Evss

Enhanced Visual System/Synthetic Visual System

Human Factors in Aviation Safety

David Miller

Embry Riddle University

Abstract

Aviation is the source of constant innovation. New technology seemingly appears in the aviation community daily. With all new technology many questions have to be answered. This paper is a look at one piece of new technology and the questions the aviation community must answer.

Introduction

Arguably, one of the most important discoveries of mankind is the ability to fly a heavier than air, powered, and controlled aircraft. This discovery has launched man into an era of innovation and invention. One could argue that this era of innovation sparked by Orville and Wilbur Wright's first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina as led to increased innovation and invention in almost every human endeavor. Medical technology, computer technology, communication technology all can attribute many successes to aviation. Thanks to powered flight, the world has shrunk, giving rise to collaborations which never would have occurred without the ability to fly.

In just over one century, man has developed ways to fly faster, farther, higher, and safer. Mankind has gone from earthbound dreamer to space flight. Innovations surrounding flight have been rapid, and show no signs of slowing down. In the earlier years of flying, man was focused on higher, faster, farther. Men and women like Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindberg, and Amelia Earhart pushed the limits of flying, and captured the imagination, and adoration, of the public. Their successes, and failures, drove aviation to be constantly creative. Questions were asked like can we go faster? Can we get to Paris from New York? How high can we go? The pioneers strove to answer those questions, and the industry strove to provide aircraft worthy of the famous pilots who had so endeared themselves into the public psyche. However, with all the innovation of the early days of aviation,...