Human Error In Aviation

Human error is implicated in nearly all aviation accidents, yet most investigation and prevention programs are not designed around any theoretical framework of human error. Appropriate for all levels of expertise, the book provides the knowledge and tools required to conduct a human error analysis of accidents, regardless of operational setting (i.e. military, commercial, or general aviation). The book contains a complete description of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS), which incorporates James Reason's model of latent and active failures as a foundation. Widely disseminated among military and civilian organizations, HFACS encompasses all aspects of human error, including the conditions of operators and elements of supervisory and organizational failure. It attracts a very broad readership. Specifically, the book serves as the main textbook for a course in aviation accident investigation taught by one of the authors at the University of Illinois. This book will also be used in courses designed for military safety officers and flight surgeons in the U.S. Navy, Army and the Canadian Defense Force, who currently utilize the HFACS system during aviation accident investigations. Additionally, the book has been incorporated into the popular workshop on accident analysis and prevention provided by the authors at several professional conferences world-wide. The book is also targeted for students attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University which has satellite campuses throughout the world and offers a course in human factors accident investigation for many of its majors. In addition, the book will be incorporated into courses offered by Transportation Safety International and the Southern California Safety Institute. Finally, this book serves as an excellent reference guide for many safety professionals and investigators already in the field.

Fully updated and expanded, the second edition of Human Factors in Aviation serves the needs of the widespread aviation community - students, engineers, scientists, pilots, managers and government personnel. Offering a comprehensive overview the volume covers topics such as pilot performance, human factors in aircraft design, vehicles and systems and NextGen issues. The need for an up-to-date, scienti?cally rigorous overview is underscored by the frequency with which human factors/crew error cause aviation accidents, pervasiveness of human error in safety breakdowns. Technical and communication advances, diminishing airspace and the priority of aviation safety all contribute to the generation of new human factors problems and the more extensive range of solutions. Now more than ever a solid foundation from which to begin addressing these issues is needed. New edition thoroughly updated with 50% new material, offering full coverage of NexGen and other modern issues Liberal use of case examples exposes students to real-world examples of dangers and solutions Website with study questions and image collection

Human error is cited as a major cause in over 70% of accidents, andit is widely agreed that a better understanding of humancapabilities and limitations - both physical and psychological -would help reduce human error and improve flight safety. This book was first published when the UK Civil AviationAuthority introduced an examination in human performance andlimitations for all private and professional pilot licences. Nowthe Joint Aviation Authorities of Europe have published a newsyllabus as part of their Joint Aviation Requirements for FlightCrew Licensing. The book has been completely revised and rewritten to takeaccount of the new syllabus. The coverage of basic aviationpsychology has been greatly expanded, and the section on aviationphysiology now includes topics on the high altitude environment andon health maintenance. Throughout, the text avoids excessive jargonand technical language. "There is no doubt that this book provides an excellent basicunderstanding of the human body, its limitations, the psychologicalprocesses and how they interact with the aviation environment. I amcurrently studying for my ATPL Ground Exams and I found this bookto be an invaluable aid. It is equally useful for those studyingfor the PPL and for all pilots who would like to be reminded oftheir physiological and psychological limitations." –General Aviation, June 2002

Since the 1950s, a number of specialized books dealing with human factors has been published, but very little in aviation. Human Factors in Aviation is the first comprehensive review of contemporary applications of human factors research to aviation. A "must" for aviation professionals, equipment and systems designers, pilots, and managers--with emphasis on definition and solution of specific problems. General areas of human cognition and perception, systems theory, and safety are approached through specific topics in aviation--behavioral analysis of pilot performance, cockpit automation, advancing display and control technology, and training methods.

As part of the national effort to improve aviation safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chartered the National Research Council to examine and recommend improvements in the aircraft certification process currently used by the FAA, manufacturers, and operators.

The investigation and modelling of aviation accident causation is dominated by linear models. Aviation is, however, a complex system and as such suffers from being artificially manipulated into non-complex models and methods. This book addresses this issue by developing a new approach to investigating aviation accident causation through information networks. These networks centralise communication and the flow of information as key indicators of a system’s health and risk. This holistic approach focuses on the system environment, the activity that takes place within it, the strategies used to conduct this activity, the way in which the constituent parts of the system (both human and non-human) interact and the behaviour required. Each stage of this book identifies and expands upon the potential of the information network approach, maintaining firm focus on the overall health of a system. The book’s new model offers many potential developments and some key areas are studied in this research. Through the centralisation of barriers and information nodes the method can be applied to almost any situation. The application of Bayesian mathematics to historical data populations provides scope for studying error migration and barrier manipulation. The book also provides application of these predictions to a flight simulator study for the purposes of validation. Beyond this it also discusses the applicability of the approach to industry. Through working with a legacy airline the methods discussed are used as the basis for a new and prospective safety management system.

Practical Human Factors for Pilots bridges the divide between human factors research and one of the key industries that this research is meant to benefit—civil aviation. Human factors are now recognized as being at the core of aviation safety and the training syllabus that flight crew trainees have to follow reflects that. This book will help student pilots pass exams in human performance and limitations, successfully undergo multi-crew cooperation training and crew resource management (CRM) training, and prepare them for assessment in non-technical skills during operator and license proficiency checks in the simulator, and during line checks when operating flights. Each chapter begins with an explanation of the relevant science behind that particular subject, along with mini-case studies that demonstrate its relevance to commercial flight operations. Of particular focus are practical tools and techniques that students can learn in order to improve their performance as well as "training tips" for the instructor. Provides practical, evidence-based guidance on issues often at the root of aircraft accidents Uses international regulatory material Includes concepts and theories that have practical relevance to flight operations Covers relevant topics in a step-by-step manner, describing how they apply to flight operations Demonstrates how human decision-making has been implicated in air accidents and equips the reader with tools to mitigate these risks Gives instructors a reliable knowledge base on which to design and deliver effective training Summarizes the current state of human factors, training, and assessment

Most aviation accidents are attributed to human error, pilot error especially. Human error also greatly effects productivity and profitability. In his overview of this collection of papers, the editor points out that these facts are often misinterpreted as evidence of deficiency on the part of operators involved in accidents. Human factors research reveals a more accurate and useful perspective: The errors made by skilled human operators - such as pilots, controllers, and mechanics - are not root causes but symptoms of the way industry operates. The papers selected for this volume have strongly influenced modern thinking about why skilled experts make errors and how to make aviation error resilient.

The Limits of Expertise reports a study of the 19 major U.S. airline accidents from 1991-2000 in which the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found crew error to be a causal factor. Each accident is reported in a separate chapter that examines events and crew actions and explores the cognitive processes in play at each step.

The authors believe that a systematic organizational approach to aviation safety must replace the piecemeal approaches largely favoured in the past, but this change needs to be preceded by information to explain why a new approach is necessary. Accident records show a flattening of the safety curve since the early Seventies: instead of new kinds of accident, similar safety deficiencies have become recurrent features in accident reports. This suggests the need to review traditional accident prevention strategies, focused almost exclusively on the action or inaction’s of front-line operational personnel. The organizational model proposed by the authors is one alternative means to pursue safety and prevention strategies in contemporary aviation; it is also applicable to other production systems. The model argues for a broadened approach, which considers the influence of all organizations (the blunt end ) involved in aviation operations, in addition to individual human performance (the sharp end ). If the concepts of systems safety and organizational accidents are to be advanced, aviation management at all levels must be aware of them. This book is intended to provide a bridge from the academic knowledge gained from research, to the needs of practitioners in aviation. It comprises six chapters: the fundamentals, background and justification for an organizational accident causation model to the flight deck, maintenance and air traffic control environments. The last chapter suggest different ways to apply the model as a prevention tool which furthermore enhances organizational effectiveness. The value of the organizational framework pioneered by Professor Reason in analyzing safety in high-technology production systems is felt by his co-authors to have an enduring role to play, both now and in coming decades. Applied now in this book, it has been adopted by ICAO, IFATCA, IMO, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the Transportation Safety B