AE Seminar

“Assumptions Can Be Dangerous -  Cautionary Tales About Developing Safety-critical Systems”

featuring

Jay Nagy

Postdoc Researcher

Tuesday, August 27
3:00 - 3:40 p.m.
MK 317

About the Seminar: 
This short lecture introduces aerospace engineering students to the concept of technology-induced system failures that pose a catastrophic safety risk. Critical gaps between design assumptions and the actual operational context may lead to serious breakdowns, where a system designed to make operations safer is a significant contributor to the safety loss. Practical examples are provided for fixed-wing commercial transport airplanes by means of revisiting cautionary tales in selected accident investigation reports. Ultimately, pilots are responsible for the safety of their airplane and passengers. At the same time, design engineers have moral and legal obligations to develop a system that is safe throughout the full life cycle of the product.