THE FORGETTING OF INSTRUMENT FLYING SKILLS AS A FUNCTION OF THE LEVEL OF INITIAL PROFICIENCY.

Abstract : The four-months interval of non-practice resulted in considerable decrements in the 'discrete procedural' aspects of flight. If these decrements occurred in actual flying situations they would ha gra so4suquu4sus fo8 operatiocpability and safety. As for the 'continuous flight control' aspects of flight, forgetting occurred only occasionally and in amounts considered of little practical significance by the investigators. The differential effect of non-practice on 'procedural' versus 'flight control tasks' was observed even where the two types of tasks were carried on simultaneously. In most instances there was no relationship between amount forgotten and initial level of flying proficiency. That is, at the end of the four-months interval the 'high initial training' group retained its superiority over the 'intermediate initial training' group. (Author)