Managing Human Factors in Aircraft Maintenance

Abstract

It is evident through the US statistics that almost eighty percent of the accidents and malfunctions in aviation and aircrafts industry are because of human factors with fifty percent because of managing human factor issues. Since over ten years, the term P.E.A.R has been employed as a mnemonic or a memory jogger for characterizing the management of human factors in aircraft maintenance. P.E.A.R management model for aircraft maintenance comprises the four significant considerations; people executing the jobs; environment wherein they perform; actions performed by the people; and the resources essential for getting the job done. P.E.A.R is acknowledged by the Aircraft Electronics Association as a remarkably effectual model for ascertaining the management of a human factors program. The paper would discuss the way P.E.A.R model affects the reporting of events and incidents in aviation. The documentation of actions taken for maintenance and management ensures instructions and checklists are correct and useable. The paper would provide some insight into the impact of training on the management of human factors in the relevant industry. Also, it would be established that the P.E.A.R model affects the reporting of events and incidents in aviation reduce fatigue and ensure optimum human performance

Terms and definitions

FAA - Federal Aviation Administration

SMS - Safety management system

ASAP - Aviation Safety Action Program

JTA - Job task analysis

Introduction

The management of human factors does not essentially require expensive and complex programs to be implemented that turn to be an added burden for the organization. The human factors management facilitates in the minimization of errors and also harmonizes the purpose of a safety management system - SMS. The literature highlights and illustrates the five most significant aspects of an effectual human factors management strategy. These five aspects count in; fatigue, shift and task turnover, human factors training, use of technical documentation, and event reporting. Currently the aviation industry is experiencing the ongoing challenge of attending towards the human factors in aviation and aircraft maintenance. Despite the fact that there have been a number of developments and advancements to the implementation and study of human factors management, yet there are various irregularities to the way these management strategies are implemented and also to the derived outcomes. P.E.A.R model of human factors management has been marked as an effectual and a systematic approach towards the human factors management in aviation maintenance in the “Operator's Manual for Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance” (Caldwell & Caldwell, 2003).

Research Questions

RQ 1: How does the proposed human factors management strategy affect the reporting of events and incidents in aviation?

RQ 2: How does documentation of actions ensures instructions and checklists are correct and useable?

RQ 3: What is the impact of providing employees with human factors management training?

RQ 4: How does the proposed human factors management strategy reduce fatigue and ensure optimum human performance?

Literature Review

P.E.A.R

The P.E.A.R model facilitates the mitigation and recognition of human factors in aviation. The P.E.A.R model by its name represents the people executing the jobs; environment wherein they perform; actions performed by the people; and ...