Aviation Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aviation Safety - Essay Example However, various factors interfere with the required level of a pilot’s concentration. First, these pilots face irregular schedules from day to day. The schedules are also intensive in terms of the work involved, which makes it hard to get adequate time to relax their body and mind. Consequently, they succumb to strenuous physical and mental conditions, which hinder them from maintaining aviation safety. They, for example, may fail to get enough sleep, thus getting overwhelmed when flying the plane. This can cause the pilot to lose control of the plane, leading to an airplane crash. Fatigue, also poses a considerable threat to aviation safety. It minimizes the pilot’s ability to maintain normal functions, either mentally or physically. They tend to be short of strength, which leads to a mental dysfunction. The pilot, for example, fails to think clearly, as fatigue leads to loss of alertness, which forces the pilot to pose a safety threat (Ferguson & Nelson, 158-159). This relates to the ability of a pilot to perceive him, as well as the aircraft with respect to the changes in the environment. These changes in the environment could have the potential of causing a threat to the entire crew, hence the ability to detect the threat, and take appropriate measures matters greatly. A change in the weather conditions, for example, may pose a risk that needs immediate attention to avert the danger. A lack of situational awareness results in poor decision-making, thus hampering aviation safety. Factors that hinder pilots and their crew from maintaining a proper situational awareness include; stress, which could be physical, social or psychological. In addition, complacency because of being overconfident with the process can also lead to major accidents. Distractions, confusion, as well as ignorance of the established procedures can also be a major cause. In