1. Dr. Dennis Vincenzi Dennis.Vincenzi@erau.edu
Human Factors Issues
Dr. Dennis Vincenzi

2. Human Factors Issues: Overview
Situational Awareness
Aeronautical Decision Making
Cockpit Automation
Fatigue

3. The FAA’s “Dirty Dozen”
Preconditions for unsafe acts
Fatigue
Stress
Complacency
Communication
Awareness 
Distraction
Lack of knowledge
Teamwork
Lack of resources 
Pressure
Lack of assertiveness
Norms

4. Situational Awareness
Definition
Knowledge or what’s going on around you including time and space orientation, actions of others, threats, terrain, and aircraft performance. It is the ability to keep track of the prioritized signiticant events and conditions in the environment.
Human Factors studies focus on situation awareness as a causal factor in continued flight from VFR into IFR, CFIT, and midair collision avoidance.

5. Acquiring Situational Awareness
Level 1: Perception of the elements in the environment
Level 2: Comprehension of the current situation
Level 3: Projection of future status

6. Types of Situational Awareness
Geographical
Spatial/temporal
System

7. Situational Awareness - EAL Flight 401
EAL Flight 401- Dec 29, 1972 – 103 fatalities, 73 survivors 7

8. Aeronautical Decision Making
“The goal of decision making is really very simple:
doing the right think at the right time”
Aircraft owners and Pilots’ Association
Aviation Safety Foundation

9. Aeronautical Decision Making
Many Human Factors errors that result in accidents stem from poor judgment
This has been a topic of discussion for over 50 years
Behavior based reasons for poor decisions?
Attitude based reasons for poor decisions?

10. ADM Training
FAA Advisory Circular and many training programs focus on the “Five Hazardous Attitudes”
Anti Authority
Impulsivity
Invulnerability
Macho
Resignation

11. Automation
Aircraft capabilities continue to increase with a corresponding increase in the number of systems, displays, and parameters that must be monitored and managed by aircrew.
Technology is increasingly used to enhance displays and controls in order to present more information to the aircrew in the finite space available.

12. Automation Cockpit automation has helped enhance aviation safety.
Electronic displays provide more information to aircrew and often provide it in an individually selectable manner.
TCAS, GPS, ADS-B, weather radar, and other systems enhance situational awareness in the air and on the ground when used properly.
Electronic flight bags ensure aircrew have the current publications available to them in the cockpit.

13. Automation
Human factors experts are concerned that cockpit automation comes with some potential safety traps for aviators.
There is the potential for technology to become so commonplace in aircraft that pilots forget or lose skills in basic airmanship and cannot cope with an emergency that affects the technology.
This has become a major concern within the airline industry as technology becomes more prevalent and more reliable in airliners.

14. Fatigue Difficult to determine in an accident
Varies from individual to individual

15. Fatigue No toxicological test for fatigue
Somewhat subjective - relies on self-assessment and self-reporting of information
There can be legal/liability considerations for self-reporting
Bias in reporting on the part of aircrew
Usually discovered after the fact – limited predictive ability
NTSB has determined means to quantify fatigue in accident investigation.

16. How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
Sleep requirements vary dramatically among individuals.
A minimum of 5 hours of uninterrupted “core” sleep during the circadian trough is necessary to maintain performance in laboratory tests.
Sleeping in excess of 10 hours may produce sleep drunkenness.

17. FAA Fact Sheet – Rules for Rest
What about the FAA rules?
These rules make it clear that the “opportunity” for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is available, but there is not guarantee that a pilot or flight crew will actually get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
“10-hour minimum rest period. The rule sets a 10-hour minimum rest period prior to the flight duty period, a two-hour increase over the previous rules. The new rule also mandates that a pilot must have an opportunity for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep within the 10-hour rest period.”
FAA Fact Sheet
December 21, 2011

18. Fatigue Effects Motivation declines
Sleepiness, fatigue, exhaustion, confusion
Alertness, reaction time, energy decrease
Involuntary micro-sleeps occur
Working memory errors increase
Alertness & work performance become variable and unreliable
Tasks may begin well but performance declines rapidly
Judgment skewed-decision making errors
Many bodily functions cycle about these daily circadian rhythms
a) Blood Pressure
b) Heart Rate
c) Core Body Temperature
d) Others...

19. Summary
As long as humans are involved in aviation, human factors will be a part of aviation accidents
Aviation psychologists, human factors specialists, ergonomists, and aircraft/instrument manufacturers are working together to develop cockpit displays that can help build pilot situational awareness and assist in good decision making. Enhanced cockpit automation may also create hazards
Training, knowledge, and experience continue to be the most effective factors in aviation safety