Human error is now the main cause of aircraft accidents. However, in many cases the pilot simply falls into a trap that has been left for him/her by the poor design of the flight deck. This book addresses the human factors issues pertinent to the design of modern flight decks. Comprising of invited chapters from internationally recognised experts in human factors and flight deck design, contributions span the world of industry, government research establishments and academia. The book brings together the practical experience of professionals across the human factors and flight deck design disciplines to provide a single, all-encompassing volume. Divided into two main parts, part one of the book examines: the benefits of human engineering; flight deck design process; head down display design; head-up display design; auditory warning systems; flight control systems, control inceptors and aircraft handling qualities; flight deck automation; and human-computer interaction on the flight deck and anthropometrics for flight deck design. Part two is concerned with flight deck evaluation - the human factors evaluation of flight decks; human factors in flight test and the regulatory viewpoint Of interest to all human factors professionals operating in high technology, high-risk dynamic industries as well as those engaged directly in aerospace activities, the book will also be of key importance to engineers with an interest in human factors for flight deck design, academics and third year and post-graduate human factors/ergonomics and psychology students.

'Overall this book is to be highly recommended to those involved in the design and certification of civil flight decks. It provides much informative material, but challenges designers of the future that the job has barely begun. It asserts that what matters is not automation quantity, but automation quality in which powerful, yet observable automation facilitates team play in partnership with its human operators especially during busy and especially unforeseen circumstances.' Malcolm Jukes, Aerospace Professional, March 2006

Don Harris is Reader in the Department of Human Factors and Air Transport, Cranfield University, UK. He has written numerous papers, mostly in the field of human factors in aviation, edited Human Factors For Flight Deck Certification (Cranfield University Press, 1997) and has been a guest editor for the International Journal of Cognitive Ergonomics. He is a member of the Ergonomics Society and the International Association of Applied Psychologists. He is joint Main Editor, with Helen Muir, of Human Factors in Aerospace Safety, An International Journal, and was the founding convener of the International Conferences on Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics.