Human Factors Improvements to the Aircraft Certification Act

To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to better integrate human factors into the aircraft certification process through the deployment of necessary enhancements to improve aviation safety, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Human Factors Improvements to the Aircraft Certification Act 2. Human factors (a) Aircraft certification process (1) Evaluation Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator (acting through the Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety of the Administration) shall— (A) conduct an evaluation of the development of tools and methods to support the integration of human factors assessment and system safety assessments of human interaction with flight deck and flight control systems for transport airplanes into the aircraft certification process under section 44704 of title 49, United States Code; and (B) develop a framework to better integrate human factors throughout such aircraft certification process with the objective of improving safety by designing systems and training pilots in a manner that accounts for contemporary knowledge to reduce the possibility of an accident resulting in whole or in part from the pilot’s interaction with the aircraft. (2) Report to Congress Not later than 60 days after the completion of the evaluation required under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report detailing the findings of such report and a plan for implementation based on such findings of such report. (3) Implementation Upon submission of the report required under paragraph (2), the Administrator shall implement the findings of such evaluation. (b) Human factors education program (1) In general The Administrator shall develop a human factors education program that addresses the effects of modern flight deck systems, including automated systems, on human performance for transport airplanes and the approaches for better integration of human factors in aircraft design and certification. (2) Target audience The human factors education program shall be integrated into the training protocol in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act such that such program is routinely administered to the following: (A) Appropriate employees within the Flight Standards Service. (B) Appropriate employees within the Aircraft Certification Service. (C) Other employees or authorized representatives determined to be necessary by the Administrator. (c) Transport airplane manufacturer information sharing The Administrator shall— (1) require each transport airplane manufacturer to provide the Administrator with the information or findings necessary for flight crew to be trained on flight deck systems; (2) ensure the information or findings under paragraph (1) adequately includes consideration of human factors; and (3) ensure that each transport airplane manufacturer identifies any technical basis, justification or rationale for the information and findings under paragraph (1). (d) Definitions In this Act: (1) Administration The term Administration (2) Administrator The term Administrator (3) Human factors The term human factors (4) Transport airplane The term transport airplane (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

Summary: Human Factors Improvements to the Aircraft Certification Act This bill addresses the integration of human factors into the aircraft certification process. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must (1) evaluate tools and methods to support the integration of human factors into the aircraft certification process of flight deck and flight control systems for transport airplanes, and (2) develop a framework to implement such tools and methods with the objective of improving safety. Additionally, the FAA must develop a human factors education program that addresses the effects of modern flight deck systems, including automated systems, on human performance for transport airplanes and the approaches for better integration of human factors in aircraft design and certification. Each transport airplane manufacturer must (1) provide the FAA with information or findings on flight crew training to ensure it adequately includes consideration of human factors; and (2) identify any technical basis, justification, or rationale for such information and findings.