feat(dissertation): wrote checklist background in full

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Anthony Berg 2024-05-22 01:17:54 +01:00
parent fad962456d
commit 78096bba2a
4 changed files with 142 additions and 46 deletions

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@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
\end{itemize} \end{itemize}
%%%%% SAFETY %%%%% %%%%% SAFETY %%%%%
\section{Safety in Aviation} \section{Safety in Aviation}
\subsection{History} \subsection{History}
@ -25,41 +26,88 @@
% - Rates of accidents % - Rates of accidents
\begin{itemize} \begin{itemize}
\item 70-80\% of aviation accidents are attributed to human factors~\cite{faa:reasons} \item 70-80\% of aviation accidents are attributed to human factors~\cite{faa:reasons}
\item The first use of a checklist was in 1935 after the crash of a prototype plane known
back then as the Model 299 (known as the Boeing B-17 today), due to the complex procedures
required to operate the aircraft normally and forgetting a step resulting in
lack of controls during takeoff~\cite{manifesto}
\item It was found that because of the complicated procedure to operate the aircraft
that the pilots would forget steps, and hence the concept of checklists was tested,
and found to minimize human errors~\cite{manifesto}
\end{itemize} \end{itemize}
\subsection{Checklists} \subsection{Checklists}
\begin{itemize} % \begin{itemize}
\item Checklists are defined by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as: % \item Checklists are defined by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as:
\blockquote{A set of written procedures/drills covering % \blockquote{A set of written procedures/drills covering
% the operation of the aircraft by the flight
% crew in both normal and abnormal
% conditions.~\ldots~The Checklist is
% carried on the flight deck.}~\cite{caa:design}
% \item Checklists have been shown to aid in minimizing human errors~\cite{manifesto}
% \item However, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK's aviation regulator:
% \begin{itemize}
% \item Checklists can be misleading and compromise the safety of the aircraft
% due to them being either too confusing or taking too long to complete~\cite{nasa:design}
% \item Other problems may include the crew skipping a step either unintentionally or by interruption,
% or just failing to complete the checklist outright
% \item The crew may also not be alerted to performance issues within the aircraft,
% that running the checklist may cause~\cite{caa:design}
% \end{itemize}
% \item However, it is important to note that checklists does not prevent the human
% factor of failure to use a checklist, like in the case of Northwest Airlines
% Flight 255, where the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an investigatory board
% for aviation accidents in the United States, determined that
% \enquote{the probable cause of the accident was the flight crew's failure
% to use the taxi checklist to ensure that the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff.}~\cite{ntsb:NWA255}
% \item These checklists can be bundled into a Quick Reference Handbook (QRH)
% which the CAA defines it as:
% \blockquote{A handbook containing procedures which
% may need to be referred to quickly and/or
% frequently, including Emergency and
% Abnormal procedures. The procedures
% may be abbreviated for ease of reference
% (although they must reflect the procedures
% contained in the AFM\footnote{
% Aircraft Flight Manual - \enquote{The Aircraft Flight Manual produced by the
% manufacturer and approved by the CAA.
% This forms the basis for parts of the
% Operations Manual and checklists. The
% checklist procedures must reflect those
% detailed in the AFM.}~\cite{caa:design}
% }).
% The QRH is often
% used as an alternative name for the
% Emergency and Abnormal Checklist.~\cite{caa:design}}
% \item Therefore, as there may be a need for the checklist to be
% referenced quickly and potentially in emergency situations,
% these checklists should be tested for flaws
% \end{itemize}
Checklists are defined by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),
the UK's aviation regulator, as:
%
\blockquote{A set of written procedures/drills covering
the operation of the aircraft by the flight the operation of the aircraft by the flight
crew in both normal and abnormal crew in both normal and abnormal
conditions.~\ldots~The Checklist is conditions.~\ldots~The Checklist is
carried on the flight deck.}~\cite{caa:design} carried on the flight deck.}~\cite{caa:design}
These checklists as a result has shown to be a crucial tool in aviation
to minimize human errors.~\cite{manifesto}
There are multiple checklists that are designed for aircraft for the use of
\item Checklists have been shown to aid in minimizing human errors~\cite{manifesto} normal operation and potential problems that could arise during the flight.
These checklists are stored in a Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) which is
kept in the cockpit of each aircraft for use when needed. The definition
\item However, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK's aviation regulator: of a QRH by CAA is:
\begin{itemize} %
\item Checklists can be misleading and compromise the safety of the aircraft \blockquote{A handbook containing procedures which
due to them being either too confusing or taking too long to complete~\cite{nasa:design}
\item Other problems may include the crew skipping a step either unintentionally or by interruption,
or just failing to complete the checklist outright
\item The crew may also not be alerted to performance issues within the aircraft,
that running the checklist may cause~\cite{caa:design}
\end{itemize}
\item However, it is important to note that checklists does not prevent the human
factor of failure to use a checklist, like in the case of Northwest Airlines
Flight 255, where the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an investigatory board
for aviation accidents in the United States, determined that
\enquote{the probable cause of the accident was the flight crew's failure
to use the taxi checklist to ensure that the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff.}~\cite{ntsb:NWA255}
\item These checklists can be bundled into a Quick Reference Handbook (QRH)
which the CAA defines it as:
\blockquote{A handbook containing procedures which
may need to be referred to quickly and/or may need to be referred to quickly and/or
frequently, including Emergency and frequently, including Emergency and
Abnormal procedures. The procedures Abnormal procedures. The procedures
@ -77,10 +125,42 @@
used as an alternative name for the used as an alternative name for the
Emergency and Abnormal Checklist.~\cite{caa:design}} Emergency and Abnormal Checklist.~\cite{caa:design}}
\item Therefore, as there may be a need for the checklist to be However, checklists themselves can have design flaws as noted by researchers at
referenced quickly and potentially in emergency situations, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) where checklists
these checklists should be tested for flaws can be misleading, too confusing, or too long to complete, as a result
\end{itemize} having the potential of compromising the safety of the aircraft.~\cite{nasa:design}
An example of this is what happened on Swiss Air Flight 111, where an electrical fault
was made worse by following the checklist, resulting in the aircraft crashing in the ocean.
This was as the flight crew was unaware of the severity of the fire caused by the
electrical fault. Following the steps in the checklist, one of the steps was
to cut out power to \enquote{non-essential} systems, which increased the
amount of smoke in the cockpit.
Simultaneously, the checklist itself was a distraction as it was found to take
around 30 minutes to complete in testing during the investigation.~\cite{tsb:SWR111}
This incident shows that checklists need to be tested for these flaws, and considering
the original checklist for Swiss Air Flight 111 would have taken 30 minutes
to theoretically complete, this could be time-consuming for checklist designers,
and this would be something to note whilst working on this project.
There are other potential problems with checklists,
noted by the CAA, where the person running through the checklist could skip a step
either unintentionally, by interruption, or just outright failing to complete the
checklist. Or the crew may also not be alerted to performance issues within the aircraft,
which would be a result of running the checklist.~\cite{caa:design} Therefore,
this would be useful to add for features when testing checklists, such as
adding the ability to intentionally skip a step of a checklist or gathering
statistics on how the performance of the aircraft has been affected as a result
of using the checklist.
Another problem to note about checklists is the human factor where the crew
may fail to use the checklist, like in the case of Northwest Airlines Flight 255,
where the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an investigatory board
for aviation accidents in the United States, determined that
\enquote{the probable cause of the accident was the flight crew's failure
to use the taxi checklist to ensure that the flaps and slats were extended for takeoff.}~\cite{ntsb:NWA255}
This shows that even though checklists have shown to improve safety of the aircraft,
there are other measures that aviation regulatory bodies are required implement, to avoid
situations where the crew may completely ignore safety procedures and systems.
%%%%% FORMAL METHODS %%%%% %%%%% FORMAL METHODS %%%%%

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\usepackage{csquotes} \usepackage{csquotes}
\usepackage{babel} \usepackage{babel}
\usepackage{parskip}
\usepackage{xcolor} \usepackage{xcolor}

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@ -22,6 +22,21 @@
url = {https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8805.pdf}, url = {https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8805.pdf},
} }
@report{tsb:SWR111,
author = {{Transport Safety Board of Canada}},
shortauthor = {TSB},
number = {A98H0003},
title = {Aviation Investigation Report
In-Flight Fire Leading to Collision with Water
Swissair Transport Limited
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 HB-IWF
Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia 5 nm SW
2 September 1998},
year = {2003},
month = {02},
url = {https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/1998/a98h0003/a98h0003.pdf},
}
@article{nasa:checklist, @article{nasa:checklist,
author = {Burian, Barbara}, author = {Burian, Barbara},
year = {2006}, year = {2006},