34.4 Human Factors Models and Programmes

34.4.2 Define human factors as used in a professional aviation context.

Human factors is the study of how people interact with the aircraft, equipment, procedures, other people, and the operating environment within an aviation system.

It considers both human capabilities and human limitations, and how these can affect safety, efficiency and operational performance.

In professional aviation, human factors includes areas such as:

• human performance and limitations — including perception, memory, attention, reaction time and decision-making;

• situational awareness — maintaining an accurate understanding of the aircraft, the environment and what is likely to happen next;

• communication and teamwork — ensuring information is exchanged clearly and effectively between crew members, ATC and other personnel;

• workload management — prioritising and managing tasks so that important duties are not overlooked;

• fatigue and stress management — recognising factors that may reduce physical or mental performance;