Human Factors
What the exam tests
Human factors questions test fatigue, stress, workload, situational awareness, decision-making, communication, and error management in dispatch. You must recognize conditions that degrade performance and apply defences before an error reaches the flight.
Core concepts
- Fatigue impairs attention, reaction time, and judgment. Circadian low points, night duty, early starts, and long shifts increase risk.
- Stress can narrow attention and encourage shortcut-taking. Workload spikes during weather diversions or multiple releases can cause task shedding.
- Situational awareness requires monitoring weather, traffic, fuel, and aircraft status-not just the first plan.
- Error models distinguish slips, lapses, mistakes, and violations. Defences include checklists, cross-checks, and independent verification.
- Just culture encourages reporting while retaining accountability for reckless conduct.
Worked example
A dispatcher on a night shift is handling three diversions during a thunderstorm. At 0300, the circadian low, they are tempted to skip the alternate weather recheck. A fatigue defence is to use a checklist, prioritize the highest-risk flight, and ask a colleague to verify the alternate and fuel. The goal is not to "try harder" but to add a barrier against a predictable error.
Traps
Treating fatigue as a personal weakness; assuming experience prevents error; normalizing deviations because "nothing happened"; and using punishment instead of reporting. Also watch for automation bias and confirmation bias when weather is deteriorating.