Executive Functions and Pilot Characteristics Predict Flight Simulator Performance in General Aviation Pilots

In general aviation, 85% of the crashes seem to be caused by pilots' errors (Li, Baker, Grabowski, & Rebok, 2001 Li, G., Baker, S., Grabowski, J. and Rebok, G. 2001. Factors associated with pilot error in aviation crashes. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 72: 52[PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) and 46% of the crashes occur at airports (Li & Baker, 1999 Li, G. and Baker, S. 1999. Correlates of pilot fatality in general aviation crashes. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 70: 305[PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). It is important to determine if the same factors influence the flying performance and the landing decision making and to uncover which factors, among the pilot's cognitive status, personality traits, and experience, are the most predictive. We examined in 24 general aviation pilots the relationship between those factors and the flying performance and weather-related decision-making relevance. The cognitive assessment encompassed the three basic executive functions (Miyake et al., 2000 Miyake, A., Friedman, N. P., Emerson, M. J., Witzki, A. H., Howerter, A. and Wager, T. D. 2000. The unity and diversity of executive functions and their contributions to complex “frontal lobe” tasks: A latent variable analysis. Cognitive Psychology, 41(1): 49–100. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), reasoning, and psychomotor velocity. The personal characteristics were age, flight experience, and level of impulsivity. Reasoning, updating in working memory, and flight experience were predictive of the flight performance. In addition, updating in working memory, flight experience, and level of impulsivity were linked with weather-related decision-making relevance.