Some Major Human Issues in Aerospace Engineering: Review and Extension

By employing quantifiable and measurable ways to assess the role of various uncertainties associated with the mental workload (MWL) and human capacity factor (HCF), and treating a human-in-the-loop (HITL) as a part, often the most critical part, of the complex man-instrumentation-equipment-vehicle-environment system, one can improve dramatically the human’s performance, achieve the best human-system-integration (HSI) possible and predict, minimize and, when appropriate, even specify the probability of the occurrence of a casualty. The ultimate objective of the analysis is to develop effective predictive modelling techniques that would enable quantifying, on the probabilistic basis, the role of the human factor (HF) and improve his/hers HCF, so that he/she would be able to successfully cope, when necessary, with an elevated MWL and minimize the probability of an accident, when reliability of instrumentation and human performance contribute jointly to the outcome of an HSI related mission or an off-normal situation. It is concluded that the suggested MWL/HCF models and their possible modifications and generalizations can be helpful when developing guidelines for personnel selection and training; and/or when there is a need to decide, if the existing methods of reliability and ergonomics engineering are adequate in various off-normal situations, and if not, whether additional and/or more advanced and, perhaps, more expensive equipment or instrumentation should be developed, tested and installed to meet the safety requirements