Human Engineering and the Cost-Effectiveness of Air-Safety Devices

A simple mathematical model was developed to estimate benefit-to-cost ratios of alternative safety devices. The “Benefit” is the expected decrease in accident losses, while “Cost” includes the expense of the device plus maintenance and useful load penalty. This model permits the manufacturers and operators to select the most effective items. Realizing that the majority of accidents involve pilot error, the strong and weak points of contemporary cockpit design are described. Several human engineering improvements are proposed.