ABSTRACT

Human Factors in aviation has its historical roots firmly in the pursuit of safety, initially in the design of the flight crew interfaces to avoid inadvertent operation. This was then followed by advances in training and flight deck management, followed by an evolution in safety management processes. Within the military there has been more of an emphasis on the use of Human Factors to improve performance, particularly in the areas of training and interface design. It is probably only in the application domain of pilot selection that in the world of commercial aviation the emphasis has been firmly placed upon enhancing performance while reducing costs (specifically, as a result of those finally selected failing to complete training).