The Effects of Display Type, Weather Type, and Pilot Experience on Pilot Interpretation of Weather Products

The majority of general aviation (GA) accidents involving adverse weather result in fatalities. Considering the high weather-related fatality rate among GA flight operations, it is imperative to ensure that GA pilots of all experience levels can incorporate available weather information into their flight planning. In the past decade, weather product development has incorporated increasing levels of automation, which has led to the generation of high-resolution, model-based aviation displays such as graphical turbulence guidance and current icing potential, which rival the resolution of radar and satellite imagery. This is in stark contrast to the traditional polygonal-based displays of aviation weather hazards (G-AIRMETs and SIGMETs). It is important to investigate the effects of these changes on the end user. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the interpretability of weather products for two areas of interest: display type (traditional polygons vs. model-based imagery) and type of weather phenomena (ceiling/visibility, turbulence, and icing), across a range of pilot experience levels. Two hundred and four participants completed a series of weather product interpretation questions. The results indicated significant effects of product display type, as well as significant effects of weather phenomena and pilot experience on product interpretation. Further investigation is needed to assess possible extraneous variables

Evaluating GA Pilots\u27 Interpretation of New Automated Weather Products

Introduction: Over the past 30 years, General Aviation (GA) operations have incurred the majority of weather related accidents in civil aviation operations. Aviation weather knowledge and skills are imperative for hazardous weather avoidance and safe flight activity. Previous research suggests applying human-computer interaction (HCI) principles to weather products may promote better decision-making among pilots. Currently, the Aviation Weather Center (AWC) generates two forms of graphical weather products for reporting icing, turbulence, and visibility: traditional human-in-the-loop products (G-AIRMETs Ice, Tango, and Sierra) and the fully-automated products (CIP/FIP, GTG, and CVA). This study compares pilots’ interpretation of fully-automated products against their interpretation of human-in-loop products. Method: Participants (n=131) completed a series of weather product interpretation questions. Mixed ANOVAs were conducted to analyze the effects of pilot certificate and/or rating (Student, Private, Private w/Instrument, Commercial w/ Instrument) and product generation (traditional vs. automated) on product interpretation scores. Results: Regardless of product generation, pilots displayed similar levels of proficiency when interpreting the icing and ceiling/visibility products. However, pilots’ performed significantly better on the new fully automated turbulence product (GTG) than on the traditional human-in-the-loop turbulence product (AIRMET Tango). Discussion: Producing more user-friendly weather products may make weather product interpretation easier for novice pilots

Assessing General Aviation Pilots\u27 Weather Knowledge and Self-Efficacy

While accident trends in General Aviation (GA) have decreased overall, accidents rates involving weather have remained relatively consistent over the past 10 years. An assessment was developed and validated to assess if GA pilots lack adequate knowledge of aviation weather concepts. The assessment consisted of a 95 question Aviation Weather Knowledge multiple-choice test covering weather phenomena, aviation weather products, and aviation weather product sources. 204 GA pilots completed the knowledge questions along with an aviation weather self-efficacy (confidence) survey. Results indicated that while instrument rated commercial pilots demonstrated the highest levels of knowledge, their scores were only moderate – around 65% correct. Private pilots had scores in the 60% range. These results may indicate that pilots flying in GA operations have a relatively low level of aviation weather knowledge. Weather self-efficacy was correlated positively with aviation weather knowledge

Evaluating the quality of interaction between medical students and nurses in a large teaching hospital

BACKGROUND: Effective health care depends on multidisciplinary collaboration and teamwork, yet little is known about how well medical students and nurses interact in the hospital environment, where physicians-in-training acquire their first experiences as members of the health care team. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of interaction between third-year medical students and nurses during clinical rotations. METHODS: We surveyed 268 Indiana University medical students and 175 nurses who worked at Indiana University Hospital, the School's chief clinical training site. The students had just completed their third year of training. The survey instrument consisted of 7 items that measured "relational coordination" among members of the health care team, and 9 items that measured psychological distress. RESULTS: Sixty-eight medical students (25.4%) and 99 nurses (56.6%) completed the survey. The relational coordination score (ranked 1 to 5, low to high), which provides an overall measure of interaction quality, showed that medical students interacted with residents the best (4.16) and with nurses the worst (2.98; p < 0.01). Conversely, nurses interacted with other nurses the best (4.36) and with medical students the worst (2.68; p < 0.01). Regarding measures of psychological distress (ranked 0 to 4, low to high), the interpersonal sensitivity score of medical students (1.56) was significantly greater than that of nurses (1.03; p < 0.01), whereas the hostility score of nurses (0.59) was significantly greater than that of medical students (0.39; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The quality of interaction between medical students and nurses during third-year clinical rotations is poor, which suggests that medical students are not receiving the sorts of educational experiences that promote optimal physician-nurse collaboration. Medical students and nurses experience different levels of psychological distress, which may adversely impact the quality of their interaction

Team Dynamics Theory: Nomological network among cohesion, team mental models, coordination, and collective efficacy

I put forth a theoretical framework, namely Team Dynamics Theory (TDT), to address the need for a parsimonious yet integrated, explanatory and systemic view of team dynamics. In TDT, I integrate team processes and outputs and explain their relationships within a systemic view of team dynamics. Specifically, I propose a generative nomological network linking cohesion, team mental models, coordination, collective efficacy, and team outcomes. From this nomological conceptualization, I illustrate how myriad alternative models can be derived to account for variance in different working teams, each comprised of unique members, and embedded in singular contexts. I outline TDT’s applied implications for team development, the enhancement of team functioning, and the profiling of team resilience. I conclude by discussing how TDT’s ontological and nomological propositions can be tested through various theoretical inquiries, methodological approaches, and intervention-based studies

Learner Centered Debriefing in General Aviation Training: Questions from the Field and Answers from Research

Recently, the “Learner Centered Grading” (LCG) debriefing strategy has been introduced to general aviation flight training. LCG includes two parts: learner self assessment and a detailed debrief led by the instructor. The purpose of the self assessment is to stimulate growth in the learner’s thought processes and, in turn, behaviors. Implementing a training strategy in the field, however, is different from laboratory tests. In an effort to see how the learner centered grading debrief was being used in the field, in-depth interviews with 10 certified flight instructors (CFIs) were conducted. Overall, the CFIs reported that the in-depth discussions were an improvement over traditional instructor-led debriefings. Difficulties, however, were also evident, and a variety of questions and observations were noted ranging from the varying accuracy of the self-assessments to issues with transitioning instructors to use this new style of debrief. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the learner centered grading style debrief, present findings from the interviews with CFIs, and offer recommendations drawn from research on selfassessment and metacognition, as well as applied research on debriefing accomplished in the U.S. Navy shipboard environments

Examining the Content Validity of the FAA Private Pilot and Commercial Pilot Practical Test Standards

The Practical Test Standards (PTS) were devised by the FAA to provide a standard format to evaluate the skills necessary for pilot certification. Both the private pilot and commercial PTS were generated years ago and, on a regular basis, are modified slightly. Despite these efforts, some aviators in the industry consider the PTS to be out of date. The purpose of this research was to examine the content validity of the private pilot and commercial pilot PTS items in order to assess the applicability to current general aviation practice. To accomplish this, a job-analysis style survey was developed and distributed to 139 flight instructors. The results indicate that considerable variance exists in perceived importance of the PTS skills in actual flight. Implications for general aviation flight training and assessment are discussed