ABSTRACT
Because the primary target of this book is the student of aviation, rather than the student of psychology, it seems prudent to begin with a few definitions. This will set some bounds for our discussions and for the reader’s expectations. The title of the book includes two key terms: “aviation psychology” and “human factors.” We included both these terms because they are often used interchangeably, although that is a disservice to both disciplines. Although we will touch on some of the traditional areas of human factors in the chapter on the design of aviation systems, our primary focus is on aviation psychology. Therefore, we will dwell at some length on what we mean by that particular term.
