Development of a flight deck human factors design and certification competency taxonomy: preliminary findings

Abstract

The goal of civil flight deck human factors is to ensure that the pilot compartment and all installed systems and equipment support safe aircraft operation and applicable certification regulations, are easy to use, maximize human-machine performance, and provide a superior pilot experience. Although literature related to the expectations on skills for human factors professionals exists, the unique requirements for flight deck human factors practitioners are not identified. This paper discusses typical development and certification activities for civil flight deck systems and maps them to required competencies. It is shown how the derived competency taxonomy was validated based on a survey administered to fourteen experienced flight deck human factors practitioners at multiple aircraft manufacturers, avionics suppliers, and certification authorities in North America and Europe. The results support the developed competency taxonomy that spans four core areas: aircraft design and operation, human factors, systems engineering, and certification. Soft skills such as creativity, passion for aviation and human factors, technical writing and presentation skills, and outside the box thinking supplement the four core areas. The paper discusses the challenges the industry is facing in recruiting candidates with the desired knowledge and experience, and provides a recommended framework for education, selection, and training for flight deck human factors practitioners.