What We Do

The overall goal of Aviation Maintenance human factors research is to identify and optimize the factors that affect human performance in maintenance and inspection.

Our research areas include:

• Qualification
• Training
• Motivation
• Worker safety
• Health
• Return on investment
• Professionalism
• Human capabilities and limitations

Our research combines scientific understanding of human performance with applied studies conducted with industry partners. The results are solid science, psychology, and engineering delivered in plans, procedures, and software that can be immediately implemented to improve safety.

FAA. (1998). Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance and Inspection. Strategic Plan: Aircraft Maintenance Division (AFS-300) of the Flight Standards Service in cooperation with the Office of Aviation Medicine (AAM-240): Federal Aviation Administration.

This strategic program plan describes industry-government-labor partnerships that characterized the human factors in aviation maintenance and inspection research program at the time. The plan provides historical scientific explanation and rationalization of the need for applied human factors research and development. 

Definitions

• Dirty Dozen. The twelve most common maintenance-related causes of errors.
  These twelve causes are:
  • Lack of Communication.
  • Complacency.
  • Lack of Knowledge.
  • Distraction.
  • Lack of Teamwork.
  • Fatigue.
  • Lack of Resources.
  • Pressure.
  • Lack of Assertiveness.
  • Stress.
  • Lack of Awareness.
  • Norms.
• Human Factors (HF). HF is a multidisciplinary field that generates and compiles information about human capabilities and limitations, and applies it to design, development, and evaluation of equipment, systems, facilities, procedures, jobs, environments, staffing, organizations, and personnel management for safe, efficient, and effective human performance.
• Safety Culture. A pervasive, organization-wide attitude placing safety as the primary priority driving the way employees perform their work.