Participation in Instrumental Music as a Predictor of Success in a Collegiate Level Aviation Flight Course

Abstract

Many different studies have been conducted that examine the effect that participation in instrumental music may have on the cognitive abilities and development of children and young adults. Many of these studies indicate that participating in instrumental music can enhance certain cognitive abilities. This study took those theories and applied them to collegiate flight training in an FAA FAR Part 141 training environment. Participants in the study were questioned about the extent of their participation in instrumental music. These results were then paired with their flight and academic records from their collegiate level private pilot flight course. Using varying statistical comparisons, specific measures of success in the private pilot course were measured against differing measures of participation in instrumental music. These tests revealed that, for most of the areas explored, there was not a significant difference between participants with experience in instrumental music and those that did not have any musical experience. However, statistical significance was found to correlate general participation in instrumental music and a reduction in the number of flight hours that were necessary to successfully complete the private pilot course (t[66] = 2.24, p < .05). In support of this finding, participants that had experience playing specifically the piano, demonstrated a significant reduction in the number of flight hours needed to successfully complete the private pilot course (F[1, 66] = 4.158, p <.05). There appears to be some effect from participating in instrumental music on students in a collegiate level flight course; however, more study is warranted to discover the extent of these effects.