Relating Flight Experience and Pilots' Perceptions of Decision-Making Skill

Relationships between flight experience and pilots' perceptions of their ability to perform various aspects of the decision-making process were examined in the present study. Pilots were asked to rate how good they were, compared to the average General Aviation pilot, at monitoring, recognizing, diagnosing, generating solutions and implementing solutions when encountering flight path deviations, changes in weather conditions, mechanical malfunctions and conflicting traffic. Numerous measures of flight experience were collected. Results indicate that more experienced pilots felt that they were better at recognizing problems and implementing solutions, however, they did not necessarily feel more confident in their abilities to diagnosis the underlying causes of the problems. The results have implications for aeronautical decision making theories in general, and the design of flight training curricula in particular.