Human Factors Challenges

 Human Factors and Crew Resource Management (CRM)

 

Over the years, the relatively young commercial aviation went through significant technological improvements required to ensure the safety of the massive number of its users. For example, as the impact of an airplane accident was growing, so did the warning and protection systems installed on modern commercial jets, causing a significant increase in aircrafts' safety and reliability. (Sanchez, 2019).

Even though airplanes today are equipped with the most state-of-the-art technologies, the human factor still occurs in most aircraft accidents. The term human factor covers the science of understanding the properties of human capability, the application of this understanding to the design, development, and deployment of systems and services, and the art of ensuring the successful application of human factor principles into the working environment. (FAA, 2016). Pilot error can result in an accident due to multiple different human factors disciplines. The most common errors are caused by fatigue and lack of communication; however, other elements, such as psychological, medical, physiological, and more, may lead to a human-factor-related error, which may cause an accident.

 

 

Nowadays, Approximately 80 percent of airplane accidents are due to human error (pilots, air traffic controllers, mechanics, etc.), and 20 percent are machine (equipment) failures. (Rankin, 2008).

 

Pilots use several technics to reduce pilot-related errors and minimize any risks that may cause an abnormal operation or an accident. CRM (Crew Resource Management) is a set of procedures based on the effective use of all the available resources: human resources, hardware, and information. CRM consists of different concepts that help the pilots to perform better risk management process (RM), Aeronautical Decision making (ADM), Situational Awareness (SA), Automation Management (AM), Task and team Management (TM), and Control Flight Into Terrain Awareness (CFIT).

 

 

 

 

The Tenerife airport disaster in 1977, when two Boeing 747 collided on the runway, resulted in the death of 583 people, highlighting the need for better-organized procedures and standard procedures. After the crash, the significance of reviewing the standards of cockpit communication and phraseology brought the entire aviation industry to establish the CRM as a critical phase in airline pilot training to prevent future accidents and avoid potential human errors.

 

 

 KLM 4805 and Pan Am 1736 lining up on a collision course

from: https://confessionsofatrolleydolly.com/2017/03/26/angels-of-the-sky-dorothy-kelly-the-tenerife-disaster/

 

 

 

References:

 

Sánchez-Alarcos, J. (2020). Aviation and human factors : how to incorporate human

factors into the field. Boca Raton, Florida ; CRC Press. Retrieved From: https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/lib/erau/reader.action?docID=5793708

 

Rankin, W. (2007). MEdA investigation process. Boeing Commercial Aero.‏ Retrieved From: https://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/articles/qtr_2_07/AERO_Q207_article3.pdf

 

 

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration. (2016). Pilot's handbook of aeronautical knowledge. Washington, D.C. Retrieved From:

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/media/pilot_handbook.pdf

 

Kanki, B., Helmreich, R., & Anca, J. (2010). Crew resource management (Second edition.). Amsterdam ;: Academic Press/Elsevier. Retrieved From: https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/lib/erau/reader.action?docID=534870