Abstract: Following the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash, four Pilot Source Studies (PSSs) were conducted to explore the relationship between pilot backgrounds and flight performance in regional airlines. Despite consistent methodologies, inconsistent findings emerged, likely due to factors such as sample characteristics, variable categories, performance criteria, and operational contexts. To address these discrepancies, a meta-analysis of the PSSs was performed. After reviewing the studies, eight background variables and two performance variables met the inclusion criteria. The analysis revealed significant associations between background variables and pilot performance, with validity coefficients ranging from .04 to .10. The strongest predictors were total flight hours, AABI-accredited flight programs, and ATP certification, while former military status, flight instructor certification, and college degrees showed weaker but significant associations. These findings highlight the importance of background variables in flight performance and inform pilot recruitment and training.
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