An Investigation of the Relationship Between Basic Attributes Test Scores and Learning to Fly a VTOL Simulator

Pilot judgment abilities vary, and differences exist in the manner in which pilots perform under less than optimum conditions. Because mistakes are costly, in terms of equipment and human life, there is a need to assess airmanship potential and predict prior to training who would become bad decision makers in the cockpit. The objective of this preliminary research effort is to compare scores from a battery of basic attributes tests against proficiency in learning to fly a VTOL simulator. Because the essence of airmanship appears to be the ability to cope effectively with unpredictable conditions of flight, dymanic variables in the simulated vehicle's control system will be manipulated in unpredictable ways and different flight maneuvers will be called for without warning.