Aircraft control forces and EMG activity: comparison of pilots before and after flying training

Skilled performers in most motor tasks tend to require less force, muscle activity, and co-contraction of agonist and antagonist muscles to complete tasks. There have been two previous studies on muscle activation patterns and applied forces of skilled and novice pilots, but no longitudinal measurements have been made. The aim of this study was to compare the muscle activation patterns of pilots who had recently completed pilot training with those of experienced pilots. A secondary aim of the study was to examine co-contraction of novice and experienced pilots.

Novice (n = 12) and experienced (n = 9) pilots were tested on an Aermacchi flight simulator. The novice pilots were tested before and after completing pilot training. Pilots performed a set of landings, rolls, and turns, which were administered in a random order. Variables recorded included aircraft attitude, pilot applied forces, and electromyographic (EMG) activity. Discriminant function analysis was used to classify pilots as novice or experienced.

Muscle activation patterns of the novice pilots after completion of pilot training were similar to those of experienced pilots. Of the recently graduated pilots, 77% were classified as experienced using discriminant function analysis. The maneuver in which the recently graduated pilots most closely resembled experienced pilots was the left aileron roll. During this maneuver, experienced and recently graduated pilots showed lower levels of co-contraction than novice pilots (p < 0.05).

The similarities in some muscle activity patterns across qualified pilots, regardless of experience level, may be useful in initiating protective systems such as G-suit inflation.