Human factors

Definitions

• A multidisciplinary field encompassing the behavioral and social sciences, engineering, and physiology, to consider the variables that influence individual and crew performance for the purpose of optimizing human performance and reducing errors.
• A multidisciplinary field devoted to optimizing human performance and reducing human error. It incorporates the methods and principles of the behavioral and social sciences, engineering, and physiology. It may be described as the applied science which studies people working together in concert with machines. Human factors involve variables that influence individual performance, as well as team or crew performance.
• The study of how people interact with their environment. In the case of general aviation, it is the study of how pilot performance is influenced by such issues as the design of cockpits, the function of the organs of the body, the effects of emotions, and the interaction and communication with other participants in the aviation community, such as
  other crew members and air traffic control personnel.
• The study of how people interact with their environment. In the case of general aviation, it is the study of how pilot performance is influenced by such issues as the design of cockpits, the function of the organs of the body, the effects of emotions, and the interaction and communication with other participants in the aviation communi-ty, such as other crew members and air traffic control personnel.

References

• Helicopter Flying Handbook, Federal Aviation Administration, 2019
• Instrument Flying Handbook, Federal Aviation Administration, 2014
• Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Federal Aviation Administration, 2023
• Risk Management Handbook, Federal Aviation Administration, 2022
• Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, Federal Aviation Administration, 2000