Increased risk of multi-crew operations: examining the effect of group polarisation on perceived invulnerability in general aviation pilots

According to the theory of group polarisation, perceived invulnerability could be greater in multi-crew operations than for single pilots. The purpose of this study was to measure the level of perceived invulnerability among general aviation pilots in New Zealand and to examine whether the level of perceived invulnerability was influenced by the presence of other pilots. Whilst it is of some concern that the majority of the pilots exhibited perceived invulnerability, no evidence was found to suggest that the level of perceived invulnerability is affected by a group polarisation effect, although further replication of this study is recommended

A convenient regression formula for predicting Skytrax’s Official World Airport Star ratings

Skytrax audits and ranks airports internationally in its yearly ‘Official World Airport Star Ranking’. Unfortunately, its activity is severely restricted, at most covering just 3% of those airports listed by Skytrax as open to review by passengers in its website in 2010. This research article explored the possibility of using a readily available variable as predictor, as an alternative way of ranking the remaining 97% of airports in a simpler and more straightforward manner. The regression formula retained correlated highly with the criterion variable, accounting for 45% of its variance, thus supporting the viability of using customer reviews as a possible way of predicting ranking scores for airport not officially audited by Skytrax

Two pilots may be safer than one: The effect of group discussion on perceived invulnerability

Although most general aviation (GA) pilots have received training in aviation decision making, one of the most common causes of GA accidents remains a pilot’s decision to press-on with a flight, when the safe decision was to turn back or divert (Federal Aviation Authority, 2002). Presumably, pilots press-on because they assume it is safe to do so, rather than because they are foolhardy. One reason pilots press-on may be because they underestimate the inherent risks. Indeed, research into the area of perceived invulnerability (PI) suggests that many pilots perceive themselves to be invulnerable to negative outcomes and that this predicts the kinds of behaviour likely to increase the chance of accident or incident (Isenberg, 1986). For more than 40 years, psychologists have been aware that decisions made by groups of people tend to polarise the views of individuals (O’Hare & Smitheram, 1995). Thus, if individuals make decisions that are risky, the decisions made in groups will tend to be more risky than those made by individuals. In aviation, this has potentially serious implications for flights where there are two pilots rather than one, because if individual pilots’ are susceptible to PI, then when there are two pilots PI may increase. Data collected earlier (Lee & Gilbey, 2010), which in a preliminary analysis found no effect of group polarisation on PI, was reanalysed to investigate whether an effect of group polarisation would be observed when both members of a pair of pilots exhibit PI. (Previously, all pilots had been included, regardless of whether they exhibited PI.) The sample were seventy-eight GA pilots, recruited from seven different flight training organisations in the North Island of New Zealand (14 female, 64 male; ages 18 to 59 years (M = 25.94, SD = 7.86) flight experience ranged from 30 minutes to 5,000 hours (Mean = 662.38 hours, SD = 895.13 hours). A within-subjects design was used, in which participants completed two equivalent measures of PI; once alone, and once in pairs, following discussion. Significant evidence of PI was found for all pilots when measured alone, t(77) = 8.54, p < 0.001 and also when measured in pairs, following discussion, t(77) = 8.92, p < 0.001. Next, unlike in our previous analysis (Lee & Gilbey, 2010), the nine pairs of participants in which one pilot did not demonstrate PI were excluded from all further analyses. (In hindsight, it was considered illogical to expect PI to be polarised following group discussion if it was not evident in individuals at the outset.) Remaining participants were allocated into two groups based upon a median split of their PI scores when measured alone (>5.8 = high PI and ≤5.8 = low PI). A 2x2 ANOVA indicated a main effect of group polarisation on PI, F(1, 58) = 5.24, p = .026 (Malone = 6.24, SD = 1.03; Mgroup = 6.01, SD = .96) and an interaction between manipulation (alone vs. group) and PI score in the control condition (low vs. high) F(1, 58) = 7.42, p = .009. Contrary to predictions, pilots with the higher levels of PI when alone showed a reduction in PI when measured in groups.The implications of the current study, suggest that perceived invulnerability in GA may be less of a problem when two (or more) pilots fly together, than when they fly alone. Future research could thus investigate accident reports to investigate whether lone pilots are more likely than two pilots to be involved in accidents or incidents where PI was a contributing factor. The findings of this study are reassuring regarding commercial flight operations, where normally there will be two pilots

Predicting Skytrax’s Official World Airline Star ratings from customer reviews

Skytrax audits and ranks airlines internationally in its yearly ‘Official World Airline Star Ranking’. Unfortunately, its activity is severely restricted, at most covering just 30% of those airlines listed as open for review by passengers in its website in 2010. This research article explored the possibility of using a readily available variable as predictor, as an alternative way of ranking the remaining 70% of airlines in a simpler and more straightforward manner. The regression formula retained correlated highly with the criterion variable, accounting for 47% of its variance, thus supporting the viability of using customer reviews as a possible way of predicting ranking scores for airlines not officially audited by Skytrax

Airline passengers’ rights to information and the strange case of the right to be informed about destinations

This research explored whether airline passengers wanted more rights to know about the safety and economic conditions of their flights, as well as the right to be reimbursed if they decided not to flight because of perceived risks. Overall, passengers agreed somehow on having more safety rights, but not so regarding financial rights. Surprisingly, they also wanted to have the right to be informed about their destinations (hotels, attractions, etc), something that is foreign to the purpose and duties of air transport

The effect of propaganda about climate change on people’s desire to fly

The theory of Psychological Reactance suggests that in response to regulations or impositions that impinge upon real or perceived freedoms and autonomy, people may find the restricted behaviour or product appeared more desirable. This reaction is especially common when individuals feel obliged to adopt a particular opinion or engage in a specific behaviour (Brehm & Brehm, 1981). Many sources suggest that aviation has a significant effect on global warming (e.g., Greenpeace). This pilot study explored whether, via the phenomenon of Psychological Reactance, people’s desire for air travel increases following exposure to propaganda about climate change and global warming

New technologies in general aviation

This research explored the technological needs of GA pilots at international levels. Overall, single pilot operators tend to value costs as the most important feature of any technology, followed by technology that helps with pre-flight tasks as well as during flight. Remote monitoring, post-flight analysis and 3-D displays are technological features of lesser importance

PC-based aviation training devices (PCATDs): research, development and certification

This paper examines the development of two PCATD’s (one helicopter, one fixed-wing) and their eventual certification by CAA. Certification has demonstrated the potential these devices have for aviation training in New Zealand. Traditionally FTD‘s and PCATD’s have been sourced from foreign companies, and they represent a considerable financial investment for large flying training organisations. The procurement of these simulator types is generally beyond the financial resources of most small to medium sized flying schools. Aviation training in NZ is facing significant financial constraints as well as an increasing demand to simulate complex glass cockpit systems that are now installed in most new General Aviation (GA) aircraft. The development, utilisation and certification of this type of PCATD technology could solve these difficult challenges

Testing the theory that pets can help to alleviate loneliness

Loneliness is extremely common, highly unpleasant, and the health consequences have been reported to rival those of smoking and obesity (House et aI., 1988). It is widely believed that pets can help to alleviate loneliness. This belief is consistent with research that suggests pets can provide companionship similar to that provided by humans. Having first reviewed the literature on loneliness and the role of pets in providing companionship and alleviation of loneliness, a theory was articulated that pets should help to alleviate loneliness. The remainder of this thesis sought to test this theory. Three hypotheses were derived from the theory that pets can help alleviate loneliness: pet owners will be less lonely than non-pet owners; pet separation will be associated or will lead to increased loneliness; and, pet acquisition will lead to decreased levels of loneliness. Seven empirical studies were conducted, of which six directly tested one or more of the three hypotheses. Each hypothesis was tested at least twice. Amongst samples recruited from the general population, no quantitative evidence was found to reject any of the three null hypotheses: pet owners were no less lonely than non-pet owners; pet separation was neither associated with higher loneliness nor led to increased levels of loneliness; and pet acquisition did not lead to reduced levels of loneliness. There was some qualitative evidence that if people acquired a pet to help with loneliness they believed it was helpful. These findings did not appear to be affected by whether or not the person-pet relationship was described as 'close' or the species of pet. Amongst a sample of deaf people who were at high risk of loneliness, no evidence was found of that pet owners or hearing dog owners were less lonely than non-owners. Nor was there significant evidence that hearing dog acquisition led to lower levels of loneliness. It was concluded that insofar as none of the three hypotheses were supported by the data, the theory that pets help to alleviate loneliness was not supported amongst the general population. It was proposed that the belief that pets alleviate loneliness might endure simply because it is a pleasing and agreeable belief. Alternatively, people may see what they want to see. However, it is also possible that the quantitative methods Used in psychology simply fail to reflect the qualitative benefits of pet ownership, or that there are people for whom pets alleviate loneliness, but they are specific subgroups of the population

A pilot test of the effect of mild-hypoxia on unrealistically optimistic risk judgements

Although hypoxia is believed to occur above altitudes of 10,000 ft, some have suggested that effects may occur at lower altitudes. This pilot study explored risk judgments under conditions of mild hypoxia (simulated altitude of 8,000 ft). Some evidence of an increased optimism was found at this level, suggesting the need for a larger scale study with more experimental power