U.S. Air Force pilot selection and training methods.

BACKGROUND: U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilot selection and training procedures have changed substantially in the last several years. Pilot selection procedures were augmented with the introduction of computer-based testing to assess pilot aptitude. Training procedures have changed in an effort to modernize the training fleet and provide better, more specialized training earlier in the training process. RESULTS: Despite several studies showing the utility of USAF pilot aptitude tests for predicting training performance, results of a recent policy capturing study suggest that this information is often ignored by pilot candidate selection boards. The two largest sources of USAF pilot trainees relied heavily on measures of officership when making selection decisions. Cumulative research findings suggest that USAF pilot selection decisions could be improved by making better use of currently available personnel attribute data. Further improvements could be expected from the addition of a structured selection interview and measures of personality.

Determinants of enlisted air traffic controller success.

BACKGROUND: This paper provides a brief historical overview of air traffic controller (ATC) selection, reviews current U.S. Air Force (USAF) selection procedures for enlisted ATC trainees, and summarizes the results of three recent studies. METHOD: Study 1 examined the validity of the operational selection test (i.e., Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or ASVAB) against apprentice-level training performance. Study 2 evaluated the impact of alternative selection procedures on training attrition and eligibility for training. Study 3 reviewed the results of a survey of enlisted ATCs designed to identify the personnel characteristics and organizational factors that influence training and job performance. DISCUSSION: The current selection composite demonstrated acceptable validity for predicting apprentice-level training performance. Alternative cut-score analyses revealed that raising the minimum qualifying score in order to reduce attrition by 5% would lead to an unacceptable 20% reduction in the number of eligible ATC candidates. Using a different ASVAB composite for selection would have less overall impact on the qualification rate, but would disproportionally disqualify women. Results of a survey of enlisted ATCs indicated they were generally satisfied and motivated. In addition, they identified several abilities required for on-the-job performance that are not measured by current USAF selection methods. These included memorization and retention of new information, spatial orientation/visualization, ability to work well in stressful environments, ability to shift between two or more sources of information, and ability to combine and organize information. Implications for ATC selection and training as well as future research directions are discussed.

A comparison of two U.S. Air Force pilot aptitude tests.

BACKGROUND: The Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) and Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB) were administered to 2233 U.S. Air Force pilot candidates to investigate the common sources of variance in those batteries. The AFOQT was operationally administered as part of the officer commissioning and aircrew selection testing requirement. The MAB is a clinical test battery and was administered to provide an intellectual baseline to assist clinicians when it becomes necessary to evaluate pilots with cognitive referral questions. RESULTS: A joint factor analysis of the AFOQT and MAB revealed that each battery had a hierarchical structure. The higher-order factor in the AFOQT previously had been identified as general cognitive ability (g). The intercorrelation between the higher-order factors from the batteries was 0.981, indicating that both measured g. Although both batteries measured g and included verbal, spatial, and perceptual speed tests, the AFOQT also included tests of aviation knowledge not found in the MAB. CONCLUSION: Additional studies are required to evaluate the utility of the AFOQT for clinical assessment and the MAB for officer and aircrew selection.

Male-female performance on U.S. Air Force pilot selection tests.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the U.S. Air Force conducted several studies to examine sex differences on pilot selection tests and training performance. METHODS: Research has focused on mean score performance, the structure of ability, the predictive utility of pilot selection tests, and the causal role of ability and prior flying knowledge in the acquisition of additional flying knowledge and flying skills. DISCUSSION: Despite male-female mean score differences on pilot selection tests, confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the same factors were being measured for both groups. In studies of predictive bias, no evidence of differential validity was found for male vs. female pilot trainees. An examination of causal models of ability and prior flying knowledge on the acquisition of additional flying knowledge and flying skills showed similar structure for men and women.

A preliminary evaluation of causal models of male and female acquisition of pilot skills.

Based on a previous study, a causal model of acquisition of pilot job knowledge and flying skills was tested on separate samples of male and female students. Causal model parameters were estimated separately for each sample and, due to the small sample size for women, no between-groups statistical tests were conducted. The results are viewed as tentative because of the small sample of female students; however, the path coefficient parameter estimates are still useful. The model showed a direct influence of general cognitive ability (g) on the acquisition of job knowledge and an indirect influence on the acquisition of flying skills. The direct and indirect influence of cognitive ability on flying skills was a little stronger for women than for men. Additionally, the path between prior job knowledge (JKp) and flying performance was somewhat stronger for women than for men. Consistent with previous findings, the influence of early flying skills on later flying skills was very strong. No argument for a sex-separated training syllabus is supported.

U.S. Air Force pilot selection tests: what is measured and what is predictive?

Selection of military pilots has long included the use of multiple aptitude test batteries. Although the names and appearances of the tests used in pilot selection vary, most are to a large extent measures of general cognitive ability, or g. This is consistent with the central role played by cognitive ability measures in the prediction of numerous job training (r = 0.43) and performance (r = 0.34) criteria. Measures of specific cognitive abilities (e.g., verbal, quantitative, spatial, perceptual speed) have shown little incremental validity beyond g (increase in correlation of about 0.02). The incremental validity, beyond g, of measures of pilot job knowledge (e.g., aviation concepts, instruments, principles and terms; increase in correlation beyond g of about 0.08), psychomotor abilities, and personality scores (increase in correlation beyond g between 0.02 and 0.04) also has been small, but significant. The unavoidable requirement to reason in responding to test material causes g to be measured. In broad-ability-range samples, the positive correlations of the measures demonstrate that general cognitive ability is always present as a higher-order factor. Future measures of pilot aptitude may include tests based on cognitive components, chronometric methods, neural conductive velocity, or other methods. These measures, despite their appearance, have been shown to mostly measure g. Subsequently, we expect that future U.S. Air Force pilot selection tests will mostly be measures of g and will, therefore, continue to be predictive of performance.

Prediction of situational awareness in F-15 pilots.

Situational awareness (SA) is a skill often deemed essential to pilot performance in both combat and noncombat flying. A study was conducted to determine if SA in U.S. Air Force F-15 pilots could be predicted. The participants were 171 active duty F-15 A/C pilots who completed a test battery representative of various psychological constructs proposed or demonstrated to be valid for the prediction of performance in a wide variety of military and civilian jobs. These predictors encompassed measures of cognitive ability, psychomotor ability, and personality. Supervisor and peer ratings of SA were collected. Supervisors and peers showed substantial agreement on the SA ratings of the pilots. The first unrotated principle component extracted from the supervisor and peer ratings accounted for 92.5% of the variability of ratings. The unrotated first principal component served as the SA criterion. Flying experience measured in number of F-15 hours was the best predictor of SA. After controlling for the effects of F-15 flying hours, the measures of general cognitive ability based on working memory, spatial reasoning, and divided attention were found to be predictive of SA. Psychomotor and personality measures were not predictive. With additional F-15 flying hours it is expected that pilots would improve their ratings of SA.

Central role of g in military pilot selection.

The role of general cognitive ability (g) in the selection of military pilots is discussed. Four seminal issues that threaten the interpretation of the results of ability studies are introduced and examined. A brief history of the use of g in pilot selection is presented, going back to the World War I era. At that time, many countries used tests such as perception and reaction time, later shown to be mostly measures of g. The World War II era brought the age of the multiple aptitude batteries, and with it, the theory of differential abilities. However, most militaries still used highly g-saturated measures. More recently, an awareness of the prominence of g in job performance has led to a series of studies that showed the central role of g in predicting pilot success. In comparative analyses, g was found to be a better predictor of pilot criteria than specific abilities. However, some specific abilities or measures of job knowledge were found to increment the predictiveness of g. Several selection variables that appeared to measure characteristics other than g were found to measure, at least in some part, g. These include psychomotor tests and structured interviews. Finally, speculation on the future of the measurement of g is presented.

Recent developments in U.S. Air Force pilot candidate selection and classification.

Recent U.S. Air Force policy decisions regarding Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) have eliminated the need to classify pilot candidates into training specialties prior to entering primary jet training. Under the new system, specialized training assignments will occur at the completion of primary jet training and will be based on flying and academic performance, student preferences, and aircraft availability. Another significant change to the SUPT program was the development of a refined pilot candidate selection model that reduced potential threats to test compromise and gaming strategies.

USAF pilot selection and classification systems.

A total of 478 pilot candidates were given a computerized test battery, the Basic Attributes Test (BAT) currently being validated for pilot selection and classification. The battery included tests of psychomotor and cognitive/perceptual abilities and personality/attitudinal characteristics. Results indicated that several of the BAT tests were able to improve the prediction of graduation/elimination from flight training and follow-on training recommendation (fighter or non-fighter aircraft) above that provided by currently used paper-and-pencil tests. It was concluded that several of the BAT performance measures were capturing skills and abilities related to flight training performance that are not being assessed by currently used selection instruments. Implications for pilot selection and classification procedures are discussed.

Aircrew selection systems.

Research was conducted to develop and validate a computerized battery of psychomotor and cognitive tests to identify candidates who would not either complete pilot training or be recommended for a fighter assignment after training. All or part of the battery of 15 tests was given to 1,622 Air Force pilot candidates prior to training and their test scores were regressed against various flying performance measures. Two psychomotor tests and tests of perceptual speed, decision making speed, and memory function were found to be significant predictors of flying performance. An experimental pilot selection system using these results was found to have substantial practical value in reducing attrition from pilot training. Future research on computerized test development is discussed.