Human Performance & Limitations

Difficulty: Low-MediumExam Weight: Medium

Overview

Human Performance & Limitations covers the physiological and psychological aspects of flight. Topics include vision, hearing, the effects of altitude on the body, spatial disorientation, fatigue management, stress, workload management, crew resource management (CRM), and threat and error management (TEM).

Key Topics

Respiratory and circulatory physiology in flight
Effects of hypoxia and time of useful consciousness
Vision — night vision, illusions, limitations
Spatial disorientation and vestibular illusions
Hearing and noise effects
Fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms
Stress and workload management
Crew Resource Management (CRM)
Threat and Error Management (TEM)
Human error models and accident causation
Decision making and judgement

Study Tips

Relate every topic to real-world flying scenarios

Learn the types of hypoxia and their symptoms

Study vestibular illusions — somatogravic, leans, Coriolis

Understand the SHELL model and Reason's Swiss Cheese model

Practice applying CRM principles to scenario-based questions

Sample Questions

1. Time of useful consciousness at 35,000 ft without supplemental oxygen is approximately:

A. 30-60 seconds✓ Correct

B. 3-5 minutes

C. 10-15 minutes

D. 30 minutes

2. The somatogravic illusion occurs during:

A. Turns in IMC

B. Rapid acceleration, creating a false pitch-up sensation✓ Correct

C. Descending in cloud

D. Looking at a sloping cloud deck

3. James Reason's Swiss Cheese model describes accident causation as:

A. A single catastrophic failure

B. Multiple layers of defenses, each with holes, that align to allow an accident✓ Correct

C. Pilot error as the primary cause

D. Equipment failure leading to human error

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