Pilot Cognitive Functioning and Training Outcomes

Abstract

Abstract : The current study examined the relationship between clinical cognitive functioning tests and U.S. Air Force pilot training outcomes. Three computerized tests were used: the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery, MicroCog, and CogScreen. In addition to the traditional pass/fail training outcome, the quality of passing and reasons for failure were examined. Outcome criteria for training graduates included class rank, academic grades, daily flying grades, and check ride grades. Reasons for failure included flying training deficiency and being ?Dropped on Request.? Correlations in samples of between 5,582 and 12,924 trainees across the tests showed small, but important, relationships with training outcomes. All three of the clinical tests performed similarly. There was little evidence that any specific cognitive variable was more important than any other, and the results pointed to general cognitive ability as the main predictor of performance. In terms of the outcome variables, performance for graduates (e.g., class rank) was better predicted than training attrition.