342-0389/06 – Human Performance and Limitations (LVaO)

The aim of the course is to achieve in students the competencies needed for orientation in the issue of human performance and its limitations in the operation of aviation systems. Aviation systems are among the risk systems where even a small human factor failure can result in large loss of life, health or property, and the probability of a human factor failure today is much higher than a potential technology failure. Completion of this course is also part of the theoretical training to obtain the relevant aviation qualifications.

The course Human Performance and Limitations is designed primarily to help students understand the role of man in a man-made system. It consists not only of the technological part (technical factor), but also of the people who design, operate and maintain the system (human and organizational factor). After a long period of development of man-made systems, in the event of their failure, only the reliability (safety) of technologies was addressed, while human performance and reliability were addressed only marginally. This course will enable students to understand the importance of the impact of human performance and reliability on the efficiency and especially the safety of man-made systems, where direct failure of the human factor currently contributes to the causes of failure of the entire system (incidents, accidents) in circa 75%. As part of the study of this course, students will gain knowledge about important aspects of human performance and reliability in aircraft operations, the main sources of this failure and especially measures that can permanently reduce the risk of human failure to an acceptable level due to the expected consequences.

REASON J.: Human Error. Cambridge University Press, New York, USA, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-521-31419-0