AVIA1401 Week 1 Notes

- Lecture not recorded.

- No phones obv.
- Dr Belinda Dinnell

Lecture 1 – Introduction
Course Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understand the cognitive aspects of human

performance that are relevant to individuals in the aviation industry.
2. Explain the factors that affect human performance in aviation.
3. Collaborate w/ others to communicate an HF issue effectively &
concisely
4. Demonstrate advanced learning, writing & communication skills
consistent w/ graduate attributes.

Aeronautical Psychologist
- Av psych is the study of indv engaged in av-related activities.
o Goal: understand + predict behaviour of indvs in av-related
envirnmt.
o Predicting how a PIC/pilot might react (behave/interpret) an instrmts
allows for reduction in pilot error. By designing instrmts that are
more readily interpretable and that do not lead to incorrect
reactions/misinterpretations
o Predicting how people will behave to new instrmts/rules allows for
reduction in training time or production time
o Predicting how people will react to challenging company culture, or
how long people need rest breaks for can also assist with safety
(reducing conflict that might occur)
o Through prediction our goals are to: reduce errors (safety), increase
productivity (efficiency), and increase comfort for both workers +
PAX.

Learning Style
 All notes will be posted in Moodle prior to the lecture – if we don’t get to
finish a lecture it will be finished during the tutorial.
 The lecture that students print out is only part of the lecture – the full
lecture will be available at 10am on Tuesday, so be prepared to write as
no photography is allowed in class.
 You MUST attend the lecture, and read the prescribed readings before
attending your tutorial (except for tutorial 1), otherwise, you will find the
tutorials difficult to participate in.
 Your goal is to make notes based on the lectures provided – because a
lot of what I’m describing will be in the exam.
Suggestions
1. Print out the lecture AND have a dedicated 1401 notebook to write notes

–1–
 into
2. Set aside time each week to write out and combine your written notes
with your printed overheads, this makes it easy to read and you have
your notes ready for revision
3. Set aside time to do your readings as these will be in your exams!

Textbooks
Required
Salas, E. & Maurino, D. (2010). Human Factors in Aviation (2nd Edition).
Amsterdam: Academic Press/Elsevier
Recommended readings
Hawkins, F.H. (1993). Human Factors in Flight (2nd Edition). Aldershot, UK:
Ashgate Publishing.
Matthews, G., Davies, D. R., Westerman, S. J., & Stammers, R. B. (2004). Human
Performance: Cognition, stress and individual differences. New York: Psychology
Press.

Lesson Learning Outcomes

 Define human factors (HF).
 Identify differences in terminology within HF.
 Understand the basic philosophy of HF.
 Discuss some central concepts underlying HF.
 Understand the multidisciplinary nature of HF.
 Review a timeline of HF, where it originated and where it is now.
 Explore a conceptual framework (SHEL) for HF

What is Human Factors?

Great definition (Belinda’s favourite)
- Covers a range of issues, inc:
o perceptual, physical, mental capabilities
 Perceptual how it grasps your attn. mental (training, manual)
 Take this and see how it interacts
o interaction N effects on indv of their job N work environments
 enhance – make things easier
o influence of equipment N system design on human performance
o org characteristics that influence safety-related behaviour @ work.
Human Factors covers a range of issues including perceptual, physical and mental capabilities, the interaction and effects on individuals of their job and work environments, the
influence of equipment and system design on human performance and finally the organisational characteristics which influence safety-related behaviour at work.

As per Sanders and McCormick (1993)

- HF focuses on human beings (HB) and their interactions with products,
equipment, facilities, procedures and environments used in work N
everyday living
- The emphasis on HB N how the design of things influences ppl.
o Is it well designed –intuitive (do you need to find the manual?)
o Poorly designed: need extra work (research or instructions)
- HF then seeks to change the things ppl use N the environments in which
they use these things to match the capabilities better, limitations N the
need of ppl.

–2–
 o Combining person with best possible outcome by using the best
product N procedures

“Human factors focuses on human beings and their interaction with products, equipment, facilities, procedures, and environments used in work and everyday living. The emphasis is on human beings and how the design of
things influences people. Human factors, then, seeks to change the things people use and the environments in which they use these things to better match the capabilities, limitations, and needs of people.”

HF in Av: Koonce (1979).

- HF in Av are involved w/the study of human capabilities, limitations,
characteristics, motivations and behaviours. Integration of knowledge into
the systems we design for them w/goal of enhancing safety,
performance, general well-being of the system operators.

HF + AvHF
Difference – safety
Safety is paramount

Hawkins (1993)
- HF is about ppl. About ppl in their working N living environments. About
their relationships with machines N equipment, with procedures N
environment around them. Also their relationship w/other people.

HF is Ergonomics
- Put simply; “designing for hmn use” or “fitting the task to the hmn”
- Don’t change the human; change the task.

Terminology used to describe Human Factors

Put simply...
Human Factors
 a US-derived term
 Also called Human Engineering and Human Factors Engineering (by the
US Military)

Ergonomics
• (Greek: ‘ergon’, ‘nomos’) Literally means “laws of work” • The
traditional term used in Europe
• Synonymous with “human factors”

Cognitive Ergonomics or Engineering Psychology

 Branch of ergonomics or psychology
 Emphasises the study of cognitive or mental aspects of work

Human-Machine Interaction or Human-Computer Interaction

• Applied study of how people interact with machines or computers

Ergonomics (Production focus, ie, anthropometry)

–3–
 - Anthropometry: study of dimensions of the human body
- Acft is small; are people claustrophobic?
- One size does not fit all.
- Save money and time

Context: BAC-111/BAW5390 (BHX-AGP 10JUN90)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xfaDr0nhoQ (from 34th Min)

Summary: Incorrectly sized bolts were inserted when replacing the windscreen.
This resulted in an explosive and rapid decompression as the windscreen
separated from the acft frame. CPT was partially sucked out of the aircraft, but
aircraft successfully landed back in BHX (CPT survived).

Causes included;
- Perceptual errors (did not identify that incorrect bolts were being inserted)
- Poor lighting (maintenance was at night, making it difficult to identify
correct bolts)
- Failure to wear glasses (differences in correct & incorrect bolts were
relatively minmal)
- Circadian effects (physical, mental, behavioural changes that follow a 24-
hour cycle)
- Possible organisational factors
o External pressure from company for an on-time performance

- Lack of following SOPs

There are a variety of issues that can affect Aviation maintenance Technicians.
How many of these are relevant to the prior accident?

–4–
 - Boring repetitive job, poor instructions, lack of spare parts, fatigure
- External pressure from company for an on-time performance
- Poor communication btwn eng n store mgr.
-

- Demonstrates that HF implies human behaviours, other characteristics to

task, job for effective human use
- Routine violation

–5–
Multidisciplinary Nature of HF

- Must apprch hf from different angles.

- Is there sufficient education (prior) or adequate instructions?
- Avoid language: use images.
- Determining how a person thinks, moves and as such, designing
something they are capable of using
- Human person must be studied in terms of their capabilities
o Cognitive (intuitive? Looks?)

FAA HF Definition
- Defined as the multidisciplinary effort to generate N compile
information about human capabilities N limitations and apply that info to
equipment, systems, facilities, procedures, jobs, environments, training
staffing and personnel mgmt for safe, comfortable, effective human
performance.

Main Objectives of HF

1. To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency w/the way we work. The goal
is to reduce errors, increase productivity and increase convenience of use
2. To enhance desirable human values, such as improved safety, increased
user acceptance (what size bolts are available, increased comfort, reduced
fatigue and stress, increased job satisfaction and improved QoL. To
elaborate:

The Philosophy of HF
Takin relevant information for
Involves sceitnfic information to obtain rlvtn info on humans

In BA111 above, being pushed to side of hangar.

Design alternatives  is there a need? Better lighting?

Evaluation of things we design to satisfy their intended objectives? Validity.

Commitment to manufacturing must have sufficient purpose and audience.

Does the item need to be modified for the vulnerable (ppl with disability, elderly).

Does this item make your life easier? Is it working to this effect?

–6–
Commitment to systems orientation and recognition of xxx for isolation

Mistakes will always be made; are there redundancies to prevent accidents? Eg

YES or NO button. Guards over certain switches (eg engine fire)

Beginning of HF
- Stone Tool Technology
o From places like Eastern Africa, China, Europe
o Spear utilisation. Make something spikey and sharp.

Birth of HF N ergonomics
 More than 5,000 years ago when ppl first began to use tools
 The handles of the tools were tailored to match the size and shape of the
user’s hand.
 Thus, it stems from elementary ergonomics, whereby improvements
are made to increase operation efficiency.
 The design of everyday tools correlates with their goals
 Remove awkward postures, uses and whatnot

Leonardo da Vinci (c1485)

- 1485: anstophometrics. Artist, engineer.
- Fascinated by flt.

Lilienthal’s Glinder in flight

- Made a glider
-

History of HF: Early Modern Developments

Early 1900s Industrial efforts to increase worker productivity

- Frank and Lillian Gilbreth
- Wright Brothers

1914 Formal Beginning of the Profession: The Wars

- WWI
- WWII

–7–
1960 Onwards Rapid Growth and Expansion
- Space Program
- Product and workplace design
- Aviation Safety/human error
- Human-computer interaction

Early 1900s*
 It was during the early 1900s, for example, that Frank and Lillian Gilbreth
began their work in what is referred to as “time and motion study” and
shop management
 Here is how a time and motion study would be conducted:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDg9REgkCQk
 Frank and Lillian Gilbreth – YouTube
 Time and Motion Studies - YouTube
 BUT – the idea of adapting equipment and procedures to people was not
properly utilised for a while, which was evident during the WWs

time and motion study – analyses movement n time to see what can be designed
challenge-response system

Wright Brothers
<notes>

World Wars
 In 1911, studies were conducted by Frederick Taylor
 During WW1, HF increased as it became necessary to optimise factory
production done by women.
 UK RFC: 90 perished because of ‘indv deficiencies’. Other reasons were
very little
 From 1917-1918, in the USA, 2 million recruits were given intelligence
tests to assign them more effectively to military duties.
 Between WW1 and WW2 , research continued to identify the
characteristics of successful pilots further and determining what effects
environmental stressors had on flight performance

What’s wrong with the pilot v what is wrong with the acft (user friendliness)
Pilots need to be extroverts than introverts??

World War II N Aviation

- WWII introduced another HF issue specifically related to personnel

recruitment (Edwards, 1988).
- Personnel, including pilots had to be selected and trained in large
numbers. For potential pilots, this meant determining;
o If they had the physical ability to handle an aircraft,
o The aptitude to fly the aircraft, and
o The psychological rigour to withstand combat missions.

Move into the Glass Cockpit

–8–
 - Technological advancements has forced the role of pilots to change.
Sensory, cognitive and physical skills to now it is cognitive skills. Technical
reliability.
- Enhancing display of information for optimisation
- Glass cockpit: how the organisation of information affects flight. Is it a
cognitive overload? F-35 3d kind of move around.
-

Hawthorne Effect *
 Civilian sector
 When ppl modify their behaviour simply because they are being observed.
 Motivation factors significantly influence human performance.
 An important milestone in HF was the work done at the Hawthorne Works
of Western Electric in the USA from 1924-1930.
 It was determined that work effectiveness could be favourably influenced
by psychological factors, such as motivation – which can be either
intrinsic (internal) or extrinsic (external).

Why HF has come about: SAFETY*

–9–
 - James Reason: starts from the top.

Person-Environment Fit: where pysch comes into play

- Extrovert: noisy situation and high lighting.

- Introvert: does not like high stress situations
-

– 10 –
SHELL Model – Conceptual Framework
ICAO use a use a model originally developed by Edwards (1988) and later
modified by Hawkins (1993) known as the SHELL Model to denote the kinds of
interactive resources:

- Edges are not straight, it is to be shown to fit well. Centrepiece is YOU.

How you react with S, H, E, L.
- Determine the problem, why and how it exists.
- How people react to one another and the equipment they are using.

An alternative way of looking at it

S – rules, manuals, checklists, literal software, customs (determines how things

are done)
H – the physical. Acft. Tools
E – weather, company culture, social N economic status (eg C19).
L(I) – You
L(G) – ATC, engineering, FA, operating crew etc.

Human Factor Issues in our everyday life– What could possibly go

wrong!
- Systematic issue: workers going past manuals, sops, fellow
suggestions/instructions

– 11 –
PEAR Model (Person, Environment, Actions, Resources).

Basically the same; it gives a little more information.

Human Factors Examples – Does this look self explanatory?

Where would you look?

Readings Week 1 – Introduction

Salas, E., Maurino, D., & Curtis, M. (2010) Human Factors in Aviation: An
Overview. In Salas, E. & Maurino, D. Human Factors in Aviation (2nd Edition) (pp
3-19). Amsterdam: Academic Press/Elsevier. (Your Book – Chapter 1)

Readings Week 2 – Decision Making & Expertise

– 12 –
Casner, S. M. (2010) General Aviation. In Salas, E. & Maurino, D. Human Factors
in Aviation (2nd Edition) (pp 595-628). Amsterdam: Academic Press/Elsevier.
(Your Book – Chapter 19)

Ferris, T., Sarter, N. & Wickens, C. D. (2010). Cockpit Automation. In Salas, E. &
Maurino, D. Human Factors in Aviation (2nd Edition) (pp 595-628). Amsterdam:
Academic Press/Elsevier. (Your Book – Chapter 15)
Molesworth, B. C. R., Wiggins, M. W. & O’Hare, D. (2006). Improving pilot’s risk
assessment skills in low flying operations: The role of feedback and experience.
Accident Analysis and Prevention, 38, 954-960. (Moodle)

O’Hare, D. (1992). The “Artful” Decision Maker: A Framework Model for

Aeronautical Decision Making. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology,
2(3), 175-191. (Moodle)

– 13 –
Tutorial 1 – Intro + Assessment Overbrief

Wee Lecture Tutorial

k
1 Introduction to Human Factors Intro
2 Decision Making and expertise Essay Writing
(during the tutorial a writing lecture)
3 Perception & Attention Visual Illusions
4 Memory Memory
5 Design of Aviation Systems + Essays Group Projects
Due (30%)
6 Flexi Week
7 Education & Training Education & Training
8 Individual Differences, Personality and The Distracted Driver
Abilities (Essays returned)
9 Human Error, Violations and Safety Group Presentations
Culture + Group Presentations (10%) + Essay
Re-write due (10%)
10 Situation Awareness Recap

Assessments

Assessment Weighting Length Due Date

1. Essay - Individual 40% 1,500 Week 5
Assessment words
2. Group Presentation 10% Week 9

3. Final Exam 50% 2 hours Per schedule

Question: released in Wk2.

Week 5 – 10th of October 2023.
After you write an essay every day … put a date on top of it.

- Original design of the aircraft was not maintainable

- New designs were for flying AND fixing

- Application of science and engineering. Maintenance personnel

o Work procedures. SOPs.
o Paying attn to issues that affect hmn performance
o Plain language. Psych,
 Clinical (medicine)
 Educational (learning)
o Engineering too.
 Industrial engineer. Design of the interface.
 Mechanical engineer. Design of machines to compliment
human characteristics.
 Safety engineer. OHS. Injuries – Quality of life.

- It’s about safety, of human & flt.
- Every aspect of maintenance needs to matched to the capability of hmn

– 14 –
 - HF programs ensure continuing safety N efficiency by paying attention to
issues affecting hmn performance.
- Psych is interviewed in HF
- Therefore, there is a multidisciplinary approach/nature to HF

Door – Pulling v Push

- Handles w/ smth to grab on v handles w/ flat
- No signs (last possible – as language barrier), use correct signs.
- If made electric: what happens during a power outage in a fire?

Push the button to wake vending machine

- Sensor instead of pushing any button
- No chronological order. When in a hurry + stress, people tend to not listen
to signs
- Flow chart. Top to bottom. Consider the norm.

Discoverability and Understanding

Discoverability – how intuitive is it? Can you figure our what actions are required,
and when and where to do it.
Understanding – what are the controls and settings supposed to mean?

– 15 –