CAA NZ AME Human Factors study plan
CAA NZ AME Human Factors · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Define human factors as it applies to aircraft maintenance and distinguish it from safety management and airworthiness regulatory frameworks
Map the SHELL model and the software-hardware-environment-liveware interfaces onto a line maintenance and a hangar maintenance scenario
Explain the dirty dozen error precursors and match each to at least one realistic maintenance occurrence
Describe the Swiss cheese model and Reason's distinction between active failures and latent conditions in an engineering context
Your checkpoint
A one-page annotated SHELL diagram plus a table linking all twelve dirty dozen factors to a specific maintenance task and a plausible outcome
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Explain the information-processing model from sensory input through perception, decision and response, and identify where errors arise at each stage
Differentiate slips, lapses, mistakes and violations, and classify ten given maintenance error descriptions
Describe the physiology of fatigue, circadian rhythm disruption and sleep debt, and relate them to shift patterns used in aircraft maintenance
Summarise the effects of stress, workload and arousal on performance, including the Yerkes-Dodson relationship
Your checkpoint
A classification worksheet of at least fifteen error scenarios labelled by error type with a one-line justification each
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Explain how situational awareness is built, lost and recovered during a maintenance task, including the role of distraction and interruption
Describe the limitations of human memory and attention relevant to inspection and task continuation
Analyse how complacency and normalised deviation develop in a mature maintenance organisation
Relate perception and illusion effects to inspection tasks such as weld, crack and corrosion detection
Your checkpoint
A written analysis of a self-selected real or constructed interruption scenario describing the loss of situational awareness and three recovery controls
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Explain the communication process model and identify barriers to effective technical communication between shifts, trades and certifying staff
Describe the purpose and correct use of maintenance documentation, work cards and technical logs from a human factors perspective
Explain the role of briefings, handovers and sign-offs in preventing communication breakdown
Describe assertiveness, feedback and conflict resolution in a maintenance team setting
Your checkpoint
A model shift handover checklist with a short written rationale for each item, kept to one page
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Explain the team roles and dynamics that affect maintenance performance, including leadership, coordination and shared mental models
Describe how supervision, span of control and organisational pressure influence individual decisions
Explain the concept of safety culture and distinguish a just culture from a blame culture
Relate human factors to the error management chain from organisational factors through to unsafe acts
Your checkpoint
A short case write-up of an organisational pressure scenario tracing the chain from management decision to unsafe act with two intervention points identified
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Describe the physical environment factors affecting maintenance performance including noise, lighting, temperature, vibration and workspace design
Explain the effects of hazardous substances, solvents and fumes on performance and the controls required
Describe the ergonomic principles of tool design, access and working posture relevant to aircraft maintenance
Relate anthropometric and workspace constraints to inspection and repair quality
Your checkpoint
A workplace environment risk assessment for one maintenance bay covering at least six environmental and ergonomic factors with a control for each
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Explain how procedures, checklists and documentation design reduce or introduce error
Describe the principles of error management including error containment, detection and recovery
Explain the role of reporting systems, occurrence investigation and feedback loops in learning from error
Describe human factors training, competence assessment and continuation training requirements in a maintenance organisation
Your checkpoint
A drafted error management procedure outline covering detection, containment, reporting and feedback, with each element justified by a human factors principle
Human Factors (AME licence syllabus subject)
Consolidate all syllabus topics into a single revision map with definitions, models and examples
Answer timed practice questions across the full subject and review every incorrect answer against source material
Explain each dirty dozen factor, the SHELL model and the error classification scheme aloud without notes
Identify remaining weak areas and write a targeted final-week revision list
Your checkpoint
A full-length timed practice paper completed with a scored review sheet listing every error, its cause and the corrected reasoning
Milestones
Week 2: Correctly classify at least twelve of fifteen mixed error scenarios by type without reference material
Week 4: Explain the communication process, its barriers and the handover controls from memory in under ten minutes
Week 6: Produce an environment and ergonomics risk assessment that a supervisor could accept without correction
Week 8: Score at least 80 percent on a full timed practice paper and have a written plan for every remaining weak area