H. P. Ruffell Smith
Hugh Patrick Ruffell Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 June 1911 |
| Died | 4 August 1980 (aged 69) Thatcham, Berkshire |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1938–1961 |
| Rank | Group Captain |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Air Force Cross & Two Bars |
Group Captain Hugh Patrick Ruffell Smith, AFC & Two Bars (19 June 1911 – 4 August 1980) was a British physician, pilot, and Royal Air Force officer. He is best known for revolutionizing[1] the study of human factors integration into aviation safety, particularly with his work in crew resource management, culminating in a landmark[1] technical memorandum for NASA titled "A simulator study of the interaction of pilot workload with errors, vigilance, and decisions".[2][1] His obituary in The Times stated: "few aircraft flying today do not carry some evidence of his research into instrument presentation or cockpit layout".[3] He was awarded the Air Force Cross three times.[4][5]
References
- ^ a b c Langewiesche, William; McCabe, Sean (17 September 2014). "Should Airplanes Be Flying Themselves?". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ Smith, H. P. R. (1 January 1979). "A simulator study of the interaction of pilot workload with errors, vigilance, and decisions". NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS). Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ "Group Capt H. P. Ruffell Smith". The Times. No. 60696. 6 August 1980. p. 17.
- ^ "No. 41727". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 June 1959. pp. 3732–3733.
- ^ "Obituary: H P Ruffell Smith". British Medical Journal (281): 613. 30 August 1980. Retrieved 8 September 2023.