Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Approaching Language As A Human Factor In Aviation: The Challenges Of Pilot Language Training In The Academic Level In Brazil, Aline Pacheco, Tales Figueiredo Silva

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Language training for pilots poses challenges worldwide as the use of Aviation English entails a number of features portrayed from a Human Factors perspective. Language proficiency is imperative, as required by the ICAO DOC 9835 compliance. It should be noted, however, that a thorough comprehension of effective communication in aviation as a non-technical skill surpasses the particular understanding of issues in the linguistic level, considering that most of the participants in aeronautical communications are non-native speakers of English and the cultural features underlying the linguistic behavior. This awareness must be accounted in training programs, especially in the academic level, where …

Developing Critical Thinking And Effective Communication Skills In The Future Aviation Workforce, Cihan Aydiner, Tanya Buhler Corbin, Courtney Tan

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Critical thinking and effective communication are among the top skills necessary for developing a resilient future workforce across professional areas. Recent world events have led to an increase in the demand for these skills in disaster and emergency management professions, especially those in and adjacent to the aviation industry. As such, the importance of higher education settings in teaching the skills needed to equip the workforce to face future challenges cannot be overstated. However, there are gaps in how these skills are taught in higher education to meet the needs of aviation employers seeking disaster and emergency professionals. This paper …

Student Research Opportunities In Aviation Human Factors, Jamie Barrett, Brett Torrence

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

When most people think of jobs in aviation or at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), they think of pilots, Air Traffic Controllers, Maintainers, etc., those directly involved in the movement of aircraft, passengers, and cargo. However, to safely move over 26K passengers (avg) daily requires many diverse occupations. Included within the complexity of aviation operations are individuals with backgrounds in Psychology, Human Factors, and Instructional Design. It is important to raise awareness of the diversity of aviation jobs and pathways to achieving those opportunities, to attract a diverse next generation workforce. The Human Factors Research Division at the Civil Aerospace …

Targeting The Workforce Of Tomorrow Today, Chanda S. Sanders

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Strategically designed and implemented Aviation STEM (AvSTEM) education programs are essential to the future of aviation. As the retirement of a large portion of the aviation workforce rapidly approaches, the industry will be left with a deficit of seasoned employees with comparable knowledge to meet the ever changing needs of the national airspace system. AvSTEM programs designed for school-aged young people offer an opportunity for educators to target, educate, and plant seeds to recruit an adequate pipeline of diverse talent for tomorrow. A well-developed and strategically executed AvSTEM program also has the potential to impact Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) …

An Aviator Centered Approach To Mental Health: A Preliminary Look At Stressors, Barriers To Care, And Untreated Aviator Mental Health, Aric J. Raus

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The purposeful crash of Germanwings 9525 in March 2015 provided a wake-up call to the aviation community on the ramifications of untreated mental health in commercial aviation. While the airline industry and governmental regulating bodies reacted quickly with peer-support networks and attempts to de-stigmatize seeking assistance, few actions or studies have focused on mental health from an Aviators perspective. This presentation explores the possible stressors impacting aviator mental health among three distinct aviator professional categories: Commercial Aviators, Military Aviators, and Aviators in Civilian Training Programs. After providing an overview of stressors, the discussion transitions into what is known about the …

Cfis’ Safety Behaviors At Flight Training Schools: Understanding The Effects Of Personality Traits, Self-Efficacy, Risk Perception, And Safety Climate, Vivek Sharma, Meredith Bell Carroll

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

According to Aircraft Owners Pilot Association [2], approximately 63% of the accidents involving certified flight instructors (CFIs) occurred during advanced training, which involves low altitude operations, critical decision-making skills, and accurate judgement. Research in the past has demonstrated that pilots’ safety behaviors also predict their involvement in an accident or incident [6]. Many studies across various work domains have examined how factors such as personality traits, perceived risk, safety climate, and self-efficacy influence safety behaviors [1][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Studies have found that personality traits such as Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Openness, and Agreeableness were positively related to safety behaviors [3][7][11], whereas Neuroticism was negatively …

Faa Designated Pilot Examiner System Insights, Wendy Beckman, Timothy Rosser, Michael Gref

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

As part of the Reauthorization Act of 2018 the FAA was required to assign to the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) a review of the current Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) policies. The ARAC in turn assigned this task to the Designated Pilot Examiner Reforms Working Group (DPERWG). This Group delivered its recommendations to the FAA in June 2021, with an FAA response to the Group due by June 2022. The purpose of this research project is to provide more insight regarding the current DPE system from all stakeholders prior to that deadline. Survey data from both current DPE’s and flight …

Validation Of Training Satisfaction Survey, Cassandra Domingo, Nicholas Nieves, Robert Thomas Dr

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The Training Satisfaction Survey (TSS) was developed as part of a larger project to examine the features of Virtual Reality software and supporting devices as a training program on visual illusions and spatial disorientation. The TSS is a 13-item, self-report scale which gauges participants’ level of training satisfaction. Participants responded regarding their most recent experience with a Frasca C172 Level 6 Flight Training Device. The TSS was designed to measure overall satisfaction using three subfactors: relevance, enjoyment, and technology satisfaction. These factors can be used to identify impediments to learning (e.g., training was not easy to follow) to create more …

Analysis Of The Emerging Pilot Workforce, James Birdsong, Kurt Reesman

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

The pilot workforce grew by approximately 20,000 pilots between 2011 – 2019 before shedding almost 6,500 jobs in 2020 due to COVID-19. Long-term forecasts predict industry recovery and growth and the need for robust pilot hiring since approximately 50% of today’s pilot workforce will meet the mandatory retirement age within 15 years.

The current workforce consists of four generations, with the youngest (Generation Z) just beginning to join the airline ranks. The oldest generation (Baby Boomers) will be exiting the workforce within ten years, leaving three generations (Generations X, Y, and Z), two of which have spent their entire lives …