Course Description

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

Depending on the sector of aviation being described, statistics indicate that 65% to 90% of all aircraft accidents are the result of errors made by the flight crew.  Human errors often arise out of normal physiological and physiological limitations inherent in the human condition.

Therefore, an understanding of both the physiological and psychological limitations of the flight crew performance, and the ability to manage them, is essential for reducing the incidents of errors made on the flight deck.

Measurable Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the human error in real-world operations and ways to avert or handle those errors.
2. Describe hypoxia’s physiological effects on pilot performance and list or identify strategies necessary to avoid or effectively manage them.
3. Identify or describe the major visual and auditory perceptual limitations that affect pilot performance and the strategies necessary to effectively manage them.
4. Compare and contrast the vestibular and somatosensory systems’ limitations and identify the somatogyral and chromatographic illusions they create that lead to spatial disorientation. (SD)
5. Analyze the effects of noise, poor health choices, fatigue and sleep disruption, and acceleration on pilot performance and identify strategies necessary to reduce their effects.
6. Summarize specific examples of how physiological, perceptual, and cognitive limitations as well as difficulties with automated systems, have contributed to aircraft accidents and/or incidents.
7. Critique specific examples of how inadequate flight deck design has contributed to errors made by flight crews and describe principles and/or examples of controls and/or displays that are designed to reduce error.
8. Appraise ways to reduce the effects of distractions and forgetfulness on the flight deck.
9. Evaluate decision biases, by recalling and explaining the five hazardous attitudes and their antidotes and discovering their own personal hazardous attitude tendencies.
10. Describe how the healthy lifestyle required to meet the unique physical and cognitive demands of an aviation career is achieved.

Course Assignment

Textbook Readings and Lecture Presentations

At liberty university, After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Class Introduction Discussions

The student will complete the Class Introduction Discussion in a visual presentation format. The visual presentation must include a maximum 5-minute recorded presentation. Be creative with your presentations. It is recommended that you use Kaltura to create your presentation. Please review the instructions document as well as the rubric for expectations as well as information regarding recording with Kaltura or other technology mediums.

Discussions

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided promptly for each Discussion. Each thread must be 500 words, include at least 2 citations in APA format, and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 250 words and include 1 citation in APA format. (MLO: A-J)

Critical Analysis Paper Assignment

The student will write a 5-7-page research-based paper in the current APA format that focuses on an assigned NTSB aircraft accident report. The paper must include at least 3 reference(s) in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. (MLO: A-J)

Quizzes

Students will take various quizzes in this course. They should review all Learn materials as well as watch all video presentations before beginning each quiz. Each quiz will have a one-hour time limit, is open-book/open-notes, and contains various question types. The essays must be at least 250 words in length. (MLO: A-J)