The number of airplane flights worldwide continues to grow and is one of the many drivers of climate change. This book examines the aviation industry from an anthropological perspective, focusing on the sector’s environmental impact and the challenges facing attempts to shift to more sustainable solutions. Hans Baer outlines how airplanes have become a key component of modern cultural and social life, and how the world system has become increasingly dependent on them to function. He critically examines current efforts to mitigate the climatic impact of the air travel and argues for a significant move away from air transport, suggesting that such a shift may only be achieved through a more fundamental change in the world system.

The number of airplane flights worldwide continues to grow and is one of the many drivers of climate change. In this book Hans Baer argues that air travel has become a key part of modern cultural and social life and a source of tremendous profit-making, and thus an integral component of the capitalist world system. Airplanes serve to transport both human actors and commodities in order keep the world system functioning, however it comes with dire environmental and climatic consequences. Grappling with airplanes as greenhouse gas emitters, natural resource depleters, and markers of social inequality is all part and parcel of a larger project of creating a more socially just and environmentally sustainable world system. Baer considers how shifting to a more sustainable transport system, including far less reliance upon air transportation, remains a significant challenge.

Although poor air quality is probably not the hazard that is foremost in peoples' minds as they board planes, it has been a concern for years. Passengers have complained about dry eyes, sore throat, dizziness, headaches, and other symptoms. Flight attendants have repeatedly raised questions about the safety of the air that they breathe. The Airliner Cabin Environment and the Health of Passengers and Crew examines in detail the aircraft environmental control systems, the sources of chemical and biological contaminants in aircraft cabins, and the toxicity and health effects associated with these contaminants. The book provides some recommendations for potential approaches for improving cabin air quality and a surveillance and research program.

The world now has more than a billion motor vehicles, and this number continues to increase as developing countries imitate developed societies in their adoption of the culture of automobility. This book explores the political ecology of motor vehicles in an era of growing social disparities and environmental crises, the latter of which are most manifest in anthropogenic climate change to which motor vehicles constitute a major contributor. A political ecological perspective recognizes that motor vehicles, perhaps more than any other machine, embody the social, structural, cultural, and environmental contradictions of the capitalist world system. In addition to highlighting many of the environmental, social, and health, environmental consequences of humanity’s increasing reliance on motor vehicles, particularly private automobiles, this book argues that ultimately we need as a species to move beyond motor vehicles as much as possible but that such an effort will have be part and parcel of creating an alternative world system based on social justice, democratic processes, environmental sustainability, and a safe climate, one termed democratic eco-socialism.

Human error is cited as a major cause in over 70% of accidents, andit is widely agreed that a better understanding of humancapabilities and limitations - both physical and psychological -would help reduce human error and improve flight safety. This book was first published when the UK Civil AviationAuthority introduced an examination in human performance andlimitations for all private and professional pilot licences. Nowthe Joint Aviation Authorities of Europe have published a newsyllabus as part of their Joint Aviation Requirements for FlightCrew Licensing. The book has been completely revised and rewritten to takeaccount of the new syllabus. The coverage of basic aviationpsychology has been greatly expanded, and the section on aviationphysiology now includes topics on the high altitude environment andon health maintenance. Throughout, the text avoids excessive jargonand technical language. "There is no doubt that this book provides an excellent basicunderstanding of the human body, its limitations, the psychologicalprocesses and how they interact with the aviation environment. I amcurrently studying for my ATPL Ground Exams and I found this bookto be an invaluable aid. It is equally useful for those studyingfor the PPL and for all pilots who would like to be reminded oftheir physiological and psychological limitations." –General Aviation, June 2002

Fully updated and expanded, the second edition of Human Factors in Aviation serves the needs of the widespread aviation community - students, engineers, scientists, pilots, managers and government personnel. Offering a comprehensive overview the volume covers topics such as pilot performance, human factors in aircraft design, vehicles and systems and NextGen issues. The need for an up-to-date, scienti?cally rigorous overview is underscored by the frequency with which human factors/crew error cause aviation accidents, pervasiveness of human error in safety breakdowns. Technical and communication advances, diminishing airspace and the priority of aviation safety all contribute to the generation of new human factors problems and the more extensive range of solutions. Now more than ever a solid foundation from which to begin addressing these issues is needed. - New edition thoroughly updated with 50% new material, offering full coverage of NexGen and other modern issues - Liberal use of case examples exposes students to real-world examples of dangers and solutions - Website with study questions and image collection