selection decisions imply predictions of human performance for a longterm
future. Therefore, a prospective analysis of job requirements is necessary to make sure that the
selection battery is aligned with future roles and tasks. DLR has developed a simulation platform called
AviaSim, which allows for low‐fidelity human‐in‐the‐loop simulations of potential future job tasks for
pilots and controllers. Future scenarios are based on reviews of NextGen and SESAR concept papers and
as well on “future workshops” with present job holders. In AviaSim we can examine the behavior of air
traffic controllers working together in one scenario with up to eight pilots and additional experimental
traffic. With eye‐gaze measurement, questionnaires and cognitive task interviews performance was
analyzed in one en‐route and an arrival scenario. According to preliminarily findings future operators will
need a higher degree of competence for operational monitoring, distributed teamwork, and time‐based
operations. The simulation platform and the experimental setups are discussed in the paper
