Aviation Human Factors Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Aviation Human Factors - Case Study Example It is designed to be fixed on all aircrafts with a maximum take-off weight of over 5,700 kg or those authorized to carry above nineteen passengers. The implementation of Traffic Collision Avoidance System added a safety barrier in preventing mid-air collisions (Dumitrache, 2013). The innovation was made after the Grand Canyon mid-air collision that occurred in 1956 and led spurred aviation authorities into action. In the accident, a United Airlines Douglas DC-7 hit a Trans World Airlines Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation and killing all the 128 passengers on board both flights. The innovation still required further study, training, refinements and regulatory measures because of the limitations of the Traffic Collision Avoidance System. Furthermore, misuse of the same innovation resulted in other fatal incidents and accidents. Inadequate training and poor coordination among pilots has led to low effectiveness of the Traffic Collision Avoidance System. For instance, the Uberlingen mid-air collision has been blamed on The Tupelov pilot’s failure to follow their TCAS RA and the Boeing pilot’s failure to follow the ATC instruction (Wickens, 1998). The problem presents an important gap that can only be bridged by more training and more refinements coupled with improved research. Advantages. Using Air Traffic Control is particularly resourceful in aiding the decision of the pilot and the direction of the aircraft’s maneuver. According to Wickens (1998) it allows the pilot to make the most logical decision using the two guidelines. Disadvantages. Pilots are expected to respond to the RA immediately unless that action would jeopardize the safety of the flight. This rule means that pilots can maneuver against ATC instructions or disregard the instructions altogether (Dumitrache, 2013). Furthermore, the ATC instructions could be contradictory to the