The Aloha Airlines B-737 accident in 1989 prompted a general evaluation of aviation maintenance and inspection practices. A consistent finding from the Aloha analyses was that human-factors-related issues played a significant role in the accident. In the intervening period, the FAA Office of Aviation Medicine (AAM) has sponsored a wideranging, applied human factors research program. The Human Factors Guide for Aviation Maintenance (the Guide) is the primary vehicle for channeling the results of the AAM's research program into the aviation user community. This paper describes the development process of the Human Factors Guide for Aviation Maintenance. We include a discussion of how the existing base of research results has been made accessible and, more importantly, usable to aviation maintenance supervisors and inspectors. We also describe the considerations related to widely disseminating the information and guidance contained in the Guide. We believe this to be the first time that detailed human factors guidance from such a broad topical range has been tailored to a particular, applied, user domain.
COMMAND INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEMS: A HUMAN FACTORS RESEARCH PROGRAM.