Technology Affecting Human Factors
Technology Affecting Human Factors
As time has progressed, technology has skyrocketed into our society. Every day, no matter where we are, there is some form of technology we are using, from lights to AC, and we rely on technology to help us through our everyday lives. The use of technology enables us to achieve specific problems or goals more easily, alleviating the work required to accomplish them and making our lives simpler and more accessible. As stated by Microsoft Copilot (n.d.), technology is an integral part of modern existence as it is reshaping entire industries and societal norms. In the aviation industry, technology has grown exponentially as more tools and devices are introduced to help pilots navigate the skies and fly. Furthermore, with the growth of these technologies, while it may make the job of pilots flying in the sky easier, it causes short cuts that utterly lead to human factors such as fatigue and complacency that inevitably lead to other problems due to the increase use of technology, causing for the need of an implemented plan that can help decrease/eliminate these human factors in flight.
As defined by the FAA (n.d.), human factors has grown increasingly popular as the commercial aviation industry realizes that human error, rather than mechanical failure, underlies most aviation accidents and incidents. With human errors underlining the top reason accidents and incidents happen, the FAA and aviation industries need to figure out a way to help solve these problems. As a pilot, there are several aspects of the job at hand, from analyzing the weather to planning the flight; pilots have to be able to take into account every aspect of a flight for the safety and comfort of the passengers. With pilots having to calculate all the little details such as plane mechanics, fuel consumption, weight and balance, frequencies, communicating, etc., there is a lot of stress and pressure on those flying these aircraft. Some ways these aviation industries can help pilots is by increasing the use of technology to help alleviate some of these factors that are on their plate, and help make their lives easier. As stated by Summers (2024), companies are coming out with various technological advancements that are enhancing flight safety, helping to prevent accidents, and improving the overall flying experience. Some examples of these advancements that are helping pilots includes the glass cockpit, which helps replace analog instruments into a more simplistic digital screen, showing critical flight data with real-time information, Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS) which uses GPS and radar data to alert pilots about potential collisions with terrain or obstacles, and weather radar that can scan the atmosphere for turbulence, thunderstorms, and other weather hazards in real-time, allowing pilots to avoid dangerous weather conditions during flight.
While these enhancements can help increase flight safety and make the job of pilots easier, they also pose a threat to human factors from our pilots, specifically the effects of fatigue. Fatigue is a large human factor aspect for pilots, as it "can impair a pilot's performance, cloud their judgment, and increase the likelihood of errors" (E3 Aviation Association, 2025, Pilot Fatigue section, para. 1). When fatigue comes to mind, generally most think of the physical challenges that pilots undergo such as drowsiness and sleepiness, but it is just as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical one. When enhanced technology comes into play, there is another factor that is wearing down the pilots. As they focus on the glass cockpit and radar with the LED screens, it can drag on a pilot for long extended periods. As stated by Microsoft Copilot (n.d.), looking at screens for a prolonged time can cause eye strain, headaches, and other discomforts in vision, causing fatigue for individuals. As a pilot, your best tool is your eyes, especially when it comes to flying. While these devices in the cockpit drastically alleviate some of the stresses that pilots face, they introduce another human factor element that needs to be monitored to ensure a safe flight for those on board and the aircraft itself.
Another specific human factor that arises from these technological enhancements includes complacency among pilots. Complacency is a large problem that is easily caught onto by anyone, not just pilots. When we get into a rhythm in our everyday lives, we get so used to the motion of activities we are doing that we can lose our minds in the midst of it and cause problems for ourselves and those around us, while simultaneously delivering inadequate performance of the task(s) at hand. As stated by Mead (2024) from the AOPA, having a self-satisfied mindset stemming from repeated positive experiences leads to decreased awareness of hazards and failure to follow safety protocols, which can result in missing critical steps, misjudging risks, and potentially compromising the safety of the flight. As a pilot, several motions are repeated each flight that can seem nonchalant and not necessary to provide full effort towards, but it's in those moments that, when the small things are neglected, such as a checklist, problems can arise. With the introduction of this enhanced technology, such as radar, GPS, and TAWS, complacency for pilots can be a big factor. With these devices allowing traffic reports, updated weather data, and alerts of potential hazards outside the aircraft, this can lead to pilots being complacent by letting the technology do the work for them, instead of being more aware of the technology possibly messing up. For example, radar services, while they can be up to date, are known for being slightly behind the actual time, so if the weather radar is picking up certain weather, it doesn't necessarily mean it is exactly so far out. Another example of pilots being complacent is autopilot. With autopilot being accessible, it takes pilots off the hands of the "wheel" as the plane is flying itself, only needing to set the altitude and airspeed, and the plane will adjust according, including adjusting for wind correction. While this can help alleviate fatigue facts, it could also lead to pilots not being aware of important information, such as the airspeed decreasing, or problems with the engine due to a lack of staying focused.
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