Human Factors

Status of Efforts to Integrate Research on Human Factors Into FAA's Activities Gao ID: RCED-96-151 June 27, 1996

Human error has been a factor in about 80 percent of all fatal airplane crashes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The study of human factors, which tries to reduce the chances for human error through better design of equipment and procedures and improved training of pilots, air traffic controllers, and others, has emerged as one of the most promising ways to improve aviation safety. This report describes FAA's (1) organizational structure for incorporating the consideration of human factors in the agency's acquisition of new systems and operation of other systems and (2) aviation research on human factors, including FAA's processes for identifying research issues, and methods for allocating and coordinating resources for internal and external research on human factors.

GAO found that: (1) FAA has incorporated a human factors policy order, a Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for human factors, and guidance for considering human factors in the acquisition process; (2) the order assigns responsibility for ensuring that human factors are considered in FAA research activities, but does not establish minimal standards for meeting this requirement; (3) recent legislative and organizational changes may affect the application of human factors research in FAA acquisitions and operations; (4) the FAA Acquisition Management System considers human factors at an earlier stage in the acquisition process, but there is no mention of the extent to which such factors should be considered; (5) the FAA Human Factors Division (HFD) consults with other members of the aviation community and participates in industry task forces and conferences to identify issues associated with human factors in aviation; (6) HFD solicits ideas for research from FAA acquisition and operating units and is responsible for internal and external coordination of FAA research; (7) HFD allocates most FAA funding for core research, and enters into interagency agreements with the National Space and Aeronautics Administration and the Department of Defense to coordinate the agencies' human factors research; and (8) the possibility of duplicating human factors research exists because FAA units are not required to coordinate their research activities.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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