Most aviation accidents are attributed to human error, pilot error especially. Human error also greatly effects productivity and profitability. In his overview of this collection of papers, the editor points out that these facts are often misinterpreted as evidence of deficiency on the part of operators involved in accidents. Human factors research reveals a more accurate and useful perspective: The errors made by skilled human operators - such as pilots, controllers, and mechanics - are not root causes but symptoms of the way industry operates. The papers selected for this volume have strongly influenced modern thinking about why skilled experts make errors and how to make aviation error resilient.
Biography
R. Key Dismukes is chief scientist for Human Factors, NASA Ames Research Center, USA. He has published applied studies in human factors and fundamental research studies in neurobiology, managed research organizations and led committees of scientists reporting on science and public issues.
'...an extremely valuable and useful book...this excellent book will give students of human factors a good grounding in the subject..' The Aerospace Professional
