5.3 Team-Based Human Factors Challenges

 

Humans are prone to many factors capable of limiting performance. This applies to everyday life however I want to shift gears primarily towards the aviation industry. The NBAA defines human factors in aviation as, “the study of the relationships between people and their activities through the systemic application of the human sciences, integrated within the framework of system engineering. Within the context of aviation, that study includes the interactions among aviation personnel, their environments and equipment (Crew Resource Management, 2022).” One specific factor that must be prevented is fatigue. In simple terms fatigue is feeling tired or for better words a lack of energy. This can be extremely detrimental to performance which is why there are specific duty/rest guidelines that should be followed to mitigate this problem.

Now some may wonder exactly how fatigue could play a role in aviation. The best way I can describe this is in an example. Within my job we have something called crew coordination. It prioritizes communication and interactions that members of our crew have with each other. In order for us to perform effectively we must communicate and coordinate with one another in a timely manner. For my specific aircraft we have many members within our crew but the two I want to talk about are the aircraft operator and the payload operator. One’s job is to strictly maintain the flight of the aircraft and the other is to control the camera. If one of these members is fatigued and can’t perform simple task such as, maintaining sight on a target it could lead to many problems. Our number one priority is to conduct reconnaissance and if one member is not fulfilling their duties, we cannot accomplish our mission. Fatigue in aviation is extremely serious and should not be taken lightly.

Reference

Crew Resource Management. (2022). NBAA - National Business Aviation Association. https://nbaa.org/aircraft-operations/safety/human-factors/crew-resource-management/

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