Expert pilot identification techniques

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this thesis is to evaluate cognitive capacities of perceived expert pilots in comparison to non-expert pilots and non-pilots. Further, this thesis also examines the perceptions of those three groups on what may be considered as an expert, both in terms of pilot skills and experts in general. The present research aims to highlight experts' capabilities to enable a better understanding of how the findings may relate to training with the final objective being to better identify cognitive factors that may contribute to accidents due to human error. Background: Human Error accidents are not declining as rapidly as mechanical ones, despite the advent of the newer glass cockpit. The implementation of the glass cockpit has changed the way in which the pilot cognitively interacts with it yet has not reduced the workload as initially anticipated. However, within the domain of aviation experts have demonstrated their ability to circumvent some of the cognitive limitations that can cause human error accidents. This research draws on the multiple theories of expertise with the template theory providing a superior explanation for randomly presented information as variable information can be recalled within slots in the template. Ultimately training programs could be designed by analysing what an expert pilot perceives or considers salient. Method: Participants included thirty non-pilots, 24 pilots and 6 pilots who were voted for as expert pilots. The differences between expert pilots and non-experts were examined regarding their perception of cockpit gauges. The seven gauges were arranged from normal to completely random, presented in different formats to access and establish the extent of their short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM). This enabled the determination of the salient aspects of an expert's skill and knowledge, including the size and type of information stored within a chunk. How experts were perceived was additionally examined. A further study was conducted with 191 pilot participants who were asked to state the skills and characteristics of an expert pilot. Results: The results demonstrated that expert pilots are significantly different within the quantitative studies: the six expert pilots had significantly less chunks that were, larger in size. The experts also generally recalled significantly more numbers from the gauge dials than the remaining 24 pilots and 30 non-pilots. Errors on behalf of the expert pilot group were associated with drawing the gauges back in the correct location, indicative of phantom memory, and may be caused by the Constraint Attunement Hypothesis (CAH) and the Einstellung Effect. The implication of this finding is that the expert pilots had an abstract understanding of what is occurring in reference to the aircraft rather than merely recalling the gauge information. Within the qualitative studies, when examining perceptions of experts, each of the three groups perceived the expert pilots skills and characteristics differently. For example the expert pilot group considered expert pilots to have greater work characteristics (experience, qualifications, education, training, performance and skill), while the pilots and non-pilots considered mental characteristics (knowledge, intelligence, situational awareness, recognition and decision making) to be the most important attribute. In reference to the experts in general, all three groups of participants on average considered mental characteristics to be the most important. Within the second study it became apparent that all 191 pilots considered mental characteristics to be the most important characteristic when describing an expert pilot. Conclusion: The findings suggest that expert pilots differ from non-expert pilots (and non-pilots) as they are analysing information rather than recalling information from the gauges. However, experts might experience limitations going from traditional to glass cockpits as they may falter in the expectations of where information might be found. The findings support the link between circumventing the limitations of short-term memory and expertise through the process of chunking. Application: The results have potential implication for the aviation industry, specifically with understanding cognition and memory for the purpose of designing and developing training programs that are modelled on experts.

Date of Award	2014
Original language	English