Retention of Aeronautical Knowledge

Pilots\u27 retention of aeronautical knowledge learned during private pilot training was studied in four experiments. In the first experiment, ten questions from the FAA private pilot airplane knowledge test were administered to sixty pilots, yielding an average score of 74.8%. Test scores were compared against seven characteristics of the pilots tested: certificates and ratings held, current role in aviation (pilot, CFI, or applicant for additional certificate/rating), total flight time, recent flight experience, reading habits, months passed since last evaluation, and months remaining until next evaluation. These factors explain some of the overall variability in test scores. Three follow-up experiments explored hypotheses about how retention might be affected by pilots\u27 working environment: (1) pilots\u27 knowledge becomes tuned to familiar aircraft charts; (2) difficult-to-remember regulations prompt pilots to substitute simpler rules that still allow them to operate legally; and (3) pilots\u27 geographical region reinforces knowledge about local weather patterns, while knowledge of different weather patterns falls to disuse. The results well support two of these hypotheses but also further demonstrate that there are no simple-to-measure determinants of what aeronautical knowledge will be remembered and forgotten. The experience of everyday flying or teaching, together with recent flight experience and flight review requirements, does not appear to eliminate the need for ongoing study or rehearsal of aeronautical knowledge

Higher Landing Accuracy in Expert Pilots is Associated with Lower Activity in the Caudate Nucleus

<div><p>The most common lethal accidents in General Aviation are caused by improperly executed landing approaches in which a pilot descends below the minimum safe altitude without proper visual references. To understand how expertise might reduce such erroneous decision-making, we examined relevant neural processes in pilots performing a simulated landing approach inside a functional MRI scanner. Pilots (aged 20–66) were asked to “fly” a series of simulated “cockpit view” instrument landing scenarios in an MRI scanner. The scenarios were either high risk (heavy fog–legally unsafe to land) or low risk (medium fog–legally safe to land). Pilots with one of two levels of expertise participated: Moderate Expertise (Instrument Flight Rules pilots, <i>n</i> = 8) or High Expertise (Certified Instrument Flight Instructors or Air-Transport Pilots, <i>n</i> = 12). High Expertise pilots were more accurate than Moderate Expertise pilots in making a “land” versus “do not land” decision (CFII: <i>d</i>′ = 3.62±2.52; IFR: <i>d</i>′ = 0.98±1.04; <i>p</i><.01). Brain activity in bilateral caudate nucleus was examined for main effects of expertise during a “land” versus “do not land” decision with the no-decision control condition modeled as baseline. In making landing decisions, High Expertise pilots showed lower activation in the bilateral caudate nucleus (0.97±0.80) compared to Moderate Expertise pilots (1.91±1.16) (<i>p</i><.05). These findings provide evidence for increased “neural efficiency” in High Expertise pilots relative to Moderate Expertise pilots. During an instrument approach the pilot is engaged in detailed examination of flight instruments while monitoring certain visual references for making landing decisions. The caudate nucleus regulates saccade eye control of gaze, the brain area where the “expertise” effect was observed. These data provide evidence that performing “real world” aviation tasks in an fMRI provide objective data regarding the relative expertise of pilots and brain regions involved in it.</p></div

Demographic characteristics (mean ±SD) by aviation expertise; Mean (SD). (High Expertise = CFII/ATP; Moderate Expertise = IFR).

<p>*<i>p</i><.05, Satterthwaite, 12 df.</p><p>Demographic characteristics (mean ±SD) by aviation expertise; Mean (SD). (High Expertise  =  CFII/ATP; Moderate Expertise  = IFR).</p

Responses made during Landing Decision Task by Expertise: proportion of hits, misses, false alarms, correct rejections and <i>d</i>′ (High Expertise = CFII/ATP; Moderate Expertise = IFR).

<p>Responses made during Landing Decision Task by Expertise: proportion of hits, misses, false alarms, correct rejections and <i>d</i>′ (High Expertise  =  CFII/ATP; Moderate Expertise  =  IFR).</p

Landing Decision Task.

<p>Land Condition  =  Low fog levels and landing strip visible (yellow arrow); Do Not Land Condition  =  Heavy fog levels and landing strip is not visible.</p

Activity During all Decisions in Primary Region of Interest.

<p>The mean estimated blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response for all decisions in bilateral caudate region during the landing decision task by expertise. High expertise  =  CFII/ATP; Moderate expertise  =  IFR. Error bars designate standard error.</p

Primary Region of Interest (shown in red).

<p>Bilateral caudate anatomical mask derived from WFUPickAtlas (yellow) was overlaid with the combined ImCalc mask derived from Neurosynth (functional activity) and WFUPickAtlas (anatomical) in SPM 8 (shown in red). Axial, coronal and sagittal views shown.</p