June 2011- Number 26
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HIGHLIGHTS
- Proceeding of HFEI 2010 is now available
- CALL FOR PAPERS: 4th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics
- Human Factors Issues in the Air France Flight 447 Crashes
- Specialized Journals and Newsletters
- Interesting Articles
- Upcoming Conferences and Events in Ergonomics
- Announcements
- Contribute to the Applied Ergonomics International NEWS
- About Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics International NEWS
If you have any questions or comments, or if you would like to contribute, please contact the editor, Dr. Abbas Moallem . The opinions expressed in this newsletter are the sole responsibility of its authors and do not represent any institution or company.
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ATTENTION! ATTENTION! PROCEEDINGS of AHFEI 2010 IS NOW AVAILABLE
The AHFEI Proceedings on CD is now available, to order please contact Laura Abell, conference administrator at: aeiadmin@insightbb.com. (Unite Price: $75 US includes shipping and handling)
Link to CRC Press, the AHFE Conference Series:
http://crcpress.com/ecommerce_product/book_series.jsf?series_id=2505
9-14 July 2011, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Orlando, Florida, USA
For registration and advance program visit:
http://www.hcii2011.org/index.php
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=191766&id=125445248940
CALL FOR PAPERS: 4th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics
Deadlines:
Paper presentations 500 words 15 Nov 2011
Posters/demonstrations 300 words 15 Apr 2012
Special interest groups 500 words 15 Nov 2011
Tutorials 300 words 15 Nov 2011
Human Factors Issues in the Air France Flight 447 Crashes
Almost two years after the Air France Flight 447(Airbus A330-200 jet)¬, a well-maintained modern airplane, crashed, the key components from the flight recorders and cockpit voice recorder were finally found. The plane was originally en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro into the ocean, and unfortunately all passengers were killed.
According to The Wall Street Journal “The pilots of an Air France jet that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean two years ago apparently became distracted with faulty airspeed indicators and failed to properly deal with other vital systems, including adjusting engine thrust, according to people familiar with preliminary findings from the plane's recorders."
In another article Spiegel, citing the experts who have participated in the analysis of the Black Boxes data reports, stated that at the time the first alarm sounded, the pilot was not in the cockpit.
Following these revelations, and despite the fact that a formal investigative report is not yet published by Bureau of Investigations and Analyses, or B.E.A. , "Pilot Error " is vigorously condemned by the Syndicat de Pilotes d'Air France (SPAF).
According to New York Times "… the sequence of events captured on the recorders is expected to highlight that the jet slowed dangerously shortly after the autopilot disconnected. The pilots almost immediately faced the beginning of what became a series of automation failures or disconnects related to problems with the plane's airspeed sensors,…", "The crew methodically tried to respond to the warnings, according to people familiar with the probe, but apparently had difficulty sorting out the warning messages, chimes and other cues while also keeping close track of essential displays showing engine power and aircraft."
According to the NYT, “…pilots seemingly were confused by alarms they received from various automated flight-control systems as the plane passed through some turbulence typical on the route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. They also faced unexpectedly heavy icing at 35,000 feet. Such icing is renowned for making airspeed-indicators and other external sensors unreliable."
All these notions hint at many human factors issues related to design, safety training, and hardware failure. A few questions that require a proper answer include:
• Why were the alarms confusing?
• Why were the warning messages difficult to sort out ?
• Why and how were the cues on the displays unclear?
A.M.
Related Press Reports
"Crash du Rio-Paris : il n'y aurait pas eu d'erreur de pilotage, " LEMONDE.FR, May 19, 2011.
http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2011/05/19/crash-du-rio-paris-il-n-y-aurait-pas-eu-d-erreur-de-pilotage_1524155_3224.html
"Rio-Paris : les syndicats de pilote dénoncent les "fausses allégations, "LEMONDE.FR May 24, 2011.
http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2011/05/24/de-nouveaux-elements-sur-la-catastrophe-du-vol-af-447-divulgues-par-la-presse_1526418_3224.html#ens_id=1513709
“Air France Flight 447,” nytimes.com , May 16, 2011
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/a/airplane_accidents_and_incidents/air_france_flight_447/index.html?
Reports of Pilot Error in Air France Crash Are Condemned," nytimes.com, May 24, 2011.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/25/world/europe/25france.html?ref=airfranceflight447
“Absturz von Air-France-Flug 447,” Spiegel, May 22, 2011.
http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,764083,00.html
“Report on Air France 447 crash deepens mystery,” newscientist.com, May 27, 2011.
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/05/blaring-alarms-confused-doomed.html
Specialized Journal and Newsletters
"The Health and Safety Report," The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), May 2011" http://www.ccohs.ca/ccohs/liaison/current.html
“Human Factor sand Ergonomics Society Bulletin,” March 2011, Volume 54, Number 5.
http://www.hfes.org/web/HFESBulletin/May2011Main.html
“DoD Ergonomics Working Group NEWS,” Issue 117, May 2011.
http://www.ergoworkinggroup.org/ewgweb/SubPages/ProgramTools/Publications/publications/117DODEWGNews.pdf
NIOSH eNews, Volume 9 Number 1 May 2011.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews/enewsV9N1.html
“Less Active at Work, Americans Have Packed on Pounds,” The New Yolk Times, May 25, 2011.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/25/less-active-at-work-americans-have-packed-on-pounds/?ref=health
“Mind-reading scan identifies simple thoughts,” newscientist.com, May 26, 2011.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20516-mindreading-scan-identifies-simple-thoughts.html
"Easily distracted people may have too much brain,"newscientist.com, May 06, 2011.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20453-easily-distracted-people-may-have-too-much-brain.html
"Human brain's 'bat sight' found Bat in flight Bats use sound to hunt, “ BBC, May 26, 2011.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13539921
“WHO mobile phone-cancer link 'very weak',” ABC News, June 1, 2011.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/01/3233028.htm?section=justin
“Mobile phone radiation won't cause cancer says Australian researcher,” dailytelegraph.com, June 1, 2011.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/mobile-phone-radiation-a-possible-cancer-risk-who/story-e6freuy9-1226066901502
June 2011
9-10 Jun 2011: Occupational Ergonomics and Safety Conference, Baltimore, USA.
21-24 June, 2011: Deigning for Social Change, Atlanta, USA.
21-24 June, 2011: Healthcare systems ergonomics and patient safety, Oviedo, Spain.
28-30 June, 2011: International Conference on Cognitive, Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Paris, France.
http://www.waset.org/conferences/2011/france/iccpbs/
28 Jun 2011 - 1 Jul 2011: Shift work and Working Time, Stockholm, Sweden.
July 2011
9-14 July 201: HCI International 2011, Orlando, Florida, USA.
http://www.hcii2011.org/index.php
CALL FOR PAPER: Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, Special Issue on eHealth and Services Computing in Healthcare,
http://www.jtaer.com/
CALL FOR PAPER: 1st International Scientific-PracticalConference "Contemporary Ergonomics and Business 2011", RIGA (LATVIA)
http://www.ergconf2011.lv
Contribute to Applied Ergonomics International NEWS
We welcome your contribution to the Applied Ergonomics International NEWS. Please send us interesting news, short articles, interesting websites, etc. We will consider your comments and contributions for upcoming issues. Please send your contribution to the editor, Dr. Abbas Moallem (abbas.moallem@sjsu.edu).
About Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics International NEWS
The Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics International NEWS is a newsletter about Ergonomics and Human Factors topics, The Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics International 2012 conference deadlines and activities, the Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics International 2012 Exhibition, news in the area of Ergonomics and Human Factors, and more. If you have any questions or comments, or if you would like to contribute, please contact the editor, Dr. Abbas Moallem abbas.moallem@sjsu.edu. The opinions that are expressed in this Newsletter are the sole responsibility of its authors and do not represent any institution or company.
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