Inviting Disaster: Lessons From the Edge of Technology Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)'Inviting Disaster' is a compelling and easy to read book. It is an introduction to accident theory for generalists, and is as interesting (perhaps more so) to nontechnical people as it is to engineers and the like. James Chiles discusses several major accidents (Challenger, Three Mile Island, Ocean Ranger, etc.) in well executed chapters with substantial background from previous precursor accidents or incidents. One reviewer seems to believe that this is a flaw, but I disagree. The reviewer seems to believe, for instance, that the R101 (a dirigible, not a blimp, as the reviewer wrongly states) is totally irrelevant to Challenger. In fact R101 was the Challenger of it's day, and the social, managerial and technological pressures that ultimately led to the R101 disaster ultimately led to Challenger as well. Chiles ties this theme together in a seamless manner in chapter after chapter.
This book is not a rigorous technical analysis of the individual disasters with the engineering and math associated with formal inquiries and technical (AAIB, NTSB, etc.) investigations. What it does better than any of the technical inquiries could ever do, though, is make a clear a compelling case for the problems that led to each of the accidents covered, treating man-machine interface issues with particular grace.
I have long been associated with the more technical aspects of accident investigation and safety systems, but have to say that while there are more technical accounts available for all of these accidents, if you are looking for an entry level (but complete) overview of accidents and systems safety, you can't go wrong with this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Inviting Disaster: Lessons From the Edge of Technology

Get 38% OFF

Click here for more information about Inviting Disaster: Lessons From the Edge of Technology

Read More...

Human Factors in Aviation (Cognition and Perception) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are in senior airline management and are wondering why things happen the way they happen and you really can't figure out why, this book might provide some help. It's the first step towards understanding the human impact in airline operations, be that pilots, cabin crew or ground crews. Far from being an expert in the field I think this work provides great background material, probably to be better understood when you hold a degree in psychology, but also readable for the un-initiated like myself. CRM specialists/trainers, Human Resource Managers etc. should have this book on their shelv(es).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Human Factors in Aviation (Cognition and Perception)

Human Factors in Aviation, written for the widespread aviation community--engineers, scientist, pilots, managers, government personnel, and others--is also be of interest to those in nonaviation fields. The authors/contributors were chosen not only as experts in their fields, but because they could write for a wider audience than they customarily address. The organization of the book takes the reader from the general to the specific, first covering broad issues, then the more specific topics of pilot performance, human factors in aircraft design, and vehicles and systems. The physiological and medical aspects are well documented also.

Click here for more information about Human Factors in Aviation (Cognition and Perception)

Read More...