HUMAN FACTORS
BEYOND THE FLIGHT STATION By Lt. Nick Morris, Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron VP-10 From day one of introductory flight training, aviators are taught a rudimentary version of human factors analysis known as “IMSAFE.” The acronym, which stands for illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue and eating is a quick ditty that challenges us to think about our current physical and mental state before taking to the air. As we move to our fleet squadrons, aviators are introduced to risk management (RM), which provides a framework for mitigating risk by identifying hazards. We also participate in Human Factors Councils (HFCs), which are designed to identify at-risk aviators and assist aviators in dealing with issues that might adversely affect their ability to safely operate aircraft. For too long, the focus has been squarely on the aviator; it’s time we pay appropriate attention to other members of the squadron who
Photo courtesy of Boeing Defense
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play significant roles in the safe operation of our mission aircraft. According to a published review of the Navy’s aviation safety program, more than 80% of mishaps are attributable to some sort of human error, so squadrons can afford to leave no stone unturned when it comes to identifying human factors that could contribute to mishaps (O’Connor, O’Dea, 2007). In a recent safety bulletin sent to all East Coast squadrons, the commander of Naval Air Forces Atlantic noted an uptick in preventable aviation ground mishaps attributable to human error. Just as we don’t want stressed, tired or chronically underperforming aviators at the controls of aircraft, we must be vigilant in preventing fatigued or overstressed maintainers from conducting a towing evolution on a crowded flight deck or conducting engine turns in the middle of the night.
