Pilot Shortage Research Articles

Is Declined Cognitive Function Predictive for Fatal Accidents Involving Aging Pilots?

Background. Civil aviation comprises airlines/charters and general aviation (GA). Currently, airlines are experiencing a pilot shortage, partly reflecting scheduled retirements mandatory for airline (but not GA) pilots aged 65 years, fueling a debate as to whether the retirement age should be increased. Herein, using 16–40 years-of-age aviators as a reference, we determined whether GA pilots aged 60+ years (i) incurred an elevated accident rate, employing, for the first time, age-tiered flight time as a measure of risk exposure and (ii) carried an excess risk for cognitive deficiency-related fatal accidents. Methods. Airplane accidents (2002–2016) involving Class 3 medical certificated pilots were per the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) databases. Age-tiered pilot risk exposure represented a summation of flight hours per Class 3 medical applications. Cognitive decline measures were per NTSB field codes. Statistical analyses employed Chi-Square, Mann–Whitney, logistic regression, and binomial tests. Results. Using flight hours as the denominator, the fatal accident rate for older pilots (41–80 years) was unchanged compared with aviators aged 16–40 years. In the logistic regression, no cognitive deficiency measure was predictive (p = 0.11, p = 0.15) for pilots aged 61+ years who were involved in fatal accidents. Conclusion. These findings question the necessity of an automatic disqualification of air transport pilots at 65 years of age.

Air India pee gate case – need for comprehensive SOPs in customer management

Learning outcomes This case study allows students to appreciate the value of standard operating procedures in customer management. This case study emphasises the role of employees in delivering superior customer experience. This case study explores many facets of customer experience, reputation, social class membership and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Students will be able to apply theories of customer experience, behavioural psychology and service dimensions relevant to the airline industry. After completing this case study, students will be able to do the following:1. Evaluate the value of SOPs in Customer ManagementThis case study refers to the need for adhering to SOPs to deal with complex situations. Students will be able to evaluate whether compliance to SOPs could have helped Air India avoid the crisis or was it possible that a culture of absolute commitment to customer wellbeing could have prevented the crisis.2. Apply the theory of defensive attribution in customer grievance handling. Discuss if reducing customer effort in getting their problem solved can result in superior customer service.The victim had attributed the blame for not insisting on filing a complaint to the crew. Air India crew had defended their actions or lack of it by stating that they had followed the rule book. Students will be able to appreciate the need for a swift redressal mechanism to protect the self-image and self-esteem of the person/group involved. They will also understand that customer service interactions designed to solve customer problems swiftly and easily can be a very simple dictum to guide all employees in their decision-making while handling a customer complaint. 3. Evaluate the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer experience and examine the value of net promoter score (NPS) to study customer satisfaction. Air India Airlines was catering to varied customer groups such as the Indian diaspora, large student population pursuing education abroad, first-time flyers and the rising middle class with travel aspirations. Customer expectations vary across segments and change over their lifetime. Airline staff must trace customer corridors and deliver on customer expectation across the touch points that matter to them to ensure meaningful and relevant service delivery. Students will have an opportunity to evaluate the NPS in measuring customer satisfaction and debate whether it is a sufficient metric to guide the organisation on delivering and monitoring customer experience. 4. Examine why reputation risk management and not crisis management should be the focus of Air India in delivering superior customer service because nearly 70%–80% of market value for a company comes from its intangible assets such as brand equity and reputation. Students will discuss crisis management i.e. handling the threat to reputation after it has occurred and reputation risk management i.e. proactively managing potential threats to its reputation by taking timely actions to avoid or mitigate it. There are three factors (reputation reality gap, changing beliefs and expectation and weak internal coordination) that determine reputational risks. Students can evaluate this model to determine if Air India should address these three factors to manage its reputation proactively. Case overview/synopsis This case study is set around an incident that happened on 26 November 2022, on Air India flight bound for Delhi from New York when an inebriated 34-year-old man had peed on a 72-year-old woman. The perpetrator of the crime had walked free, and the victim was left dissatisfied with how the cabin crew had handled her ordeal. Air India Airlines was launched in 1932 by industrialist JRD Tata and nationalised in 1953. In 2021, Tata Group acquired the 90-year-old Air India from the Government of India for $2.4bn (INR 18,000 crore) and appointed Campbell Wilson as chief executive officer and managing director. The incident brought to the fore the customer management issues that Wilson had to address. First on the list of Air India’s turnaround plan was delivering “exceptional customer experience”. How was it going to achieve it because the Indian aviation ecosystem lacked infrastructure such as airports, airspace, competition and customer preference-based services? There was also shortage of pilots, engineers, technicians, air-traffic controllers and technocrats to occupy positions within security agencies and regulatory bodies. With Air India’s acquisition, the Tata Group had to find innovative solutions to deal with decades of internal neglect, non-performance and labour union problems. This case study is relevant to address real issues of customer experience, consumer psychology, reputation risk management and standard operating procedures in service management. Complexity academic level This case is suitable for both undergraduate and postgraduate level students of business management. It can also be used for training service personnel of aviation industry. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing

Results and methodology for classifying high risk pilots using CANFLY: A cognitive health screening tool for aviators

Cognitive health screening for aviators would assist in managing a shortage of experienced pilots. Extending pilot careers by optimizing their cognitive health would address both the number and quality of pilots available for airline and general aviation operations. The present work tested the validity of an online screening tool for pilots that measures aviation domain-relevant cognition. Sixty-five licensed pilots (18–80 years, M = 48.8, SD = 16.3) with varying levels of experience completed a 30-min online cognitive health screening tool for pilots. Risk status was determined via a novel metric using self-reported incidents. Machine learning algorithms identified the cognitive factors most useful in identifying pilots with increased risk for accidents and serious incidents. Support vector machines and boosted decision tree algorithms provided the most reliable and strongest classifications models of pilot risk. Findings support the use of this short online screening tool for highlighting performance issues with domain-relevant cognitive abilities based on the Dynamic Mental Model for pilots, such as situation awareness and prospective memory. Understanding personal cognitive challenges is the basis for customized skill maintenance designed to augment cognition for those interested in safely extending their piloting careers.

Preliminary study of pilot stress and mental workload monitoring through physiological signals

The aviation industry is moving towards single-pilot operations due to increased operating expenses and a shortage of pilots. The necessity of developing a digital cockpit assistant leads to discovering methods to assess the stress and mental workload of pilots. This study used twenty-eight healthy volunteers to conduct preliminary computerised cognitive tasks while recording their physiological data for PPG, EDA, and temperature under four different stress and workload situations. The results highlight how they are sensible to a binary classification between a relaxed and more cognitively demanding condition.

Responsible machine learning for United States Air Force pilot candidate selection

The United States Air Force (USAF) continues to be plagued by a chronic pilot shortage, one that could be exacerbated by an accompanying shortfall in the commercial airlines. As a result, efforts have increased to alleviate this shortage by finding methods to reduce pilot training attrition. We contribute to these efforts by setting forth a decision support system (DSS) for pilot candidate selection using modern machine learning techniques. In view of the recent Responsible Artificial Intelligence Strategy published by the United States Department of Defense, this research leverages interpretable and explainable machine learning methods to create traceable and equitable models that may be responsibly and reliably governed. These models are used to regress candidates’ average merit assignment selection system scores based on information available for selection and prior to training. More specifically, using data provided by the USAF from 2010 to 2018, this paper develops and analyzes multiple interpretable models based on Gaussian Bayesian networks, as well as multiple black-box models rendered explainable by SHAP values and conformal prediction. A preferred pair of interpretable and explainable models is selected and embedded within a DSS for USAF pilot candidate selection boards: the Air Force Pilot Applicant Selection System. The utilization of this DSS is explored, the analyses it enables are discussed, and relevant USAF policymaking issues are examined.

Optimizing Undergraduate Pilot Training 2.5 at Vance Air Force Base

With a continued increase in demand for qualified pilots, in an environment of continual budget constraints, the Air Education Training Command has been searching for ways to streamline Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). Leadership has recently implemented UPT 2.5 to train pilots more effectively. However, the 8th and 33rd Flight Training Squadrons at Vance Air Force Base have had issues efficiently cycling students through. Although UPT 2.5 specifies that it takes no more than 90 days for students to complete the post-preflight portion of the syllabus, it currently takes 126 days on average. We developed a discrete event simulation model of pilot training to identify bottlenecks in the current system, find an optimal class size given current resources, and optimize resources to graduate 32 students per class, the number required by AETC. The results will inform recommendations to increase efficiency within UPT and reduce the pilot shortage.

조종사 항공전문교육기관의 비행 안전 강화를 위한 인프라 개선 방안 연구-무안공항 중심

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's '6th Comprehensive Airport Development Plan' outlines
 the aviation policy for the period of 2021 to 2025, which includes the relocation of Gwangju Airport to
 Muan Airport. This is expected to bring significant changes to the domestic aviation industry and educational
 institutions. Moreover, challenges are anticipated due to a shortage of pilots caused by the COVID-19 Endemic
 and related facility inadequacies. Therefore, this study conducts a comprehensive investigation and analysis
 of the training infrastructure for pilots at domestic universities, focusing on Muan Airport. It aims to identify
 problems and constraints, as well as propose solutions and cooperation models by conducting parallel research
 on foreign cases. The proposed measures include firstly, improving existing infrastructure, secondly,
 suggesting the construction of new infrastructure, and finally, presenting ways to strengthen collaboration
 between industry, academia, and government to address this issue.

The Decline of Commercial Pilot Training Initiatives in Zambia: Considering the Impending Global Pilot Shortage

The Decline of Commercial Pilot Training Initiatives in Zambia: Considering the Impending Global Pilot Shortage

The Airline Pilot Shortage: A Result of Age Discrimination or Excessive Training Requirements?

In its relatively short history, public air travel has seen its fair share of airline pilot shortages. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry was facing yet another. There was virtually no part of the airline industry untouched by the pandemic, and pilot supply was no exception. As an attempt to mitigate profit loss, airlines offered pilots early retirement packages. When air travel returned to pre-pandemic numbers earlier than expected, airlines struggled to fill cockpit seats, which was a major factor in causing the extensive flight cancellations and delays in 2022. Legislators sought to alleviate the issue by raising the federally mandated retirement age. In 2022, a bill was introduced to raise the age to from sixty-five to sixty-seven. The lawmakers behind the bill provided one reason for this change: to relieve the pilot shortage. They blamed the pilot shortage on the demographic; the majority of airline pilots are baby boomers nearing retirement. There are a few issues with this proposal. The first is the discriminatory nature of the law itself. Raising the age by two years is a step in the right direction, but it is just as arbitrary as the Age Sixty-Five Rule. The second issue is the lack of impact it would have on the pilot supply. The two-year increase is not going to achieve the lawmakers’ purpose because it does not incentivize pilots to keep working. The third issue is that the proposal does not confront the larger cause for the pilot shortage: the excessive training requirements for pilots to earn their commercial pilot’s license. This Article first examines the legality of the airline pilot age limit and the court challenges it has overcome. It confronts the superfluousness of the mandatory retirement age, arguing that an age limit is superseded by the regular aircraft simulator trainings and medical examinations airline pilots are required to pass in order to keep flying. This Article then critiques the 1,500 Hour Rule and assesses other causes of the pilot shortage. Finally, it argues that there are other, better ways to bolster the pilot supply in the United States.

Women and Minorities in Commercial Aviation: A Quantitative Analysis of Data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

The number of women and minorities working in aviation occupations has been very low and continues to be very low according to data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Occupations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) include aircraft pilots, flight engineers, aircraft mechanics and service technicians. Although the ratio of women and minorities working in these occupations remains low, data from the BLS indicates that the total number of individuals from these underrepresented groups who work in these occupations has increased in the last 2 decades. This research focuses on BLS data to determine employment trends between 2002 and 2021. Assuming that these trends continue, they can be used to predict the number of women and minorities working in these occupations in the future. This research seeks to answer 2 important questions: Is the rate of increase in women and minorities who work in these aviation occupations greater than the rate of increase for White males? If the number of women and minorities who work in these aviation occupations continues to increase at the same rate, what will the aviation workforce of the future look like? Answering these questions will help aviation industry decision makers implement programs that will help recruit and retain more women and minorities to work in these highly paid occupations. Women and minorities represent an untapped reservoir of talent that could help the aviation industry avoid a shortage of qualified pilots and service technicians.

Factors Affecting Passengers’ Acceptance of Single Pilot Operations: A Qualitative Study conducted in Greece

Single Pilot Operations (SPO) have drawn significant attention during the last years, as a result of the increased dual flight crew expenses, and as a remedy to the impending pilot shortage which is estimated to manifest itself in the following years. The main objective of this study was to explore the factors that influence the Greek passengers’ acceptance of SPO. To that end, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed through Thematic Analysis by combining both a priori and inductive coding procedures.

Military Helicopters in Czechoslovak Aeroclubs Between 1963–1974

In mid-fifties helicopters were already an indivisible part of military air forces all over the world. In terms of the Warsaw Pact the army of Soviet Union and subsequently its satellite states got the first helicopters. In 1956 Czechoslovak military air force also received the first Mil Mi-4 helicopters. Since 1959 Mi-1 light helicopters were used for pilots training, however, in early sixties there was a shortage of backup pilots within military units. The only Czechoslovak liaison helicopter regiment did not manage to train its own pilots, much less backup pilots. Therefore, unused military helicopters HC-102 were incorporated into Svazarm aero clubs (Svaz pro spolupráci s armádou - The Union for Cooperation with The Army). Flying with Mi-1 started in 1965. In course of eleven years a huge number of pilots were trained within aeroclubs, which cooperated with military air force, to join the army in case of need. In 1974 the conception of backup pilots training in aeroclubs was re-evaluated and finished. The numerous group of pilots then got occasional trainings at army till early eighties and many of the pilots were finally employed at the police, air force or in civil sector.

The Pilot Shortage: Implications, Repercussions, and Tried Solutions

The Pilot Shortage: Implications, Repercussions, and Tried Solutions

Factors influencing low female representation in pilot training recruitment

In 2011 ICAO published a report about projected pilot and training capacity shortage (ICAO, 2011). To solve this problem, several studies have been carried out, and forecasts of the required number of pilots for the next 10–20 years are constantly being updated. Universities have begun introducing pilot training into their aviation courses, although only US airlines require a degree from the candidates to work as a pilot. The leading providers of pilot training facilities and industry observers argue that even with severe flight restrictions due to COVID-19, the shortage of pilots and quality pilot training remains a major concern. There is a trend of under-representation of females in the pilot roles. Some researchers and aviation industry experts assume that more women should be recruited into the profession to address the pilot shortage.This paper explores the current key reasons for the low female representation in pilot training recruitment. In many studies, the problem of gender discrimination and societal stereotype that believes that the pilot is a purely male type of job are dominant among the negative ones. The authors investigated whether these factors are seen as predominant in women's career decisions in aviation. A qualitative study was conducted utilising the semi-structured in-depth interview of nine female pilots from Europe, Australia and UK. A transcript based content analysis was done using Nvivo. Further, the triangulation method was utilized to verify the results of the study.The main findings from this research show that, in addition to the high cost of training and the tendency of airlines to shift financial obligations for training to students, the hiring of pilots continues to suffer from gender inequality. Reasons such as “Lack of role models for young girls and women in aviation”, “Cultural sexism” and “Lack of acceptance from male peers and passengers” continue to hinder the promotion of the pilot profession among women. Multiple organisations and airlines have initiatives in place to mitigate the problems connected with pilot training and hiring. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives is controversial, as the number of female pilots has seen hardly any growth in the past ten years. Furthermore, they may be responsible in future for creating an even more “gender-unequal” culture inside the industry, as women will be seen in their roles only due to gender recruitment requirement. All stakeholders, including universities that choose to participate in the pilot training process, could help rethink the principles of gender balance, increasing the visibility of their initiatives and raising public awareness of the availability of pilot training and career prospects for women.The article presents the theoretical and practical implications of the reasons for low female representation in pilot training recruitment.

Principal Component Analysis in MCDM: An exercise in pilot selection

Assignment of criteria weights during group multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) processes is a challenging and time-consuming process often rife with subjectivity. This is particularly evident in hiring or personnel selection processes. Both the military and corporate aviation communities have required a large influx of pilots recently due to an increasing pilot shortage. This paper outlines a study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of principal component analysis (PCA) as an objective weight assignment method to establish a rank order of United States Army pilots based upon their emotional intelligence, safety attitude, and safety citizenship scores. PCA results were compared to an algorithm tracking the rank order of pilots using every possible criteria weighting combination to test PCA's validity as a criteria weight assignment method. Regression analysis demonstrated a strong correlation (p < 0.000) between the algorithm ranking results and PCA’s ranking results, reinforcing PCA's validity as a quantitative approach to criteria weight assignment in group MCDM applications. Implications of this study include increased efficiency and reduced subjectivity in group-based MCDM pilot selection processes.

Predicting success in United States Air Force pilot training using machine learning techniques

The chronic pilot shortage that has plagued the United States Air Force over the past three years poses a national-level problem that senior military members are working to overcome. Unfortunately, not all pilot candidates successfully complete the necessary training requirements to become fully qualified Air Force pilots, which wastes critical time and resources and only further exacerbates the pilot shortage problem. Therefore, it is important for the Air Force to carefully consider whom they select to attend pilot training. This research examines historical specialized undergraduate pilot training (SUPT) candidate data leveraging a variety of machine learning techniques to obtain insights on candidate success. Computational experimentation is performed to determine how selected machine learning techniques and their respective hyperparameters affect solution quality. Results reveal that the extremely randomized tree machine learning technique can achieve nearly 94% accuracy in predicting candidate success. Additional analysis indicates degree type and commissioning source are the most important features in determining candidate success. Ultimately, this research can inform the modification of future SUPT candidate selection criteria and other related Air Force personnel policies.

A Study on the Key Points of Korean MPL Training System

Multi-crew Pilot License (MPL) is an international pilot certification adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2006 under the recognition of the need for efficient and systematic pilot training including the education of pilots with advanced aviation technology and ability to respond to flight environment, resolution of the human factor problems of pilots, and provision of stable training tools for transport aircraft pilots for potential risk of pilot shortage in the future. South Korea also has prepared a legal basis for operating an MPL system in the Aviation Act in 2009, but there has been no domestic MPL qualifier. The biggest reason for this seems to be the insufficient domestic MPL training system. Therefore, it is necessary to benchmark the international standards of the ICAO, and to promote the development of the Korean MPL training system through revision and supplementation of laws and regulations in consideration of Korean circumstances.

Single Pilot Operations IN Commercial Cockpits: Background, Challenges, and Options

There are several compelling reasons for airlines to consider single pilot operations including economic savings, coping with a shortage of pilots, and automation and artificial intelligence technology advancement. To adequately explore this concept, differing aviation industry views of single pilot operations (SPO), challenges associated with single pilot operations, an overview of current SPO research and options, and conclusions and recommendations are presented. Ultimately, many obstacles to implementation must be overcome including convincing the general public that it safe which may be the biggest challenge of all. However, SPO will continue to move forward not only due to potential commercial aviation economic benefits, but also because one day, technology will allow it and perhaps even demand it.

Justification and development of competencies to transform a collegiate aviation flight program

AbstractBackgroundThe aviation industry is facing a substantial shortage of pilots. Per the International Civil Aviation Organization, it is projected airlines will need 350,000 pilots globally.AimsDue to the demand of pilots, most of the conversations are focused on quantity rather than quality of the workforce. Educators and researchers in several industries have advocated competency‐based education in aviation for decades.MethodMembers of the research team documented the consensus decision‐making process which determined which competencies would be incorporated into the flight program.ResultsSix competencies were selected for the hybrid competency‐based education model. Teamwork, decision‐making, communication, resilience, leadership, and technical excellence were extensively defined for the aviation program.Discussion/ConclusionShifting toward a hybrid competency‐based education model is challenging within a large flight program. However, the members of the research team believe the transformation process will improve program outcomes. Next steps include assessment plan development and data collection.

Adversity in Aviation: Understanding Resilience in the Workplace for Female Pilots

ABSTRACT Objective: This study measured the resilience of female pilots using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Background: Adversity in the workplace causes occupational stress, influencing resiliency, and reducing job performance and wellness. This can lead to burnout and attrition. Female pilots in male-dominated work environments experience adversity, resulting in occupational stress. Resilience may be a mitigating factor for coping with occupational stress. Women in male-dominated professions remain the extreme minority. Further, a severe pilot shortage magnifies the need to recruit and retain pilots from underrepresented groups. Method: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to validate the use of the CD-RISC for measuring resilience in female pilots. Inter- and intra-group resilience score comparisons of the 1,302 female pilots were analyzed. Results: An abridged version of the CD-RISC was found applicable to measuring resilience in female pilots. Age and work experience of the female pilots imply that they may influence higher resilience. A significantly lower resilience score was found in the sample in comparison to a national sample average resilience score. Conclusion: Female pilots’ resilience is likely influenced by workplace adversity, which may lead to increased occupation stress, greater attrition, and fewer pilot entrants. Interventions aimed at increasing the resiliency of female pilots are critical to solving the pilot shortage. The findings provide insight into the recruitment, retention, and development of women in male-dominated occupations.