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Published on: May 19, 2023
Cognitive aging and flight performances in general aviation pilots
Mickaël Causse1, Frédéric Dehais, Mahé Arexis
1INSERM, Imagerie Cérébrale et Handicaps Neurologiques UMR 825, Toulouse, France. mickael.causse@isae.fr
Summary
Cognitive function, not just age, better predicts pilot performance in general aviation. Flight experience can mitigate age-related cognitive changes, improving flight safety.
Area of Science:
- Aviation Psychology
- Cognitive Gerontology
- Human Factors in Flight
Background:
- General aviation pilots lack mandatory retirement ages, unlike commercial pilots.
- Age-related cognitive decline may affect pilot performance and decision-making.
- Understanding these impacts is crucial for aviation safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between cognitive decline, pilot characteristics, and flight performance.
- To determine if cognitive assessment is a better predictor of flight performance than chronological age.
- To explore the influence of flight experience on age-related cognitive impacts.
Main Methods:
- Cognitive assessments, focusing on executive functioning.
- Collection of pilot characteristics: age and flight experience.
- Evaluation of flight performance metrics.
Main Results:
- Cognitive assessment, particularly executive functions, is a stronger predictor of flight performance than chronological age.
- Significant inter-individual variability exists in how aging affects cognitive abilities.
- Accumulated flight experience demonstrates a beneficial effect on cognitive function and performance.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive function is a more relevant metric than age for assessing pilot capability in general aviation.
- Flight experience can compensate for age-related cognitive changes.
- Targeted cognitive assessments can enhance aviation safety by identifying at-risk pilots.
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