Little Falls Herald

HUMAN FACTORS IN FLYING
Things That May Appear Small In Themselves Have Been Found to Be of Importance.

Few people realize that a small part of the inner ear has much to do with seasickness, and that this same portion of the ear affects the ability of a man to handle an airplane or airship.

Since the close of the war the national research council has had several projects centering on the studying of human factors in flying, involving "behavioristic" experiments on man and animals, anatomical, physiological and psychological studies of the functions of the ear and associated eye movements; the writing of a history and the collection of a complete bibliography on the subject. Last year the workers in this field came together and organized themselves into a committee on vestibular research for the purpose of encouraging and coordinating work in this field. This committee has formulated a project on "The Experimental Study of Habituation to Rotation," which has been approved by the National Research council. This project forms a natural nucleus around which may be gathered data from field experience, clinical records of flyers, etc.

The project will be administered by an executive committee, at the present time composed of Dr. J. Gordon Wilson, chairman; Dr. Raymond Dodge and Dr. F. H. Pike, in cooperation with the chairman of the division of biology and agriculture, medical sciences and anthropology and psychology in the National Research council.

The air service is giving its active cooperation to the investigators through a special committee. - Aviation.