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U.S. Air Force pilot selection tests: what is measured and what is predictive?
1Armstrong Laboratory, Human Resources Directorate, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5352, USA.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|March 1, 1996
Summary
General cognitive ability (g) is the primary predictor of military pilot training and job performance. While specific aptitudes offer minimal improvement, future selection tests will likely continue to focus on measuring g.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Aerospace Medicine
- Human Factors
Background:
- Military pilot selection has historically utilized aptitude tests.
- These tests predominantly measure general cognitive ability (g).
- General cognitive ability is crucial for predicting job training and performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the predictive validity of general cognitive ability (g) in military pilot selection.
- To evaluate the incremental validity of specific cognitive abilities, job knowledge, psychomotor skills, and personality traits beyond g.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on pilot aptitude testing.
- Analysis of correlations between various cognitive and non-cognitive measures and training/performance criteria.
- Examination of the higher-order factor structure of aptitude tests.
Main Results:
- General cognitive ability (g) is a strong predictor of pilot training (r = 0.43) and performance (r = 0.34).
- Specific cognitive abilities offer minimal incremental validity beyond g (approx. 0.02).
- Pilot job knowledge, psychomotor abilities, and personality scores show small but significant incremental validity beyond g (0.02–0.08).
Conclusions:
- General cognitive ability (g) remains the most critical factor in military pilot selection.
- Future aptitude tests, regardless of their specific methods, are expected to continue measuring g.
- The U.S. Air Force pilot selection process will likely maintain its reliance on g-based measures for predicting performance.
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