Human Factors exam

[Guest brentc]

I've seen many an instructor do that. They just rattle off the same old words, oil pressuse, fuel etc etc etc. I once had no oil pressure indicating and the instructor happily read out that all was fine. (the guage was faulty and he didn't notice)

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Yep.. its a conditioned response.. my pet hate is when they say fuel they just wave at the wing guages, they don't actually look.. or they look at only one side.. And "instruments" they just wave a finger over all the instruments.. Like Nev said, we aren't to interested in details, just that things are within limits, with the exception of fuel, i like em to say how much fuel is remaining which comes into it later when doing clearof checks on navs.. Thats when its "deadly" important to know exactly how much fuel you have and at what rate you are burning it..(imho)

 

cheers

 

 

[bilby54]

Does anyone know who the farmer was? Was it a cane train or an inter-urban rattler? Was he distracted by a low flying ultrlight?

Questions, questions......

[turboplanner]

The farmer was my grandfather who drove in front of the train at Kalangadoo, SA injuring his daughters, my mother anbd my aunt; it was my brother who actually saw the train but opted to drive the tractor over the crossing anyway, catching the harrows which were then hit by the train, and reading the news reports from time to time, it's usually a local on a country line where there is a known daily train.

 

He could have been looking up at an ultralight, but I think he just didn't have the brain in gear and didn't look to the left and the right plus identify what was in his vision.

 

Or it could have been bull ants; Last time I camped at Roma one bit me with such force that I'd have preferred a train!

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Is this Human Factors exam something like Crew Resource Management that a lot of companies have to give their staff these days? It sure sounds like it. We do CRM once a year at work and it covers fatigue, aviation health and medicine, "being nice to each other in the air" plus the effects of altitude on the body and little things like that. Is there a sample exam somewhere so I could see if I'm on the same page?

 

 

[turboplanner]

You're pretty well on the money Brett, the Bob Tait book has questions in it.

 

In your case it will probably take you a couple of hours study and you'll probably get 95%+!

 

You need to do it in the next few weeks anyway, how about doing it now and letting the reluctants know your experience?

 

 

[Chird65]

Motz, actually with instruments I think it is in their design that the fault lies. To get your attention there needs to be something to notice, a pointer does not do this.

 

I assume all over Australia the 40 Km School signs are active. The LCD flashing ones are good examples. I hardly ever travel at schooltime so would not notice them unless they flashed.

 

This is where a glass panel can improve on steam gauges. When every thing is normal they are only Green, when changing outside of normal parameters they are Orange, when over the trigger point they are flashing Red. Also they could trigger meaningful voice prompts.

 

Human factors training is very good but some human factors will always be a problem. Ie looking but not seeing, its the same for trains, the Mac truck or instruments.

 

I accept and like that we are at the simple end of aviation but where appropriate we can improve without destroying our pastime

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

You're pretty well on the money Brett, the Bob Tait book has questions in it.In your case it will probably take you a couple of hours study and you'll probably get 95%+!

 

You need to do it in the next few weeks anyway, how about doing it now and letting the reluctants know your experience?

I reckon I'll do that TP, will let you guys know how it goes and how similar it is.

 

 

[bilby54]

Motz, actually with instruments I think it is in their design that the fault lies. To get your attention there needs to be something to notice, a pointer does not do this. I accept and like that we are at the simple end of aviation but where appropriate we can improve without destroying our pastime

I think that this is getting a little off topic but the modern analogue gauge has colour coded sections for quick indications. In most cases, it really is not relevant know exactly what the oil pressure or cylinder head temp is because if it is in the green then it is fine.

 

An older method of mounting gauges without colour coding was to fit the instrument so that the pointers were all facing vertically when the engine/aircraft was operating correctly. That way, if one parameter was off spec, then your eye would imediately go to the offending gauge and sort it out from there. Fatigue management was reduced significantly. The only problem with this method was how the instruments looked when the thing was shutdown.:confused:

 

This was a common practice in heavy trucks and buses where keeping your eyes on the road is just as important also.:ah_oh:

 

 

[turboplanner]

Yes Bilby, and in speedway tachos also, and even then when you came in after a race and pit crew wanted to know rpm at the end of the straight, some of us gave them a blank look.

 

 

[facthunter]

Format.

 

As far as the human factors EXAM goes I am sure that we are only at the beginning of a process that should evolve into an on-line interactive procedure, that could actually be fun to do and educative as well. (See, I am an optimist). I have no doubt that plenty of talent in this forum could be of assistance in achieving this.

 

We just don't want to be happy with second best, and just tick the square, or say "got that out of the way, I'll just go out and fly like I always have". Nev..

 

 

[farri]

The farmer was my grandfather who drove in front of the train at Kalangadoo, SA injuring his daughters, my mother and my aunt; He could have been looking up at an ultralight, but I think he just didn't have the brain in gear and didn't look to the left and the right plus identify what was in his vision.

We had a similar accident up here a couple of years ago when a farmer crossed the main railway line that he had been crossing for years,to get a bag of fertilizer from his shed and drove straight in front of the train and was killed.

 

In Cairns, a few weeks ago,a lady was killed when she drove in front of a loaded semi,

 

she was heading outbound from Cairns and at an intersection she had to turn right and cross the two inbound lanes,both outbound and inbound lanes had a green light,she had a red arrow.

 

It is a tradegy that these accidents should happen and I`m all for anything that will make a real difference in these situations however I`m left asking the question,"Is this simply a result of humans being human and can any amount of education make a difference"?

 

It appears to me that in these three cases the drivers would have had enough knowledge to have avoided the situation,how then,would any more knowledge have changed the situation.

 

Frank.

 

Ps,Turboplanner,I`m sorry about your Grandfather and family.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Frank, the fact that they didn't see is the Human Factor, and the question you pose about humans being humans, I believe, was the one of the reasons for CASA introducing the subject.

 

I'd have to say both they and RAA haven't done a very good job explaining the reasons. Perhaps some Case Studies would have helped.

 

 

[farri]

Frank, the fact that they didn't see is the Human Factor, and the question you pose about humans being humans, I believe, was the one of the reasons for CASA introducing the subject.

I undestand this completely,that`s why I keep asking the question,"why do we do the things we do,when we realy do know better".

 

"The fact that they didn`t see is the cause".

 

To me this says more about the human brain than it does about a HF exam.

 

Regards,

 

Frank.

 

 

[facthunter]

Human factors.

 

Understanding the functions of the eyes and how the images are processed by the brain, IS human factors, (not all, but one aspect). Humans being humans IS the problem, attitudes and techniques can be modified to vastly improve the success rate (less accidents).

 

Look up the recommended method of doing a proper scan of the sky for traffic. That is a technique. Using your passenger to also have a good lookout is managing a resource. as would be phoning someone at your destination to get actual conditions. etc. nev..

 

 

[farri]

Human Factors.

 

facthunter,

 

Absolutely correct.

 

Getting everyone to apply these is the challenge.

 

Frank.

 

 

[turboplanner]

It will start with the Instructors explaining this and emphasising it during pre and post flight briefings. In some cases this is non paid work for them, but the payback will be the loss of less students who have an incident then think "this isn't for me"

 

I'd have to say that the teaching standard of the RAA instructors I've seen is way above GA particularly in airmanship.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

It's certainly not new! Undoubtedly some will do it & say "well got that out of the way - now back to the way I've been flying, I'm still here aren't I?" That is a Human Factor.

You got that right. The parts of HF that relate to VFR flight were tought before we had a seperate HF book to read - and pay for.

 

Perhaps what is needed in the Rec-av teaching syllabus is a short lesson in why the modern ultralight came to be.

 

 

[turboplanner]

You've mentioned that a few time High Plains Drifter.

 

I was hell bent on buying a BEE Gyrocopter in 1959 (Australian design based on the Bensen), because that was the only thing I could afford on my pocket money.

 

Built a model, found it rolled over to the left every time I towed it into wind, then read the book by Igor Sikhorsky... but that's another story.

 

Know where you are coming from in your type of aircraft, but what do you do with a slippery constant prop rectractable undercarriage 150 knot cruiser?

 

Maybe we should have more distinct steps between classes?

 

 

[mAgNeToDrOp]

As I said in another post I passed the HF exam by hardly flicking through the book so almost felt bad when I passed it so easily, but yeah it is all common sense stuff. I am still going to attend the HF course/seminar which my cfi wants to run, with a bunch of other students it will be much more beneficial with discussion and bouncing ideas off eachother etc than reading the book

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

turboplanner, i've just got the latest ATC HF book, all 192 pages :ah_oh: i'll comment after a read :thumb_up: I see my old Tait HF book is a lot thinner.

 

 

[Guest Elwyn]

Elwyn

 

Hi Brian Sandy the CFI at Tyabb would be able to put you right but RA-Aus human factors for all RAA pilots has to do human factors exam before September 2010 other wise your pilot certificate will not be renewed Cheers and safe flying

 

 

[Bob1957]

Hi Brian, I also have the same licences as you and I am in the process of learning to complete the test for Human Factors, using the Dyson Holland book, also i note that if you do it through the Raa you have to have a pass over 80%? but if you have a comercial pilots licence and do the exam you only have to have a pass over 70%? which makes me wonder? Im not sure if there is a course for private pilots one tho. also if you click on this link it looks like in the future we will be able to complete the exam online (great) 2009 Avstar Solutions

 

 

 

[Guest Elwyn]

Good day Brian All Ra-aus pilots regardless whether you hold a PPL have to do the HF exam before Sept 2010 . If you are training to become an Ra-aus pilot you will need to do the exam along with the rest of the exams before you will be issued with a restricted Ra-aus certificate . Hope this information is helpful Cheers all

 

 

[Guest Roger]

....When the online version is up and running RAA will notify all members.

 

....

Turboplanner spoke of an online version back in 2008 - just wondering if anything has actually happened..?