Guided Mental Practice: An Instructional Strategy for Asynchronous e-Learning of Pilot Safety Skills

Abstract

This investigation assessed guided mental practice (GMP), a new practice approach for online learning, within a pilot safety training program. With GMP learners view a video of a flight simulator scenario and imagine themselves as the pilot of the flight. Thirty six licensed pilots participated in the study and were randomly separated into three groups: (a) training with hands-on practice facilitated through yoke and rudder pedal-controlled flight scenarios, (b) training with GMP where participants observed a flight scenario video, and (c) a control group that did not receive any training. Post-training, pilot participants completed a cross country flight in a high-fidelity simulator. During the simulator flight, each participant’s situation awareness was assessed. The results of the study suggest that training incorporating GMP can be equally effective as training with hands-on practice in improving pilot safety performance.