Factors influencing success or failure in the AH-64 course

A greater percentage of qualified student pilots fail the AH-64 (Apache) transition than any other advanced aircraft transition in the Army. We studied 140 consecutive students presenting for training in an effort to identify factors which might predict success or failure in the AH-64 course. Questionnaires were used to elicit demographic, anxiety level, and motion sickness history information prior to beginning Apache flight training. Motion sickness symptoms (MSS) during the enclosed cockpit, or "bag," phase of training were quantified using pre- and postbag flight symptom questionnaires. Performance measures included grades and flight hours required to pass the course. Only one piece of information obtained prior to flight training was related to performance in the AH-64 course; i.e., students who requested the transition performed measurably better than students who did not. While 7% of pilots described significant MSS on the first day of enclosed cockpit flight, this decreased to 2% by day 5. Severity of symptoms during bag phase was not related to any measure of subsequent performance.