9.

1 SHELL MODEL (General Visual Inspection)

SHELL model is the conceptual model. It focuses on the problem of how the human factors
interfere with the world around them. There are five elements involved in task as shown below:

S – Software
H – Hardware
E – Environment
L – Liveware (Team)
L – Liveware (Individual)

During GVI, the inspector should understand the SHELL model has involved in task.
Liveware (Individual). The L in the center represents the inspector who carries out the task and
he must be familiar with the procedure clearly. He must keep his mental and physical fitness in optimum
condition to complete the task effectively. He should understand the basic human factors such as fatigue,
stress, skill limitation, boredom, complacency and motivation to do the visual inspection.
When interfering with the outside world, the human factors involved are:
Liveware (software). The inspector must follow the maintenance instruction and standard
practice according to relevant manuals in order to ensure that all documents are approved and up-to-date.
Liveware (hardware). The inspector should use approved tools like boroscope and magnifying
glass to carry out the inspection. He should make inspection area clean and use safety harness when
inspecting task at high position from ground level.
Liveware (environment). Environment adequate illumination and suitable temperature are
essential.
9.1 SHELL MODEL (Engine Run)
9.2 SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
1. Define Situational Awareness.
Situational awareness is the synthesis of an accurate and up to date ‘mental model’ of one’s
environment and state, and the ability to use this to make predictions of possible future states.

2. List the THREE stages of situational awareness.

An example of an engineer seeing blue streaks on the fuselage can reflect to the three stages in
situational awareness.
First, Perception Stage. An engineer saw blue streaks on the fuselage near the lavatory service
panel.
Second, Comprehension Stage. He reasoned the lavatory cap could be missing or the drain line
leaking. Here, his training and experience including his mind set able to help him to make a good
technical judgement.
Third, Projection Stage. He could calculate very soon the aircraft would return to flight, any
further leak could follow the blue water to freeze, leading to engine damage. He saw an unsafe condition
and determined that the leaking defect should immediately rectified.

3. Obstacles to maintaining good situational awareness.

Information is not available; Information is hard to hear and see (signal-to-noise ratio is low);
Information is mis-perceived (hear what you expect to hear, see what you expect to see); Information is
present but missed; Task sequences are forgotten; Consequences are not properly understood and either
a mental model is in lack or wrongly used.
9.5 WORKING ENVIRONMENT
1. List FOUR physical factors of working environment.
Noise and Fume. Noise is defined as unwanted sound. Noise can have impact on psychological
condition and may result in frustration and anxiety. Fume is the presence of flammable, irritative or toxic
vapor in the workplace. Fume affects the performance, visibility and perception.
Motion and Vibration. Vibration is any oscillating motion that change its magnitude periodically
with the reference of a point. Vibration can impair visual acuity and interfere neuromuscular control
which may lead to fatigue.
Illumination. An adequate illumination is the major consideration in determining the reliability
of inspection. Glare may produce discomfort and interfere with visual performance.
Climate and Temperature. Human is comfortable only over narrow band of temperature. Extreme
temperature can cause environmental stressors.
Workplace layout. It is an access equipment provided that should aim to make the user feel
comfortable during performing the task. Make use of staging and mobile access platform to reach the
various parts of an aircraft.
Safety equipment. It protects and minimizes risks of an engineer when performing job. Safety
harness must be used when inspecting task at higher position from ground levels.

2. State the effect of climate and temperature on line maintenance.

In line maintenance, engineer must know how to protect himself from the elements of extreme
climate, make sure that he will not distracted by the temperature change.
First, extreme cold. Under cold temperature, an engineer will lost the ability to perform precision
task due to loss of the fingers flexibility.
Next, extreme hot. An excessive heat will cause in decreasing of performance. An engineer will
suffer dehydration and delusion after long period under excessive heat condition.
In addition, during snowing. Ground crew should carry out ground de-icing operation to prevent
ice freezing on aircraft parts.
Besides, during strong wind. When engineer is working in strong wind, he will be distracted,
especially if having work on staging.
Finally, during heavy rain. When engineer is out working under raining days, he must wear
suitable attire and fluorescent.
9.7 COMMUNICATION
1. Define communication and list FOUR types of mode. Describe precondition for effective
communication.
Communication is the transmission of something from one person to another. The ‘thing’ that is
transmitted can be a message, signal, meaning or other information. There are four types of mode for
communication such as verbal/spoken, written/textual, graphics and body language.
Verbal/spoken is a single word, a phrase or sentence and a grunt.
Written/textual is a printed words or numbers on paper or screen and also a hand written notes.
Graphics such as pictures, diagram, hand drawn sketches and indication on a cockpit instrument.
Body language likes facial expression, touch such as a pad on the back and a posture.
The precondition for effective communication is that the both transmitter and receiver must be
share a common code to communicate well with each other. There are four processes for communication
which is sender, encoding, decoding and receiver, so that the meaning and information of the message
will be interpret without error.

2. Describe the requirements for written communication.

General requirements for good written communication are:
Clear. It must easy to understand, readable and free from any emotional and hidden message.
Correct. It must relate accurately to the problem at hand.
Complete. It must convey the complete message.
Concise. It must direct to the point. Presenting irrelevant details does not improve the efficiency
of communication.
Good communication is very important in every industries. In aircraft maintenance engineering,
it is vital and there are various aspects of communication that affect the aircraft maintenance engineer.
9.8 DIRTY DOZEN
1. Define Dirty Dozen.
Dirty dozen list the frequent twelve human factors that affect the aircraft maintenance and
inspection. Dirty dozen give a quick and practice summary of those human factors causing incident. The
dirty dozen are as follows:
Lack of communication. Lack of clear, direct commands and attentive, active listening skills.
Complacency. Self-satisfaction accompanied by a loss of awareness of the dangers.
Lack of knowledge. Means lack of experience and training of the task handed.
Distraction. Diversion of one’s attention away for mental, emotional confusion or disturb.
Lack of teamwork. Lack of work together to achieve common goal.
Fatigue. Weariness from labor or exertion, nervous, exhaustion, temporary loss of power to
respond.
Lack of resources. Failure to use or acquire appropriate tools, equipment, information and
procedure of the task handed.
Pressure. Pushing for something in spite of opposite odds, creating a sense of urgency or hesitate.
Lack of assertiveness. Lack of positive communication one’s ideas, wants and needs.
Stress. Mental, emotional or physical tensions, strains or distress.
Lack of awareness. Failure to be alert or vigilant in observing the present situation and identifying
unsafe condition in the projected future.
Norms. The commonly accepted practice of working routine jobs without referring to manuals.

2. According to Dirty Dozen, how to get situational awareness?

There are three stages of situational awareness which are perception, comprehension and
projection. These are the stages to get situational awareness.
In the perception stage, first, we should get the right information by good communication skills
or by being observant. Second, we should interpret the information correctly.
When projection stage, a defect should be immediately rectified.
9.8 VIOLATIONS
1. Describe the FOUR types of violation.
HUMAN FACTOR
1. Define human factors with respect to inspection and maintenance.
2. Describe the Swiss Cheesecake theory of human error.
3. What can you do to prevent task interruption and metal lapse error?