Factors predicting pilots' performance in routine and non-routine situations

This study aimed to provide empirical evidence about expert performance approach in aviation field and the results suggested that the amount of experience(e.g. total flight hour) is necessary but not sufficient index of a pilot's expertise or superior performance. 43 pilots participated and completed a spatial span task and SA (situation awareness) tasks. To explore the factors predicting the performance in routine and non-routine situations, discriminant analysis was conducted. The results of discriminant analysis indicated that different variables are related with the performance in routine and non-routine situation. The factors predicting performance in routine situation were the spatial span scores and total flight hours. On the other hand, the factors predicting performance in non-routine situation were age and the qualification for instrument flying. In real world, total flight time which represents the quantity of experience has been frequently used to predict flight abilities and as an important index of expertise. The results of this study suggest that these kinds of factors have to be used cautiously to predict the performance in abnormal situation.

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