Abstract

The current chapter addresses the ever more critical human factors in aviation security, a subject in which human factors have played and will continue play a significant role. A historical background of human factors issues is presented, emphasizing research approaches and findings, and their resulting operational applications. In addition, the findings of periodic critical assessments of aviation security are summarized and their implications for human factors discussed. The chapter also looks ahead to the continuing problems that remain to be solved, predicting the changing mix of threats that will need to be addressed and anticipating the types of new procedures and technologies that will need to be assessed.