wrote in
:

On Aug 27, 8:47 am, "Bob F." wrote:
"Mxsmanic" wrote in message

...



Bob F. writes:

I remember sitting at a meeting at RTCA, the same people who
determine how
your avionics work, and we were having an ergonomics discussion
and some really strange issues were popping up. So I asked the
question of the 20 or
so people around the table...how many of you people fly? You know
what? I
was the only one. Scary isn't it.

Should it be? Ergonomics is a study in itself and largely
independent of the
situation to which the study is applied. Pilots are human beings
like anyone
else and their human reactions to specific types of external
stimuli are identical to those of anyone else, so general
principles of ergonomy can be
applied to a cockpit without necessarily having any experience
therein. The
important thing for these people to understand is how human beings
and machines interact, not the specific purpose of the interaction.
Or course,
knowing a little bit about the patterns of interaction can't hurt,
but they
don't have to be pilots for that (they can just put pilots in a sim
and ask
them what they think).

Many people use computers all day, and they suffer fatigue from the
poor ergonomy of their work environment, but their long experience
with computers
does not help them to resolve the problems with ergonomy, and they
may not even be aware of them. A specialist, however, might
immediately recognize the
problems just by watching a person use the computer, and need not
have any experience using a computer herself.

Similarly, engine mechanics need not be pilots, and pilots need not
be mechanics, at least in theory. Small aircraft require a lot
more knowledge of
engines than they really should, though, thanks to the ancient
designs of the
powerplants.

It was a rhetorical question without a lot of detail. And you
answered it without fully understanding the problem, just like any
Senior Executive, Politician or 12 year old. Absolutely correct,
obvious, and useless to anyone trying to get the job done. ...with
no disrespect. And you included in your answer using far more words
than I did, that the underlying problem was that no one offered
experience example.

--
Regards, BobF.

My sister in law was of the opinion that she was fully qualified to be
a shoe store manager because, in her words, "has bought a lot of
shoes".



That's ridiculous. That would overqualify her, if anything.


Bertie