ASCI 604 - Human Factors in the Aviation/Aerospace Industry

One of the primary applications of human factors engineering is in the aviation domain, and the importance of human factors has never been greater as U.S. and European authorities seek to modernize the air transportation system through the introduction of advanced automation. This handbook provides regulators, practitioners, researchers, and educators a comprehensive resource for understanding and applying human factors to air transportation.

Air safety is right now at a point where the chances of being killed in an aviation accident are far lower than the chances to winning a jackpot in any of the major lotteries. However, keeping or improving that performance level requires a critical analysis of some events that, despite scarce, point to structural failures in the learning process. The effect of these failures could increase soon if there is not a clear and right development path. This book tries to identify what is wrong, why there are things to fix, and some human factors principles to keep in aircraft design and operations. Features Shows, through different events, how the system learns through technology, practices, and regulations and the pitfalls of that learning process Discusses the use of information technology in safety-critical environments and why procedural knowledge is not enough Presents air safety management as a successful process, but at the same time, failures coming from technological and organizational features are shown Offers ways to improve from the human factors side by getting the right lessons from recent events /LI> Presents air safety management as a successful process, but at the same time, failures coming from technological and organizational features are shown Offers ways to improve from the human factors side by getting the right lessons from recent events

This textbook provides students and the broader aviation community with a complete, accessible guide to the subject of human factors in aviation. It covers the history of the field before breaking down the physical and psychological factors, organizational levels, technology, training, and other pivotal components of a pilot and crew's routine work in the field. The information is organized into easy-to-digest chapters with summaries and exercises based on key concepts covered, and it is supported by more than 100 full-color illustrations and photographs. All knowledge of human factors required in aviation university studies is conveyed in a concise and casual manner, through the use of helpful margin notes and anecdotes that appear throughout the text.

Today's aviation industry enjoys a remarkable safety record, primarily because it has learned from the mistakes of its past. Through the study of aviation accidents, most of the risks of flying have been identified and the threats they pose to safety can be managed. However, aircraft accidents, such as controlled flight into terrain, loss of control, runway excursions and incursions, and midair collisions still occur, and the hazards of flight remain. Some accidents happen due to mechanical failure, improper maintenance, or hazardous weather--but the vast majority are caused by pilot action (or inaction). Pilots can commit errors and make decisions that lead to tragic outcomes. Most accidents are not intentional; inadvertent errors made by flight crews arise from normal human physiological, psychological, and psychosocial limitations. Drawing upon the latest scientific research, aviation safety studies, and accident findings, Human Factors: Enhancing Pilot Performance thoroughly explores the nature of these human limitations and how they affect flight. Most importantly, this book provides best practice countermeasures designed to help pilots minimize their influence on flight performance. Whether you are a fair-weather private pilot, a new-hire first officer at a regional airline, or a seasoned pilot with thousands of hours under your belt, Human Factors will help you understand why pilots make mistakes and arm you with the knowledge to successfully identify, avoid, and mitigate them. Textbook Features: Designed for use as a primary textbook for courses covering the physiological and/or psychological aspects of flight crew performance Focuses on the practical application of human factors, primarily written for, and addressing the practical needs of, pilots Thorough coverage of the physiological, psychological and psychosocial factors that affect pilot performance Abundant examples of how these factors contribute to accidents and incidents Suggested best-practice countermeasures pilots can adopt to overcome or manage specific human factor limitations to pilot performance Extensive references and helpful resources for each topic Several appendices including CICTT's Aviation Occurrence Categories, Glossary and Abbreviations/Acronyms, Over 150 color illustrations Aircraft Accident index with more than 130 entries FREE additional resources available for instructors who adopt Human Factors into their course curriculum Reviewed by experts in aerospace physiology, aviation medicine, experimental psychology, cognitive psychology, advanced flight deck design, pilot human factors education, and by experienced airline pilots representing several different airlines in the United States and Canada. Foreword by Jay Hopkins, veteran writer of the Human Factors column for Flying magazine