Airline Pilots' Experiences in and Reactions to their Check Rides: Results from a Nationwide, Representative Survey

While a substantial body of research has explored the effectiveness of airline pilot training programs, few studies have examined the check rides that occur at the end of training. To address this critical gap, we conducted a nationwide, representative survey of commercial airline pilots. In this paper, we explore their reactions to maneuver validations (MVs) and Line Operational Evaluations (LOEs). On average, the respondents rated both types of checking procedures favorably. Moreover, despite having a representative sample, reliable scales, and a high degree of statistical power, we found no practically or statistically significant differences between the perceived effectiveness of MVs and LOEs. The data suggest that airline pilots perceive both types of check rides as being equally effective. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.