Overview of Factors affecting performance in Aviation

Human Factors Presentation____________________________

Overview of Factors - Fatigue

- Training

- Distraction

- Ergonomics

- Attitude to Safety

- Communication

- Norm

- Complacency

- Stress

- Drugs & Alcohol …… …… and other factorsand other factors

Belle

Dickson

Maria

Bertha

Airline OperationsThe Occupations

PilotsPilots Flight attendantsFlight attendants Maintenance personnelMaintenance personnel

The performance of the above occupations are critical for the safe operations in airlines

SHEL model

Software e.g. checkliste.g. checklist

Hardware e.g. gaugese.g. gauges

Environment e.g. weathere.g. weather

Liveware e.g. colleaguee.g. colleague

A negative biological influencer which interfered human’s performance by generating confusion and slow response.

Symptoms:

- Slower reaction time

- Lower vigilance and cognitive ability

- Loss of short term memory and sustained attention

- Inaction in Mental arithmetic and Word generation

Sources:- Inadequate rest

- Excessive physical activity

- Stress

- Jet lag

Impact Case

The crash of KAL Flight 801 in Guam on 6 Aug 97. 228 / 254 dead

One of the causes – Fatigue!

- The Captain’s normal sleeping pattern was disturbed by the trip to Guam.

Cockpit Voice Recordings1520:01 Capt: they make us work to maximum and up to maximum.1520:28 Capt: probably, this way. Hotel expense will be saved for cabin crews, and maximise the flight hours. Anyway, they make us (B747) classic guys work to maximum.1521:13 Capt : eh….really ….sleepy..1521:15 F/O : of course.

Source: NTSB report CFIT Korean Air 801, Guam

Countermeasures How ? Work shift - Staffs can rest between each shift.

Training - Skill-based training and Physical training.

Regulations - Restriction on working hours.

Quality of sleep / rest ( on-board crew rest areas)

“An attitude is a disposition to respond in a certain way” (Hawkins, 2002)

Symptoms of poor attitude to safety

- By-passing standard procedure- Risk-taking & Feeling of Invulnerability “It won’t happen to me”

- Conformity (not speaking up despite problem)

Sources: - Complacency / Overconfidence

- Anti-authority

- Personality

- Conflict between commercial interest and flight safety

Conformity – Air Florida crash 1982Conformity – Air Florida crash 1982Example – Cockpit Voice RecordingsExample – Cockpit Voice Recordings

15:59:58 F/O: God, look at that thing. 15:59:58 F/O: God, look at that thing. That don't seem right, does it?That don't seem right, does it? Uh, that's not right.Uh, that's not right.

16:00:09 Capt: 16:00:09 Capt: Yes it isYes it is, there's 80 (knots). , there's 80 (knots).

16:00:10 F/O: 16:00:10 F/O: Na, I don't think that's right. Na, I don't think that's right. Ah, maybe it isAh, maybe it is..

16:00:21 Capt: 120(knots) 16:00:21 Capt: 120(knots)

16:00:23 F/O: 16:00:23 F/O: I don't know…I don't know…

After this, the aircraft stalled and crashed…After this, the aircraft stalled and crashed…

Source: Air Disaster vol. 2 by Macarthur Job

Impacts

Pilot- Making decisions that jeopardises safety

- attempting to land in bad weather (China Airlines MD-11 in Hong Kong, Delta Airlines Tristar in Dallas)- letting an unauthorised person to occupy the command seat with control of an aircraft (Aeroflot A310 crash, 1994)

Flight Attendants- Ignoring problems (e.g. passenger smells smoke)

Maintenance Engineer- Omission (to meet deadlines)- Faulty repairs (using un-certified parts)

Countermeasures

How ? Crew Resource Management & Training

- improve crew to crew relations (liveware – liveware), decision making in situations (liveware – environment- e.g. develop disciplined ethics of work, following check-lists (liveware – software)

Improve Airline Safety Culture - e.g. more emphasis on safety

- Body’s reaction to changing environment- excites you and increases alertness

- Causes of stress

Stress is mainly caused by events occurring in you lifestyle or job.

examplesOrganization Career Development Personal/Family

too much/little work  time pressure Change procedures Long hours time spent away

boredom with role over promotion job loss

financial problems re lationships ill health birth, marriage

Symptoms SHORT TERM

Physical Symptoms faster heart beat, increased sweating,

cool skin, nausea, tense

Performance Effects obstructs clear judgement Loss of precision when completing tasks

prevents high quality work Frustration

Symptoms

LONG TERMPhysical Symptoms Health deteriorates Behaviour changesPerformance effects Can’t think clearly and rationally Leads to: Fatigue and Exhaustion,

Depression, Breakdown

PILOT Flying is hours of boredom scattered with moments of

total panic.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT emergency landing - limited time given to react and

enforce a solution to a possible fatal scenario.

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL maintenance work is required to be completely quickly

and accurately.

- How to manage factor?Six steps to successfully manage stress

1. Identify sources of stress 2. Discuss problems with a friend, counsellor or psychologist3. Formulate strategies to cope.4. Maintain a balanced workload5. Exercise, eat well and sleep6. Take regular opportunities to relax

“What’s important is not the source of stress, but how you as an individual choose to respond to it.” (Qantas Flight Safety Issue 2 Autumn 2000)

Alcoholism: person having the habit of consuming alcohol very often and in large amounts.

Drug Abuse: the use of a drug for pleasure, or to improve a person’s performance of an activity (Cambridge Dictionary)

Symptoms:

Alcohol “hangover”- headache, gastrointestinal upset and

general feelings of ill-health. (Newman, 2004)

Drugs drowsiness dizziness Blurred vision Confusion depression

Examples:

Alcohol Drugs

medicine (e.g. anti-biotic)

illegal substance (e.g. cannabis)

!!!>>>>!!!>>>>

Alcohol Drug- Information processing - memory - verbal skills - reaction times- attention- perception- reasoning tasks

- increase in heart rate, body temperature and appetite- respiratory problems- lung-damage- cancer- memory and concentration impairments- possible motivational syndrome

Threat to flight safety

In 1977, a Japan Airlines DC8 crashed in Alaska and the pilot was subsequently found to have a BAC of 0.021%.

About 0.06% of pilots and air traffic controllers have a confirmed positive drug test (FAA)

Countermeasures:

Safety Management System “No alcohol in the system when you fly”

The Air Regulations require that a pilot allow at least 12 hours between the consumption of alcohol and piloting an aircraft.

Substance abuse is discouraged at all levels!!!

Conclusion wide range of factors Good management of HF = reduction of negative effect

on performance Applies to most areas of airline operations

References ReferencesAuthor (unknown), 1998, ‘How to Master Stress, Mind Tools Ltd, United

Kingdom’, viewed on 18th April 2005,http://www.psychwww.com/mtsite/smpage.html

Author (unknown), 2003, ‘Stress Management’, Georgia reproductive specialists, viewed on 24th April 2005, <http://www.ivf.com/stress.html>

Civil Aviation Safety Authority, 2004, ‘Air Operation Certification Manual section 7.28’, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Australia, viewed 3rd may 2005, http://www.casa.gov.au/manuals/regulate/aocm/011r0728.pdf

Department of Transport of Canada, 2004,’Human Performance factors of elementary work and servicing’, Department of Transport of Canada, Canada, viewed 3 May 2005, < http://www.tc.gc.ca/CIVILaviation/maintenance/AARPE/HumanPerformance/menu.htm >

Graeber, C (published date: unknown),’The Role of Human Factors’, The Boeing Company, USA, viewed 28 April 2005, < http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_08/human_story.html >

Mattison, P May 2005, ‘Stress’, FAA Aviation News, Atlanta, USA, viewed on 24th April 2005, <http://www.iflyamerica.org/stress.htm>

Newman, D.G., “Alcohol and Human Performance from an Aviation Perspective: A Review”, March 2004, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, viewed 29 March 2005, <http://www.atsb.gov.au/aviation/research/alcohol.pdf>

Richmond R L, 2005, ‘The Psychology of stress’, A Guide to Psychology and its Practice, San Francisco, USA, viewed on 18th April 2005, <http://www.guidetopsychology.com/stress.htm>

Rosekind, M. R., Neri, D. F., Miller, D. L., Gregory, K. B., Webbon, L. L., Oyung, R. L. 1997, ‘Crew Fatigue Research Focusing on Developmental and Use of Effective Countermeasures’, International Civil Aviation Organization Journal vol. 52, pp. 20 – 22, cited in NASA Human Factors Ames Research Center, USA, viewed 5 May 2005,

<http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov/zteam/fcp/pubs/ICAO.journal.html>

Strauss, S (published date: unknown),’ Pilot Fatigue’, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA, viewed 20 April 2005, http://www.aviationcrm.com/Pilot_Fatigue.htm

Books

Gradwell, D., Green, R.G, R.L, James, M., Muir, H., 1999, Human Factors for Pilots, 2nd edition, Ashgate Publishing Limited, England.

Hawkins, F (2nd Edition), 1993, Human Factors in Flight, Aldershot, UK, Ashgate Publishing.

Koonce, J, M, 2001, Human Factors in the Training of Pilots, Taylor and Francis, London.