FAA Safety Briefing — July/August 2020: Aviation Human Factors

D E PA R T M E N T S 2 Jumpseat: an executive policy perspective The FAA Safety Policy Voice of Non-commercial General Aviation 3 ATIS: GA news and current events 5 Aeromedical Advisory: a check - up on all things aeromedical 6 Condition Inspection: a look at specific medical conditions 30 Checklist: FAA resources and safety reminders 31 Drone Debrief: drone safety roundup 32 Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons: GA maintenance issues 33 Angle of Attack: GA safety strategies To “B” or Not to “B” ... Why Equipping with ADS-B Makes Sense 34 Vertically Speaking: safety issues for rotorcraft pilots 35 Flight Forum: letters from the Safety Briefing mailbag 36 Postflight: an editor’s perspective Inside back cover FAA Faces: FAA employee profile Tool Time Beta-Testing a Asleep at the Yoke? Fighting

22 13

Maintenance Safety Culture Fatigue in General Aviation Assessment Toolkit Passing the Stress Test Keep the Dark Side of Stress at Bay Just a Bit Biased How to See and Avoid Dangerous Assumptions The Humans Behind Human Factors A Look at the People and Resources in the FAA’s Human Factors Team National GA Award Nominees Top 2020 General Aviation Professionals Recognized July/August 2020 1

JUMPSEAT RICK DOMINGO, FLIGHT STANDARDS SERVICE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

THE HUMAN FACTOR

It’s almost axiomatic to say that from the pandemic coronavirus health emergency. So, we’ll launch human factors are somehow involved HUMAN FACTORS PLAY A BIG in every aviation incident or acci - with a look at stress, which the FAA ROLE IN AVIATION SAFETY, Safety Briefing editor characterizes as dent. That includes drone accidents.

While officially known as “unmanned the “ultimate” human factor. Mag - NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO azine alum Sabrina Woods, whose aircraft systems,” most drones still PILOT AIRCRAFT, BUT ALSO have pilots — and the remote pilot of passion for human factors science led to her recently earned Ph.D. in this a drone is as human as any other pilot.

FOR THOSE WHO DESIGN, The very nature of human beings topic, leads a discussion of bias and its potential for behavior adverse to MANUFACTURE, AND MAIN - carries the inevitability of mistakes.

Even though designers and engineers safety. We devote another feature to TAIN THEM.

the “humans behind human factors” have worked very hard over the years to design machines that are immune research and application in the FAA, whose work is even more important to, or at least tolerant of, mistakes by A traffic accident investigator those who fly and fix them, human in light of issues that contributed named William Messerschmidt deftly to the B-737 MAX accidents. You beings have a remarkable way of find - describes it as “the way people interact ing new ways to make errors. We all will meet one of the FAA’s leading with the human-made or influenced “humans in human factors,” Dr. Kathy know that those errors can be deadly environment.” Specifically: in aviation. Abbott, in this issue’s FAA Faces (P)eople make things, others interact department. Other topics include That’s where human factors with those things, and we’re curious research comes in. In the United fatigue, workload and task manage - as to how those interactions are ment, and much more.

States, the more formal discipline likely to end up. (…) We’re often of human factors started during the If you are among the many whose asking how we can make those aviation activities have been side - World War II era. The combination of interactions safer, more efficient, or mechanical and procedural advances lined by the pandemic, we hope you better in some way.

will use any stay-at-home time that has dramatically reduced the ugly numbers that were almost viewed in remains to join us for this deep dive A more formal definition calls into the multifaceted world of human that era as a “cost of doing business.” human factors “the study of how But even one accident is too many, factors — and, once released for nor - humans behave physically and psy - mal activities, that you will take the and so the work aimed at reducing chologically in relation to particular both mechanical and human factors time to ensure that you are ready for a environments, products, or services.” safe return to the sky.

causes continues. That’s also why the The same source goes on to note that team is devoting this issue of FAA “factors of humans” (emphasis mine) Safety Briefing to a fresh look at the include attention, detection, percep - discipline of human factors.

tion, memory, judgment, reasoning, and decision-making. All these factors The Abstraction Distraction play a role in aviation safety, not only If you think the term “human factors” for those who pilot aircraft, but also sounds very abstract, I agree with for those who design, manufacture, you. Some may even regard it as a and maintain them.

largely meaningless cliché. It’s neither an abstraction nor a cliché! So, before A Look Ahead we go any further, let’s nail down Here’s a preview of the magazine what we mean by “human factors” team’s take on this crucial topic. At and why this branch of science merits the time of this writing, stress is quite your attention.

literally a global condition arising 2 FAA Safety Briefing

GA NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS ATIS

AVIATION NEWS ROUNDUP

FAASafety.gov to Get Modern ride. FAA inspec - Makeover tors perform more frequent periodic To meet industry demand, a major checks on air charter effort to replace the FAASafety.gov pilots, crew, and website is underway.

aircraft than they do The FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) on private pilot oper - is collaborating with Delaney Tech - ations. A passenger nologies, Inc., to build a brand new has the right to see mobile-friendly system using a Sales - the Operator’s Air force, Inc., platform. This is the first Carrier or Operating step in the process to transform the Certificate to validate current website into a strategic tool that the aircraft has designed to meet the needs of all users authorization for — from all airmen to volunteer FAAS - charter use.

Team Representatives and FAASTeam As a legitimate air Program Managers (FPMs) in the charter operator, if Flight Standards District Offices to you suspect that a FAA managers and executives.

client is moving to The next step will incorporate the • A lack of a safety briefing or passen - or using an illegal system, articulate to latest technology, including artificial ger briefing cards.

him or her the safety-based differences intelligence (AI), and will leverage • Any evasiveness to questions or between you and a part 91 operator FAA and other government data concerns. Legitimate operators (pilot experience, training and over - systems to reinforce the FAASTeam’s should be transparent and helpful.

sight, maintenance programs, equip - data-driven approach to aviation ment, background/drug checks, etc.). • The pilot or someone associated safety, education, and outreach. Tools As an aircraft owner, ensure you with the company coaches passen - will be added to make everyday tasks fully understand the requirements for gers on what to say or do if an FAA easier. As the website is developed, legitimate leases as explained in Advi - aviation safety inspector meets the interviews with industry partners, sory Circular 91-37B, Truth in Leasing aircraft at its destination.

volunteer representatives, managers, ( bit.ly/AC91-37B ). If you consider and team leads will help to ensure the If you suspect an illegal air charter placing your aircraft in a “leasing tools are accurate and comprehensive.

operation, report it. You can call the pool” or “leasing program,” conduct Illegal Charter Hotline at (888) 750- Avoid Illegal Air Charter Operations an independent exam of the system 3581, or fill out the online form at to ensure you are not engaging in a Illegal air charter operations pose a hotline.faa.gov, or fill out the online disguised illegal charter system.

serious safety hazard to the traveling form from the National Air Trans - The following red flags may indi - public. The FAA works aggressively to portation Association (NATA) at cate an illegitimate charter operation: identify and shut down rogue opera - AvoidIllegalCharter.com .

tors and to help passengers ensure the • The company provides the aircraft company they hire is legitimate. Scenario-Based Helicopter Training and at least one crewmember, yet Air charter operations — also known Improves Aviation Decision Making attempts to transfer operational con - as commuter and on demand opera - trol to a consumer via any document. The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team tions — require a higher level of FAA (USHST.org) released an extensive • A lack of federal excise tax charged pilot training and certification, aircraft recommended practice document, to the consumer. Legitimate opera - maintenance procedures, and opera - which suggests training scenarios to tors have to charge this. If the price tional safety rules, than pilots who may mitigate risk and improve aviation is too good to be true, it probably is.

take family or friends for an airplane July/August 2020 3 ATIS decision making. The training lesson ciated with the number you are calling The feature is now operational on plans identify and describe numerous from, priority in the phone system the WCAM developmental website, fatal helicopter accidents that involve with a linked account, and self-service providing visibility estimates for the some aspect of a lack of sound avia - options on 1800wxbrief.com. images from the Palmer Airport tion decision making that placed the Also in the account menu, pilots will (PAAQ) camera site in Alaska. Further aircraft in an “at risk” situation. be able to opt-out of certain required testing and analysis will help to perfect The situation was either caused by, statements routinely delivered during operations as the algorithm learns its or was a contributing factor to, the a specialist-provided briefing. This will environment to improve accuracy. The fatal accident including: notify the specialist that you are famil - algorithm determines visibility over a iar with and aware of the requirements 10-day period by looking for station - • Loss of rotor RPM in autorotation and preclude them from providing ary edges or landmarks of known • Loss of tail rotor effectiveness these details during future calls. distances from an airfield, such as a • Spatial disorientation Specialists will also have the ability tower or mountaintop and interprets to view an actual update briefing how well they can see each marker as • Unintended flight in IMC and provide only the information compared to a clear, sunny day.

• Low altitude wire strike that changed since the last stan - In the future, this new technical • Low altitude engine failure dard weather brief obtained from capability will verify the operational Simulator training providers in 1800wxbrief.com, from a specialist, or accuracy of VFR Visual Weather evidence based training or other from a commercial provider that links Observing System ceilings and visibil - syllabi may use these scenario guide - to your account when a regulatory ity sensors. The FAA is working with lines as the basis to improve aviation compliant briefing product is used. the National Weather Service to add decision making. Each year, the U.S. This eliminates the need to repeat the information to the existing data helicopter industry safely flies more unnecessary information. feed used to send images and weather than 3.2 million flight hours. Working Go to 1800wxbrief.com to learn data. Another capability may monitor together, we can build on that safe more. and report physical camera-view sta - record and eliminate the small num - tus and verify ceiling sensor outputs.

Weather Cameras Test Visibility ber of accidents that do occur. In addition, it could estimate visibil - Sensors The recommended practice doc - ity and ceiling conditions at airports In March 2020, the FAA’s Weather where an Automated Weather Observ - ument and its five annex documents with crash scenarios are online at Camera (WCAM) program success - ing System or Automated Surface fully downloaded a new edge detection Observing Station does not exist. The ushst.org/ENHANCED-TRAINING .

algorithm, known as Visibility Estima - goal is to improve aviation weather Changes Coming to Flight Service tion through Image Analytics (VEIA), industry-wide to enhance weather in the CONUS, Puerto Rico, and onto its cloud servers. The FAA’s observations and prediction forecasts.

Hawaii NextGen Weather program and MIT If you’re interested in learning more Lincoln Laboratory developed VEIA to Since pilots are using mobile apps and about the AvCams program, please online resources to receive regulatory extract visibility estimates and turn the check out https://avcams.faa.gov , or weather cameras into visibility sensors.

compliant briefings, work is underway https://avcamsplus.faa.gov .

to update messaging and guidance - on self-briefing without the need to also contact a Flight Service specialist.

mission.

Throughout the summer, Leidos Flight Service will make some changes to their phone system to provide pilots with additional services and capabilities.

These new capabilities will interact with online platforms to allow special - Copyright Leidos 2018. Used by per ists to provide quicker, more stream - lined services and let the phone system perform some simple actions when calling from a phone number contained in a registered profile. Changes include new messaging and menu options asso - 4 FAA Safety Briefing

AEROMEDICAL ADVISORY MICHAEL BERRY, M.D., FEDERAL AIR SURGEON

GETTING TO A “NEW NORMAL”

carriers have formal plans to enable As the nation cautiously begins mov - ing towards the “new normal” amid safe return to flying. GA organiza - tions offer similar programs. It’s a the current public health emergency of COVID-19, aircrew members need to good time to check these out. While the FAA extended currency timelines be especially cautious. Aviation is less forgiving than most other occupations for many aviation activities, profi - ciency is up to the pilot. In addition to and pursuits. While we all face life challenges from time to time, such as hitting the books and flying with an instructor, consider chair flying as an the loss of loved ones, financial issues, divorce, illness, etc., the current situa - approach to re-establishing dormant potentially adverse impact of strong habit patterns — to include diligence tion is unprecedented in its impact on in-flight odors.

so many general aviation (GA) pilots in using checklists.

If you decide to take a passenger, Proper planning is always import - simultaneously. Many pilots, especially you will need to manage the risks of those who rent the aircraft they fly, ant, but the effects of the COVID-19 inadvertent transmission of this highly public health emergency creates an have limited their flying or stopped contagious virus in the confines of a altogether for months. At some point, extra dimension. As you brief on typical GA aircraft cockpit. That raises weather, fuel, and other usual things, many will return to the skies.

questions on using personal protective check as well on airport and Air Traf - Take Your Time!

equipment (PPE) during flight. Masks fic Control (ATC) status and hours of can interfere with placement of a Eagerness is understandable, but operation, as well as any public health boom mike. Gloves reduce tactile per - “take your time” needs to be step one measures in place at your points of ception and may impede use of today’s in the new normal. Here are a few arrival and departure and any inter - ubiquitous touch screens.

considerations. mediate stops. Note that airport If you do use a mask, remember Human factors : Think about how overflow parking may have resulted that its major benefit is to protect oth - the emergency has affected you per - in runway closures and/or changes to ers, but it does trap particles on both sonally, and use the IMSAFE checklist taxi procedures. Plan, and allow extra sides. If you touch the mask and then (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, pre-flight time in case you encounter touch your face, you lose any personal Fatigue, and Eating/Emotion). Are anything unexpected.

benefit. The same applies to the use of you or a family member in a high-risk While it may not be the first time gloves. Headsets are another issue: if group? Have you experienced eco - you have returned to flying after a you do not have a personal headset, nomic or financial distress? Will these hiatus, this situation is unique in scale now is a good time to consider mak - issues distract you from safe flight? Is and scope for pilots, aircraft, air traffic ing that investment.

your best option to wait a bit longer? controllers, and public health author - Plane and Pilot : You also need to Health risk : A second consider - ities. Respect this reality, and take allow time to verify that both the plane ation is the potential health risk of the time needed to ensure that your and the pilot are in a condition for safe sharing an aircraft. Cleaning and return to the skies is a safe one.

flight. Many aircraft have been sitting disinfecting surfaces between flights idle for extended periods. Verify that will take extra time; factor it into your Dr. Michael Berry received an M.D. from the Uni - maintenance is current. Take extra versity of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and schedule and do not rush pre-flight a master’s in preventive medicine from Ohio State time with preflight inspection and planning or aircraft inspection. There University. He is certified by the American Board look for any sign of animal infestation.

is a growing body of information on of Preventive Medicine in aerospace medicine. He Pilots grounded for long periods proper use of disinfectants on various served as an FAA senior aviation medical examiner of time also need extra preflight time.

surfaces, but don’t forget ventilation.

and vice-president of Preventive and Aerospace Having long experience working with Freshly swabbed surfaces need time Medicine Consultants for 25 years before joining the FAA. He also served as both a U.S. Air Force and pilots who have been grounded for an to dry, both for effectiveness of the NASA flight surgeon.

extended period, the military and air disinfectant used and to minimize the July/August 2020 5

LEO M. HATTRUP, M.D., FAA MEDICAL OFFICER CONDITION INSPECTION

A PRIMER ON MEDICAL TESTING

fight infections) and tests for antigens As with many hot topics, “medical testing” is a deceptively simple term (proteins produced by an infectious agent). At the time of this writing, the for a complex process. This particular subject owes its current notoriety to sensitivity and specificity for many COVID-19 tests (unfortunately, this the COVID-19 public health emer - In addition to sensitivity and spec - gency, but medical testing will be with is not uncommon) have been sub-op - ificity, prevalence (the number who timal for both the virus (antigen) and us long after the pandemic ends. Since actually have the disease/condition) you will need to discuss medical test - antibodies. Further complicating the has a huge impact. Succinctly put, the issue is “cross-reactivity.” Antigen tests ing with your physician at some point, more common something is, the more you might find a better understanding may detect an antigen from a related likely a positive test is a true positive infectious agent, making test inter - of the terms helpful.

(positive predictive value) and the less pretation more difficult. In addition, Accuracy — It’s Complicated!

common it is, the more likely a neg - antigen tests vary widely in accuracy ative test is a true negative (negative Ideally, testing would definitively and can remain positive even after predictive value).

establish whether one is sick, someone is no longer infectious.

immune, or contagious. Perfect Antibody tests suffer similar prob - Screening tests would be 100-percent sensitive lems. A positive antibody test for Both in clinical medicine and public (everyone with the disease/condition an infectious virus may indicate an health, health care workers use predic - tests positive) and 100-percent spe - immune response to prior infection or tive values to develop clinical guidelines cific (everyone without the disease/ a similar virus, but not current immu - that define who needs to be screened condition tests negative). nity. In other words, the presence of and when. A common clinical example Sadly, we do not live in this ideal antibodies does not guarantee pro - is mammography for women. Start world of yes/no binary outcomes. tection against reinfection. Moreover, too soon and many tests will show Even with good tests, it is possible to antibodies may be detectable early false positives resulting in the risk of get a false positive (i.e., positive result in an infection while the individual unnecessary procedures, scarring, even in the absence of the disease or remains infectious.

infections, and worry for women and condition) or a false negative (i.e., a There has been rapid progress, their families. Start too late and you negative result even when the dis - but many questions remain to be are less likely to detect breast cancer at ease or condition is present). Both answered. Meanwhile, I hope this an early stage when treatment is more outcomes are problematic. In clinical primer has provided a better idea of likely to be effective and the disease medicine, a false positive can lead the challenges that policy makers, potentially curable. This is why doctors to additional testing and, possibly, the public health officials who advise discuss when to begin testing for many unnecessary treatment. A false nega - them, and your physician face when it conditions on an individual basis. For tive test can delay proper treatment.

comes to medical testing. In addition, other conditions, such as high blood In public health, these outcomes you should be equipped to make a pressure, where there is no real risk can result in unnecessary restrictions more informed decision the next time from screening and treatment options on those free of disease or inappropri - your physician advises medical testing.

are safe, these tests are universal.

ate clearance for those with disease.

We often hear now that more test - To put this issue in perspective, if a Leo M. Hattrup, M.D., received a bachelor’s degree ing for COVID-19 will accelerate the from Wichita State University, a master’s in public test has 95-percent sensitivity and health from Harvard University, and a doctorate return to normal. It will, but testing 95-percent specificity, 5-percent of from Vanderbilt University. He is retired from the is complex and we need to talk about those with the disease or condition U.S. Air Force in which he spent the majority of his what this really means.

will test negative and 5-percent of career in aerospace medicine. He is board certified Testing for a virus falls into one of those without will test positive. If we in aerospace and occupational medicine. He is two basic categories: tests for anti - a certificated flight instructor and enjoys flying test 10 million people, one million airplanes, helicopters, and gliders.

bodies (proteins the body produces to tests total will be incorrect.

6 FAA Safety Briefing

F E D E R A L A V I A T I O N A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

P R O D U C T I O N

NOW PLAYING

Passi ng th e Test

Stress

Keep the D ark Si de of Stress at Bay

By Susan K. Parson

uman beings are amazingly diverse, but the maneuver to avoid conflicting traffic or find yourself in discipline of human factors tells us that we have instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) on a VFR certain “factors of humans” in common. These flight. Acute stress leapt into my life on several memorable H include cognitive functions such as attention, occasions, including the first time I got holding instructions while flying single-pilot IFR in no-kidding solid IMC. Han - detection, perception, memory, judgment/reasoning, and decision making. Such factors play a role in how we react, dled properly — more on that in a moment — acute stress can help you safely navigate potentially dangerous situations.

both physically and psychologically, with respect to a given environment, product, or experience. Chronic stress is a peskier and more insidious visitor — kind of like a lingering houseguest who eats all your food, When one or more of these encounters poses a challenge or demand, the universal human reaction involves some ransacks your belongings, and occupies all your favorite spots. Just as with the overstaying houseguest, chronic level of emotional or physical tension that we call “stress.” For that reason and a few more presented below, I tend to stress may leave you seething in silence, trying to pretend all is well. Meanwhile, your blood pressure soars, you sleep characterize stress as the ultimate human factor.

poorly, and you feel like you are carrying lead weights.

The Two Faces of Stress Unmanaged, chronic stress can do permanent damage.

According to Roman mythology, Janus was the god of dual - ity, among other things. The Greek comedy and tragedy

The four As of stress

faces used to symbolize theatre are sometimes called Janus management are: Avoid, Alter, masks, presumably for this reason.

Adapt, or Accept.

Like Janus, stress is a creature of duality. Depending on the situation, the person, and even minute things like the time of day, stress can motivate, or it can debilitate. It can stimulate a Having been there and done that, I cannot overempha - helpful hyper-focus, a harmful fixation, or an equally danger - size the importance of promptly recognizing and dealing ous lack of focus. It can be positive when it pushes a person with chronic stress. Needless to say, the dark side of stress to positive activities or outcomes. On the flip side, it can be doesn’t play nicely on the flight deck if you are the pilot of negative when it causes anger, frustration, or high tension. an aircraft, or in the maintenance hangar if your job is fix - Another duality is that stress can take two forms. You ing flying machines. But managing stress is just as import - “host” the acute version when, for example, you quickly ant for your overall quality of life.

8 FAA Safety Briefing Figure 1: Some of the warning signs of stress.

Emotional Psychological Behavioral Physical • Tearful • No concentration • No time for relaxation • Aches/pains or pleasurable • Irritable • Indecision • Muscle tension activities • Mood swings • Memory lapses • Grinding teeth • Forgetfulness • Extra sensitive to • Easily distracted • Frequent colds/ • Reliance on alcohol, criticism infections • Less intuitive smoking, drugs • Defensive • Allergies • Less creative • Workaholic • Feeling out of control • Rashes/skin irritations • Worrying • Poor time • Lack of motivation • Gastrointestinal • Negative thinking management discomfort • Angry • Depression • Absenteeism • Weight loss or gain • Frustrated • Anxiety • Self-neglect • Indigestion/ • Lack of confidence • Social withdrawal heartburn/ulcers • Lack of self-esteem • Insomnia • Hyperventilating • Aggressive/anger • Dizziness/palpitations • Nervous • Panic attacks/nausea • Physical tiredness • Heart problems • High blood pressure Identify — Friend or Foe? Adapt to the situation. Learn to reframe problems (e.g., a mistake is an opportunity to learn; bad weather offers time You have probably heard the term IFF, the abbreviation for to refresh aviation knowledge). Put issues in perspective Identification Friend or Foe. Briefly, IFF is an identification (e.g., will I remember this a month from now?). Set reason - system that lets military and civilian ATC interrogation able standards. Practice an attitude of gratitude.

systems identify aircraft, vehicles, or forces as friendly. It Accept what you can’t change. Focus on what you can also determines bearing and range from the interrogator. In do, and don’t obsess about things you can’t control. Frame order to manage stress so as to get the benefits of its better challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Let half while keeping its dark side at bay, you need to develop go of anger and resentments. Confide in a trusted friend, an internal IFF system to help you spot signs of stress. See family member, colleague, or professional.

figure 1 for a few things to look for.

This Too Shall Pass!

Playing the “A” Game Even normal life offers myriad daily opportunities to I’ve written in previous issues that the “aviate” part of practice stress management. At the time of this writing, the familiar Aviate-Navigate-Communicate mantra means though, the pandemic coronavirus health emergency con - managing attitude, airspeed, altitude, and avionics. Because tinues to disrupt virtually every aspect of what we knew it’s easy to remember, an article on the four As of managing as “normal life.” I find it can be a challenge to manage stress resonated strongly with me and could be helpful to stress in this utterly unprecedented time, and perhaps that you as well.

is true for you as well. Let’s jointly resolve to put the four The four As of stress management are: Avoid , Alter , As of stress management into daily use, and remember Adapt , or Accept .

that this too shall pass.

Avoid sources of stress. Say “no” to taking on more than you can handle, whether in personal or professional situ - Susan K. Parson ( susan.parson@faa.gov ) is editor of FAA Safety Briefing and a ations. Limit the time you spend with people who cause Special Assistant in the FAA’s Flight Standards Service. She is a general aviation stress in your life. Stop doing things that make you tense.

pilot and flight instructor.

Alter the situation. Create a balanced schedule. Be will - ing to compromise. Learn to be appropriately assertive by expressing feelings and needs in an open and respectful way.

July/August 2020 9

Just a Bit Biased

How to See and Avoid Dangerous Assumptions

By Sabrina Woods, Ph.D.

ello again readers! I enjoy every edition of the mag - Think about it this way: when you have to make a judg - azine immensely, but I am particularly excited about ment or decision about the world around you, there might this edition of FAA Safety Briefing . This is because it literally be a thousand things to consider in that environ - H highlights what some of my human factors contem - ment. Perfectly rational decisions would involve weighing ALL of the factors individually; potential costs versus poraries are doing across the FAA to ensure safe aviation everywhere. The field of human factors is broken into so possible benefits, negatives versus positives, before coming to a conclusion. In the irreverent words of a certain viral many different sub-disciplines and within the FAA we have people who are subject matter experts in engineering/air - meme out there: ain’t nobody got time for that! Our atten - tion is a limited resource so we have to be a bit selective worthiness, ergonomics, and design; flight deck design and testing; human physiological response; human-in-the-loop in what we can pay attention to and use for our decision making. Cognitive biases are often a result of your brain’s and user interfaces; and my own specialty — perception, cognition, and decision-making, to name a few. The work attempt to simplify that information processing and speed up problem solving.

human factors engineers, practitioners, and scientists do is essential to attaining and maintaining a high level of human Sometimes though, the biases trip us up, leading to poor decisions and bad judgments. There are many different performance and in keeping the NAS safe from the risks associated with human error. But I might be just a bit biased. types of bias, but all have similar causes, risks, and miti - gations. The most important tool to countering biases is Bias Defined to know they exist, and to understand when you might be If you have ever read up on human factors and human most susceptible.

error, you have likely heard a story or two of how a pilot When Bias Goes Bad was affected by a cognitive bias. Cognitive biases are mental Working in the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation adaptations that occur when a person’s prior knowledge, or his or her expected outcome, influence their resulting and Prevention, I get to see firsthand how bias can get the better of us. While heuristics are often a good thing and perceptions, interpretations, and decisions. But not all bias is bad. Biases result from cognitive heuristics, also known help us navigate life quickly, they become an issue of biases gone bad when they lead to perceptual distortion, such as as “shortcuts,” that we mentally make to aid in the deci - sion-making process. misidentifying the designated runway/taxiway; inaccurate 10 FAA Safety Briefing original plan in spite of changing conditions. The closer to judgment, such as over/underestimating how close/far convective weather is; distraction, like being too busy chat - the destination, the worse the bias gets. Our decisions are further influenced by the emotional, financial, and time ting with a passenger to effectively monitor flight progress; fixation, like only looking at the cockpit array rather than investments that have already been made in accomplishing the goal. This is all despite the fact that the hazard is con - looking out the window; and complacency, such as assum - ing a controller will advise you of traffic instead of actively stant and the risk of a worse-case scenario (crashing and dying) is more profound.

looking for it.

Some of the more common biases that affect pilots are In one example, a non-instrument-rated private pilot departed from a remote lake in Alaska with his son, anx - expectation bias, confirmation bias, plan continuation error, automation bias, and automaticity. ious to get home. The airplane’s flight path was heading over mountainous terrain in an area that frequently had It’s To Be Expected low ceilings and reduced visibility due to rain, fog, and Expectation bias is when we have a strong belief or mind - mist. The pilot queried Flight Service who advised of bad set towards something we expect to see or hear, and act weather moving into the area. Rather than staying put, the according to those beliefs. For example, a pilot contacts pilot risked taking off in an attempt to outrace the weather the tower and indicates he or she is ready for an intersec - and get home. Several weeks later the wreckage was finally tion take-off. The controller clears the pilot for runway 10, found in an extremely wooded area several miles from the however he or she departs from 28 because that is what lake. There were no survivors. The National Transportation the pilot was expecting and where he or she has typically Safety Board stated that contributing to the accident was departed from in the past. the pilot’s self-induced pressure to complete the flight.

What the Heck is it DOING?

Some of the more common

Technological advancements in the cockpit are a wonderful

biases that affect pilots are

thing but their use can lead to unintended consequences.

Automation bias is when we over-rely on automated expectation bias, confirmation

aids and decision support systems, or become compla -

bias, plan continuation

cent in assuming the technology is always correct. We

error, automation bias, and

subsequently fail to monitor or question the technology automaticity.

sufficiently. As a result, manual flying time dramatically decreases, we can get distracted, and the automated infor - Other things play into the expectation such as routine or mation replaces personal vigilance which leads to compla - cency. The problem arises when the human is left “out of familiarity. We humans tend to be creatures of habit. If a per - son is used to doing things a certain way (such as taking off loop” and no longer knows just what the heck the automa - tion is actually doing when it comes time to step in.

from runway 28) and doesn’t expect the runway change due to winds, that person might simply proceed as though noth - Air France 447 serves as a tragic air carrier example of what happens when a whole crew was outside the automa - ing has changed. This might even be despite acknowledging the actual assigned runway from ATC. Sound familiar? Per - haps it has even happened to you or someone you know?

Looking for Confirmation in all the Wrong Places Next is confirmation bias. This is when we only look for, listen to, or acknowledge information that confirms our own preconceptions. We tend not to seek out or pay atten - tion to evidence that could disconfirm the belief. I see this a lot in VFR into IMC incidents and accidents where there is often evidence of the pilot’s natural inclination to look for positive information that will allow him or her to complete the flight even as he or she ignores or downplays informa - tion that could lead away from achieving that goal.

Confirmation bias is a perfect segue into plan contin - uation error — more colloquially known as get-there-itis — and the two often go hand-in-hand. Plan continuation is the unconscious cognitive bias to continue with the July/August 2020 11 tion loop and was unable to determine “what it is doing” takes; therefore, it is unreasonable to expect error-free human in time to prevent the accident. The aircraft entered a stall performance. It is a concept that my fellow HF contempo - raries and I have taken to heart. For us, understanding how and fell from the sky into the Atlantic Ocean taking all 228 souls on board with her. bias is likely to affect pilots helps us see the bigger picture better and helps us to create mitigations that prevent the Yes, Dear inevitable human error from becoming an accident.

Last, there is automaticity or what I call the “yes, dear” For you, mitigating cognitive bias can come down to response. I am sure anyone who has a significant other, exercising just a few best practices: children, parents, close friends, etc., can relate to what I 1. Perform a Self-Assessment: Understand that you ARE mean by this.

human and therefore CAN become biased. Know thyself It is when routine tasks lead to an automatic response and understand what stressors or fatigues may increase without any real consideration to what is being said or your own personal potential to be biased.

done. We just kind of mentally tap out and rote memory 2. Make a Backup Plan: Don’t expect the standard strategy response takes over for a moment. We register that some - to always work. Have alternative plans. Think about what thing is being said and automatically respond, but we don’t would happen if the “go to” option is no longer available.

actually process what is being asked of us. In physical 3. Active Listening: Especially when communicating with automaticity, the brain is no longer “conscious” enough to ATC! Active listening is a way of listening and respond - stop the automatic response of well-trained muscles, aka ing to another person that ensures mutual understand - “muscle memory.” ing. It requires each person in the conversation to fully One example of this is responding “roger” to a hold concentrate on and understand the intent of what is short, runway, or altitude change without actually process - being said.

ing what the new instructions were. Acknowledgement of an instruction does not always ensure understanding. A 4. Look for Disconfirming Evidence: Test out your assump - physical example would be in shutting down the engines tions by trying to actively disprove them.

instead of setting the parking brake when stopping in One of the most important things in aviation we can do accordance with a line up and wait instruction (true story!).

is work so that our own human nature doesn’t get the better of us. But again, I might be just a bit biased.

I Get Bias (With a Little Help from My Friends) One of my favorite quotes of all time is from Douglas Dr. Sabrina Woods is a guest writer for the FAA Safety Briefing . She is a human Wiegmann and Scott Shappell, two preeminent Human factors analyst for the Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention. She spent Factors (HF) researchers in the industry and in academia.

12 years as an aircraft maintenance officer and an aviation mishap investigator They said that human beings by their very nature make mis - in the Air Force.

12 FAA Safety Briefing

Asleep

at the

Yoke?

Fighting Fatigue in General Aviation

By Jennifer Caron

“There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth sion, activity, or gender is immune to its effects. Whether you’re a pilot, a truck driver, or a paramedic, if you’re sleep waking me up to see it!” deprived you will experience the same physical and mental — Mindy Kaling limitations across the board. What causes the fatigue is less important than the negative impact it has on your ability to ho doesn’t love a good night’s sleep? For me, perform tasks. Like drugs or alcohol, fatigue slows reaction a spur-of-the-moment nap on a lazy Saturday time, decreases awareness, and impairs judgment.

afternoon curled up under a soft, warm blanket

W is heavenly bliss. Sleep is, in fact, as necessary

as food and water. Without it, we experience significant

Fatigue poses the highest risk

physical and psychological problems.

during the task-critical taxi, If you’ve ever been a new parent, a graveyard shift worker, takeoff, and landing phases.

or burdened by an untreated sleep disorder such as insomnia or sleep apnea, you know what it’s like to try and get through For most, fatigue can easily be resolved with a nap or by the day without enough sleep. You’re tired and out of sorts, “sleeping in” the next day, without any adverse effects. But it only takes a feather to push your buttons, and caffeine and if you are involved in safety-related aviation activities such sugar are your two best friends. It’s easy to rationalize and tell as air traffic control, or piloting or maintaining an aircraft, ourselves we don’t need sleep but if we don’t get enough of it, the consequences of fatigue can be disastrous.

or if our sleep is interrupted, we will suffer from fatigue.

How Does Fatigue Affect GA?

What is Fatigue?

While commercial pilots are more prone to the occupa - We know it when we feel it. Fatigue is that drowsy, weary, tional fatigue that results from long duty days, schedule sleepy feeling you get when you haven’t had enough rest. It’s changes, or multiple time zones, GA pilots can develop an all too common part of our workaholic American culture, fatigue too. The risk of accidents is higher due to the chal - which is known for too much of the wrong food, too little of lenges of single-pilot operations and the relatively higher the right exercise, and insufficient or poor quality sleep.

individual workload. Also, GA pilots don’t usually have the But fatigue is not unique to our culture. It is a human benefit of a second pilot to share tasks or to help judge fit - condition that affects each and every one of us. No profes - July/August 2020 13 top-of-descent to landing.” None of these are good things ness for flight. Research shows that humans are poor judges of their own fatigue level. Family, friends, and crew are a lot for a pilot, especially if there is no one else in the aircraft to help keep the pilot alert.

more honest — sometimes brutally! — and won’t hesitate to tell you how tired or ill you really look.

Flying Fatigued Fatigue is not only a risk during the lull of cruise flight. It

Fatigue impairs performance and

poses the highest risk during the task-critical taxi, takeoff,

has a negative impact on basic

and landing phases. Reported fatigue-related events have piloting skills.

included procedural errors, unstable approaches, lining up with the wrong runway, runway incursions, landing with - out clearances, and poor decision making.

“You are probably more fatigued than you think, and “Fatigue impairs your performance and can have a nega - you pose a bigger threat to your safety than you realize,” tive impact on even fundamental skills,” explains Dr. Avers.

says Dr. Katrina Avers, a research scientist in the Human It compromises your ability to react quickly and communi - Factors Research Division at the FAA’s Civil Aerospace cate effectively. It adversely affects your memory and eye- Medical Institute (CAMI). Her research focuses on fatigue hand coordination, so much so that after 17 hours without education and fatigue risk management programs for flight sleep, your ability to control, guide, and direct your hands crew, cabin crew, and maintenance technicians.

closely resembles someone with a blood alcohol content of “We think that if we just push through and focus hard 0.05 to 0.08-percent.

enough then we can overcome it, or if we drink enough caf - To see the relationship between sleep and performance feine then our performance levels will improve. But that’s levels, take a look at the sleep restriction study in Figure 1.

just not true,” says Dr. Avers. In the end, you’re still fatigued Results show that there’s an increase in your level of impair - and your performance still suffers.

ment when sleep is reduced below seven hours per night.

Motivation, caffeine, physical activity, and environmental “Simply put, as your sleep decreases, your risk of incidents stimulation can mask fatigue and possibly enable you to and accidents increases,” says Dr. Avers. “The impacts of ignore the symptoms for a while. But they will not eliminate fatigue aren’t just when we pull an all-nighter,” she contin - unavoidable physical effects. Coordination and alertness ues. “An individual that gets six hours of sleep per night decline. Performance falls off, judgment and decision mak - ing become impaired, and you might take unwarranted risks. Even the most experienced pilots make mistakes when they’re flying fatigued and no amount of masking can overcome its effects.

“It’s much easier for us to look for risk factors in our flight environment than it is to look for those same risk factors in ourselves, but we have to be self-aware and recognize how impaired we really are to avoid flying fatigued,” Dr. Avers explains.

A particularly insidious fatigue risk takes the form of short sleep attacks, also known as micro-sleeps. These are brief periods of sleep where you nod off suddenly and without warning.

According to a 2001 study of in-flight brain activity, “pilot micro-sleeps occurred most frequently during the middle-to-late segments of cruise flight.

They were over nine times more likely during night flights. Despite strong motivation to be alert during the final stages of flight, micro-events were also found to occur during the period from Figure 1: The consequences of sleep deprivation.

14 FAA Safety Briefing

Like drugs or alcohol, fatigue

slows reaction time, decreases

awareness, and impairs

judgment.

over two weeks can have the same level of elevated fatigue as someone that has been awake for 24 hours straight.” If you’re flying fatigued, another risk is how you will react to an in-flight emergency or any unexpected situa - tion that causes intense periods of stress. One way to think about the role of fatigue in accident risk is to know that fatigue causes random episodes of inattention just when you need all of your attention to avoid an accident.

Consider the example of an in-flight engine failure.

Your first priority is to remain calm, run through memory and checklist items, and look for a safe place to land. But here’s what could happen if you’re flying on an empty sleep a fact sheet that shows how the FAA is addressing some tank. Reaction time slows, you’re not focused, and panic fatigue issues called out by the National Transportation mounts as you waste precious time and altitude trying Safety Board: bit.ly/FAAFactSheet.

to make decisions. Your thinking is fuzzy, memory items A few more tips: fade, eye-hand coordination is off, situational awareness is 1. Identify Fatigue: If you feel the urge to doze every time affected, and you’re more likely to make errors and engage you sit down, you are likely fatigued. Look for these in risky behavior. As listening and communication skills symptoms: yawning, nodding off, attention lapses, dif - diminish, it gets harder to find the right words for the mic.

ficulty concentrating, and irritability. Use the IMSAFE Any of these scenarios could greatly reduce the chances for checklist to check your health before engaging in any a successful outcome.

aviation-related activities.

Fatigue is of particular concern to aviation shift workers, 2. Manage Fatigue: If you feel fatigued, ground yourself including ATC and maintenance. It is a common belief that until you can get sufficient rest. Remember that caffeine shift workers adapt over time and don’t experience fatigue.

only masks fatigue and is not a substitute for sleep!

Not so. Shifted schedules require working against the Nap strategically; some sleep is better than none. Even body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm). Naturally regu - a 10-minute nap can help, but do not use cat naps to lated by light, the circadian rhythm tells you to be awake replace a good night’s sleep.

when it’s light and to go to sleep when it’s dark. Under these 3. Prevent Fatigue: Establish good sleeping habits and conditions, you are more vulnerable to fatigue because stick to the routine. You can find a sleep log to track your sleep/wake cycle is out of sync. The result: degraded your sleep, and many more fatigue countermeasures, at performance, increased errors, decreased morale, and other mxfatigue.com.

safety risks. Companies can regulate shift work and time off, but there is also an individual responsibility to monitor and control sleep habits.

Jennifer Caron is FAA Safety Briefing ’s copy editor and quality assurance lead.

She is a certified technical writer-editor in aviation safety and flight standards.

So How Can You Combat Fatigue?

“The best way to combat fatigue is to improve your under - standing of what causes it, know the risks associated LEARN MORE with it, and apply effective countermeasures,” says Dr.

Avers. You can take the FAA’s free fatigue training course FAA Grounded video on FAASafety.gov. Created by the FAA’s Human Factors bit.ly/FAAGrounded Research Division and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam), over 500,000 pilots and mechanics have taken the course.

Fatigue in Aviation video Here’s a link to get you started: bit.ly/FAAFatigueTraining.

bit.ly/FAAFatigueTV To learn more about managing fatigue and to try out the fatigue risk assessment tool visit bit.ly/FatigueMgmt. Here’s July/August 2020 15

The Humans

Behind

Human Factors

A Look at the People and Resources

in the FAA’s Human Factors Team

By Tom Hoffmann and James Williams

ince the earliest days of aviation, scientists have from multiple disciplines and areas within the agency, we’ve been able to peel back the curtain on the human condition labored over how to successfully factor the human into the vast world of aeronautical parts and — exploring what makes us tick, what makes us react in unexpected ways, and what helps us to perform at our best.

S procedures. From cockpit ergonomics, to mainte -

nance procedures, to air traffic workloads, all have critical That knowledge allows the FAA to implement standards, policies, and procedures that better account for the human “human in the loop” components that must be considered for optimum performance, efficiency, and safety. As science condition across all aviation domains and advance safety in the NAS, both domestically and globally.

and technology have matured over the years, so too has our ability to measure, analyze, and enhance the human condi - A Home for Human Factors tion in aviation; whether it’s related to pilots, maintenance FAA human factors personnel currently reside in several technicians, controllers, or the whole host of supporting organizations including the FAA’s Office of Aviation Safety roles in this ever-evolving industry.

(AVS), the Air Traffic Organization (ATO), and the Office of NextGen (ANG). These organizations maintain sponsor -

For decades, the FAA has been at

ship, collaboration, and oversight relationships depending

the forefront of aviation human

on the requirements, resources, and expertise needed to factors research, development, complete projects and activities. This article will focus on the AVS-oriented human factors efforts as this area is and practical application.

more directly involved with projects that affect aircraft and airmen certification.

For decades, the FAA has championed efforts in this field A particularly useful approach to leveraging the collec - and has been at the forefront of aviation human factors tive brainpower within AVS has been with the formation research, development, and practical application. While not of an AVS Human Factors Coordination Team (HFCT).

always obvious to the average aviation consumer, this work Triannual HFCT meetings bring together all the pertinent is absolutely critical to preventing human-induced error parties to discuss ongoing projects and requests, and to see and improving the safety of the NAS. For example, you may not readily think about why a particular cockpit control or where assistance and/or resources may be reallocated or where they could overlap. Chief Scientific and Technical indicator is colored, shaped, or placed where it is, or why cer - tain checklist items are sequenced the way they are. But more Advisor for Flight Deck Human Factors, Dr. Kathy Abbott, chairs the AVS HFCT. You can read more on Dr. Abbott in often than not, there are human factors at play in determin - ing how these things are deliberately designed or planned. this issue’s FAA Faces department.

Let’s take a closer look at what the people in each area of In this multi-part review, we aim to shed some light on the FAA men and women who work diligently to advance AVS bring to the table and how they contribute collectively to advancing human factors application within Aviation Safety.

aviation human factors. Thanks to their efforts, stemming 16 FAA Safety Briefing general aviation (GA) market, uses an example of a proto - Aircraft Certification (AIR) type touchscreen navigation system to make this case. “Part of our job is to determine how intuitive the design is and One of the larger groups of human factors whether or not a pilot can properly interact with it during support is in the FAA’s Aircraft Certification turbulence. We then work with other test pilots to quanti - Service (AIR). The primary role of AIR human factors spe - tatively assess the workload of tasks and the usability of the cialists is to develop human factors regulations and guidance system with respect to its intended function,” he continues.

on aircraft systems and to support certification projects.

AIR conducts these human factors assessments both on the Also, they serve as subject matter experts on projects involv - ground and in the air in order to assess the suitability of a ing human factors issues with a new flight deck system, a system, whether it’s a component, or a whole aircraft.

new aircraft, or an alteration to an existing aircraft. Human Sizoo’s current project portfolio includes something factors specialists often focus on flight deck systems, but may along those very lines — the EZ Fly for GA. The concept also address other aspects of an aircraft, such as identifying entails integrating an automation platform that reduces human factors issues with flight controls and aircraft han - pilot workload through a smartphone-like interface, while dling characteristics. A key reference is the Human Factors also providing full and seamless envelope protection. Sizoo Considerations in the Design and Evaluation of Flight Deck partnered with industry and academia to develop and Displays and Controls V 2.0 ( bit.ly/HFCFDD ), a one-stop- fly this system in a Navion airplane, which incidentally shop for human factors-related regulatory and guidance was not certifiable to fly with existing regulations. Sizoo material for aircraft certification.

acknowledges how that is a major part of the project — to Complementing some of this technology and certifica - identify gaps in the regulations so the agency can update tion-driven research is AIR’s current focus on leveraging the standards to enable this safety-improving technology.

data, specifically how certain data sources can shed light on AIR human factors specialists are also working together many of the more positive aspects of pilot behavior. “When with scientists at the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical we look at safety data, we often focus on pilot error or what Institute (CAMI), NASA, industry, and universities on went wrong with the flight,” says Human Factors Scientific a number of research projects, including how to inte - and Technical Advisor Michelle Yeh. “The truth is, there are grate control interface technologies that improve the a lot of incidents that have been avoided due to pilots doing human-machine team concept in other novel ways. One the right thing.” Yeh and her human factors colleagues example is exploring autopilot system technology that look forward to finding ways to better describe what pilots does not require the pilot to take corrective action during do well and leveraging sources that provide data on this a failure, but rather uses run-time assurance algorithms pilot behavior. This will help inform decision making that that “step in” to help the pilot. Another study aims to involves automation integration, another important human research the human factors of reduced crew operations factors focus area for AIR.

(i.e., using a digital co-pilot).

“There are many human factors issues related to certifi - cation projects and automation technology,” says flight test pilot David Sizoo. “These issues are sometimes subjective Flight Standards (FS) and relate to pilot workload in accomplishing a task.” Sizoo, who specializes in helping bring advanced technology to the While human factors specialists in AIR are involved with aircraft certification issues, Flight Standards (FS) focuses more on the operational side of things. Among other things, FS human factors specialists: • Develop and update FAA regulations, policy, and guid - ance about human factors issues for aircraft operations and procedures, aircraft maintenance, pilot training, and other functions; Flight Level Engineering, LLC.

• Support projects that involve human factors assessments of aircraft operations, procedures, and maintenance; • Develop decision-making tools to assist the FAA Flight Standards Service; and • Sponsor and supervise human factors research to support Flight Standards.

An FS employee on the frontline of human factors The EZ Fly concept being tested in a Navion airplane.

research is Engineering Psychologist Mark Reisweber, who July/August 2020 17 University of Oklahoma, and a Des Moines-based emer - gency medical services operator to test a unique flight procedure in a Bell 429 helicopter. The project tested whether air ambulance helicopters could alter their routine and safely fly to specific nodes around the city instead of higher-risk areas when responding to an emergency.

Another example is the End Around Taxiway (EAT) Proj - ect. This study aimed to address a phenomena which would occur at Dallas Fort Worth Airport when using proposed taxiways that extended beyond the pre-existing runway/ taxiway structure. In simulation, pilots experienced some unorthodox reactions when landing or taking off with air - craft on the “new” end-around taxiways, which appeared to be incurring in front of them. “This was very much a human FAA Engineering Psychologist Mark Reisweber stands in front of an perception issue that required a human factors solution,” End-Around Taxiway masking screen at DFW.

says Reisweber. “When you’re seeing an aircraft crossing in front of you, large or small, it’s hard to judge its distance works in the Flight Research and Analysis Group in Okla - because the retinal image on your eyeball says it’s the same homa City. His research is specifically geared towards test - size.” The study determined that pilots did some “pretty ing and analyzing information that enables others to make strange things” about 25-percent of the time while observ - decisions that affect the NAS. “I deal in new or re-designed ing what appeared to be an aircraft obstructing their flight procedures, including those that involve the integration of path. The rather simple solution was to erect a 20-foot tall new equipment and designs,” says Reisweber. “Based on by several hundred foot wide barrier with standard orange our testing, we can then say, under these certain conditions, and white markings that masks the taxiing aircraft. The FAA pilots can’t deal with this situation, or if they can, here are later determined this solution has the potential to apply to the thresholds to do it safely.” similar situations at other airports, even GA airports.

Reisweber is proud of the work he and his human factors

It’s our job to test all the

colleagues have done and how much their testing capabili - ties have evolved. He’s also a firm believer that more is not

elements of human-machine/

always better when it comes to technology and automa -

system interaction, whether

tion. “You have to test the human in the loop, whether it’s

under good, bad, hard, or

a controller sitting in front of a scope, a single pilot flying

stressful scenarios, to ensure

a 172, or the flight crew of a 787. It’s our job to test all the elements of human-machine/system interaction, whether humans are safely up to the task.

under good, bad, hard, or stressful scenarios, to ensure humans are safely up to the task.” An important part of FS’ human factors research capa - bilities are two highly configurable Level-D full motion flight simulators located at the FAA’s Mike Monroney UAS Integration Office (AUS) Aeronautical Center. “A lot of times we get tasked with It’s not uncommon to think of an unmanned testing procedures or configurations that don’t yet exist, aircraft system (UAS) — by virtue of being so our engineers, technicians, and pilots have to create “unmanned” — as not requiring much attention in terms them and/or modify our cockpits in the simulators,” says of human factors issues. However, human factors are very Reisweber. This flexibility makes these devices a tremen - much at play with UAS operations. They just may not be dous asset to the FAA, which can provide 150-200 lines of as obvious as you might expect. For example, a UAS pilot data, including such indices as vertical descent rate, aileron works without the normal visual, auditory, or sensual cues deflection, airspeed, etc. The simulators proved helpful in a that a pilot would experience during flight, and that can recent angle of attack study that measured the efficacy of a be challenging. “You don’t think about these more subtle new AOA display gauge and how pilots might interpret its factors, but they are important feedback channels your indications under varying flight conditions.

body uses during flight,” says human factors specialist Human factors testing and research for FS goes beyond Stephen Plishka. “If you increase power but don’t experi - the simulator. An example of a more “in-the-field” study ence a corresponding vibration and noise, it’s easy to think occurred when Reisweber teamed up with a diverse group something’s not right.” of researchers from Flight Standards, Bell Helicopter, the 18 FAA Safety Briefing the factors that affect human performance in maintenance and inspection. Example areas of attention include train - ing, motivation, fitness for duty, worker/workplace safety, tool and system design for maintainability, and more.

From a broad perspective maintenance human factors pays attention to the people who do the work, the environment in which they work, the actions they perform, and the resources to complete safe work.

“For the last 15 years, we’ve tried hard to capitalize on good solid scientific research to create practical guidance” says Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for Maintenance Human Factors Dr. Bill Johnson, who leads research in this An example of a flight deck style control station with multiple displays that area for the FAA. “Our human factors work has evolved to would be operated with a menu structure.

stress demonstrated actions and attitudes rather than just It’s these limitations that have Plishka’s research focused pure science on the human condition.” What Dr. Johnson dubs Maintenance Human Factors 2.0 emphasizes programs heavily on UAS control station design, in particular, screen size limitations. “What critical information do we want dis - and concepts that lean more towards the application of prior research, e.g., safety culture, safety management systems, played at all times and that cannot be masked or minimized?

How do we factor in the remaining information with recon - and information-sharing. “Going forward, we need to focus more on organizational psychology,” says Dr. Johnson.

figurable windows that make sense to the operator?” When it comes to menu design, Plishka stresses having a “shallow, but wide” approach. “You never want to be more than two button presses away from anything you need,” he states. “Beyond that, it’s difficult to remember where that function resides.” This is also an area of research that can be leveraged for both UAS and more traditional manned aircraft designs.

Mission duration is another integral human factors com - ponent for UAS. Some operations last minutes or hours; others could “drone on” for days, weeks, or even months.

Fatigue becomes a real issue in extended operations and raises questions about duty day limitations, breaks, relief crews, and shift change protocols. There’s also a need to give pilots a sufficient level of stimulation throughout a long flight. A unique aspect of UAS operations that can help is the ability to stagger time zones for control stations.

This helps UAS pilots avoid the dreaded night shift when The “The Buck Stops with Me” course helps aviation maintenance personnel under - the body wants to be sleeping.

stand that 100-percent procedural compliance relies on a healthy safety culture.

Another unique challenge for UAS is the lack of avia - tion expertise among some manufacturers. Plishka makes Some recent projects that support that effort are the devel - it a priority to help educate and inform these companies about the standards and resources that apply to aid in opment of a new safety culture assessment tool and updated tools and methods for reducing failure to follow procedure their design process. “For example, we want to make sure they’re using the color red [for emergencies] appropriately (FFP) events, both discussed further in this issue. Dr. John - son also helped develop an FAA Safety Team course on FFP before they bring a system to certify with the FAA,” says Plishka. One document he likes to share is the Human entitled “The Buck Stops with Me” at bit.ly/FFPTheBuck.

This course helps aviation maintenance personnel better Factors Considerations in the Design and Evaluation of Flight Deck Displays and Controls V 2.0 (noted in the AIR understand and appreciate how an organization’s culture affects safety with respect to FFP. The course has logged an section) since much of it applies to UAS.

estimated 14,000 completions to date, evidence of Dr. John - son’s flair for creating high quality and engaging products for Aviation Maintenance the maintenance community. “It’s less of a training program and more of a way to get maintenance technicians to think The goal of Aviation Maintenance human culturally about taking responsibility for their actions.” factors research is to identify and optimize July/August 2020 19 Dr. Johnson also works closely with the DOT Transpor - • Identify safety hazards related to limitations in human tation Safety Institute to deliver a three-day maintenance performance.

human factors course to all Airworthiness Aviation Safety • Identify ways to eliminate or reduce the consequences of Inspectors (ASI). According to Dr. Johnson, “Our ASIs faulty human actions or decisions.

receive more HF training than any other inspector work - As part of these efforts, AVP investigators and analysts force in the world. They are able to understand and add work closely with other divisions and offices within the FAA, value to any HF initiatives that they oversee.” as well as with groups like the Commercial Aviation Safety You can find more maintenance-related human factors Team and the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee content at HumanFactorsInfo.com as well as dozens of to inform them on what accident data is saying. Depending courses on FAASafety.gov. Dr. Johnson stresses both sites on how severe or pervasive the issue may be, requests for as important resources for brushing up on the fundamen - further support or research can be made, typically via the tals, especially as workers transition back to a more routine AVS HFCT. See this issue’s Checklist department for more work schedule in the coming weeks/months.

information on AVP’s role in human factors investigations.

Office of Accident Investigation Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) and Prevention (AVP) Tucked neatly into the windswept Great “Data are just summaries of thousands Plains is Will Rogers International Airport of stories — tell a few of those stories to help make (OKC) in Oklahoma City. On the grounds of OKC sits the data meaningful.” the previously mentioned Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, a federal campus that houses CAMI among other — Chip and Dan Heath, authors of “Made to Stick” various offices.

Under CAMI is the Aerospace Human Factors Divi - sion of the Office of Aerospace Medicine managed by Dr.

Carla Hackworth. The division is the home of two labs: the Flight Deck Human Factors Research Lab managed by Dr. Katrina Avers, and the NAS Human Factors Safety Research Lab managed by Dr. Jennifer Myers. The division is staffed by 37 employees comprised of research psychol - ogists, research technicians, statisticians, engineers, and computer specialists. Let’s take a closer look.

Flight Deck Human Factors Research Laboratory The Flight Deck Human Factors laboratory conducts a broad-based program of applied human factors research on causal factors associated with aviation accidents and issues involving the design, operation, and maintenance of flight deck equipment in the NAS.

As part of his investigation duties, Air Safety Investigator Patrick Lusch looks for One employee behind this research is Dr. Dennis how human performance may contribute to aviation accidents.

Beringer, a research engineering psychologist with over 45 years of aviation psychology/human factors expe - Although vastly understated, the Heath quote does provide rience and more than 25 years with the Flight Deck a fairly accurate account of the Office of Accident Investi - Human Factors Research Lab. “When I arrived we had gation and Prevention’s role in aviation safety and human no flight sims, but within two years, with the help of factors research. AVP’s overall mission: make air travel other principal investigators in the branch, we had two,” safer through investigation, data collection, risk analysis, explained Beringer. “I got my private pilot certificate and information sharing. They essentially tell the story of in 1969 while I was a psych/math major at UCLA,” he what the data is indicating to better inform how and where added. “So that got me interested in seeing if I could both the agency and industry make improvements. This apply some of the psychology I was learning to aviation includes identifying any potential human factors issues.

related issues.” After a decade and a half in the university More specifically in this regard, AVP investigators: environment teaching graduate and undergraduate stu - • Determine how breakdowns in human performance may dents and conducting applied research in Human Fac - have caused or contributed to an occurrence.

20 FAA Safety Briefing tors, Beringer eventually found his way to CAMI where he was brought on to help write a specification for the new general aviation flight simulator.

When asked which projects give him the greatest pride, Beringer recalls a study conducted in response to several otherwise inexplicable Piper Malibu accidents. “On one of the accidents, they were able to reconstruct some parts of the terminal phase through radar data. The aircraft had entered a steep and rapid descent and had broken up in the air,” said Beringer. “We started looking at possible explana - tions. Through experimentation with pilots, we determined that the probable cause was pilots misunderstanding what the ’big red autopilot disconnect button’ really did ... it disconnects the autopilot, but it only interrupts the electric Dr. Dennis Beringer tests out some eye tracking equipment in a simulator.

elevator trim,” he further explains. “In a runaway-pitch- trim incident with autopilot engaged, you can’t just press lography (EEG) and eye tracking, to measure human perfor - the button and release it; the autopilot will disengage, but mance and conduct research in the ATC world. With these the trim will continue to run.” tools, Crutchfield’s team was able to develop a large (and Beringer later presented his findings at the annual Mal - free) set of standardized ATC simulation scenarios to assess ibu Mirage Owners and Pilots Association meeting. “They new technologies and procedures for either en route or ter - were very grateful to hear about it,” recalls Beringer, “and I minal area applications. Crutchfield’s research also extends to was thrilled that we had uncovered something that would the tower. “We have a Tower Simulation Based Performance help them remain safe.” Measure (TSBPM) that we have validated against over 300 When asked about the future of human factors research, tower controllers,” he continues. The TSBPM could be used Beringer reflects on some of the new, or in some cases, to rate controllers and for training or selection purposes.” “revisited” control schemes that make it easier for the pilot Looking forward, Crutchfield’s research is having some to control the aircraft with less training, and more intui - interesting applications. “Four years ago I started a line of tive displays. The key is the ability to leverage an average research about how controllers visually scan the air traffic person’s talents to see and understand the information environment, in order to teach novice controllers as well as being displayed, and then use it to fly/navigate an aircraft.

experts to scan,” he explains. “The scanning research led to Beringer adds that this can be done with the addition of my recent involvement in identifying visual requirements reliable “helper” systems onboard to take care of some of for remote tower systems.” Crutchfield is excited about the tasks, whether they be autopilots, envelope-protection the prospect for this work to improve both the design of systems, or software-enabled sensors/displays. “This, I remote tower systems and the training of controllers in all think, is where the most interesting parts of future human types of air traffic environments.

factors efforts in the aerospace field will be.” We only scratched the surface here of what CAMI has to offer in the realm of human factors research. Some of the National Airspace System (NAS) Human Factors Safety other facilities include the altitude chamber, the biodynam - Research Laboratory ics impact sled, and the spatial disorientation simulators.

Another important facet of the human factors research at For a more detailed look at the CAMI team and research the FAA is the air traffic control (ATC) workforce. Enter Dr.

lab facilities, go to bit.ly/FAACAMI .

Jerry Crutchfield, an engineering research psychologist in the NAS Human Factors Safety Research Lab, a facility where Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA Safety Briefing . He is a commercial research is focused on improving the person-job fit through pilot and holds an A&P certificate.

hiring, training, and technology. “I have been interested in James Williams is FAA Safety Briefing ’s associate editor and photo editor. He is science my whole life,” says Crutchfield, “but it wasn’t until I also a pilot and ground instructor.

started working as a graduate student at the FAA’s Aerospace Human Factors division that I learned how meaningful and LEARN MORE rewarding the applied side of psychology could be.” Crutchfield’s primary focus is managing the ATC AVS Human Factors Advanced Research Radar Simulator and ATC Advanced www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/human_factors Research Tower Simulator labs. He uses these simulators, sometimes in concert with other tools like electroencepha - July/August 2020 21

Tool

Time

Beta-Testing a Maintenance Safety

Culture Assessment Toolkit

By Kylie Key, Ph.D., Inchul Choi, Ph.D., and Justin Durham

here are benefits to having a positive safety culture — culture assessment and associated proprietary data. The but how do you know whether you have an adequate FAA Maintenance Safety Culture Assessment Toolkit is safety culture, and how to improve? Helping the designed to include everything needed for a DIY culture T aviation industry answer these questions is a goal assessment and improvement effort that will allow orga - of researchers at the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute nizations control of the process by providing the survey (CAMI). instrument, data analysis tools, and educational/guidance materials for safety culture promotion.

What is a Safety Culture?

This toolkit goes beyond simple measurement of Safety culture can be defined as employees’ perceptions of employee commitment to safety, which is the focus of most how much safety is valued in their organization and the culture surveys. It measures environmental factors from the extent to which risk-taking behaviors are viewed as neces - work environment, such as the job resources available and sary to ensure timely completion of tasks. The level of safety the demands that are faced to complete a task. Together, job culture in the workplace is typically measured with a sur - resources and demands form the foundation of culture, in vey of employees’ commitment to safety. But it’s not just an turn influencing an employee’s outcomes (e.g., job satisfac - employee’s commitment to safety — after all, employees don’t tion, risk-taking behavior) and the organization’s bottom work in a vacuum. Safety culture is shaped by the work envi - line (e.g., errors, accidents/injuries, productivity).

ronment. While there are many surveys available, they can be Whether you have a workforce of two or two thousand, expensive and may require trained researchers or consultants job resources and demands are drivers of safety culture and to analyze and interpret the data, making them out of reach should be included in any culture assessment. Although the for smaller organizations. Major airlines may be able to afford toolkit is currently in development, we urge you to honestly these costs, but smaller organizations usually cannot. assess yourself and your organization using sample items in Table 1, considering ways that you may be able to allocate FAA Maintenance Safety Culture Assessment Toolkit additional job resources and reduce demands.

Researchers at CAMI are working to provide a stand-alone As noted, the toolkit is under development and the process for organizations to have full ownership of their instrument is being refined. The current version has about 22 FAA Safety Briefing Table 1 Job Resources Job Demands • Is there a strong commitment to safety at all • Are there mixed messages communicated to levels (from senior executives to new hires)? employees (e.g., leaders say they care most about safety, but their actions speak more • Does management devote sufficient effort to towards productivity or profit)?

managing safety?

• Is there unrealistic time pressure or are deadlines • Is there a clear policy for Just Culture?

unachievable?

• Do employees feel comfortable reporting • Is there an unmanageably high workload?

hazards and safety events?

• Are there inadequate personnel to complete • Are there sufficient equipment, tools, and parts/ work tasks safely?

consumables to perform tasks?

• Do employees have to cover for • Are the technical manuals/job cards accurate underperforming colleagues?

and usable?

• Is there pressure to work long hours or overtime?

• Is training carried out at appropriate intervals?

• Do job requirements put pressure on employees’ personal lives?

180 items, but takes only 20-30 minutes to complete, and

The most critical challenge to a

is administered via an anonymous online survey link.

successful GA toolkit is protecting

The data analysis tool plots the distribution of participant

employee anonymity to ensure an

responses, along with the goal set by the organization, to pinpoint opportunities for improvement.

adequate participation rate and

sincere responses.

Lessons Learned from Beta-Testing Before publicly releasing this toolkit, we are beta-testing to has encouraged us to expand our efforts to other operations ensure it meets the needs of the aviation industry. So far, we types (e.g., cabin crew, ground handling). We have also are in various beta-testing stages with three organizations, been asked to make a scaled-down version of the toolkit for each with 50-plus employees: a large part 145 maintenance smaller operations such as general aviation (GA).

operator, a rotorcraft maintenance organization, and a group of pilots. Some key lessons learned and next steps are: Culture Assessment in GA 1. Each organization faces different operational challenges, The most critical challenge to a successful GA toolkit is necessitating tailored survey content. A future goal is to protecting employee anonymity to ensure an adequate empower users to tailor the survey to their operations participation rate and sincere responses. Our tentative without needing our help.

plan is to: a) create a customizable anonymous survey 2. Some organizations cannot spare 20 minutes for every administered online, so that responses are de-identifiable, employee to complete the full survey, but they still want b) prevent managers from seeing individual responses by a quick pulse of their culture. A future goal is to create a aggregating the data into a centralized database, and c) “short form” of the survey, perhaps by expanding Table 1.

create an automatically generated report with an overall This short form would include only the top safety culture picture of the organization’s safety culture, but not disclose items that apply to every organization, large or small.

detailed information that could identify participants (such as job role or scheduled shift).

3. Without ensured anonymity, no amount of incentives Additionally, if the number of the respondents is very or advertising for the survey will result in an adequate small, we could average the data across multiple similar participation rate. Protecting anonymity is key, no matter organizations with similar size and scope of operations.

how many (or few) respondents there are.

Each organization could then receive the same report about The aviation industry has an appetite for the toolkit and industry on average, revealing general trends and plausible July/August 2020 23 issues that they may have. Factors Research Laboratory at the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI).

This is one potential method for making the toolkit work Inchul Choi, Ph.D., is a Sr. Statistician and Human Factors Engineer for Cherokee for GA, but we need smaller organizations to provide expert Nation 3S at the FAA’s CAMI. He performs data analysis for flight deck and control tower research projects.

feedback to help us improve the survey and the process. We need to better understand the unique operational challenges Justin Durham, M.A., is a Human Factors Researcher for Cherokee Nation 3S at in the GA environment, what we are missing, and how we the FAA’s CAMI. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Oklahoma.

can make a better tool for smaller organizations. To make this toolkit work — we need you. If you are interested in LEARN MORE testing the survey or have suggestions, please contact Dr.

Kylie Key at kylie.n.key@faa.gov . We continually look for “Safety culture: Where do we stand?” March 2019 FAA Aviation Mx ways to improve and look forward to hearing your feedback!

Human Factors Quarterly, page 5 bit.ly/FAAHFMar2019 (PDF) The authors thank the research funding source, the FAA’s Human Factors Division (ANG-C1), and collaborators Dr.

“Safety Culture Promotion in an Example Mx Organization” Bill Johnson, Dr. David J. Schroeder, and Blake L. Nesmith June 2019 FAA Aviation Mx Human Factors Quarterly, page 4 for their contributions to this project. bit.ly/FAAHFJun2019 (PDF) Kylie Key, Ph.D. is an Engineering Research Psychologist for the Flight Deck Human JULY Pattern Precision The importance of precision and consistency in pattern operations.

AUGUST Fact Sheets

Inflight Weather Resources A review of best practices on obtaining and using weather Visit bit.ly/GAFactSheets for more information on these and other topics.

information for your flight.

24 FAA Safety Briefing

or

“ ” “ ”

To B , to B ...

Not

Why Equipping with ADS-B Makes

Sense, Even in Places It’s not Required

By Tom Hoffmann

t precisely 12:01 am (0001Z) on January 02, 2020, educators, and industry stakeholders. That’s not to mention the FAA’s mandate for Automatic Dependent the thousands of pilots who, since the requirements were Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out took effect, first laid out in 2009, have weighed the pros and cons of A requiring most National Airspace System (NAS) different ADS-B options and worked diligently with repair users in designated rule airspace to be equipped with this stations to have these systems properly installed in time.

next generation surveillance technology. No, no airplanes As the FAA initially communicated during the ADS-B dropped out of the sky, nor did radar screens across the launch, equipage was not an across-the-board requirement.

country go black. Instead, thousands of pilots quietly The FAA carefully weighed the cost-benefit of installation went about the business of flying, but with an entirely new and decided that ADS-B Out would be mandated only for system of situational awareness and safety working in their those aircraft that operate in or transit through “rule air - favor. space,” essentially anywhere a transponder is required. For This historic milestone capped off over a decade of hard pilots who operate in or around major cities or metropol - work and coordination among regulators, manufacturers, itan areas, equipping was a given. However, for those who July/August 2020 25 fly in some of the more rural swaths of the country, it was most controlled airspace in the United States. If you fly where a more calculated decision. Would the expense of equipage a transponder is required, you need ADS-B Out. However, and inconvenience of aircraft down time be worthwhile? there’s still a lot of aerial real estate where that doesn’t apply.

That’s a question many faced, and perhaps still face today. For example, in Alaska, where all airspace below 18,000 feet (outside the Class C at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Allow me to share some information that might help inform your decision and explain why ADS-B matters, even Airport) remains outside rule airspace. It’s natural to see how some might be opposed to equipping with ADS-B Out, espe - when it’s not required.

cially when an operator may only sporadically need to access The Art of B’ing ADS-B Out rule airspace.

Let’s start with a quick refresher. ADS-B is a foundational According to FAA Contractor and Leidos Senior Systems NextGen technology that uses GPS to track aircraft in real Engineer Jim Wright, there’s still tremendous value in having time and improve situational awareness. There are both Out just an ADS-B Out solution. “ADS-B Out allows other aircraft and In components that serve distinctly different purposes. who have ADS-B In to see and avoid you, significantly reduc - With the now-required ADS-B Out system, Air Traffic ing the risk of mid-air collisions,” says Wright. With ADS-B Control (ATC) can get an exact latitude-longitude position Out, your aircraft creates a “hockey puck” shaped zone of for an aircraft about every second. It also allows ATC to see about 30 miles in diameter around your aircraft (with a 3,500- and provide services to aircraft near mountains and rough foot buffer above and below) that allows other ADS-B Out/In terrain, over bodies of water, and at lower altitudes where line-of-sight radar struggles.

Having an aircraft equipped

ADS-B In systems give appropriately equipped aircraft

with ADS-B Out increases the

the ability to receive traffic and weather information in

likelihood of a successful search

a variety of display formats (panel mounted, portable tablet). These services, known as Traffic Information and rescue mission.

Services-Broadcast (TIS-B) and Flight Information Ser - vices-Broadcast (FIS-B), offer pilots critical surveillance equipped aircraft in that vicinity to pick up your location.

information on surrounding traffic as well as a host of Also, due to the significantly better coverage with weather and aeronautical information products. ADS-B, having an aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out Under the mandate, ADS-B Out is required to operate in increases the likelihood of a successful search and rescue mission. In places like Alaska where radar coverage is minimal, this feature is significantly more relevant. Just ask Wright, who would have benefitted greatly with having the position accu - racy and speedier recovery action of ADS-B after a tragic accident in Alaska in 1994. Caught in a blinding snow - storm, Wright’s Cessna 206 crashed on a beach and hurtled into a grove of spruce trees. Rescuers lost precious time searching for the crash site along a 25 mile route based on Wright’s last known position. With ADS-B Out data, the crash site could have been narrowed to a 1,000-foot perimeter.

“Even if the aircraft operates outside a coverage area,” he continues, “the route can be tracked to the point where cov - erage is lost.” Wright wound up losing part of his leg after that accident, but he lives to tell the tale of how ADS-B is a true life-saver.

It’s the “In” Thing A snapshot of ADS-B coverage in Alaska at 10,000 feet along with the locations of the states’ 42 ground stations.

26 FAA Safety Briefing from the NTSB’s 2019 roundtable discussion on part 135

The benefits of ADS-B Out are

operations in Alaska. See the NTSB Chairman’s blog post

a strong incentive to equip, but

on the subject here: bit.ly/NTSB135 .

those benefits go to the “next

But Maybe I Don’t Want to “B” Seen level” with ADS-B In.

Privacy is a concern with some operators who may have issues with their real-time position and information being The benefits of ADS-B Out alone are a strong incentive made public. The FAA has implemented the Privacy ICAO to equip, but where those benefits go to the “next level” is Address (PIA) program to address these concerns. PIA with adding ADS-B In. Equipping with both gives pilots enables interested and eligible aircraft owners to request the full package of situational awareness with traffic and an alternate, temporary ICAO address, which will not be weather information at a relatively modest price point.

assigned to the owner in the Civil Aviation Registry. The Since it’s not required, pilots also have more flexibility in program will be implemented in two phases, with the FAA adopting an ADS-B In solution, including the popular maintaining initial control. A second phase will transition and cost-effective BYOD (bring your own device) option.

PIA control to a third party service provider. For more There are now 19 FIS-B products available with more on on PIA and how to submit a request, see faa.gov/nextgen/ the way. Some of the more recent products include cloud equipadsb/privacy . Aircraft owners concerned with privacy top reports, icing forecasts, and turbulence information.

should also look into the anonymous mode available on a The FAA is also working on a plan to beef up the FIS-B majority of UAT/978MHz ADS-B systems.

reception range in Alaska to help pilots pick up informa - “B” Part of the Solution tion on developing weather further out. “Boosting signal power will allow you to maximize your situational aware - The reasons and rationales for equipping with ADS-B ness and plan for conditions that you see forming before are numerous. But none can be more compelling than its you find yourself in trouble,” says FAA’s Alaska ADS-B potential to save lives. A recent FAA safety analysis con - Expansion Lead Jamal Wilson. The project is still in the cluded that Alaska air taxis with ADS-B In experienced an beginning stages, but Wilson is optimistic with it moving overall accident rate that was 55-percent less than those forward very soon.

unequipped. The same study also looked at the effect of An important side note here: FIS-B and TIS-B informa - ADS-B In on certain types of accidents in the lower 48 tion is strictly advisory in nature and should never be used and noted a similar 50-percent average rate reduction for in place of see-and-avoid practices. equipped aircraft, with a cut in the fatal accident rate of about 90-percent. These numbers, along with countless pilot testimonials on how it saves lives, speak volumes in See and “B” Seen support of a decision to equip with ADS-B, whether it’s Having both ADS-B Out and In has another distinct required or not.

advantage, especially in areas like Alaska where ADS-B “The main challenge is getting people to equip,” says Jens ground station coverage is limited or lacking. Aircraft Hennig, VP of Operations at the General Aviation Manu - that have ADS-B Out (either a 1090 ES or 978 MHz unit) facturers Association. “Yes, you may only enter rule airspace and a dual band ADS-B In receiver, can “talk” to each once or twice in a state like Alaska, but having everybody on other and swap position information without the need of the same frequency will improve safety and operations. This a ground station. When within range of a ground station, is the future, not just a milestone. This is the surveillance ADS-B In/Out equipped aircraft have a more complete technology we’re going to use for the 21st century.” traffic picture and can even detect other non-ADS-B tar - gets that have a transponder.

Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA Safety Briefing . He is a commercial Alaska currently has 42 ground stations covering some pilot and holds an A&P certificate.

of the more highly trafficked areas, but there are gaps the FAA is working to address. According to Wilson, the FAA LEARN MORE is taking a phased approach at improving ADS-B coverage in Alaska, aiming to add ground station infrastructure at “Better with ADS-B — The Proof is In” — July/Aug 2019 issue 12 locations in the near future. “These additional ground https://adobe.ly/2JqKxal stations could go a long way toward filling out the cover - age in the center of the state, and between Anchorage and Yakutat which includes Cordova,” adds Wright. The expan - sion efforts respond to requests from aviation stakeholder groups and reinforce action on some of the key takeaways July/August 2020 27

The 2020

National GA Award Honorees

or more than 50 years, the General Aviation Awards program and the FAA have recognized aviation professionals each year for their contributions to GA in the fields of flight instruction, aviation maintenance/avionics, and safety.

F The FAA and the General Aviation Awards Committee usually presents indi -

vidual plaques to the recipients at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and provides an all-expenses-paid trip to this event. Since the COVID-19 public health emergency forced cancelation of AirVenture 2020, the awards will be presented at another time. Names of the hon - orees will be added to the permanent plaque in the lobby of the EAA AirVenture Museum.

To learn more about the honorees’ contributions to the aviation industry and hear some of their top safety tips, check out this recorded presentation held last May: GAA-live.com/2020.html .

Nominations and applications for the 2021 General Aviation Awards will be accepted starting July 1, 2020. If you know of a flight instructor, AMT, or FAASTeam Rep whom you think is deserving of an award at the local, regional, or national level, we encourage you to nominate him or her. If you are an aviation professional with a distinguished career in one of these categories, we encourage you to apply. For more information about nominating or applying, please go to GeneralAviationAwards.com/Nominations.

2020 National Flight Instructor of the Year Dr. Catherine Cavagnaro of Sewanee, Tennessee, is a She draws rave reviews for the videos she makes to help pilots understand the complex aerodynamics of spins and mathematician by training, earning her bachelor’s degree unusual attitudes. One example shows that recovery is the same for a 60-turn spin in her Cessna Aerobat as it is for a in mathematics from Santa Clara University in 1987, and three-turn spin.

Catherine has also served as a test pilot, spin demon - her doctorate in mathematics from the University of Illinois stration pilot, researcher, and visiting professor of aviation in 1995. She is a Professor systems at the University of Tennessee Space Institute.

of Mathematics at Sewanee: While there, she served on the icing team that modeled the The University of the South, longitudinal stability characteristics of NASA’s Twin Otter where she developed and in various icing configurations, and she configured the implemented courses in variable-stability Navion to duplicate these characteristics.

aerodynamics, differential equations, and mathematical Catherine was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of modeling. Aviation provides a treasure trove of real-world Fame in 2018.

examples for her mathematics courses. When she isn’t teaching aviation or mathematics, Cath - Catherine owns and operates Ace Aerobatic School, erine loves exploring with her sons, Jack and Pete, in their where she is widely known as an expert on spin recovery acrobatic Beechcraft Bonanza .

and avoidance, as well as recoveries from unusual attitudes. ( catherine@aceaerobaticschool.com ) 28 FAA Safety Briefing 2020 Aviation Technician of the Year Dennis holds a supplemental type certificate (STC) and Dennis Wolter of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been fascinated with airplanes since an early age. numerous FAA field approvals involving seat improvements, cabin ventilation, instrument lighting, cabin upholstery, wind - When he was 11, an uncle gave him his old Army Air shield and window modifications, and passenger restraints.

Dennis also served on the board of the Great Oaks career Corps training manuals to explore. At age 15, he started and technical education school system’s aviation program development committee in Wilmington, Ohio. Over four an airplane washing business to support his private pilot decades, he has presented seminars about interior renova - tion, corrosion, aging aircraft issues, and compliance with certificate training. When he wasn’t washing airplanes, FAA regulations at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and at Sun Dennis assisted an airport ‘n Fun. He has given similar presentations to the Aircraft mechanic doing repairs on both metal and fabric airplanes. Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and American He spent the 1960s working on airplanes, serving as a line- Bonanza Society (ABS) conventions and at Cessna Pilots boy, on-call copilot on freight runs, unpaid ferry pilot, avion - Association (CPA) fly-ins.

ics installer, interior apprentice, and sheet metal technician. In 2019, at the request of the ABS Air Safety Foundation, Dennis graduated from the University of Cincinnati in Dennis gave a three-hour presentation about aging aircraft 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial design. After issues. It is now on the ABS website as a tool to educate graduation, he taught engineering and aviation mainte - Beechcraft owners about how to keep their airplanes in nance at Cincinnati State Technical College. He earned his airworthy condition.

mechanic airframe rating in 1972, his powerplant rating in Dennis has written nearly 100 articles for the ABS and 1984, and inspection authorization in 1999. CPA magazines and served as a technical representative In 1973, Dennis founded Air Mod with the goal of for both associations, fielding hundreds of phone calls and designing, fabricating, and installing general aviation piston emails from aircraft owners. He currently writes monthly aircraft interiors. His company became known throughout articles for Cessna Flyer and Piper Flyer magazines.

the country as a premier aircraft renovation facility, bring - Dennis has also served as a consultant to both Cessna ing old-school craftsmanship and innovative design to every and Beechcraft regarding technical and design matters.

project. State of the art interiors, custom instrument panels, He has worked with AmSafe on airbag passenger restraint improved soundproofing, ventilation and lighting upgrades, installations and with Skandia on the development of ergonomic comfort, safety enhancements, and other modi - superior soundproofing materials for piston GA airplanes.

fications are all executed to the highest standards. ( drwolter@airmod.com ) 2020 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year Gary Brossett of Midland, Georgia, joined the FAA visor, and technical school administrator and instructor.

Safety Team (FAASTeam) in He then joined Pratt & Whitney (P&W) where he cur - 2005 as a Georgia Accident rently serves as a senior quality engineer and maintenance Prevention Counselor and instructor at P&W’s Engine Center in Columbus, Georgia.

subsequently as a FAASTeam Gary holds master’s degrees in aviation/aerospace education Representative and Lead Rep - from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and in quality resentative. Gary has distin - management from Eastern Michigan University.

guished himself in devoting Gary is a life member of the Experimental Aircraft Asso - his time, attention, talent, ciation, the Air Force Association, and the Aircraft Engine and expertise in managing Historical Society. He is also a member of the Vintage Air - and mitigating GA accidents, craft Association, AOPA, the American Society for Quality, incidents, pilot deviations, and runway incursions using the and the Balloon Federation of America (BFA).

FAASTeam core strategy of training, outreach, and educa - Gary is passionate about ballooning. In addition to being tion. In the past five years he has hosted more than 84 local an FAA-certificated private balloon pilot, he has earned BFA aviation training events. certification as a basic aeronaut and master crew chief, and Gary served in the U.S. Air Force from 1980 to 2005 as a in 2019 was honored by BFA as National Crew Member of mechanic, engine shop supervisor, lead engine mechanic, the Year. ( brossettg@gmail.com ) engine maintenance supervisor, aircraft maintenance super - July/August 2020 29

CHECKLIST SUSAN K. PARSON

BUT WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY DO ?

As one of my former bosses often • Environmental: external conditions, observed, for many years the global internal conditions, illumination, approach to aviation accident inves - noise, vibration.

tigation was find, fix, and fly. This approach was primarily directed to At the Scene issues with the machine and/or the By law, the National Transportation weather, two pieces of what turns out Safety Board (NTSB) is responsi - to be a three-part puzzle. It’s pretty ble for determining probable cause easy to find and fix problems with for any accident or incident in the the machine. Technology (e.g., radar, United States. Also by law, the FAA stormscope) and rules (e.g., stay away participates in the investigation. The from thunderstorms!) could fix — sort FAA team includes HF experts like rence; (2) identifying safety hazards of — accidents involving weather. The Sabrina. “My primary job is to help related to limitations in human per - third piece, the human being, was not the lead FAA investigator determine formance; and (3) identifying ways to exactly ignored. But because it’s a lot and analyze the human factors issues eliminate or reduce the consequences harder even to see, much less under - in the accident or incident,” she of faulty human actions or decisions.

stand, the reasons for certain human notes. “I might launch with the ‘go HF work encompasses the actions and behaviors, the vague “pilot team,’ or help with transcriptions and “domains” of human, machine, and error” term was a catch-all.

witness interviews.” environment — the standard ingre - The more we learn, though, the The bulk of the work occurs after dients in the recipe for any accident more we know how much we still the on-site investigation concludes.

or incident. Any human performance need to learn about pilot error. It may “HF experts develop a human perfor - investigation must consider six differ - be easy to see what the pilot actually mance assessment so as to improve ent fields, keeping in mind that, like a did, but the why and the how are key the safety risk management and kaleidoscope, these factors interact and to prevention. That’s where the human mitigation process,” says Sabrina.

combine in myriad ways. The elements factors (HF) discipline comes in.

Other duties include providing sub - that create any given situation include: ject matter expertise on HF-related Investigating HF • Behavioral: 72-hour history, oper - safety recommendations, and leading To learn more about what these ator’s behavior, life habit patterns, human performance/human factors specialists do, we queried Dr. Sabrina and life events. data analysis.

Woods, a frequent FAA Safety Brief - “Strong communication skills are • Medical: general health, sensory ing contributor who now works as a must,” she adds, to be an effective acuity, drug/alcohol ingestion, and a Human Factors Analyst in the interface with fellow HF specialists fatigue.

Accident Investigation Division of the not just in the FAA, but also in the • Operational: training, experience, FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation NTSB, with major industry stake - habit patterns, operational proce - and Prevention (AVP).

holders, and global counterparts in dures, company policies, culture.

“The International Civil Aviation the HF discipline.

Organization’s Manual of Aircraft • Task: information, perception, task We all benefit from the work that Accident and Incident Investigation components, workload, saturation, dedicated Human Factors Investiga - details how human factors issues stimulus, time.

tors do to improve aviation safety.

should be investigated post-accident,” • Equipment Design: workspace, she noted. The manual lists the objec - Susan K. Parson ( susan.parson@faa.gov ) is editor man-machine interface, instrument tives of human factors investigation of FAA Safety Briefing and a Special Assistant in display/design, controls layout and as: (1) determining how breakdowns the FAA’s Flight Standards Service. She is a general design, seat design/configuration, aviation pilot and flight instructor.

in human performance may have alerting systems.

caused or contributed to an occur - 30 FAA Safety Briefing

DRONE DEBRIEF DIANA ROBINSON

DRONES DOING DIRTY WORK TO KEEP HUMANS SAFE

Have you ever watched the “Dirty Jobs” television show? It takes a behind-the-scenes look at how dif - ficult and strange some occupations can be. Jobs vital for public safety and health can be physically demanding, dirty, and even dangerous. General industry, utility companies, and state and local governments are discovering that drones can do much of this work A visual image and infrared image taken from a drone conducting an inspection.

more safely and efficiently.

The Occupational Safety and Health could navigate along the pipes to find Conventional procedures for work Administration (OSHA) was estab - the problem. Drones recently cap - can become mundane, boring and yes, lished to ensure safe and healthful tured aerial views of a forest fire in the dull. Boredom increases the poten - working conditions. The agency has exclusion zone around the shuttered tial for complacency — a common been keeping records of on-the-job Chernobyl nuclear power plant (site of contributor to injuries — during accidents and fatalities for decades.

a 1986 reactor explosion that released cell tower, utility pole, and wind OSHA is now using drones to inspect massive amounts of radiation into the turbine inspections. When workers facilities following accidents at area). The goal was to get the current get extremely comfortable with a worksites considered too dangerous for fire under control before it reached the procedure, they may unintentionally OSHA inspectors to enter. Examples site of the reactor. Thermal cameras minimize the amount of risk involved.

include an oil drilling rig fire, a building on the drones helped authorities see Because drones don’t get bored, they collapse, a combustible dust blast, an hot spots through the smoke, while can enable safer and more efficient accident on a television tower, and a limiting radiation exposure and other performance of this type of work.

chemical plant explosion. Such envi - risks to personnel. Drones also have The current pandemic offers yet ronments greatly increase accident risk.

been used to survey areas that have another example of how drone use become unsafe for workers following a keeps humans safe. For example, Keeping Humans in Their (Safe) hurricane or an earthquake. the Chula Vista Police Department Place Inspection is another area where has been able to use a loudspeaker An estimated 80- to 90-percent drones shine. Traditional inspection on a drone to effectively and safely of accidents in the workplace are methods for utility pole, roof, and communicate information about the attributed to human factors. In 2018, buildings are time-consuming and pandemic to homeless encampments there were 4,500 preventable work often require bringing in qualified while maintaining a safe distance.

injury deaths. The number of injuries inspectors. This work can be expen - Drones have also been used to provide included workers in construction, sive and risky when it requires carry - prescriptions to a retirement commu - agriculture and forestry, utilities, ing heavy equipment while climbing nity of more than 135,000 residents, transportation, and government.

to access certain areas. Roofs can have allowing them to shelter in place.

Accordingly, the goal of human factors unusual, complex designs or they may Given all the great ways drones is to reduce human error, enhance be many stories high. Hazards can can keep us clean, healthy, and safe, safety, and increase productivity.

vary from heat exposure, insect bites, maybe Mike Rowe should consider Consistent with that aim, drones using one for his next “Dirty Job.” collapsing roofs, and falls. Using a have practical applications in many thermal camera-equipped drone for situations that might expose a worker roof inspections can eliminate many Diana Robinson is a project specialist in the to environmental hazards. If a poison - Programs and Data Management Branch of the UAS risks and also obviate the need to Integration Office. She has an MBA and a B.S. in ous gas is leaking from an unknown comply with regulations required for Alternative and Renewable Energy Management.

source inside a large factory, a drone human health and safety.

July/August 2020 31

NUTS, BOLTS, AND ELECTRONS BILL JOHNSON, PH.D., AND KYLIE KEY, PH.D.

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES

Most aviation maintenance workers Figure 1. Safety Champion Attributes and their managers know the impor - tance of procedures. They know that procedures are often based on regu - lations and they know how to follow them. Even so, a very high percentage of safety lapses are triggered by a fail - ure to follow procedures (FFP).

That’s why the FAA launched a three-year research and development project to investigate FFP events and develop a web-based training program to prevent them. The online training program is based on lessons learned from approximately 150, 90-minute norms of deviating from procedures. procedure writers. Companies can interviews with Aviation Maintenance print and promote the Before-and-Af - In short, FFPs are largely driven by Technicians (AMTs), supervisors, and an industry culture of completing ter Procedure Following Task Cards to procedure writers. Researchers asked be worn on employee badge lanyards.

perceived safe and quality work, as interviewees to describe a FFP event quickly as possible, to the neglect of You can find all printing specifications and its contributing factors, and/or at www.humanfactorsinfo.com under strict procedural compliance. Conse - rate the effectiveness of good practices quently, the best way to address FFPs the “Training & Tools” tab.

for reducing FFPs.

is to address the general industry We launched the course in Octo - culture regarding the design and use ber 2018, and it has already attracted of procedures. nearly 14,000 users. Some companies have adopted it as their recurrent A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF So Now What?

training program, and we expect more NEGATIVE SAFETY EVENTS ARE The practical products from this to follow suit. If you haven’t already research project were designed to checked it out, we strongly encourage TRIGGERED BY A FAILURE TO change daily attitudes and behaviors you and your colleagues to take the FOLLOW PROCEDURES (FFP).

about explicit use of procedures. To course at bit.ly/FFPTheBuck .

accelerate this culture change, the Small investments can lead to big researchers launched a free, 30-45 changes in the long run. Monetary An important finding from the minute training course called “FFP: commitment is not enough. Training interviews was that FFPs don’t usually The Buck Stops with Me.” This course and task cards are only the beginning.

arise from a lack of knowledge or emphasizes the message that since Now, industry must re-energize its from poor quality in procedural doc - FFP is everyone’s problem, each of us commitment to following procedures.

uments. Mechanics know the regula - should take responsibility for ensur - Everyone from senior management, tions and the importance of using the ing procedural compliance. No more organized labor units, individual work - written technical procedures. Pro - passing the buck! The training intro - ers, and government must commit to cedure writers also know how to do duces 11 Attributes of Safety Cham - addressing the FFP challenge. Inad - their job. So knowledge is not enough pions (see Figure 1), and concludes equate procedures, regardless of the to stop FFPs.

with an invitation for trainees to sign reason, must be reported and revised FFP events we studied frequently a Safety Champion pledge.

in a timely manner. If FFP is everyone’s arose from task familiarity, interrup - The course also comes with Before- problem, then it is everyone’s opportu - tions and distractions, time pressure and-After Procedure Following Task nity to improve. Please do your part!

and competing priorities, and group Cards for AMTs, supervisors, and 32 FAA Safety Briefing

ANGLE OF ATTACK TOM HOFFMANN

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Life is full of day-to-day decisions. unexpected instruction from ATC Which shirt do I wear today? Should to hold short of the parallel runway I take the freeway or the back roads? 18L for landing traffic. Luckily, your Or, maybe like most folks these days, eyes catch the traffic on final, but only there’s the taxing decision on whether seconds before your plane reaches to “eat out” in the living room or the the hold-short lines. You narrowly dining room. These are just some of escape what could have been a deadly the daily choices we make, usually runway incursion.

Enhanced taxiway centerlines are designed to reduce without much thought or consequence.

pilot deviations.

Stop and Read the Signs External factors, such as time, money, and emotional state can all Before this pilot even left home, we with at best 25 hours of sleep for the can see a trail of bad decisions. Stress, play important roles in how we make week. You decide to make up for it our decisions. Personal experience fatigue, illness, and get-there-itis all and hit the hay early. However, sleep played a part. All too often pilots and habits also factor into the process doesn’t come easy as you begin to feel and, based on how well you apply les - overlook perilous signs. Individu - congested and your throat seems a tad ally, they may not seem bad, but in sons learned, that can either be a good scratchy. You pop an aspirin to help.

or bad thing. While the consequences concert, they can be deadly. Nearly Waking up late the next morning, 80-percent of all aviation accidents of some common decisions may only your plans for a good breakfast and a result in being late for an appoint - are human factors related, with many detailed weather briefing are dis - stemming from bad decisions.

ment, decision-making skills in the rupted. Instead, you grab some coffee, flying world can render more serious Complacency and carelessness have a banana, a package of tissues for a way of creeping up on pilots, so it consequences and unexpected results.

your worsening cold symptoms, and Consider the following scenario. takes a concentrated effort to steer perform a quick overhead scan only yourself in the right direction. Throw to see miles of brilliant blue. You head in some distractions and unexpected off and hope not to keep your friends events and you have all the ingredients waiting too long.

AS CAN BE EXPECTED — for disaster. That’s why recognizing the Arriving at the airport, you dis - AND BY ALL MEANS IT consequences of your decisions before cover the stormy front is expected to you take action is so important.

move through sooner than planned.

SHOULD — NOT ALL THINGS The pilot in the example had sev - Instead of calling it a day, you press GO ACCORDING TO PLAN.

eral clues that it was not the best day on, hoping to still squeeze in a couple to fly. Using available resources is one hours of fishing.

way to break that chain and help mit - Throwing your flight bag and Gone Fishin’ igate the risk to you and your passen - tackle box in the back of the plane, gers. These resources range from your It’s Friday night and after a grueling you complete your pre-flight, scratch week at work you look forward to fly - own knowledge and personal pilot - down the ATIS, and request taxi clear - ing skills, to ATC and flight service ing out for a weekend fishing trip with ance. Within seconds the controller friends. The forecast calls for “severe station personnel. By tapping these responds, “Cirrus 123, taxi to runway resources, in addition to heeding clear” and light winds in the morning, 18R.” You begin your taxi as you blaze with the possibility of storms later that the warning signs that impede good through remaining checklist items, set judgment, you’ll be well on your way afternoon. Sounds like a good plan frequencies, and ponder how a fresh for an early flight. However, as can be to making more good decisions.

fish dinner will taste.

expected — and by all means it should During this flurry of last-min - — not all things go according to plan. Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA ute activity, as well as a brief fit of Safety Briefing . He is a commercial pilot and holds That grueling work week triggered sneezing, you neglect to hear an an A&P certificate.

several consecutive restless nights July/August 2020 33

VERTICALLY SPEAKING GENE TRAINOR

AVOIDING INFORMATION OVERLOAD

For years, the FAA’s Civil Aerospace ers look for technology, methods, Medical Institute (CAMI) in Okla - and processes that can reduce or homa City has been studying pilot eliminate that condition.

performance and aeronautics with the For example, Automatic Dependent goal of making flying safer. As CAMI Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), heli - researchers have discovered, some - copter terrain awareness and warning times adding simple visual cues can systems (HTAWS), and autopilot make a huge difference in safety. technologies have made flying easier In a series of CAMI-led flight sim - and safer. The drawback is that these ulator studies, helicopter air ambu - systems require concentration when lance pilots were asked to fly and land quick decisions are needed.

“There’s a sweet spot where you a helicopter to transport an injured An image of the powerline “curtain” warning dis - played in a helicopter simulator.

patient in a remote area. Along their provide enough functions and enough capabilities to achieve some route, the pilots had to navigate past a mix of television broadcast towers of these tasks a little more easily than Beringer, a CAMI engineering research if you didn’t have the stuff at all,” Dr.

and power lines. psychologist who led the experiments.

As the pilots flew from a simu - Beringer said. “But then you don’t When the researchers displayed want to go past that point and make lated Amarillo (Texas) airport, they a red “curtain” from the top of the were guided by a see-through head- things so complicated that the system power lines to the ground as the pilots becomes difficult for the pilot to use, mounted display showing a comput - approached their landing area, none of er-generated image of obstructions because there are too many variants the pilots flew under the wire. “They for the pilot to remember.” (towers, known wires) that they were avoided it and successfully landed at supposed to avoid to get to their land - While technology can help, training the site,” Dr. Beringer said. The addi - pilots to recognize their susceptibility ing spot. The study sought to evaluate tional warning “curtain” allowed pilots how realistic a representation has to to information overload or task satu - to more easily interpret the hazard ration is also important, experts say.

be for pilots to understand what they despite having a decluttered display.

were seeing and take the appropriate If a pilot is handling an emergency This study falls under the umbrella and reaches information overload, the actions. In this study, researchers of human factors, which covers a studied complex “realistic” towers first priority is keeping the helicopter wide range of areas that include pilot operating safely in the air or find - versus simplified ones. workload and task performance.

The pilots preferred the simple ing a safe place to land. “Rehearsing Determining how to assist pilots to repeatedly what to do in dangerous towers because they created less process and interpret information can clutter in the see-through display and situations, such as engine failure, be crucial when they face an unsafe is crucial,” says Dr. Bruce Wright, could not be confused with guid - situation. That includes wire strikes, a ance lines (highways in the sky). The Medical Education Division, team major cause of helicopter accidents.

lead, airman education. “Everything pilots were less likely to recognize the If the brain can interpret the simple towers and wires for what they else can be put off. You don’t have to meaning of a spatially relevant red answer the radio. You don’t need to were than the more complex ones. curtain as a hazard indicator even in The simple display had a green wire mess with the electronics. You’ve got a a simplified display, that can be useful as the pilots approached their desig - information to a manufacturer devel - crisis on your hands.” nated landing spot.

oping hazard warning systems.

“With some of the pilots having During flight, helicopter pilots Gene Trainor is an FAA communications specialist.

He was previously a technical writer for the FAA power-line inspection experience, have to process all sorts of informa - Rotorcraft Standards Branch in Fort Worth, Texas.

more than half the pilots flew under tion and stimuli simultaneously. The the simple wire, creating a potentially danger is when pilots hit a point of dangerous situation,” said Dr. Dennis information overload. FAA research - 34 FAA Safety Briefing

FLIGHT FORUM JENNIFER CARON best interest to allow for maximiz - I liked the exercise that you had to ing communication. perform. What other exercises can — Brett I share with my fellow aviation stu - dents to make us better pilots?

Here’s an excerpt from author Susan K.

— Luis Parson’s feature, “No-Go on the Radio, What Not to Say” in the May/Jun 2020 Thanks very much for taking the issue: Don’t copy the audio mistakes of time to write and letting us know you other pilots, such as “any traffic in the found the article useful. We don’t have Here’s an example of GA area (to) please advise.” [This is] the the actual story used in the exercise, audio equivalent of tossing litter out the but you could probably replicate by Safety Facebook Group members supporting and window of your car. It is the incoming writing a one-page “master” story, pilot’s responsibility to listen, build a ideally about something relevant to the helping each other.

mental picture of other traffic, and training group. Next, develop the list Facebook.com/groups/GASafety transmit intentions. of questions you want the participants If you’re not a member, we encour - to answer on the basis of the complete age you to join in on the discus - For more on how to improve your “master” story. Finally, depending on sions and post relevant GA content “plane” English, check out the entire how many participants might be in that makes the National Airspace May/Jun 2020 issue at each table group, remove a different System safer.

www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing .

piece of information needed to respond to the questions from each of the 4-6 copies. It works best if the items deleted The Way to Go? Aspect Ratio What Not to Say on the Radio are somewhere in the middle of the I just read “The Wing’s the Thing” Can anybody tell me where in the document. It’s probably best to make in the Jan/Feb 2020 issue, and I books it says — when [you] enter the the first and last paragraphs of each thoroughly enjoyed it. You are very pattern at non-towered airports, [you copy identical – it allows participants knowledgeable and your article should] say, “any traffic in the pattern, to assume they all have exactly the addresses my concerns with air - please advise?” It doesn’t! So why do same information.

craft owners about the purchasing we hear this nuisance call so much?

Good luck in your studies!

decisions that they make when — Jerry considering a new aircraft. Aspect Readers: If you have any CRM ratio is everything. One gets tired exercises that you’d like to share, please Making this call is kind of like of taking cross countries on flights send them to our FAA Safety Briefing walking into a room full of 50 peo - better suited to higher aspect ratio mailbox at SafetyBriefing@faa.gov .

ple and shouting “I’m Brett, what’s winged craft. Altitude and speed your name?” Check out Advisory equals comfort. Thank you for your Circular 90-66B, Non-Towered enlightening treatise on wings.

Airport Flight Operations at go.usa.

Let us hear from you! Send your com - — Gary gov/xv6eP . There’s good reason not ments, suggestions, and questions to to broadcast a blind request for SafetyBriefing@faa.gov . You can also Thank you for the lovely note and feed - everyone on frequency to talk all at reach us on Twitter @FAASafetyBrief or back. You make a great point about the once. It does nothing for situational on Facebook at facebook.com/FAA .

importance of aspect ratio, and you are We may edit letters for style and/or length.

awareness or safety but rather the absolutely correct — altitude and speed Due to our publishing schedule, responses opposite since most likely everyone equals comfort!

may not appear for several issues. While within radio range will only hear we do not print anonymous letters, we will the screech of simultaneous trans - withhold names or send personal replies missions and reach for the volume Calling All Aviators upon request. If you have a concern with knob to turn down the squeal. Most I read your article “CRM: The an immediate FAA operational issue, CTAF frequencies are shared by Magic of Using All Available contact your local Flight Standards Office multiple airports, and on a busy or air traffic facility.

Resources” in the Nov/Dec 2019 day, even those you can’t hear may issue. I thought it was a very good be able to hear you. Minimizing explanation of how GA pilots can pointless radio calls is in everyone’s use Crew Resource Management.

July/August 2020 35

POSTFLIGHT SUSAN K. PARSON

ON STAYING GROUNDED

Early this morning, a friend sent yet “normal” to return, but we adjusted another link to one of the sad and the plan to include topics like stress.

shocking videos making the rounds In “Passing the Stress Test,” I wrote right now. With haunting music in the about the Janus-like duality of stress, background, the camera sweeps across with its capacity to both motivate and debilitate. In thinking more on this row after row after row of airliners parked nose to tail in every available topic — hard to do otherwise when stress surrounds us like a thick layer space. It seems to go on forever. It’s not just one airport. The video tours of persistent stratus — I pondered the idea of the choices we can make. No most major world airports, airports normally full of planes that are mov - pilot willingly chooses to be grounded in the aeronautical sense, but all of us ing rather than moored. It is we who are unmoored in this time of unprece - can choose to stay grounded in terms of outlook. As phrased on a motiva - dented disruption.

While COVID-19 has devastated tional plaque I once had, we rarely get depends not so much on the imme - to choose what happens to us. But we the air carrier industry and kept more diate reaction, but on what hap - than a few GA pilots and planes on can always choose how we deal with it.

pens next or, put another way, how the ground, personal aviation is in you respond after you have made it other ways more accessible than ever.

through the initial reaction .

For example, another YouTube video NO PILOT WILLINGLY documents the heretofore impossible Fixate or Fix CHOOSES TO BE GROUNDED trifecta: a GA pilot gets ATC authori - There are many ways to respond to zation to do “low and go” approaches IN THE AERONAUTICAL a stressful situation or event, but the at — get this — EWR, LGA, and JFK.

two I want to note are “fixate” vs “fix.” SENSE, BUT ALL OF US CAN When the pilot/videographer initially When things go awry, whether on the makes this request, the controller CHOOSE TO STAY GROUNDED global scale of the pandemic or the laughs, but not the way he would have personal scale of confinement, it’s easy IN TERMS OF OUTLOOK.

guffawed just a few weeks ago. “Well, to fixate on what’s wrong. Just as in why not?” is the bemused controller’s instrument flying, though, fixation is accommodating answer. I’m not sure not a helpful approach. It may not be Fight/Flight, or Freeze which is more amazing: watching the possible to fix the source of the stress.

The “fight or flight” dichotomy is one pilot of a light GA airplane skim over But, as proper instrument flying of the most basic choices wired into the runways at these airports or seeing procedure teaches, we can choose to the human brain. When stress sends a how eerily quiet and empty they are.

stop fixating. Only by looking around batch of hormones careening around is it possible to get a solid fix on an Disruption and Distraction the brain like so many loose marbles, attitude that puts you back in control, impulse sometimes pushes us into The COVID-19 public health emer - and a bearing that allows you to safely gency that has caused such incredible combat. Other times it commands navigate through the turbulence.

evasion. A third wired-in reaction is things had already begun to disrupt Stay healthy and choose to stay daily life when the magazine team the frozen I-can’t-believe-my-engine- grounded in serenity … this too just-quit pause.

met — virtually, by the way — to start shall pass.

planning this issue of FAA Safety React or Respond Briefing . We agreed that our long- Susan K. Parson ( susan.parson@faa.gov ) is editor For a given situation, any of the three planned focus on human factors was of FAA Safety Briefing and a Special Assistant in reactions described above could help the FAA’s Flight Standards Service. She is a general very appropriate. We didn’t know then aviation pilot and flight instructor.

or hinder a good outcome. Much (or now) how long it would take for 36 FAA Safety Briefing

FAA FACES PAUL CIANCIOLO

DR. KATHY ABBOTT

Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor, FAA Flight Deck Human Factors

finally had time for flight training and challenge that Kathy and her team are working on continuously. Kathy earned her private pilot certificate at the Felker Army Airfield Flying Club stresses that it’s equally important for GA pilots to know their aircraft and its at Ft. Eustis, Virginia.

Kathy has since piloted Cessna, systems, and to be aware of their per - sonal fitness for flight. She notes that Grumman American, Champion, Beechcraft, Sabreliner, Boeing, and new technologies will continue to be introduced along with many benefits Extra Flugzeugbau airplanes. She also has simulator time in Airbus, Boeing, and potential risks as well. However, and McDonnell Douglas airliners. the pilot is always ultimately responsi - In 1993, Kathy was temporarily ble for the safety of his/her flight.

assigned to the FAA to help develop a “Consciously manage the risk plan to certificate the next supersonic associated with flying,” reminds Kathy.

transport aircraft, which built on her “Never stop learning from other high speed civil transport research pilots, especially learning what to do program at NASA. After the assign - and also what not to do.” ment ended, she became a co-chair for an FAA human factors team on Kathy Abbott didn’t start out with the Paul Cianciolo is an associate editor and the social media lead for FAA Safety Briefing . He is a U.S. Air intention of making aviation safety a interfaces between flightcrews and Force veteran, and an auxiliary airman with Civil modern flight deck systems. That career, but NASA had other plans for Air Patrol.

her. After working as a waitress and report was published in 1996. It made several recommendations to the FAA; later a computer programmer to help pay for her bachelor’s degree in infor - the agency then hired Kathy to help implement those recommendations.

mation science, math, and a minor in psychology, she was offered a job “That was 24 years ago, and we have accomplished quite a bit together,” she as a contractor at NASA’s Langley Research Center after graduation. notes of her career with the FAA.

One of those accomplishments Kathy’s first project was to write a digital simulation of a Boeing 737 to came in 2013 with the publication of Section 25.1302 of Title 14, Code of support research studies that com - pared instrument landing systems to Federal Regulations, which covers installed systems and equipment for microwave landing systems.

“I didn’t know anything about avi - use by flightcrews. It requires manu - facturers to look at equipment design ation at the time,” she explained, “so I was really thrown in the deep end!” from the perspective of whether the design encourages pilot error.

That didn’t stop Kathy from excelling at her job. A few years later, “The human factors specialists in the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Ser - NASA hired her as a researcher for flight deck design and operations. vice have been working on this since the late 90s,” Kathy said. “It’s a very While employed at NASA, she com - pleted both a master’s degree and big deal.” New technology, new airspace doctoral degree, including courses in aeronautical and mechanical engi - operations, and many other complex - ities are bringing change to general neering, cognitive psychology, human factors, and artificial intelligence. aviation (GA). Helping industry to manage change safely is an important After all that schoolwork, Kathy U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Ave., S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20591 FORWARDING SERVICE REQUESTED Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300

Look Who’s Reading

FAA Safety Briefing

Air Show and Race Pilot

Michael Goulian takes FAA

Safety Briefing for a “spin.”

faa.gov/news/safety_briefing

@FAASafetyBrief