Work

Exploring the role of pilot attributes and skills in response to in-flight emergencies

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Despite constant advancements in technology, humans remain a central component of many systems. While they are more prone to error than computers, humans possess remarkable adaptability in responding to emergencies – this can sometimes even outperform pre-set systems in critical situations. However, less is understood about the specific factors that contribute to this ability to recover from an emergency. Objectives This study aimed to corroborate the currently proposed factors that support successfully overcoming an emergency situation that is already unfolding, and to identify additional themes that naturally emerge from interviews with pilots who have successfully navigated an emergency or incident. Method A qualitative approach was used for this study to understand what sort of emergencies the pilot had faced and which individual factors had helped resolve the situation. Eighteen pilots from different domains of aviation were recruited. Participant ages ranged from 33 to 65 years, with a gender split of 14 males and 4 females. NVivo software was used for coding and thematic analysis. Findings This study found support for previously proposed factors, including training, skill, experience, emotional stability, decision-making, confidence, improvisation, leadership, professionalism, situation awareness, reaction time, and creative thinking being important for successfully navigating an emergency. This study also found three additional factors: mental preparedness, system knowledge, and resilience. The findings also supported several interrelationships between different factors. Conclusion These findings provide experiences that underscore the multifaceted nature of pilot emergency response and the need for a comprehensive understanding of the factors at play to improve recruitment and training for pilots.

Source: Safety Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107010

Authors: Louella Bagley, Christine Boag-Hodgson, Matthew Stainer, Darren Wishart, Jamie Cross

Institution: Griffith University

Language: English

Topic: Human-Automation Interaction and Safety

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,360