This diploma thesis deals with impact of stress on performance of military pilots of supersonic aircrafts. The theoretical part is based on definition of the term stress, his relating theories, the strategies of coping with stress and possible methods of objectivization of mental workload. This part also provides an overview of stress occuring during flight activity and specifics of the job of military pilot. The research is based on theoretical models and previous researches and the aim is to analyze the hypothesis about the dependence of stress on performance of the military pilot.This correlation was empirically verified by experimental study conducted in tactical flight simulator designed for a training on supersonic airplanes. The mental workload was investigated by physiological data and psychological questionnaires. The results are showing the most stressful and most difficult situations that appeared during tactical combat mission. There was a significant correlation between personality, resting heart rate and the effectivity of the performance. Key words: Stress, Military pilots, Performance, Mental workload, Heart rate

The aim of diploma thesis The Image of Czechoslovak War Pilots in Rudé Právo between 1945-1950 and in the Selected Years of 1960s is to present the media image of this social group in the view of Rudé právo newspaper. Considering the topic chosen, the author concentrated on the post-war years between 1945-1947, 1948-1950 and the selected years of 1960s (1963, 1965 and 1968). This paper is based on complementation method which combines media history and theory, historical context and complex content analysis of Rudé právo articles in the given years. For content analysis, the author of the paper used a method of text coding depending on the topics suitable for sufficient presentation of the image of Czechoslovak war pilots as well as of the topics and events that contributed to that image. The primary source of this thesis was Rudé právo newspaper which also supplied material for content analysis. Secondary sources contain professional literature concerning media history and air or war environment. The author also uses internet sources and some of them are even archived by the National Library of the Czech Republic because of their content.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND AERONAUTICS. / Bibliography: leaves 129-132. / by Albert Thomas Stephens. / M.S.

Thesis. 1975. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Arye R. Ephrath. / Ph.D.

Maritime pilots provide a vital service in facilitating the safe and efficient passage of vessels into and out of ports and waterways worldwide. Lack of effective selection of maritime pilots can jeopardize the welfare of people, property, and marine ecosystems. Based on Edwards' conceptualization of person-job fit theory, this quantitative, ex post facto study was an examination of whether personality traits, as measured by the Personality Research Form E (PRF-E), could predict maritime pilot selection. The research questions were: (a) Is there a significant relationship between respondents' PRF-E scale ratings and selection for a maritime pilot job and (b) How significant is the relationship between each of the 22 PRF-E scale ratings and selection for a maritime pilot job. Using a sample of 328 maritime pilot applicants, binary logistic regression was conducted to determine if any of the PRF-E variables were significant predictors of pilot selection. The results of the logistic regression analysis illustrated a significant predictive relationship between 9 of the 22 PRF-E scales and maritime pilot selection, specifically the traits of abasement, achievement, change, cognitive structure, dominance, harmavoidance, sentience, desirability, and infrequency. Future research should examine the relationship between selected maritime pilots' personality traits and job performance. Potential contributions to positive social change include improving the capability of maritime pilot commissions and associations to make more informed and effective selection decisions. The continued assessment of maritime pilot candidates' personality traits could support the prevention of future vessel accidents, ecological damage, human injuries, and fatalities.

The focus of this thesis is fatigue in aviation. It presents a detailed analysis of subjective fatigue and sleep patterns in short-haul operations. This operation was chosen because short-haul rosters encompass a range of scheduling factors that have been identified in the shiftwork literature as having a negative impact on alertness and performance. It is contended that studies examining these factors in the commercial aviation industry are scarce, and of those available, limited to investigations conducted outside of Australia. In addition, this thesis addresses a methodological limitation that has, to date, restricted the ability to measure fatigue during flight. It is contended that the scarcity of in-flight studies stems from the lack of a suitable performance test for measuring fatigue in time-constrained operating environments, such as aviation. The studies presented in this thesis are divided into two sections. The first section comprises three aviation studies conducted in Qantas airlines. The first two aviation studies examined the effects of scheduling factors on the subjective fatigue of flight crew employed by Qantas airlines. Two different populations were examined: B767 and B737 flight crew. Participants rated their fatigue and recorded information about their flying patterns for a minimum of 15 days. The results indicated that flight crew experienced mild to moderate fatigue in relation to their work. Importantly, different scheduling factors contributed to fatigue, including length of the flight duty period, number of flying hours, and duty start times. The third aviation study examined the sleep of B737 flight crew across a 3-day schedule. Sleep quantity and quality were determined from a sleep diary and wrist actigraphy data. The results indicated that sleep offset time, sleep duration, and sleep quality significantly varied across the schedule. In addition, early morning start times and late evening end times were key factors contributing to reduced sleep. The second section of this thesis comprises two laboratory studies that assessed the sensitivity of a brief (i.e. less than 10 minutes) psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) to the effects of sleep loss. A preliminary study compared performance during the 10-minute PVT with performance during the first half of the PVT during a night of wakefulness (23:00 ? 07:00 hours). A subsequent study compared performance during a 10-minute PVT with performance during a 90-second PVT and a 5-minute PVT during 28 hours of sustained wakefulness. The findings of the latter study indicated that performance during the 5-minute PVT and the 90-second PVT deteriorated in a manner similar to that observed during the standard 10-minute PVT. However, in line with the findings reported in the preliminary study, the shorter the task sampling time, the less sensitive the test to response slowing and performance variability. Based on these findings, it was surmised that a 5-minute PVT is likely to provide a more accurate measure of performance impairment than a test of shorter duration. Moreover, it was proposed that a 5-minute PVT may provide researchers with a reliable test for assessing changes in performance. In summary, the results of the aviation studies indicate that a number of scheduling factors contribute to fatigue and disturbed sleep in Australian domestic operations. The findings of this thesis are of particular concern, given that current aviation regulations do not fully consider the extent to which scheduling demands affect flight crew. It is apparent that flight crew would benefit from the incorporation of such findings into duty and rest limitations and scheduling procedures. Evidence demonstrating that (1) fatigue accumulates across the flight duty period, and (2) flight crew are at particular risk of higher fatigue when they are rostered to work an early morning duty suggests that the length of the flight duty period, the number of sectors worked and the timing of the duty period warrant particular attention. Finally, the results of the laboratory studies hold particular promise for future research, since they suggest that the 5-minute PVT may provide researchers with an alternative tool for investigating fatigue in the flying environment. / thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2004.

General aviation pilots continue to be over represented in aircraft accidents in comparison to their commercial counterparts. Of those general aviation aircraft accidents that occur, a large proportion has been attributed to poor aeronautical decision-making. Previous research suggests that a leading factor that precipitates poor decision-making is an unrealistic assessment of the risks. Contemporary aviation training programmes do not necessarily target risk management as a distinct skill. Rather, it is assumed that risk management skills are acquired through pilots’ interaction with the environment and through the acquisition of factual information relating to the statistical frequency of accidents and/or incidents. The primary aim of this thesis was to examine the utility of various training strategies to improve pilots’ risk management behaviour. Throughout this thesis, it was assumed that pilots’ risk management behaviour would be reflected in their performance during a variety of low-flying activities. Three experiments were conducted, the first of which examined the utility of three different training approaches, where pilots were either cognitively active (i.e., flying a simulated flight and receiving feedback in relation to performance) or cognitively inactive (i.e., reading a newsletter or watching a video) during training. The second experiment examined the impact of cognitive involvement and feedback on individual’s risk management behaviour, while the third examined the extent to which information acquired during a low-flying training flight would generalise to other tasks which differed in terms of cognitive load. The results provided support for a training programme that engaged the pilots cognitively during training. However, the extent to which the information acquired during training will generalise to other tasks appears to be contingent on a number of factors (i.e., memory, experience, and cognitive involvement). The results of this study are discussed in terms of both a theoretical and an applied perspective. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

For decades, elite athletes have used mental skills training to enhance their performance. The effectiveness of these skills and strategies have been measured, documented and supported in research (e.g., Feltz & Landers, 1983; Vealey, 1994). As the remarkable benefits of mental skills continue to reach an ever-growing community of performers, it is surprising that many military organizations, known for their high standards for performance and little tolerance for error, have yet to take full advantage of this type of training. Canada’s Air Force (CAF), home to a world-renowned pilot training program, now finds itself seeking additional tools to empower pilots to achieve consistent, high quality performance under demanding, high stress conditions. The purpose of this research was to explore the psychological skills used by elite Canadian military pilots to perform successfully in this highly demanding occupation. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted with elite Canadian pilots at a CAF base in Saskatchewan. Results indicated that pilots utilized all seven elements of Orlick’s (2008) Wheel of Excellence over three phases of flight: pre-flight preparation, mission execution, and post-flight debriefs. Pilots also drew on elements of the Wheel of Excellence during deployments to combat zones. Effective stress management played an especially important role in this context. Recommendations for future research include mental skills usage and preparation specific to deployment contexts as well as the implementation of a specific, relevant mental skills training program within the existing CAF pilot training program

For decades, elite athletes have used mental skills training to enhance their performance. The effectiveness of these skills and strategies have been measured, documented and supported in research (e.g., Feltz & Landers, 1983; Vealey, 1994). As the remarkable benefits of mental skills continue to reach an ever-growing community of performers, it is surprising that many military organizations, known for their high standards for performance and little tolerance for error, have yet to take full advantage of this type of training. Canada’s Air Force (CAF), home to a world-renowned pilot training program, now finds itself seeking additional tools to empower pilots to achieve consistent, high quality performance under demanding, high stress conditions. The purpose of this research was to explore the psychological skills used by elite Canadian military pilots to perform successfully in this highly demanding occupation. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted with elite Canadian pilots at a CAF base in Saskatchewan. Results indicated that pilots utilized all seven elements of Orlick’s (2008) Wheel of Excellence over three phases of flight: pre-flight preparation, mission execution, and post-flight debriefs. Pilots also drew on elements of the Wheel of Excellence during deployments to combat zones. Effective stress management played an especially important role in this context. Recommendations for future research include mental skills usage and preparation specific to deployment contexts as well as the implementation of a specific, relevant mental skills training program within the existing CAF pilot training program

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Jonathan A. Grant, Florida State University, College of Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary Program in Russian and East European Studies. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 16, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.