The Importance Of Human Factors In Aircraft Maintenance

One of the most controversial and important air crash linked to human error of the modern world happened on the night of February 12, 2009. Colgan air flight 3407, operated by Continental Connection, was on final approach to runway 23 at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport as it disappeared from radar. The aircraft was a Bombardier Dash 8, a popular twin engine medium range turboprop Airliner used by many regional carriers. The aircraft entered an uncontrollable stall crashing into to a neighborhood 5 miles northeast of the airport killing all everyone on souls on board. The Captain, Marvin Resnlow and first officer Rebecca Lynne were behind the controls the night of the accident. The NTSB report determined error by both pilots cause the aircraft to crash. Thus, pilot fatigues, improper recovery form a stall were contributing factors. The victim’s family members pushed for congress to overhaul airline regulations. The NTBS investigation delivery multiple findings that eventually led to a modernization of airline operations and pilot training.

Since the beginning of aviation, aircraft have been used for other intentions besides carrying passengers and cargo. They have been used as weapons of war dating all the way back to the first world war, and the use of aircraft has enlightened the advancement of the aviation. “Throughout the history of aviation, the greatest progress in flight has been made during time when either war or the threat of war was present” (Millspaugh, et al., 2008, p. 33). However, the war we face today has been triggered by the deliberate use of aircraft to cause death, destruction, and mayhem.

The environment impacts aviators, but along with infrastructure, we have to think about how the enemy can use water sources, air/land choke points (mountainous terrain or bridges), or densely built up cities. Throughout the entire mission planning and execution, aviators think ahead for the ground force, commanders, and aircraft. Aviators have to make decisions based on assessment and reassessment of PMESTII-PT/METT-TC and every minute recon/attack pilots are on a mission; they are evaluating, thinking ahead, and reporting all while maintaining the picture for current and future

This paper will review the July 10, 2007 aviation accident involving a Cessna 310R, N501N, operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing corporate aviation division as a personal flight. The aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency in to Orlando Sanford International Airport, Sanford, Florida after experiencing an in-flight fire. The flight had been released for flight despite it having a known unrepaired maintenance discrepancy. Safety issues discussed in this paper relate to the resetting of circuit breakers, the inspection and maintenance of electrical systems in general aviation aircraft, and the establishment of safety management systems in general aviation corporate aviation operations. Safety

Unsafe acts, attitudes and errors are addressed in this project by assessing the activities of the people involved in operating aircraft, airports, and other facilities. The operations of such individuals are likely to affect the outcomes differently for travelers and airlines. Varied attitudes towards issues like security and errors occurring in some processes may result in significant challenges to the enhancement of safety. These practices will be assessed in the research with a focus on how improvements

To be an airline pilot is most of the time described in terms of duties, job requirements, proficiency, training, employment opportunity, and good salary. These features picture a plain profile that fit into the specification of just an ordinary career. However, an aviation career comes with many challenges than expected. When focusing on statistics about being a pilot, it indicates a lifestyle that many inspire to work despite the many challenges that face this career. The challenges that pilot face revolve around being rested during long flights, performing unexpected, simultaneous tasks, and passing the medical examination in order to remain qualified. When combined with fatigue due to long flight hours, these different aspects can

The terrorist attacks on September 11 2001 will have a permanent affect on the global culture. Nearly every decision, process, design in the aviation community will be affected from these attacks. The masterminds behind these attaches could not have envisioned how much the world would change from these acts.

To fly was a tremendous triumph for mankind, who was previously sentenced to a life only walking the earth. Since the inception of the airplane, there has been aircraft maintenance. However, this industry has changed dramatically throughout the years and now involves highly innovative technologies and incredibly skilled technicians in order to best maintain the incredibly complex aircraft that fly in today's skies. Maintaining an aircraft is a harmonious blend between simple and intensely complicated procedures. Many procedures even still used to day are relatively simple and have existed for generations, including the basic engine work, refueling and other servicing procedures, and other after-market manufacturing that might take place on particular planes. This is now combined with impressive and innovative technologies that are highly regulated under a wide number of international agencies.

American Airlines Flight 1420 is the aircraft that I will be writing about in this essay. It is classified as a runway overrun accident. The department that investigated the accident was the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Human factors will be the focus in this project by using the Human Factor Analysis and Classification System (HFAC) Model. I will be focusing on two different human factor areas and relate those to the chain of event that caused the aircraft to overrun the runway.

Flight 1420 was a disaster that taught the aviation community several important lessons. All the Seven Major Elements of Aviation safety can be seen as contributing factors but the greatest factor was human error and the impact of pilot fatigue. With proper preventative measures, the pilots probably would have had the time to arm the MD-82’s spoiler system and the flight would have touched down safely.

Aircraft maintenance is very important for aviation industry and Aircraft are required to be maintained after a period of calendar time or flight hours or flight cycles. Aircraft maintenance is the inspection, repair, overhaul, modification of aircraft or aircraft component. Aircraft maintenance generally includes such tasks those tasks required to restore or maintain an aircraft’s systems, components, and structures with Airworthiness Directives or Service Bulletins and this is highly regulated, in order to ensure safe and correct functioning during flight. Aircraft maintenance requirements vary for different size and types of aircraft, experience which most aircraft need various type of preventive maintenance every 25 hours or less of flying time, and minor maintenance at least every 100 hours. Maintenance is influenced by some kind of operation, climatic conditions, storage facilities, age, and construction of the airplane. The profession of Aircraft maintenance requires extreme knowledge and adept expertise in performing the ingrained tasks. The aircraft maintenance engineer who is on duty he has a great responsibility to work professionally to ensure the safety of aircraft, customers and maintain the reputation of the team or company. The aircraft maintenance engineer normally works in an aircraft hangar and line maintenance and The aircraft maintenance engineer will undertake a number of processes including They may specialize by working on particular aeronautical

The science of human factors in aviation has a come along way since the days of the Wright brothers in 1913 but it did not actually start with them. According to Dr. Bill Johnson, Chief Scientist at the Federal Aviation Administration, human factors “dates back to the 1600s when Leonardo da Vinci drew the Vitruvian Man, with all the anthropometric measures, [when] he was trying to decide if a human was strong enough to propel an aircraft” (FAA, 2012). Long after the work of da Vinci, human factors has brought advancements to aircraft design while creating a greater understanding of the human role in mishaps.

Being an airplane pilot is one of the best jobs in today world but also is one of the most stress full jobs. Pilots are always in a case of challenge and this causes a stress. There are more causes and effects of it and this essay would explain it in detail what causes stress? what effects does it have on pilots?.

Stress is an everyday reality in the aviation industry, especially to pilots. Pilots face different kinds of stress on the job. Overload and underload on pilots is common and has always been overlooked. As a result, poses a threat to aviation safety. The society should pay a considerable attention to this issue. This essay will discuss the effect of stress on pilot performance and ways to relief stress. It begins with definitions of stress, then it will mention the causes of stress. The essay then explores on the relevance to aviation industry. Finally, the essay will give suggestions on how to cope with stress. As a future commercial airline pilot, this topic has great relevance as stress could not be avoided in the aviation industry. It

If we can find the answers to these questions, then I believe it is possible to limit and slow down the number of human errors in aviation, thusly slowing the number of accidents and lives lost due to human performance.