The First Ever Aviation Human Factors Communication

https://mirfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Orville-Wright.jpg

Wilbur Wright’s ‘Human Factors” letter to his brother.

While at Le Mans Wilbur Wright learned some incredibly important human factors strategies that he passed on to his brother in a letter before he flew at Ft Myers. It is worth pondering these communications (even though they were intended test flights) and the accidents where they were not heeded.

“I tell them plainly that I intend for the present to experiment under the most favorable conditions. . . .I advise you to most earnestly to stick to calms, till after you are sure yourself. Don’t go out even for all the officers of the government unless you would go equally if they were absent. Do not let yourself be forced into doing anything before you are ready. Be very cautious. and proceed slowly in attempting flights in the middle of the day. when the gusts of wind are frequent. . . . do not let people talk to you all day and all night. It will wear you out, before you are ready for real business. Courtesy has limits. Do not receive anyone after 8 o’clock at night” McCullough, D. (2015) The Wright Brothers, Simon and Shuster, New York. P. 178