Delivering the Right Stuff: How the Airlines’ Evolution In Human Factors Delivered Safety and Operational Excellence

by Andrew J. Dingee

Tom Wolfe’s 1979’s novel, The Right Stuff, highlighted how seven test pilots were picked to be part of the Mercury Project. In Wolfe’s book, he documents the enormous risk that these men took to push the envelope and deliver America to be the first on the moon. These men were chosen because of their mental and physical toughness—they were chosen because they had “the right stuff.” As the space and aviation industries matured, they quickly learned that relying on men and women to have the “right stuff” does not work. Several high profile fatal airline accidents led to the creation of a new term—“Human Factors.” Delivering the Right Stuff examines the airline industry’s investigations into Human Factors and details how key findings from aircraft accidents shaped its acceptance of pilot error. It is an evolution that delivered transferrable frontline tools that forged a foundation for safety and operational excellence.

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 23, 2018

Reviews

[Ken Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author, Andrew Dingee does a phenomenal job of dissecting the mishap reports and cockpit voice recordings to determine the recipe for disaster of seven well known aviation mishaps in his book, “Delivering the Right Stuff” --a technical but totally accurate read on the barriers to, and the breakdown of, communication in a stressful cockpit environment, symptoms that easily cascade across the functions of nearly every organization in business today. Having been a USAF flier myself, the mishap accounts Dingee tells via a very smooth and fluid writing style, placed me back in my seat as I sat through hundreds of safety briefings back in the day. You’ll learn how channelized attention (by three separate individuals) on the operation of one cockpit warning light was enough to put a commercial aircraft into the Florida Everglades killing every soul on board. This book is a real page turner and held my undaunted attention from the beginning of Chapter One. I was amazed at how Dingee explains the evolution of aviation safety in layman’s terms. You do not have to be a pilot to understand this book. However, I highly recommend anyone who flies commercially (even as a passenger), anyone yearning to earn their pilot’s license, and anyone else who wants to learn more about how safety in aviation reached today’s levels, order and read “Delivering the Right Stuff” today! I am still mesmerized at how far we’ve come since the Wright Brothers’ first flight on December 17, 1903. We learn, then implement changes from previous mistakes, so similar disasters never happen again. So, order, read, and enjoy this book, and by all means, fly safe!

Ken Murray, Author, "On Parr”

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and insightful that can lead organizations to deliver safe, reliable and human-focused performance.

The accidents and learnings are structurally explained enabling the reader to effect connections to his/her experience and better understand key human performance shaping factors.
I recognize that all strategies and tools shared in the book can be implemented across industries and organizations sizes to build capability and deliver the right and just culture values and the right business performance drivers.

[Daniel Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book analyzing what the airlines have done to prevent accidents... It can be applied in many different industries. I especially think the chapter on Just Culture is pivotal for healthy organizations.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for HSSEQ knowledge. Has some great examples on it, best to understand human factors and apply.