Aviation`s Most Critical Human Factors Challenges: Past and Present

Aviation 's Most Critical Human Factors Challenges : Past and Present

2005

Table of contents

Introduction .3

Human factors .3

Events of aviation human factors .3

Conclusion .6

Bibliography .7

Introduction

Human error has been documented as a primary contributor to more than 70 percent of commercial airplane hull-loss accidents . While typically associated with flight operations , human error has also recently become a major concern in maintenance practices and air traffic management [1]

Human factors

The term "human factors " is often considered synonymous with

crew resource management (CRM ) or maintenance resource management (MRM Human factors involves gathering information about human abilities limitations , and other characteristics and applying it to tools machines , systems , tasks , jobs , and environments to produce safe comfortable , and effective human use [1] . Human factor specialists study each factor which can influence on the human activity on the cockpit . The job of an aviation psychologist is to reduce human error during flight . The main and most general objective of their work is optimisation of the human-computer interaction . From the one side electronic equipment should provide the full control of the flight and make easier pilot job . But just one error of board computer may be the cause of the disaster . Therefore crew should be aware and control all situation along with computer program to be able correct its mistake Because of high level of system automation often pilots even do not know what it is doing and why . Despite rapid gains in technology , humans are ultimately responsible for ensuring the success and safety of the aviation industry . They must continue to be knowledgeable , flexible dedicated , and efficient while exercising good judgment [2]

Events of aviation human factors

Since the world 's first airplane was invented in 1903 by HYPERLINK "http /www .hfmgv .org /histories /wright /wrights .html " Wilbur and Orville Wright people studied human factors in aviation and tried to make easier pilot work by all known methods . The first navigation aid was introduced in the USA in the late 1920s . It was airfield lighting to assist pilots to make landings in poor weather or after dark . The concept of approach lightning was developed from this in the HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /1930s " \o "1930s " 1930s , indicating to the pilot the angle of descent to the airfield , which later became adopted internationally through the standards of the HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /International_Civil_Aviation_Organization \o "International Civil Aviation Organization " International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO . With the spread of HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Radio " \o "Radio " radio technology several experimental radio based navigation aids were developed from the late 20s onwards . These were most successfully used in conjunction with instruments in the cockpit in the form of HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Instrument_Landing_System " \o "Instrument Landing System " Instrument Landing Systems (ILS , first used by a scheduled flight to make a landing in a snowstorm at HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Pittsburgh " \o "Pittsburgh " Pittsburgh in HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /1938 " \o "1938...