Despite its increasing importance, the verification and validation of the human-machine interface is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of system development. Although much has been written about the design and developmentprocess, very little organized information is available on how to verifyand validate highly complex and highly coupled dynamic systems. Inability toevaluate such systems adequately may become the limiting factor in our ability to employ systems that our technology and knowledge allow us to design. This volume, based on a NATO Advanced Science Institute held in 1992, is designed to provide guidance for the verification and validation of all highly complex and coupled systems. Air traffic control isused an an example to ensure that the theory is described in terms that will allow its implementation, but the results can be applied to all complex and coupled systems. The volume presents the knowledge and theory ina format that will allow readers from a wide variety of backgrounds to apply it to the systems for which they are responsible. The emphasis is on domains where significant advances have been made in the methods of identifying potential problems and in new testing methods and tools. Also emphasized are techniques to identify the assumptions on which a system is built and to spot their weaknesses.

Much has happened to certification and to human factors during the past few years. In this volume, the editors and other specialists discuss the topic of human factors applied to certification. They focus on core topics in the certification process that have emerged in the study of product certification in high-tech industries. The editors' purpose is to document advances in the study of certification processes defined largely by the 1993 international conference on the application of human factors principles to the study of product certification in man-machine systems. Although the book focuses mostly on certification in large, man-machine systems, such as aeronautics, its principles also apply to other high tech industries, such as medicine and computers. An introductory paper and a group of papers presenting propositions and philosophies about human factors contribute to a framework for human factors certification. The papers in this volume: * adopt a more direct approach to certification activities, * deal with aspects of human-machine integration, * address topics that should feature in any established human factors certification of advanced aviation systems, * use ideas that already exist in aviation as a basis for discussing certification issues, * consider issues that arise in the certification of complex future systems, and * describe some current characteristics of human factors as a discipline that would influence its application to certification.

This text discusses the skills and abilities that air-traffic controllers need. Its approach is international as air-traffic control practices throughout the world have to be mutually compatible and agreed.

Every issue of Ashgate's Human Factors and Aerospace Safety: An International Journal publishes an invited, critical review of a key area from a widely-respected researcher. To celebrate a successful first three years of the journal and to make these papers available to a wider audience, they have been collated here into a single volume. The book is divided into three sections, with articles addressing safety issues in flight deck design, aviation operations and training, and air traffic management. These articles describe the state of current research within a practical context and present a potential future research agenda. Contemporary Issues in Human Factors and Aviation Safety will appeal to both professionals and researchers in aviation and associated industries who are interested in learning more about current issues in flight safety.

There is perhaps no facet of modern society where the influence of computer automation has not been felt. Flight management systems for pilots, diagnostic and surgical aids for physicians, navigational displays for drivers, and decision-aiding systems for air-traffic controllers, represent only a few of the numerous domains in which powerful new automation technologies have been introduced. The benefits that have been reaped from this technological revolution have been many. At the same time, automation has not always worked as planned by designers, and many problems have arisen--from minor inefficiencies of operation to large-scale, catastrophic accidents. Understanding how humans interact with automation is vital for the successful design of new automated systems that are both safe and efficient. The influence of automation technology on human performance has often been investigated in a fragmentary, isolated manner, with investigators conducting disconnected studies in different domains. There has been little contact between these endeavors, although principles gleaned from one domain may have implications for another. Also, with a few exceptions, the research has tended to be empirical and only theory-driven. In recent years, however, various groups of investigators have begun to examine human performance in automated systems in general and to develop theories of human interaction with automation technology. This book presents the current theories and assesses the impact of automation on different aspects of human performance. Both basic and applied research is presented to highlight the general principles of human-computer interaction in several domains where automation technologies are widely implemented. The major premise is that a broad-based, theory-driven approach will have significant implications for the effective design of both current and future automation technologies. This volume will be of considerable value to researchers in human

Despite the strong safety record of the national airspace system, serious disruptions occasionally occur, often as a result of outdated or failed equipment. Under these circumstances, safety relies on the skills of the controllers and pilots and on reducing the number of aircraft in the air. The current and growing pressures to increase the capacity to handle a greater number of flights has led to a call for faster and more powerful equipment and for equipment that can take over some of the tasks now being performed by humans. Increasing the role of automation in air traffic control may provide a more efficient system, but will human controllers be able to effectively take over when problems occur? This comprehensive volume provides a baseline of knowledge about the capabilities and limitations of humans relative to the variety of functions performed in air traffic control. It focuses on balancing safety with the expeditious flow of air traffic, identifying lessons from past air accidents. The book discusses: The function of the national airspace system and the procedures for hiring, training, and evaluating controllers. Decisionmaking, memory, alertness, vigilance, sleep patterns during shift work, communication, and other factors in controllers' performance. Research on automation and human factors in air traffic control and incorporation of findings into the system. The Federal Aviation Administration's management of the air traffic control system and its dual mandate to promote safety and the development of air commerce. This book also offers recommendations for evaluation the human role in automated air traffic control systems and for managing the introduction of automation into current facilities and operations. It will be of interest to anyone concerned about air safetyâ€"policymakers, regulators, air traffic managers and controllers, airline officials, and passenger advocates.