Yet as pilots progress in their careers from a single-engine aircraft to a Boeing 777 jetliner, they 'fly' less and less. You become less a hands-on pilot and more a computer monitor. Yet the more you automate a system, the more you take out this flexibility and responsiveness. People also need to be involved, in control, and informed in order to be effective. But as systems become more automated, they're less of each.
Garland says the ideal level of automation is one that keeps the operator involved.
Two degrees are offered The Embry-Riddle department grants two degrees, a bachelor's degree in applied experimental psychology and a master's degree in human factors and systems. The bachelor's is the only undergraduate human factors degree program in the nation that is focused on designing products and systems for aviation. The master's program will graduate human factors experts who are qualified to run design teams and conduct human factors investigations. Students can focus on areas such as human senses in flight, information processing, human workload, group interaction and flight crew performance, flight training and simulation, human error, and aircrew fatigue and circadian rhythm. Garland says students also are given opportunties to help faculty with human factors research.