Module 5: Team-Based Human Factors Challenges

Human Factors in aviation involve the humans physical and mental ability to perform when operating aviation equipment. Some common factors that are taken into consideration is communication, fatigue, knowledge, mental state, physical limitations, and many more. (Weiner & Nagel, 1988) Furthermore, human factors can vary depending on the person. The way one individual may retain information or react in a certain situation is not the way another person will react in a similar situation.

I would like to focus on a personal team based event that I was involved in from the years 2013-2016. I work at the 81st Range Control Squadron (RCS) at Tyndall AFB, Fl.  At the 81st RCS, we conducted hundreds of Weapon System Evaluation Program (WSEP) exercises every year that dealt with the live firing of air-to-air missiles. There were five positions that were involved in this exercise: The Interface Control Technician (ICT), Live Technician (LT), Drone Coordinator (DC), Weapons Director (WD), and Mission Director (MD). Each position was responsible for its specific portion of the mission and required flawless coordination between the crew and participants (i.e. Pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC)).

The human factors that I would like to focus on is fatigue, communication, and experience. During WSEPs, there are times when exercises were conducted as early as 0400 and last four to five hours in duration. Depending on personal situations, sometimes crew members would be tired and lack the attention to detail needed for the duration of the exercise. Furthermore, there would be situations where we would train new Airmen on the crew positions during the live fire events. These new members would like the experience and knowledge of some of the senior members in the squadron. These new Airman would some times not communicate necessary calls to the WDs or not pass information to the pilots or ATC causing there to be confusion.

(Actual image from the 81 RCS Operations Floor)

Rather than mechanical malfunctions, human factors can be the root cause of many of the aviation incidents that occur. According to Wiegmann and Shappell (2001), human error is responsible for 70-80% of all civil and military aviation incidents. in saying that, companies and airlines have looked into ways at reducing the negative effects of human factors rather than focusing on the mechanical issues. The only issue with reducing human factor errors is, the post analysis reports not taking into account the human error.

References

Wiegmann, D. A., & Shappell, S. A. (2001). A Human Error Analysis of Commercial Aviation Accidents Using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). Springfeild: National Technical Information Service.

Wiener, E. L., & Nagel, D. C. (1988). Human Factors in Aviation (2nd ed.). (E. Salas, & D. Maurino, Eds.) Gulf Professional Publishing. Retrieved from https://books.google.de/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Fi2Bqh_6fW4C&oi=fnd&pg=PT1&dq=human+factors+in+aviation&ots=wMPh4MtuuB&sig=bmiNSHOtqq_iylEIv7_Gs8GjaNE#v=onepage&q=human%20factors%20in%20aviation&f=false

Module 4: Aviation Security: Explosive Devices

Aviation Security: Explosive Devices

Explosive devices and threats always pose a threat to the aviation world. An explosive device, by definition, is a device that bursts with an abrupt violence from an internal combustion. Most devices are homemade by someone with ill intent and the goal of hurting people or a political aim.

There are security procedures put in place to prevent explosive devices from entering an airport, along with many other measures. The most common are x-ray machines metal detectors. Since human profiling will never be 100% accurate, these machines are designed to help the operators identify what they are not able to see with the naked eye. (Merari, 2007)  Along with machines, there are procedures that must be followed to help ensure safety. From personal experience, my flight was delayed due to a bag being left on board from the previous flight. Due to a random bag being left on the plane, security assumed for the worst scenario and presumed it was an explosive device. Hours later, it was just an accident from one of the passengers from the previous flight.

The most common issue with the security measures put in place is the experience of the operators the perform the security checks with the equipment that they are given. (Michel, et al., 2007)  Many of them lack the proper experience needed to make the detection devices perform at their maximum capabilities. My recommendation would be that TSA take the time and funds necessary to properly train their employees. This would maximize efficiency when operating security equipment.

- Marquise Cunningham

References

Merari, A. (2007). Attacks on civil aviation: Trends and lessons. Terrorism and Political Violence, 9-26. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09546559808427466?casa_token=2Gu8WM-a_scAAAAA%3AFJEaYA4y5AJAXHvDvRdaTuOAjKoiHgnPaW0HWaDcqWjl50PsI7COiixCfOhtj6nUzE4AjW_yBZmIe3U&

Michel, S., Koller, S. M., de Ruiter, J. C., Moerland, R., Hogervorst, M., & Schwaninger, A. (2007). Computer-Based Training Increases Efficiency in X-Ray Image Interpretation by Aviation Security Screeners. Ottawa: IEEE.

Module 3: Aircraft Systems and Flight:

In the aviation world, there are an abundance of weather scenarios the pilot could encounter during takeoff, mid-flight operations, and landing that can put the pilot and their passengers in danger. Icing is a condition that can manipulate the performance of the aircraft. After years and centuries of first hand experiences and observations, science and meteorology brought to light the dangers of icing in aviation.




Icing is when ice forms on the frame of a boat, vehicle, engine, or an aircraft. Icing occurs when an aircraft flies through a cloud that has supercooled droplets of water vapor. In order for a cloud to contained supercooled droplets, the cloud must have a temperature range of 0 degrees Celsius and -25 degrees Celsius. (Politovich, n.d.)  Furthermore, there are three types of icing: Rime icing, Glaze icing (clear icing), and Mixed icing. Rime icing is brittle ice that forms and grows into the airstream, Glaze icing is a clear, transparent, smooth surface of ice that forms along the surface of the aircraft, and Mixed icing is a combination of Rime and Glazed icing. (Politovich, n.d.)

Rime Icing

Glazed (Clear) Icing

Mixed Icing

When icing occurs on an aircraft, hazards occur that effect the control of the airplane. When ice forms, it can reduce air speeds, negatively effect airflow, and reduce lift by up to 30% and/or increase drag by up to 40%. (Arbogast, 2013)  Essentially, having ice on an aircraft can cause it to crash

To prevent icing from occurring on the wings of the aircraft, planes have been installed with de-icing and anti-icing systems. Propeller driven aircraft mostly use pneumatic de-icing boots. Pneumatic de-icing boots are a thermal anti-icing systems that de-ice the wing and propeller leading edges and the engine intake. Other forms of de-icing include Sonic Pulse Electro-Expulsive Deicer (SPEED), the Electro-Impulse Method, Electro-Expulsive Separation System (EESS), Electro-mechanical Expulsion Deicing System (EMEDS), Electrical Heating, Ultrasound Technology (UT), and a few more. SPEED uses Electro-Impulsive De-Icing (EIDI) that are strategically placed behind the leading edge of the wing. (Goraj, 2004)  Once ice reaches a certain thickness, the EIDI will send a pulse that will break the ice and free the wing of any obstruction. (Goraj, 2004)  Electro-Impulse method uses high-voltage capacitors to rapidly discharge through coils to, basically, throw ice off of the leading edge. (Goraj, 2004)  EESS consists of two components, the EESS Controller and the EESS Expulsive Boot and push a current through the conductors that will push them apart. (Goraj, 2004)  The force of the current will be able to break ice that is up to an inch thick. (Goraj, 2004)  EMEDS uses an electrical pulse to send repetitive pulses to rapidly change the shape of the actuators in order to remove the ice on the wing. (Goraj, 2004)  Electrical heating basically says what it does in its name. The electrical heating method uses a graphite based heating method to rapidly heat its section and dis-bond it from the frame, allowing the airflow to remove the ice without melting it. (Goraj, 2004)  Finally, UT uses sound waves to cause stress between two martials in order to separate them. (Goraj, 2004) 

SPEED

EESS

EMEDS

UT

References



Arbogast, S. (2013, July 30). Aircraft Icing and How it Affects Your Flight. Retrieved from Universal Weather & Aviation, Inc.: http://www.universalweather.com/blog/aircraft-icing-and-how-it-affects-your-flight/

Baars, W. J., Stearman, R. O., & Tinney, C. E. (2010). A Review on the Impact of Icing on Aircraft Stability and Control. ASD Journal, 35-52.

Goraj, Z. (2004). An Overview of the Deicing and Antiicing Technologoes with Prodpects for the Future. International Congres of the Aeronautical Sciences (pp. 1-11). Warsaw: Warsaw University of Technology.

Politovich, M. K. (n.d.). Aircraft Icing. In G. R. North, J. A. Pyle, & F. Zhang, Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences (Vol. 1, pp. 160-166). Retrieved from https://books.google.it/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8lpzAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA160&dq=rime+icing+aviation&ots=ZGOPcliEZz&sig=0GNeigmkeWdrQcMqjuLEqLhKWYk#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

- Marquise Cunningham