HERA stands for Human Error in ATM, which focuses on the role of human error in aviation safety. Human beings are central to the aviation system, and their involvement is crucial for years to come. While visible human errors are noticeable, they represent just a small part of a larger issue. Often, incidents arise from a series of interconnected events. By examining these sequences, we can understand the entire system rather than focusing only on individual mistakes. Recognizing the human factor is essential as it broadens our perspective on error causes, extending beyond the person directly involved to include organizational influences. HERA aims to enhance our understanding of errors and their contextual factors, ultimately contributing to a safer air traffic management (ATM) system.
The Human Error in European Air Traffic Management (HERA) is a project by EUROCONTROL that emphasizes the human factors aspect in investigating incidents and accidents. It also plays a vital role in safety management and predicting new types of errors that may emerge with advancing technology. Statistics show that human error significantly contributes to many aviation incidents and accidents, making it a potential weak link in the ATM system. Therefore, it is crucial to implement measures to minimize errors and their effects while maximizing positive human qualities such as error detection and recovery.
The HERA Project has created various tools and methods designed to predict, detect, and manage human error in ATM. These resources are tailored for incident investigators, safety managers, and human factors specialists, as well as engineers engaged in developing new ATM concepts or technologies.