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Psychomotor screening for USAF pilot candidates: selecting a valid criterion
1Psychomotor Division, Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306-0280.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|December 1, 1989
Summary
Pilot psychomotor skills, including Two Hand Coordination and Complex Coordination, significantly predict training success. These tests explain over 27% of the variability in pilot training hours needed for graduation.
Area of Science:
- Aviation Psychology
- Human Factors Engineering
- Pilot Selection
Background:
- Effective pilot selection requires reliable predictors of training success.
- Psychomotor tests are commonly used to assess pilot aptitude.
- Traditional metrics for pilot performance can be variable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between psychomotor test performance and pilot training outcomes.
- To determine the predictive validity of specific psychomotor tests for pilot success.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of different pilot performance criteria.
Main Methods:
- 153 prospective pilots completed computerized Two Hand Coordination (2HC) and Complex Coordination (CC) tests.
- Error scores from psychomotor tests served as independent variables.
- Undergraduate Pilot Training flying hours (UPTFLY) was the primary performance criterion.
Main Results:
- Psychomotor test performance significantly correlated with UPTFLY.
- Multiple regression analysis showed psychomotor skills accounted for 27.1% of UPTFLY variability.
- A pass/fail UPT criterion also showed high predictive validity, suggesting potential sample selection anomalies.
Conclusions:
- Psychomotor abilities are strong predictors of pilot training success.
- The number of flying hours required for graduation is a valid performance metric.
- Further investigation into sample selection is warranted for refining pilot assessment models.