Human Factors Module 1 (Prelim)

Republic of the Philippines
PHILIPPINE STATE COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS

INSTITUTE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
Piccio Garden, Villamor, Pasay City
HUMAN FACTORS
MODULE 1.1: INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN FACTORS
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME:
CLO 1. Understand the Human Factors and its monumental influence in the aviation
industry.
CLO 3. Explain the nature of human error and understand the factors that is involved with
regards to the aviation industry.
CLO 5. Discuss the premise and background of resource leadership as a reflection of the
keen understanding of the concepts.
MODULE LEARNING OUTCOME:
TLO 1. Understand the definition of Human Factors and evaluate its importance to the
aviation industry.
TLO 2. Discuss the evolution (history) of Human Factors.
Table of contents
TITLE PAGE TIME ALLOTMENT
Introduction 2 5 min
Definition of Freight 3 5 min
Forwarding
Multi-Modal Transport 4-11 40 min

Contracts
1|Page
AVCORE 2207
HUMAN FACTORS
For so many years, over 70% of accidents and incidents were
related to the human element and were largely preventable through
the proper application of Human Factors.
Human Factors According to ICAO
"Human Factors is about people:
It is about people in their working and living environments, and

it is about their relationship with equipment, procedures, and the
environment. Just as importantly, it is about their relationships with
other people.... It’s two objectives can be seen as safety and efficiency.''
-(ICAO Circular 227)
Human Factors Discipline

1. Educational Psychology
– Study of how people learn.
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DIVERGER
 Views concrete situations from many different perspectives.
 Performs better in situations that call for generation of ideas, such as brainstorming.
 Are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, have broad cultural
interests and tend to specialize in the arts.
 Prefers to work in groups, listening with an open mind to different points of view and
receiving personalized feedback.
ASSIMILATOR
 Best at understanding a wide range of information and putting it into concise, logical
form.
 Less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts.
 They find it more important that a theory have logical soundness than practical value.
 Prefers readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things
through.
CONVERGER
 Best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories.

 Have the ability to solve problem and make decisions based on finding solutions to
questions or problems.
 Prefer to deal with technical tasks and problems than with social and interpersonal issues.
 Prefer to experiment with new ideas, simulations, laboratory assignments, and practical
applications.
ACCOMODATOR
 Have the ability to learn primarily from “hands-on” experience.

 They enjoy carrying out plans and involving themselves in new and challenging
experiences.
 Their tendency may be to act on “gut” feeling rather than on logical analysis.
 They rely more heavily on people for information than on their own technical analysis.
 They prefer to work with others to get assignments done, to set goals, to do field work,
and to test out different approaches to completing a project.
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2. Industrial Engineering - The study of humans at work using a systematic approach to

understand how people work, and when to design the job and the equipment accordingly.
3. Clinic Psychology - Deals with our psychological composure. It can address topics like
emotions, motivation, fears and such things.
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4. Experimental Psychology - Is usually conducted in laboratories to compare

difference and similarities between groups.
5. Anthropometry - The study of factors such as such as size, strength, reach and other
dimensions that can be quantified to match the machine to the human.
5|Page
6. Computer Science - Study the graphical user interface to be sure that humans can
easily operate software. It is the study of the theory, experimentation, and engineering that
form the basis for the design and use of computers.
7. Cognitive Science- Studies how human think, how they solve problems and ways in
which they process information. This knowledge can be critical to design of equipment,
software, and documentation.
6|Page
8. Safety Engineering - Applies to worker safety, with respect to topics like safety
equipment, labelling, rules and such things. Safety engineering is an engineering discipline
which assures that engineered systems provide acceptable levels of safety.
9. Medical Science - Applies to topics such as vision, hearing, balance, and overall
health issues.
7|Page
10. Organizational Psychology - Looks at how people work within various size groups
since people in the workplace have differences in character and expertise.
Activity 1: Answer the following definitions correctly.

1. A discipline that applies to topics such as vision, hearing, balance, and overall health
issues
2. A discipline which studies how human think, how they solve problems and ways in
which they process information.
3. A discipline that studies how people remember or learn
4. These learners prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to
think things through
5. This discipline study the general mental conditions
6. A discipline that studies how people work, and when to design the job and the
equipment accordingly
7. Learners that prefer to experiment with new ideas, simulations, laboratory assignments,
and practical applications
8. This discipline study the graphical user interface to make sure that humans can easily
operate a software
9. A discipline that studies the measurements of the body
10. A discipline which studies how people work within various size groups.
8|Page
Activity 2: Make a creative output that will showcase the disciplines of human
factors. Thoroughly explain the relationship of these discipline to human
factors.
9|Page
HISTORY OF HUMAN
FACTORS
Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)
This drawing is based on the ideal proportions of a
man's body, and how this relates to geometry. This
relationship was described by the ancient Roman architect
Vitruvius.
Vitruvian Man
It is difficult to identify the exact historical beginnings
of the various disciplines of human factors.
With respect to anthropometrics - the size and
strength of the human - you can refer to Leonardo da Vinci's
(1452 to 1519) Anthropometric man.
Some of the inscriptions from the Vitruvian Man

 a man is 24 palms
 the length of the outspread arms = the height of a man
 the maximum width of the shoulders is 1/4 of the height of a man.
from the breasts to the top of the head is 1/4 of the height of a man.
 the distance from the elbow to the tip of the hand is 1/4 of the height of a man.
 the distance from the elbow to the armpit is 1/8 of the height of a man.
 from below the foot to below the knee is 1/4 of height of a man.
1900’s
When aircraft designers began to consider aircraft compatibility with the human.
The psychologists Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and Kurt Lewin (1890-1947) also
conducted human factors work. Aviation human factors started in the early 1900's when aircraft
designers began to consider aircraft compatibility with the human. At the same time, military
researchers were already looking at medical factors concerning pilots. In World War II, many
governments were mass-producing military aircraft. Engineers had to consider such factors as
control design and instrument layout for compatibility with pilots. By the 1950's, the US Air Force
was conducting experiments evaluating human personalities so as to better match people to
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their military job assignment. In 1988, the U.S. Government passed a law named the Aviation
Safety Act, which demanded that the FAA conduct research on human factors in aviation,
including factors related to aviation maintenance personnel. In that year, in Hawaii, a B737
experienced an in-flight break-up which, through investigation, was found to have had many
human factors as the root cause of the incident. This incident generated much public concern
about maintenance human factors. Throughout the 1990's, the FAA conducted extensive
research on maintenance human factors. Much of that research evolved into regulatory
guidelines for human factors training, like the material delivered in this class.
Frank and Lilian Gilbreth (1868 to 1924)

Frank Gilbreth
 Developed motion study
 Workplace ergonomics
Lilian Gilbreth
 The Psychology of Management
 Worker at the center of operations
Frank and Lilian Gilbreth are two of the GREAT known
contributors in the history of Human Factors.
Frank was the one who stated that wasted motion is
equal to worker fatigue and decreased productivity and
the reduction of motion would increase efficiency.
These are sought to streamline workplace operations by minimizing the number of steps it
takes to complete a task.
While Lilian believes that management should be focused more of the person than of the
work, like:
 Pay incentives
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 Benefits
Another perspective is the research of Frank (1868 to 1924) and Lillian Gilbreth, (1878 to 1972),
industrial engineers who studied medical operating procedures in the early 1900's. They
created the verbal protocol whereby the receiver repeats any command given. The repetition
helps to ensure clear communication. That protocol continues today in air traffic control
communications.
Also called the “READBACK; FEEDBACK”
1950’s
The US Air Force was conducting experiments evaluating human personalities so as to
better match people to their military job assignment. This unlocks motivational aspects of
Soldiers' performance, like whether or not they're a good fit for Army life, if they are an
attrition risk, if they have leadership potential, resilience, team orientation, ingenuity,
selflessness, commitment to serve, and even how well they're likely to perform on an Army
physical fitness test. Even pilots are undergoing to this kind of test now and then.
If you knew they are not implementing this to pilots, will you risk to ride a plane?
1988
The U.S. Government passed a law named the Aviation Safety Act, which
demanded that the FAA conduct research on human factors in aviation.
1990’s
FAA conducted extensive research on maintenance human factors. Much of
that research evolved into regulatory guidelines for human factors training.
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Aircraft Accidents
Aloha Airlines B737 - Hawaii, 1988
In 1988, a Boeing 737-200 operated by Aloha Airlines Inc. experienced an explosive
decompression and structural failure at 24,000 feet/8000 meters, while en route from Hilo to
Honolulu, Hawaii.
Approximately 18 feet of the cabin skin and structure aft of the cabin entrance door and
above the passenger floor line separated from the airplane during flight. There were 89
passengers and 6 crew members on board. One Flight attendant was swept overboard during
the decompression. The flight crew performed an emergency descent and landed at Kahului
Airport on the Island of Maui.
The safety issues discussed in the final NTSB report included:
"...the quality of air carrier maintenance programs and the FAA surveillance of those programs,
and the human factors aspects of air carrier maintenance and inspection of the continuing air
worthiness of transport category airplanes..."
The "Human Factors" included repair procedures, training, and certification and
qualification of mechanics and inspectors.
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Valu-Jet DC9 - Florida, 1995
This accident involved a cargo fire. The fuel for the fire was old aircraft tires and aircraft
passenger oxygen generation canisters.
The aircraft was a DC-9 enroute from Miami to Atlanta. The long list of human factors that
contributed to this accident included the following:
 Insufficient training of mechanics and of cargo handlers;

 Failure to follow procedures;
 Failure to secure and label hazardous cargo;
 and insufficient regulatory oversight.
In this example there were many errors by workers, their company, and the regulators. You can
read the entire report, and many others, on the FAA website http://www.hfskyway.faa.gov
Valu-Jet DC9 - Atlanta, 1995

In 1995, a ValuJet DC-9 had a
catastrophic turbine blade failure at
the start of takeoff roll in Atlanta. As
the aircraft began its takeoff roll,
occupants, and even the air traffic
controllers heard a "loud bang."
The right engine fire warning
light illuminated, the flight crew of the
following airplane reported to the
ValuJet crew that the right engine was
on fire, and the takeoff was rejected.
Shrapnel from the right engine penetrated the fuselage and the right engine main fuel
line, and a cabin fire erupted. The airplane was stopped on the runway and evacuated. The
fuselage was destroyed.
What was the cause? Human Factors!
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Cali Air Disaster

A classic case of “human error” complicated by sleep deprivation. The pilot programmed
autopilot to lock on to “Romeo” beacon instead of “Rozo.” It caused slow turn into a mountain
which caused it to crash and resulted to 150 people killed. The cockpit voice recorder captured
crew complaints of excessive fatigue, yawning, etc.
Greek 737
Cause: Pilot incapacitation due to lack of
oxygen (hypoxia).
END
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Republic of the Philippines

PHILIPPINE STATE COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOME:

Multi-Modal Transport 4-11 40 min

Human Factors According to ICAO

"Human Factors is about people:

It is about people in their working and living environments, and

Human Factors Discipline

 Best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories.

 Have the ability to learn primarily from “hands-on” experience.

2. Industrial Engineering - The study of humans at work using a systematic approach to

4. Experimental Psychology - Is usually conducted in laboratories to compare

Activity 1: Answer the following definitions correctly.

Some of the inscriptions from the Vitruvian Man

Frank and Lilian Gilbreth (1868 to 1924)

Valu-Jet DC9 - Florida, 1995

 Insufficient training of mechanics and of cargo handlers;

Valu-Jet DC9 - Atlanta, 1995

Cali Air Disaster

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