Human Factors In Aviation Maintenance

                

    They say, that so long as there are humans involved in a process, there will be errors made. We refer to this as human error. However, no process is successful without human input and, in fact, is necessary under most circumstances because humans possess the ability to make rational and informed decisions. This creates somewhat of a "double-edged sword"; humans are necessary to ensure that safe decisions are made throughout many different areas of the aviation industry but are also the leading cause of mistakes and errors. In fact, human error is a major contributing causal factor in 80 percent of aviation-related mishaps (Begur & Babu, 2016). Of that 80 percent, it is said that between 15 and 20 percent of aviation mishaps are attributed to maintenance errors (Drury, 2000). Factors that lead to human error are known as Human Factors and come in many forms. Some examples include stress, fatigue, pressure to meet deadlines, lack of proper training, or even incompetence, to name just a few.

Combating Training Deficiencies 

    The complex nature of maintaining and repairing aeronautical systems and equipment calls for advanced technical training. As required by law, maintenance technicians must possess the necessary skills and credentials to ensure aircraft airworthiness. It is no secret, however, that the aviation industry is constantly evolving and changing, and so too must the maintenance technician. It's true that "you don't know what you don't know". Another factor that can lead to a lack of training is incomplete or insufficient on-the-job training. If a full spectrum of knowledge is not passed down from more senior technicians to those with less experience, it can lead to an extreme loss of knowledge within even just a few "generations" of technicians. A comprehensive training program can mitigate a lack of training within an organization, but it requires the full support of everyone within the organization from the most junior mechanic to the most senior executives. This is where the Team Resource Management concept becomes very useful.

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References:

Begur, S., & Babu, J. (2016). Human Factors in Aircraft Maintenance. International Advanced Research Journal in Science, Engineering and Technology, 3(3), 14–17. https://doi.org/10.17148/IARJSET.2016.3303

Drury, C. (2000, November). Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance. RTO AVT Lecture Series, Sofia, Bulgaria. https://skybrary.aero/sites/default/files/bookshelf/2504.pdf

Team Resource Management (TRM). (2021, May 24). SKYbrary Aviation Safety. https://skybrary.aero/articles/team-resource-management-trm