The most important information needed by the pilot to perform the multi-functional tasks required by a modern jet is knowledge about the human pilot and crew.

We were trained to allocate our order of priorities as:

• Aviate
• Navigate
• Communicate

Not any more!

Less demands for skill and stamina are now placed on a pilot.  The mental, social, managements and leadership skills have become paramount.  Certainly the pilot still needs to learn how to manipulate the controls and navigate, but these skills alone are insufficient.  Training is not preparing us, as well as it should, for the essential tasks of wise decision-making and effective interpersonal communications.

Perhaps our training priorities should now be:

• Manage
• Communicate
• Aviate
• Navigate

For many years aircraft systems design has been at the leading edge of technological development to the extent that their capabilities and capacity now far exceed the design limitations of the human body and, in some cases, the human processor.
While careful design of systems and procedures can provide a buffer against overloading the body and mind of the crew, there are many circumstances where the human has to take control and rely on raw data.  Knowledge of his, or her, own vulnerabilities and strengths will allow better and safer decisions to be made.

Airlines are placing greater emphasis on human factors training and safety authorities are including a greater element of human factors in examinations at all licence levels.

The PPL examination includes some questions on this important topic area.  At CPL level the examination includes some questions on this important topic area.  At CPL level the examination is returning to single-subject examinations and therefore there is one exam dedicated to human aspects.  The Aviation Theory Centre has prepared two volumes which give you the choice depending on your career path:

• Human Performance and Limitations
  This manual is for pilots who do not intend going beyond the Day VFR PPL / CPL syllabus
• Human Factors for the Professional Pilot  (This publication)
  This manual is a more complex manual for the professional pilot who intends to continue to ATPL