Safety W4

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School

Liberty University *

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300

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Industrial Engineering

Date

Oct 30, 2023

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docx

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Uploaded by ChancellorMandrill2650

Human Factors Class, This week we analyzed how human factors can impede on the safety of the aviation industry. We commonly ask ourselves “What are human factors?”, but I believe the real question should be “What IS human factors?” Aviation human factors is defined, in chapter three of this week’s reading lesson, as the interaction between people, machines, methods, and procedures that interface with one another to achieve a set of systems goals (Cusick, S., et al., 2017). Limitations not only exist in the aircraft that we fly, but within the pilot as well. Human factors can range from the simplest things like discomfort of your seat in the cockpit, which can hinder your manipulation of flight controls, to experiencing fatigue while performing tasks in level flight. Unfortunately not all human factors can be avoided, but mitigations can be set in place to help pilots reduce the effects of human factors. Human performance must be accurate and timely to meet the safety requirements of the aviation industry. There are many human factors that can affect human performance in the cockpit. If a well- trained pilot were to be put into an aircraft with no prior experience in that new aircraft, I would expect psychological factors and task factors to be present. The “office” of pilots and crewmembers is a very unique environment. A new cockpit can place a lot of physiological and psychological strain on the new occupants. Not only do pilots have to learn new emergency procedures and memorize the limitations of the aircraft, but also must learn the systems that are installed and how they are managed. This vast memorization of new information is an example of a human factor that can impede on the synchronization of the human body and machine. Psychological human factors can also lead to task saturation in the cockpit which can ultimately lead to accidents or incidents. Unfortunately, human error is the most significant contribution to aviation safety (Stanton, N., et al., 2009). Therefore, it is important that no matter what is happening in the cockpit or how concerning a problem is, a pilot must always aviate. Task factors can be a variable in a new cockpit with the inadequate level of training and the nature of a new work environment. When I first stepped into a new helicopter, I remember being extremely tense due to the workload I thought I had to undertake at that level. Multitasking as an aviator is necessary to maintain situational awareness and safety but should never supersede the number one rule: the control of the aircraft. The human body can undoubtedly do extraordinary things but can also be the main contributor to accidents involved in aviation. When put into new environments, pilots must be able to adapt fast and make timely and accurate decisions to ensure the safety of its crew and passengers. Although human errors cannot be eliminated altogether, pilots can continue to educate themselves on the affects of human factors to help mitigate accidents or incidents from occurring when the situation presents itself. References:

Cusick, S. K., Cortes, A. I., & Rodrigues, C. C. (2017). Commercial Aviation Safety (6th ed.). New York, N.Y McGraw-Hill Education. Stanton, N. A., Salmon, P., Harris, D., Marshall, A., Demagalski, J., Young, M. S., & Dekker, S. (2009). Predicting pilot error: testing a new methodology and a multi-method and analysts approach. Applied ergonomics , 40 (3), 464-471.

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