Aviation Psychology

Covering field history and discussing actual modern-day pilot actions and tasks, the editors of this volume have integrated contributions from leaders in aviation to present psychological principles and research pertinent to the interface between a pilot and the cockpit. The book addresses the pilot‘s cognitive demands, capabilities, and limitations, which have important implications for operator selection and training as well as display/control designs in the cockpit. It emphasizes scientific methods of achieving this understanding and implies that theories and principles of human behavior are shaped and improved by practical problems and applied studies.

This book covers the application of psychological principles and techniques to situations and problems of aviation. It offers an overview of the role psychology plays in aviation, system design, selection and training of pilots, characteristics of pilots, safety, and passenger behavior. It covers concepts of psychological research and data analysis and shows how these tools are used in the development of new psychological knowledge. The new edition offers material on physiological effects on pilot performance, a new chapter on aviation physiology, more material on fatigue, safety culture, mental health and safety, as well as practical examples and exercises after each chapter.

Learn about the latest key applied psychological methods and techniques in aviation:Expert guidance from academia and industryBased on the latest researchPractice orientedThis collection of chapters on the latest methods and tools for applied research in aviation psychology guides the diverse range of professionals working within aviation on how to adapt flexibly to the continuously evolving requirements of the aeronautical landscape. Experts from the industry and academia explore selected applications, ranging from aviation system engineering to bridging the gap between research and industrialization, safety culture, training and examination. Psychological tools are explored, including designing biocybernetic adaptive systems, predictive automation, and support for designing the human role in future human-machine teaming concepts. Special chapters are dedicated to spatial disorientation, reactivity, stress, eye-tracking, electrodermal and cardiac assessment under the influence of G forces.This is essential reading for aviation psychologists, human factors practitioners, engineers, designers, operational specialists, students and researchers in academia, industry, and government. The practitioners and researchers working in other safety critical domains (e.g., medicine, automotive) will also find the handbook valuable.

Since 1981, the biennial International Symposium on Aviation Psychology (ISAP) has been convened for the purposes of (a) presenting the latest research on human performance problems and opportunities within aviation systems, (b) envisioning design solutions that best utilize human capabilities for creating safe and efficient aviation systems, and (c) bringing together scientists, research sponsors, and operators in an effort to bridge the gap between research and applications. Though rooted in the presentations of the 18th ISAP, held in 2015 in Dayton, Ohio, Advances in Aviation Psychology is not simply a collection of selected proceedings papers. Based upon the potential impact of emerging trends, current debates or enduring issues present in their work, select authors were invited to expand upon their work following the benefit of interactions at the symposium. Consequently the volume includes discussion of the most pressing research priorities and the latest scientific and technical priorities for addressing them. This book is the second in a series of volumes. The aim of each volume is not only to report the latest findings in aviation psychology but also to suggest new directions for advancing the field.

This book seeks to extend the boundaries of aviation psychology in two interrelated ways: by broadening the focus of aviation psychology beyond the flight deck to the whole aviation system; and by discussing new theoretical developments which are shaping this applied discipline. A key feature of these theoretical advances is that they are grounded in a more developed, ecologically valid, understanding of practice. Among the issues addressed in this new integration of theory and practice are the following: what goes on in the flight deck is dependent on the wider organisational context; human factors issues in aircraft maintenance and grounding are critical to aviation safety; our capacity to learn from aviation accidents and incidents needs to be supported by more systematic human factors investigation and research; we must also develop our understanding of the human factors of accident survival as well as accident prevention; theories of crew coordination and decision making must be supported by an analysis of how decisions are actually made in the real world with all its stresses and constraints; training should be grounded in a thoroughgoing analysis of the complexity of the job and a full understanding of the training process itself. The text will be of interest to human factors researchers and practitioners in aviation and related areas. It will be of particular relevance to those who have a role in training, management or regulation throughout the aviation system.

This book provides an authoritative and practical guide to the assessment, management, treatment and care of pilots and other professional groups within aviation; covering a range of relevant topics, for health and human resources practitioners working in the airline industry. Pilot mental health has, hitherto, been regarded as a specialist topic in aviation medicine. Consequently, practitioners and researchers alike have been forced to consult specialist journals or seek out a relevant chapter on this topic in a general textbook to develop or update their understanding of the relevant issues. This book seeks to remedy this situation by gathering together all of the relevant insights into a single authoritative source gathered from the leading specialists in the field. It aims to cover all of the main relevant issues including the assessment, care, management and treatment of mental health problems, as well as the prevention of mental health problems among this occupational group.

While it is true that fortune favors the prepared mind, in the field of aviation, it may be equally true that misfortune often punishes an unprepared mind. To be fully prepared, pilots must have comprehensive knowledge of weather, aerodynamics, propulsion, navigation, and all the other technical disciplines. However, they must also have a comprehensive understanding of the component that is simultaneously the most fragile and most resilient, the most unreliable and the most adaptable—the human being. Aviation Psychology and Human Factors explores the application of psychological principles and techniques to the specific situations and problems of aviation. It provides a complete overview of the role of psychology in the field of aviation. The authors address the contribution of psychology in the design of aviation systems, the selection and training of pilots, the psychological characteristics of pilots that may relate to aviation safety, and to the behavior of passengers. They cover key concepts of psychological research and data analysis at a depth that fosters a greater appreciation of how these tools are used in the development of new psychological knowledge. A keener understanding of aviation psychology will better prepare pilots for the demands that aviation will make. While many books cover this subject for psychologists, very few, if any present the material to pilots. With balanced coverage that makes the material accessible to both, this book makes pilots aware of the positive impact psychology and its application can have on improving aviation operations, providing specific information that pilots can use in their daily operations. It gives psychologists a better understanding of how their discipline is applied to aviation, while giving pilots the tools to better evaluate and implement future products in the field of aviation psychology.

Learn about the latest key applied psychological methods and techniques in aviation: Expert guidance from academia and industry Based on the latest research Practice oriented More about the book This collection of chapters on the latest methods and tools for applied research in aviation psychology guides the diverse range of professionals working within aviation on how to adapt flexibly to the continuously evolving requirements of the aeronautical landscape. Experts from the industry and academia explore selected applications, ranging from aviation system engineering to bridging the gap between research and industrialization, safety culture, training and examination. Psychological tools are explored, including designing biocybernetic adaptive systems, predictive automation, and support for designing the human role in future human–machine teaming concepts. Special chapters are dedicated to spatial disorientation, reactivity, stress, eye-tracking, electrodermal and cardiac assessment under the influence of G forces. This is essential reading for aviation psychologists, human factors practitioners, engineers, designers, operational specialists, students and researchers in academia, industry, and government. The practitioners and researchers working in other safety critical domains (e.g., medicine, automotive) will also find the handbook valuable. Members of the European Association for "Aviation Psychology (EAAP) and the Austrian Aviation Psychology Association (AAPA)" will get a discount on purchase orders of the book. Please contact your society to get more information!