Human Factors & Crew Resource Management Flashcards

In the context of human factors, what does 'complacency' refer to in UAS operations?

Answer: Overconfidence and reduced vigilance that develops during routine operations

Complacency is reduced vigilance or overconfidence that commonly develops during routine or repetitive operations, increasing the likelihood of missing critical information.

The 'Swiss Cheese Model' is used to explain which safety concept in UAS operations?

Answer: How multiple defensive layers can fail simultaneously to allow an accident to occur

The Swiss Cheese Model illustrates how accidents occur when weaknesses (holes) in multiple defensive layers align, allowing a hazard to pass through all defences and cause harm.

What is the correct approach when a remote pilot feels pressured by a client to fly despite having genuine safety concerns?

Answer: Assert the concern clearly and decline to fly if necessary, as the pilot is always responsible for safety

The remote pilot in command is always legally and operationally responsible for the safe conduct of the flight and must decline to fly if genuine safety concerns are not resolved.

How does acute stress most commonly affect a remote pilot's cognitive performance?

Answer: It narrows attentional focus and can lead to tunnel vision and poorer decisions

Acute stress narrows attentional focus, impairs cognitive flexibility, and can lead to hasty or poor decisions, a phenomenon known as perceptual narrowing or tunnel vision.

What is 'channelised attention' and why is it particularly hazardous in UAS operations?

Answer: Focusing so intently on one task that other critical factors in the environment are neglected

Channelised attention (tunnel vision) means concentrating so intensely on a single element that the pilot loses awareness of other critical factors, which is especially dangerous in a complex drone operating environment.

Which of the following represents a 'latent condition' as described by the Swiss Cheese Model?

Answer: Inadequate training procedures embedded within an organisation's culture

Latent conditions are pre-existing organisational or systemic weaknesses, such as poor training, that lie dormant until triggered by an active failure, contributing to an accident.

What is the primary safety concern associated with operating a drone after taking certain medications?

Answer: Certain medications can impair cognitive function, judgement, and reaction time

Certain medications, including some that are legally prescribed, can impair alertness, cognitive function, and reaction time, directly affecting the remote pilot's ability to operate safely.