Thu, Mar 31, 2005
10-Step Lesson On Sensory, Mental, Physical Limitations In The
Cockpit
How well do you work with the systems that are vital to a
successful flight? That's the point of a new FAA website aimed at
helping pilots learn more about their own limitations.
The Human Factors course is designed for FAA employees, but is
open to anyone. It features a 10-module lesson on how we interact
with machines on a physical, sensory and cognitive level.
"Improvements to aviation safety and capacity are dependent on
developing a national aviation system that is not only technically
sophisticated, but also human performance-based and
human-centered," Joan Bauerlein, FAA's aviation research and
development director, said in a statement to GovExec.com.
What's it look like? Here's an example:
Reach - Reach to a control should be based on
the shortest reach anticipated in the worker population, typically
the reach capabilities of the 5th percentile female. The data point
used should be for "functional reach." Functional reach is not just
the farthest point that can be touched, but takes into
consideration the need for hand use for control activation.
Strength - The strength required for control activation should be
no more than can be applied by the 5th percentile female.
Body Size - In constrained spaces, access to
controls should be based on the body dimensions of the largest
worker. Typically, clearance space for each affected body dimension
should be that of the 95th percentile male. If it is possible that
workers could become entrapped because of size, then the 99th
percentile measurements should be used.
Coordination - The coordination required for
control and display use should not exceed that which can be
anticipated in the worker population.
Knowing something about human factors, according to the FAA,
makes a plane both safer and easier to control. Applied internally
by the FAA, agency officials say accounting for human factors will
make air traffic control both quicker and more efficient.
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