No description available.

No description available.

This study was based on a portion of data collected in the first half of a proposed two-part survey examining the effects of unstable airline working conditions on pilots and their families. The survey was a descriptive, exploratory investigation of two pilot groups (n = 425). Data were drawn from a random sample of those pilots (n = 205) employed by an airline with chronic unstable working conditions, and those pilots (n = 220) employed by airlines with stable conditions. Several major variables from a multi-dimensional systems model of stress were selected to evaluate differences in stress symptoms, life event strains, family resources, and perceptions of control between pilot groups and between spouse groups. A major hypothesis tested by this report was that increases in pilot stress symptomology would be related to unstable airline working conditions. When differences between pilot groups and spouse groups were analyzed on the Family Inventory of Life Events (FILE), a self report symptoms of stress scale (SOS), the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES III), and the Attribution Questionnaire, pilots and spouses found to have the highest stress symptoms and total family strains were those from the unstable airline. In addition, a large subtotal of pilot families across carriers were found to be low functioning families. The results of the study document the importance of unstable airline working conditions as an explanatory variable in examining pilot stress. It is suggested that understanding the pilot stress process depends on the recognition of work/family/individual systems interdependence. Implications of findings and directions for future research were presented. / M.S.

Pilots and other aircrew members are often required to perform tasks involving a substantial amount of mediational or cognitive activity. Generally speaking, workload estimation techniques have not been tested to determine their relative sensitivity and intrusion to mediational piloting tasks. An experiment comparing the sensitivity and intrusion of eight workload estimation techniques was conducted using a mediational loading task in a three-degrees-of-freedom moving-base aircraft simulator. The primary task mediational loading required the pilots to solve a variety of navigational problems while maintaining straight-and-level flight. The presented problems were sorted prior to the experiment into low, medium, and high difficulty problems. The eight techniques included opinion measures (modified Cooper-Harper rating scale and multi-descriptor rating scale), spare mental capacity measures (time estimation and tapping regularity), primary task measures (mediational reaction time and control movements per unit time), and physiological measures (pulse rate variability and pupil dilation). A sensitive technique was defined as a technique which indicated statistical differences of scores across the three mediational load levels. An intrusive technique was defined as a technique which significantly changed the primary task measures compared to the primary task measures obtained in a control condition. One opinion measure (modified Cooper-Harper measure (time (mediational rating scale), one estimation), and one spare mental capacity primary task measure reaction time) demonstrated sensitivity. Mediational reaction time demonstrated sensitivity to all levels of load. The other two showed partial sensitivity to load. One spare mental capacity measure (time estimation) demonstrated intrusion on two primary task measures (mediational reaction time and percent error response). / Ph. D.

The focus of this creative six-hour non-fiction project has been the documentation of personal narratives (i.e., oral histories) of Huntington County pilots and aviatrixes who flew during the early to mid-twentieth century. Twenty profiles have been chronicled in alphabetical order. Types of flight experiences range from leisure, to military and private instruction, to cross-country trips, to wartime flight, and finally, to the work of an aerial photographer. From a local standpoint, regional aviation history has been documented. On a national scale, Huntington County aviation represents an era of flight occurring nationwide. By the inclusion of photographs, logbook entries, letters, journals, and poems a pictorial history reveals a depth of story that words alone can not convey. Each story in this project was read numerous times to the interviewee to ensure that names, quotes, dates, and facts were correct. Defining Flight documents a time period of aviation when men and women were adventurous, curious, daring, and willing to test the winds with kite-like machines. / Department of English

D.Litt et Phil. (Clinical Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This project investigated the relations between recalled job-satisfaction, ability, and task demands in Vietnam era helicopter aviators. It attempted to detect and describe factors present in a dangerous combat environment which may influence some individuals to enjoy and take satisfaction at being exposed to, creating, and participating in the dangerous and life threatening violence involved in helicopter combat. Participants were 30 pilots and crew members retired from the 335th Assault Helicopter Company who were all actively involved in combat in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970. This study found that developing a love of war is correlated with anger during combat. The love of war is not correlated with PTSD processes nor is it correlated with specific personality dimensions. The love of war research is a new area. The questions were used to operationalize the love of war represent a significant limitation. This method of operationalizing the love of war concept does not make fine discriminations has questionable content validity. To facilitate accuracy in discriminating between participants when conducting future research in the area, researchers could benefit from constructing a measure with greater content validity.

Every day aircraft pilots must successfully resolve significant inflight situations and then manage the possibility of residual psychological and physiological stress. Previous research has shown primary attention is given to presignificant event training and stress management, however there remains an important gap in the current literature regarding postsignificant event stress within the aviation profession. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to use the observational lens of stress theory and survey U.S. pilots who have experienced an inflight emergency, looking for correlation between factors such as age, gender, flight experience, and training against a pilot's self-reported level of residual stress. Using snowball sampling methodology, 101 pilots were anonymously surveyed, with 89% responding that they had some level of residual stress via the Impact of Event Scale-Revised instrument. Using multiple linear regression analysis, the correlation between 9 personal and professional characteristics and pilot's stress level was significant, at R2 =.22, adjusted R2=.14, F(9, 91) = 2.8, p < .01. The sample's correlation coefficient was .47, indicating that approximately 22% of the variance in the residual stress was accounted for by the 9 personal and professional characteristics. Findings from this research will help clarify how pilot training and demographics can affect postsignificant event stress. This knowledge will be an important contribution to the existing literature and enhance social initiatives though an increased awareness of residual stress within the pilot profession. The results can be used to increase aviation safety by enabling the industry and government entities to develop and implement effective stress training initiatives.

Since human errors are one of the major causes of flight accidents, the design and operation of the modern aircraft system deals with them seriously. Particularly, the pilot workload on aviation causes human errors. Whenever new procedures are introduced and operated, the aircraft capabilities have been checked in every aspect. However, there has been little study on the impact of the new procedures such as LDLP, SCDA, SATS, and Steep Angle approach on the pilot performance, workload, and stress. In this study, different methods have been tried to understand the relationship between new procedures and the pilots in terms of performance, workload, and stress. The flight factors (e.g. flight experience, gliding angle, and approach area) were examined by the pilot performance, workload, and stress at the "Final Approach to L/D" phase using the single engine Cessna 172R type flight simulator. Five students and five instructor pilots from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Dayton Beach, Florida, participated and they flew under four different simulation tasks of gliding angle and approach area. Their Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) were measured to determine their stress level and subjective workload, respectively. In addition, Landing Performance (LP) data (e.g. landing distance, landing speed) and Above Glide Path Tracking Performance (AGPTP) data were also collected to evaluate pilot performance. As a result, the type of approach area showed a significant effect on pilot performance, workload, and stress determined by ANOVA (HRV, TLX, LP, AGPTP: all are p < .05). Flying over "Populated" area (e.g. a large city) resulted in lower pilot performance and higher pilot workload and stress than that over "Non-Populated" area (e.g. a grass field). Similarly, the levels of a gliding angle showed the statistical difference on the performance, workload, and stress (HRV, TLX, and LP: all are p < .05). During the flight with 4.5 degree, the pilots showed lower performance with higher workload and stress. However, the levels of the flight experience did not have any influence on the performance, workload, and stress levels (AGPTP, LP, TLX, HRV: all are p > .05). In conclusion, flying in Populated area and flying with a 4.5 degree gliding angle increases the workload and stress level of the pilots. In addition, when the pilots were flying over Populated area at Final Approach to L/D phase, they showed lower performance on tracking the glide path. Based on the results, stresses and workload can have a significant impact on flight performance. Therefore, in order to reduce the workload and stress that can cause human errors, it is highly recommended to carefully examine the impact of new flight procedures on pilot workload and stress before they are implemented.

No description available.