Aviation

As a fundamental part of this course, you are required to develop a Course Research Manuscript. The purpose of the manuscript is to apply and bring together the information you will gain throughout the course. Also, the research will promote your understanding of the course material and applications. The manuscript accounts for 35% of your final course grade and is due at the end of Module 8 of the course.

Your task is to develop an integrated design for examining or investigating an issue or problem involving human factors in the aviation/aerospace industry as it might apply in a human-centric environment, model, simulation, work situation, or other application for use that would apply in industry, research, or operational environment. The purpose of this design is to demonstrate that you comprehend, understand, and can integrate the key elements of the Learning Outcomes for this course. Note, you can find the Learning Outcomes in the course syllabus. Hopefully, the topic will be inspired by some of the studies or issues that you have heard about or read about in this course. Although you will not be conducting the study or investigation that you propose, you will construct a research design in APA journal format (see the APA style manual) that is between 8 and 10 pages in length. Your introduction and background will explain the research statement or question and justify it by reference to previous research found in the scientific literature, and by logical argument. The method will describe data sources, participants (where applicable), variables, metrics, and procedures. The results should explain how you would analyze the data and the discussion should present possible outcomes and their applied implications.

Essentially, you would work toward constructing a design for an existing or emerging technology or situation, employing a human factors perspective that incorporates elements from each of the course Learning Outcomes. An essential aspect of this design, and the manuscript you write to describe it, is citing relevant research that supports your approach and explains the rationale used. Be certain your manuscript integrates topics covered in the modules of this course and that you address all the course Learning Outcomes. This may involve only a few sentences for some of them, but each outcome must be addressed to some extent.

The Course Research Manuscript must:

• Comprehensively cover the application and design you select. Generally, the body will be between 8 to 10 pages.
• Appropriately and clearly support the study design and proposed research findings (including in-text citations and references).

In addition, the manuscript must include:

• A proper title page
• An abstract
• A reference page
• Proper APA style throughout (current edition)
• A final submission in Word, Times New Roman font, 12-point size

Learning Outcomes:

1. Describe the anatomical and functional implications of the human visual and auditory systems on aviation.
2. Describe the principle components of the vestibular system as they relate to aviation.
3. Apply the information processing stages in the “simplified” model of information processing.
4. Differentiate between short-term sensory storage, working memory (sometimes referred to as short-term memory) and long-term memory.
5. Analyze the effects of circadian rhythms and circadian desynchronosis (jet lag) as it relates to aviation.
6. Apply the concept of crew resource management as it relates to the cockpit, cabin, maintenance, and air traffic control environments, referring to the six generations of crew resource management.
7. Demonstrate how aviation displays are developed to maximize human performance and reduce human error.
8. Evaluate the role of automation in aviation and how it has improved performance but has led to unforeseen consequences.
9. Describe the criteria of training and documentation/job aiding procedures, including educational techniques, for optimizing human performance and minimizing human error.
10. Apply classical human factors principles to understanding human errors and their causes associated with aviation accidents and incidents.
11. Demonstrate appropriate selection and application of a research method and statistical analysis (where required), specific to the course subject matter.

Required Course Materials:

Guastello, S.J. (2014). Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics: A Systems Approach (2 ed). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. ISBN: 978-1466560093 Paperback; 978-1466560116 Digital

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C. ISBN: 978-1433805615.

Suggested Supplemental Materials: 

Cannon-Bowers, J. & Salas, E. (2000). Making decisions under stress. Washington, DC:American Psychological Association.

Fuller, R., Johnston, N., & McDonald, N. (1995). Human factors in aviation operations. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

Green, R., Muir, H., James, M., Gradwell, D., & Green, R. (1991). Human factors for pilots. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

Hancock, P. (1987). Human factors psychology. New York: Elsevier Science Publishing.

Hawkins, F. (1992). Human factors in flight. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

Jensen, R. (1989). Aviation psychology. Brookfield, VT: Gower Publishing.

Jensen, R. (1995). Pilot judgment and crew resource management. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

Johnston, N., Fuller, R., & McDonald, N. (1995). Aviation psychology: Training and selection. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

Johnston, N., McDonald, N., & Fuller, R. (Eds.). (1994). Aviation psychology in practice. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

Maurino, D., Reason, J., Johnston, N., & Lee, R. (1995). Beyond aviation human factor. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

McDonald, N., Johnston, N., & Fuller, R. (1995). Applications of psychology to the aviation system. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

O’Hare, D. & Roscoe, S. (1990). Flightdeck performance: The human factor. Ames: Iowa State University Press.

Proctor, R. & VanZandt, T. (1994). Human factors in simple and complex systems. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Roscoe, S. (1980). Aviation psychology. Ames: Iowa State University Press.

Salas, E. & Maurino, D. (Eds.). (2010). Human factors in aviation. New York, NY: Academic Press.

Salas, E., Bowers, C., & Edens, E. (2001). Improving teamwork in organizations. Lawrence Mahwah, NJ: Earlbaum Associates.

Salvendy, G. (1987). Handbook of human factors. New York, NY: Wiley and Sons.

Sanders, M. & McCormick, E. (1993). Human factors in engineering and design. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Strauch, B. (2002). Investigating human error: Incidents, accidents, and complex systems. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate Publishing.

Wickens, C. & Hollands, J. (2000). Engineering psychology and human performance (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Wiener, E. & Nagel, D. (Ed.). (1988). Human factors in aviation. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Woodson, W., Tillman, B., & Tillman, P. (1992). Human factors design handbook (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Selected video tapes, see center CCE Video Catalog, Heading: ASCI 604.

Selected books/reports/pamphlets from center CCE RAC Collection under heading: ASCI 604.

Current articles from journals/periodicals that are indexed in the Aviation Tradescan (monthly & annual) under Major Subject Heading: Accidents, Aviation Medicine, Human Factors, and Safety (See Center Director for Tradescan location).