Thomas Schieffer / Human Factors & Ergonomics
Technical systems.
Human perspective.
I connect hands-on aviation maintenance with psychology and human factors engineering—to better understand the people doing the work, and the systems they depend on.
01 / PEOPLE
Human factors
02 / TASKS 03 / SYSTEMS
FAA A&P
Licensed aircraft mechanic
Psychology
Academic foundation
M.S. in progress
Industrial & systems engineering
01 / Selected work
From the hangar floor to the interface.
Hangar Copilot
An advisory maintenance assistant for general aviation mechanics and small fleets. Aircraft information, maintenance tracking, and task-focused manual retrieval—organized around the mechanic’s workflow.
PROTOTYPE IN DEVELOPMENT
Independent / Solo-built
Python · FastAPI · Browser UI
Evaluation planned
Interface exploration / A prototype under development, not a finished or validated product.
01 / SELECT AIRCRAFT
02 / DESCRIBE THE TASK
03 / REVIEW REFERENCES
04 / VERIFY & DOCUMENT
Next: evaluate the work, not just the interface.
A planned comparison with existing search workflows would examine time to locate the correct source, aircraft applicability, missed cautions, and the distinction between references and advice. No user-testing results or demonstrated time savings are claimed. Language-model integration, OCR, cloud accounts, and a live AD feed remain future options.
RESEARCH / NEXT QUESTION
How do mechanics find controlling information?
My planned IE 7000 directed study explores maintenance-manual information access through a short survey of working A&P mechanics: paper versus electronic manuals, search burden, and mismatches between task cards and source manuals.
Planned descriptive research report. Recruitment and data collection are subject to institutional approval.
02 / Experience translated
A practical foundation. A human factors lens.
Maintenance, diagnostics, development, and instruction inform the questions I bring to human-centered engineering. These are connections to my experience, not claims of completed ergonomics studies.
Columbia Helicopters · 2022–Present
Maintenance in the real world.
Inspecting, overhauling, and maintaining CH-47 / Model 234 systems in demanding field environments. Working with engineers on hydraulic, electrical, and drivetrain faults, with FAA and manufacturer documentation.
The human factors connection
Field work informs my interest in workload, usable procedures, interruptions, and the relationship between task demands and working conditions. What information does a technician need at each step?
Columbia Helicopters & Sikorsky · International assignments
Making technical knowledge usable.
Delivering aircraft maintenance instruction in Turkey, Africa, South Korea, and Turkmenistan across different roles. Translating technical requirements into practical instruction.
The human factors connection
Teaching connects expertise with the learner’s ability to perform. It raises questions about mental models, terminology, meaningful task steps, and checking understanding through demonstration.
Audi Bozeman · Diagnostic & mechanical technician
Finding the fault in complex systems.
Diagnosing and repairing hybrid and sensor-based vehicle systems through mechanical and electrical troubleshooting. Mentoring new technicians in safety and calibration procedures.
The human factors connection
Diagnostics means interpreting signals, testing explanations, and revising mental models. This experience informs my interest in cognitive task analysis and information that supports technical decisions.
Sikorsky · 2001–2008
A maintainer’s view of development.
Supporting helicopter testing and development, prototype validation, structural and electrical modifications, and maintenance-related design input.
The human factors connection
Can a maintainer see and reach a component? Is there room for the required tools? Hands-on development connects physical design to maintainability. Formal assessment would be needed to quantify ergonomic demands.
Yale Solar Car Team · 2004
Helping shape the driver’s interface.
Helping create driver controls for a solar car built for a five-day race around Greece, alongside composite panel fabrication, electrical troubleshooting, and prototype subsystem support.
The human factors connection
Control reach, identification, and operation connect directly to human–machine interface design. Repeated use over five days brings comfort, workload, and sustained attention into focus; no measured improvements are claimed.
Yale Solar Car Team / 2004. Driver-control and interface work for a car built for a five-day race around Greece. Photo from my project archive.
03 / Academic foundations
The study behind the practice.
19 selected courses and course groups. Oregon State and transfer courses are recorded in my supplied transcript. Graduate coursework is listed by term; completion status is not independently verified.
PSY 297 · Oregon State
Think Like a Psych Scientist
Turning practical maintenance questions into testable research questions.
Completed · Summer 2024
PSY 298 · Oregon State
Quantitative Methods in Psychology
Analyzing task times, ratings, and human-performance data.
Completed · Fall 2024
PSY 301 · Oregon State
Research Methods in Psychological Science
Research design and measurement for usability and human-performance studies.
Completed · Spring 2025
IE 6623 · Mississippi State
Engineering Statistics II
Interpreting engineering and human-performance data.
Listed for Fall 2026
PSY 340 · Oregon State
Cognitive Psychology
Attention, memory, and reasoning in information search and diagnosis.
Completed · Winter 2024
PSY 496 · Oregon State
Industrial & Organizational Psychology
People at work, training, organizational context, and performance.
Completed · Fall 2024
PSY 360 · Oregon State
Social Psychology
Team behavior, communication, and social influences in operations.
Completed · Summer 2024
PSY 350 · Oregon State
Human Lifespan Development
Differences across users and learning needs.
Completed · Spring 2025
PSY 493 · Oregon State
Positive Psychology
Well-being and the human side of work and learning.
Completed · Winter 2025
PSY 201 & 202 · Oregon State
General Psychology
Foundations of behavior and mental processes.
Completed · 2023
NMC 241 · Oregon State
Applied Media Aesthetics
Visual presentation and interface information organization.
Completed · Summer 2025
NMC 240 · Oregon State
Survey of Social Media
Digital communication and information exchange.
Completed · Summer 2025
Transfer credit · Vaughn College
Visual Basic Programming
An early programming foundation for developing interactive tools.
Completed · Transfer credit
Transfer credit · Vaughn College
Calculus I & Transcendental Functions
Mathematical foundations for engineering and analytical study.
Completed · Transfer credit
Transfer credit · Vaughn College
College Physics I & II
Physical systems foundations for technical work and engineering analysis.
Completed · Transfer credit
Transfer credit · Vaughn College
English Composition & Public Speaking
Technical documentation, instruction, and presenting research.
Completed · Transfer credit
IE 6113 · Mississippi State
Human Factors Engineering
Human capabilities and limitations in design and evaluation.
Listed for Summer 2026
IE 6513 · Mississippi State
Engineering Administration
Organizational and project context for implementing technical work.
Listed for Summer 2026
IE 6773 · Mississippi State
Systems Simulation I
Modeling workflows and alternative system arrangements.
Listed for Fall 2026
04 / Working perspective
Start with the person doing the work.
Human factors in operational training.
Selected completed Columbia Helicopters training from my October 2024 record. This is training history, not a claim of current recurrent qualification.
Human performance & safety culture
Human Factors (Mar 2024) · Just Culture (Apr 2024) · Safety Culture (Jul 2024) · SMS Training for Employees (Apr 2024) · ASAP Reporting (May 2022)
Task conditions & maintenance practice
FOD and Tool Control (Apr 2024) · Heat Stress & Cold Stress (May 2023) · Lockout Tagout Awareness (Aug 2023) · 234 Manual Familiarization (May 2022) · CH-47D Technical Publications (May 2022) · AS9100 and 9110 Quality Manual (Nov 2022)
05 / Background & direction
From hands-on systems to human-centered engineering.
My career brings together aircraft maintenance, automotive diagnostics, prototype support, and teaching. I’m interested in maintenance human factors, reliability and maintainability, procedure design, aviation operations, and training and human-performance programs.
M.S. Industrial and Systems Engineering
Mississippi State University · Human Factors Engineering focus · Expected December 2027
B.S. Psychology
Oregon State University · Human Factors and Ergonomics Psychology focus
A.A.S. Aviation Maintenance
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology · FAA Airframe and Powerplant Certificate