Expert Opinion
AINsight: Data-entry Errors Impede Takeoff Safety
Inadvertant data-entry errors in aircraft flight management systems can have dire consequences.

We’ve all “fat-fingered” a text message. The outcome from this error at worst is a misspelled word, a chuckle from the recipient, and an embarrassing, but forgettable, moment for the sender. These keyboard input errors seem harmless enough, right? But beyond the smartphone, humans inputting erroneous information into an automated system can have a much more dire consequence.

So, what or who is at fault? Is it the machine or system—or is it the operator? In the case of the smartphone, a convenient excuse may be to blame the engineer for designing a keyboard that is far too small and lacks tactile feedback for the user.

Stuart “Kipp” Lau
Contributor - Safety
About the author

Pilot, safety expert, consultant, and aviation journalist Stuart “Kipp” Lau writes about flight safety and airmanship for AIN.

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