1.

BASIC
CONCEPTS

HPL – HUMAN PERFORMANCE

LIMITATIONS
 1. The History of Human
Performance
2. Pilot aims of HPL knowledge

INDEX 3. Relevance of HPL in aviation

4. Pilot and training

5. Aircraft accident statics

6. Swiss cheese model

7. TEM
Introductio • WHAT DO YOU THINK
HUMAN FACTORS ARE?
n
What is PHISIOLOGY

about PSICOLOGY

Human HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

Performanc WORKLOAD

e? SAFETY
What do I
expect from APPLICATION PATIENCE

you?
STUDYING PARTICIPATION

DISCUSSION
Introduction
1. The History of Human
Performance
• 1783. First hot air balloon flight in Paris by two men.

• 1848. First powered airplane flight by John Stringfellow.

• 1852. First practical airship flight by Henri Giffard.

• 1903. First heavier than air machine flight by Wright Brothers.

 The History of Human
Performance
• In 1783 the first manned balloon voyage took place. Two men took off from the
grounds of the Chateau de la Muette in Paris in a Montgolfier hot air balloon and
landed 25 minutes later, having drifted five miles and reached a height of 3000
feet. The trouble was, and still is, that balloons are non-steerable and are
dependent on the wind to provide their horizontal motive power.

• In1852 it was able to fly the first practical airship. Even at this early stage it was
realized that the future of aviation lay not with balloons and airships but with
heavier than air machines.
• 1783. Chateau de la
Muette in Paris.
Accidents in aviation
• With the aircraft came aircraft accidents. Over
the last 30 to 40 years however the major cause
of aircraft accidents has been human factors.

• Accidents during first decades of flight

experience
Due to mecanical issues and related to causes
out of the operator range

• Accidents in the last 30-40 years

Due to human errors
• The improvement in the equipment available, allied with the
advances in meteorological forecasting should have virtually
eliminated aviation accidents except for the most freak conditions,
but these accidents have not reduced at the rate one would expect
from the advances of technology.

• The factor that has not changed is the human being. It is often seen
in reports of aircraft accidents that the cause was ‘Pilot Error’ but, of
WHAT DO More reliable planes
WE HAVE Better equipment
NOW? Better meteorological
forecasting
More accuracy

= less accidents
• This publication is written to enable you,
the future pilot, to appreciate the
limitations of the human being in the
aviation environment.
• Our bodies are designed to exist on the
surface of the earth and a stable
gravitational force. In aviation it is
subject to new factors, among which are:
- Altitude
- Large changes in pressure
- Changes of gravitational forces
- Radiation
- Shortage of oxygen
2. Pilot Aims of HPL knowledge

• Recognize the symptoms of oxygen deficiency and the effects of high g-

forces or large changes of temperature.
• Appreciation of the problems brought about by stress and time zone
changes.
• Psychological aspects of flying such as receiving information, assessing data,
making decisions.
• CRM and Human Performance will be your basic tool but the development of
successful interpersonal skills must be an ongoing personal aim.
 Information reception
Psichological
aspects of Data assessment

flying Decisions making

Safety ensurance

Error recognition
Increase the knowledge of
yourself
Be ready to know many different people:
Increase the knowledge of Different cultural backgrounds or/and
your limitations different professional backgrounds
Be ready to recognise different
personalities
 3. The Relevance of Human
Performance in Aviation
Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous but, like the sea, it is inordinately
unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.

• Human Performance (sometimes referred to as Human Factors) is relevant

wherever and whenever the human being is involved in aviation.

• It plays a fundamental and vital role to promote efficiency and –above all-
safety in every facet of the aviation industry
How can we promote safety from a Human
Performance view?

We promote:
• Safety and efficiency. • Health, fitness and well-being. • Operating skills.
• Awareness of the common areas of human error. • Judgement and decision
making.
• Leadership qualities. • Crew coordination.

Efficient design of:

• Aircraft, cockpit, instrument and control layouts. • Operating procedures. •
Checklists.
• Charts. • Training procedures. • Efficient and comfortable working environments.
• Efficient personnel selection. • Efficient communications.
HPL in
aviation
 4. The Pilot and Pilot Training
• The most flexible but the most error-
prone component within aviation is the
aircrew. Thus selection, training,
maintenance of morale and monitoring of
aircrews make the largest contribution to
flight safety.

• When assessing the competency of a

pilot a number of qualities are sought.
Among the qualities that go towards
making a safe, effective and competent
pilot are:
Pilot
training
• There are many different phases of pilot
training:
Initial Training
Simulator Training
Line Oriented Flying Training
Multi Crew Cooperation Course
Self training - As a pilot you will be subject to regular
and continuous training
Is a process aimed at
develop individual or self - Do not rely only on formal training
specific skills, knowledge or
attitudes.
- Get benefit of every situation you
encounter

- Self debrief after every flight

- Self confidence will grow as you

increase your experience
5. Aircraft Accident Statistics
Causes of Accidents - Pilot Induced
• The five most common specific causes of
pilot induced accidents, in order of
frequency, are:
• Loss of directional control
• Poor judgement
• Airspeed not maintained
• Poor preflight planning and preflight decision
making
• Not maintaining ground clearance

• The phases of flight most prone to

accidents are, in order of precedence:
• Intermediate and Final Approach • Landing
Even with the great technical advances, accidents
continue to happen
Safety culture
• An active safety culture is considered to be the heart of and vital
to the continuing success of a safety management system.
• Safety culture is defined as the enduring value and prioritization
of worker and public safety by each member of each group and in
every level of an organization.

Factors that Promote a Good Safety Culture:

• Leadership
• Commitment
• Good example
Flight safety

Air transport is a Those having a

Roles played by the huge system direct influence on
various aviation employing millions flight safety will be
participants in Flight of people in noted together with
Safety thousands of their possible
different capacities. limitations
1.
2.
3.

4.
 6. Swiss Cheese Model
• An organization’s defences against failure
are modelled as a series of barriers (the
Swiss cheese slices). The holes in the cheese
slices represent individual weaknesses in
each part of the system and are continually
varying in position and size in each slice.

• The system as a whole will produce failures

when all of the holes in each slice
momentarily align. A hazard will pass
through all of the holes in all of the defences
7. Flight Safety/Threat and Error
Management

Threats
• Latent Threats: Not immediately obvious to, or
observable by flight crews, e.g. poor equipment design,
visual illusions or quick turn-around schedules.
• Environmental Threats: Those occurring during actual
operations, e.g. weather, terrain, ATC, airport.
• Organizational Threats: Operational pressure, aircraft
type, cabin design, maintenance, dispatch,
documentation
Flight Safety/Threat and Error
Management

Errors
• Aircraft Handling Errors: Manual handling, automatic
systems, ground navigation.
• Procedural Errors: SOPs, checklists, briefing
documentation.
• Communication Errors: Crew to external, pilot to pilot.
Flight Safety/Threat and Error
Management

Undesired aircraft state

• Flight crew induced aircraft speed or position deviations,
misapplication of flight controls, incorrect system
configurations, associated with a reduction in safety
margins.
1. Aircraft handling
2. Ground navigation
3. Incorrect configuration
Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS)
Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS) Counter
Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs)
Checklists
measures
Briefings
Training

Human Resources Avoid Trap Mitigate (ATM)

Avoid: An attempt to foresee potential problems. Best achieved at times of low
workload.
Trap: Deal with threats and hazards as they occur.
Mitigate: Deal with the consequences of an error that has occurred.
Mitigation feels like failure but is, in fact, success - it is the safe option.
Duties of Flight Crew Flight
All Flight Crew

• To be conversant and uphold both the laws/regulation of the

country and the rules of the company. Ignorance not an acceptable
excuse for any contravention.

• Shall obey all lawful commands which the Commander of the

aircraft may give for the purpose of securing the safety of the
aircraft and of persons or property carried therein, or to the safety,
efficiency or regularity of air navigation.
 Duties of Flight Crew Flight
• To assist the Commander in the safe and efficient conduct of the flight and
to report to the Commander any incident that has endangered or may
endanger safety.

• Shall carry out any lawful instructions of the Commander and to assist
him/her concerning operational and administrative duties in relation to the
flight.

• To support the Commander in the maintenance of a proper standard of crew

discipline, conduct and personal appearance.

• Maintain familiarity with relevant air legislation, practices and procedures

together with provisions of the company Operations Manual as are necessary