ATPL Human Factors case studies
ATPL Human Factors · Put your knowledge to work in context.
Human Factors is one of the fourteen ground subjects in the EASA Airline Transport Pilot Licence theoretical knowledge syllabus, published as subject 040. It exists because most accidents in modern commercial aviation trace back to human performance rather than technical failure, so the licensing authority expects pilots to understand their own physiology, perception, decision-making and teamwork before they sit in a multi-crew cockpit. The ATPL Human Factors case studies are 5 cases and about 2,270 words.
1The 03:40 Duty Call
A two-pilot crew operates a night cargo rotation. The captain, 51, has slept 4 hours in the last 30 hours after a delayed positioning flight.
530 words, about 3 min2The Silent Descent
A wide-body is on a 9-hour eastbound night flight with a three-pilot crew. The cruise is uneventful and the aircraft is on a datalink route with no frequency changes for 40 minutes.
459 words, about 2 min3The Confident Readback
At a busy European airport, a two-pilot crew receives a complex clearance: 'Climb to 5,000 feet, turn right heading 040, contact departure 121.850.' The first officer reads back 'Climb 5,000, right 040, departure 121.850.' The controller replies 'Correct.' Shortly after, the aircraft levels at 5,000 feet and the controller challenges: 'You were cleared to 6,000.' The crew is certain they heard 5,000. The airport has two parallel runways with similar departure routes, and a second aircraft with a similar callsign departed 90 seconds earlier on the other runway.
444 words, about 2 min4The Junior First Officer's Challenge
On approach in poor visibility, a captain with 18 years' experience is flying. The first officer, 9 months on type, is monitoring.
432 words, about 2 min5The Checklist Interruption
During the before-start checklist, the ground engineer interrupts the first officer to discuss a fuel figure. The first officer answers, returns to the checklist, and continues from memory: 'Flaps, set; trim, set; brief, complete.' The captain, also distracted by the engineer, confirms each item.
405 words, about 2 min