Heathrow Director,
I am only quoting from the research that has been, and is being, done by a whole host of ATC systems and avionics manufacturers, by the Eurocontrol Experimental Centre, by the FAA, by the MITRE Corporation and others (including NATS). Clearly there is still some way to go but I am sure it will happen. As you may have guessed I am an old retired pilot, but I take a great interest in ATC matters because ATC and Flight Operations are many ways two sides of the same coin. As to pilot workload, most pilots' intial reactions are the same as yours....until they try it in extensive simulations. Equally, controllers are very sceptical until they try it in these same simulations. We are after all (and with good reason) both very conservative groups of people. I guess you and will just have to agree amicably to differ!