The Impact of a Weather Training Tool (WeatherWise) on Pilot Decision-Making

C. Kim; D. A. Wiegmann; S. A. Shappell

The Impact of a Weather Training Tool (WeatherWise) on Pilot Decision-Making

C. Kim, D. A. Wiegmann, S. A. Shappell

Research output: Contribution to conference › Presentation

Abstract

 Previous studies of general aviation (GA) accidents have shown that decision errors are often associated with
 fatal GA accidents, particularly those involving continued visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Existing literature suggests that knowledge, experience, motivation, and weather information frequently have all been identified as causal factors of weather-related GA accidents. Put
 simply, many GA pilots simply did not realize the extent of the adverse weather they were flying into. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of weather recognition training on GA pilots’ in-flight decision-making under gradually aggravating weather conditions.
 
 METHODS: Forty GA pilots were recruited locally in South Carolina and randomly split into two groups: 20 
 pilots (experimental group) received roughly 30 minutes of pre-flight training using WeatherWise (a Federal Aviation Administration approved computer-based weather training program developed to improve GA pilot weather-related decision-making) and 20 pilots (control group) received training on the effects of mental fatigue.
 After computer-based training, flight planning, and a weather briefing, all subjects were tasked with flying a simulated flight over a mountain ridge into progressively deteriorating weather conditions. They were instructed that the aircraft (a Cessna 172) was not certified for instrument flight and that the flight was to be flown using
 VFR only.
 
 RESULTS: The WeatherWise training group exhibited a significantly better weather assessment as measured by their ceiling estimation and decision accuracy as measured by the distance flown into adverse weather condition. Moreover, the WeatherWise training group was more conservative when deciding whether to fly into adverse weather conditions. Of note, no significant differences between groups were found in the pilot’s risk assessment or decision confidence.
 
 DISCUSSION: WeatherWise training was effective at increasing the accuracy of weather decision-making and reducing the likelihood that pilots would fly into adverse weather.
 
 Learning Objectives:
 1 Describe how general aviation pilot’s decide to proceed into deteriorating weather conditions.
 2 Identify useful tools for training general aviation pilots on in-flight
 weather decision-making.

Original language	American English
State	Published - May 17 2012
Externally published	Yes
Event	83rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association - Atlanta, GA Duration: May 17 2012 → …

Conference

Conference	83rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association
Period	5/17/12 → …

Keywords

weather flying
adverse weather conditions
VFR
flight simulation
decision-making
pilot performance
general aviation aircraft
aircraft accidents
IMC

Disciplines

Aviation Safety and Security

Cite this

@conference{65719912ff954f75a6c201303f2a0967,

title = "The Impact of a Weather Training Tool (WeatherWise) on Pilot Decision-Making",

abstract = " Previous studies of general aviation (GA) accidents have shown that decision errors are often associated with fatal GA accidents, particularly those involving continued visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Existing literature suggests that knowledge, experience, motivation, and weather information frequently have all been identified as causal factors of weather-related GA accidents. Put simply, many GA pilots simply did not realize the extent of the adverse weather they were flying into. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of weather recognition training on GA pilots{\textquoteright} in-flight decision-making under gradually aggravating weather conditions. METHODS: Forty GA pilots were recruited locally in South Carolina and randomly split into two groups: 20 pilots (experimental group) received roughly 30 minutes of pre-flight training using WeatherWise (a Federal Aviation Administration approved computer-based weather training program developed to improve GA pilot weather-related decision-making) and 20 pilots (control group) received training on the effects of mental fatigue. After computer-based training, flight planning, and a weather briefing, all subjects were tasked with flying a simulated flight over a mountain ridge into progressively deteriorating weather conditions. They were instructed that the aircraft (a Cessna 172) was not certified for instrument flight and that the flight was to be flown using VFR only. RESULTS: The WeatherWise training group exhibited a significantly better weather assessment as measured by their ceiling estimation and decision accuracy as measured by the distance flown into adverse weather condition. Moreover, the WeatherWise training group was more conservative when deciding whether to fly into adverse weather conditions. Of note, no significant differences between groups were found in the pilot{\textquoteright}s risk assessment or decision confidence. DISCUSSION: WeatherWise training was effective at increasing the accuracy of weather decision-making and reducing the likelihood that pilots would fly into adverse weather. Learning Objectives: 1 Describe how general aviation pilot{\textquoteright}s decide to proceed into deteriorating weather conditions. 2 Identify useful tools for training general aviation pilots on in-flight weather decision-making.",

keywords = "weather flying, adverse weather conditions, VFR, flight simulation, decision-making, pilot performance, general aviation aircraft, aircraft accidents, IMC",

author = "C. Kim and Wiegmann, {D. A.} and Shappell, {S. A.}",

year = "2012",

month = may,

day = "17",

language = "American English",

note = "83rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association ; Conference date: 17-05-2012",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - The Impact of a Weather Training Tool (WeatherWise) on Pilot Decision-Making

AU - Kim, C.

AU - Wiegmann, D. A.

AU - Shappell, S. A.

PY - 2012/5/17

Y1 - 2012/5/17

N2 - Previous studies of general aviation (GA) accidents have shown that decision errors are often associated with fatal GA accidents, particularly those involving continued visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Existing literature suggests that knowledge, experience, motivation, and weather information frequently have all been identified as causal factors of weather-related GA accidents. Put simply, many GA pilots simply did not realize the extent of the adverse weather they were flying into. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of weather recognition training on GA pilots’ in-flight decision-making under gradually aggravating weather conditions. METHODS: Forty GA pilots were recruited locally in South Carolina and randomly split into two groups: 20 pilots (experimental group) received roughly 30 minutes of pre-flight training using WeatherWise (a Federal Aviation Administration approved computer-based weather training program developed to improve GA pilot weather-related decision-making) and 20 pilots (control group) received training on the effects of mental fatigue. After computer-based training, flight planning, and a weather briefing, all subjects were tasked with flying a simulated flight over a mountain ridge into progressively deteriorating weather conditions. They were instructed that the aircraft (a Cessna 172) was not certified for instrument flight and that the flight was to be flown using VFR only. RESULTS: The WeatherWise training group exhibited a significantly better weather assessment as measured by their ceiling estimation and decision accuracy as measured by the distance flown into adverse weather condition. Moreover, the WeatherWise training group was more conservative when deciding whether to fly into adverse weather conditions. Of note, no significant differences between groups were found in the pilot’s risk assessment or decision confidence. DISCUSSION: WeatherWise training was effective at increasing the accuracy of weather decision-making and reducing the likelihood that pilots would fly into adverse weather. Learning Objectives: 1 Describe how general aviation pilot’s decide to proceed into deteriorating weather conditions. 2 Identify useful tools for training general aviation pilots on in-flight weather decision-making.

AB - Previous studies of general aviation (GA) accidents have shown that decision errors are often associated with fatal GA accidents, particularly those involving continued visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Existing literature suggests that knowledge, experience, motivation, and weather information frequently have all been identified as causal factors of weather-related GA accidents. Put simply, many GA pilots simply did not realize the extent of the adverse weather they were flying into. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of weather recognition training on GA pilots’ in-flight decision-making under gradually aggravating weather conditions. METHODS: Forty GA pilots were recruited locally in South Carolina and randomly split into two groups: 20 pilots (experimental group) received roughly 30 minutes of pre-flight training using WeatherWise (a Federal Aviation Administration approved computer-based weather training program developed to improve GA pilot weather-related decision-making) and 20 pilots (control group) received training on the effects of mental fatigue. After computer-based training, flight planning, and a weather briefing, all subjects were tasked with flying a simulated flight over a mountain ridge into progressively deteriorating weather conditions. They were instructed that the aircraft (a Cessna 172) was not certified for instrument flight and that the flight was to be flown using VFR only. RESULTS: The WeatherWise training group exhibited a significantly better weather assessment as measured by their ceiling estimation and decision accuracy as measured by the distance flown into adverse weather condition. Moreover, the WeatherWise training group was more conservative when deciding whether to fly into adverse weather conditions. Of note, no significant differences between groups were found in the pilot’s risk assessment or decision confidence. DISCUSSION: WeatherWise training was effective at increasing the accuracy of weather decision-making and reducing the likelihood that pilots would fly into adverse weather. Learning Objectives: 1 Describe how general aviation pilot’s decide to proceed into deteriorating weather conditions. 2 Identify useful tools for training general aviation pilots on in-flight weather decision-making.

KW - weather flying

KW - adverse weather conditions

KW - VFR

KW - flight simulation

KW - decision-making

KW - pilot performance

KW - general aviation aircraft

KW - aircraft accidents

KW - IMC

M3 - Presentation

T2 - 83rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association

Y2 - 17 May 2012

ER -