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    PC-based aviation training devices for pilot training in visual flight rules procedures : development, validation and effectiveness : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Aviation at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2014) Reweti, Savern
    Flying is a difficult and complex activity that requires a significant level of attention from the pilot as well as a lengthy training period to gain sufficient competency. For issues of both cost and safety, flight simulation has been an integral part of flight training from its earliest beginnings. There have been a number of technological developments and improvements in both the level of fidelity and the training effectiveness of flight simulators. As a result, flight simulators in use today are the result of this technological, psychological, and engineering evolution. Indeed, simulator cockpits can now accurately replicate all of the functions of flight controls and instrumentation found in real aircraft. Furthermore, the development of high-resolution display systems utilising computer-generated imagery (CGI), means that flight simulators can now display very realistic terrain and environmental effects. The high cost of modern full motion flight simulators (FFSs) has meant that their use has generally been restricted to commercial airlines, military forces, and government agencies. More recently, rapid advances and decreasing costs in PC-based computer technology has enabled flight-training organisations to conduct more training with less expensive fixed-base flight training devices (FTDs). That said, the first study in this thesis indicated that in NZ, even the cost of certified FTDs is still beyond the reach of most flight training schools and their students. The central tenet of this thesis is that a cost effective strategy for smaller flight training schools could be the utilisation of low-cost personal computer based aviation-training devices (PCATDs) for flight instruction and procedural training tasks. Although a number of studies have indicated that the fidelity of PCATDs may be quite low when compared to FTDs, especially in control loading and flight dynamics, there is some evidence of a positive transfer of training from the PCATD to the aircraft.Significant research has been conducted on the effective use of PCATDs to reduce Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) training time in the aircraft. Conversely, few studies have examined the use of PCATDs for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) training. This lack of research is likely due to the limited fidelity of most PCATDs, especially in the critical area of visual displays. Customised PCATDs were developed to address these fidelity issues by utilising innovative and cost effective software and hardware technologies. The aim of this study was to investigate potential training benefits and cost effectiveness of utilising low cost PCATDs, to improve pilot proficiency in performing VFR procedures. A quasi-transfer study was undertaken to ascertain whether a customised low cost PCATD was as effective as a Civil Aviation Authority certified FTD at improving pilot proficiency in the performance of a standard VFR traffic pattern operation. 1. There was no evidence of a difference in VFR task performance between participants trained on the PCATD and the FTD when tested on the FTD. In addition, there were significant improvements in VFR task performance compared to a control group that received no simulator training. 2. A follow-up study compared VFR task performance of two groups with significantly different levels of aviation experience that were trained and tested on the PCATD. Again, there was no evidence of any significant differences in VFR performance between these two groups of pilot trainees and this demonstrated that the PCATD could impart equal training benefits to both experienced and ab-initio pilots. The Civil Aviation Authority certification of two of the PCATDs developed in this study provided formal recognition of the training potential of these devices. In addition, the study has demonstrated that small to medium sized flight schools could enhance their training programmes significantly by deploying low cost PCATDs.
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    The role of experience in the susceptibility to confirmation bias in pilots : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Rowntree, Jaime
    Confirmation bias refers to the tendency of an individual to prioritise and seek out evidence that confirms their theory or hypothesis and avoid or place little importance on disconfirming information. In the field of aviation, confirmation bias can have disastrous consequences and has been implicated in several aviation disasters. Despite the potentially fatal consequences, little research has systematically explored the underlying causes of confirmation bias in pilots. The following research examined the role of experience in the susceptibility to confirmation bias in pilots utilising an aviation themed location discovery task. To assess the relationship between flying experience and susceptibility to confirmation bias, 53 participants (23 non-pilots with no prior flying experience, 13 novice pilots with between 0-200 hours of logged flight time, and 17 experienced pilots with between 220-15000 hours of logged flight time) were asked to complete an online map-based location discovery task, which required participants to imagine that they were unsure of their location in four aviation themed scenarios. They then had to select, out of three features given, which feature would be the most useful for helping them to decide on their current location. Two out of the three features provided incorrect confirming (positive) tests of the pilot’s hypothesised location and one feature provided the correct disconfirming (negative) test of their hypothesised location. Results indicated that overall, participants primarily utilised a hypothesis-confirming strategy on the task. No relationship between experience and a participant’s susceptibility to confirmation bias was identified. A thematic analysis of the comments provided by participants was completed, which illustrated that participants were fairly consistent in the decision-making strategy that they used when reasoning about their location across each of the four scenarios. Interestingly, non-pilots and novice pilots primarily utilised a hypothesis-confirming approach most regularly in their feature selection. By contrast, it appears that the experienced pilot group primarily utilised a strategy that favoured the selection of manufactured objects and large objects. Future research should focus on discovering the mechanisms underlying confirmation bias and the identification of groups of people who are less susceptible to it. This information can then be used to create a model of confirmation bias outlining interventions that can be used to reduce or eliminate its effects.
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    Examining the influence of error climate on aviation maintenance performance : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2011) Hodges, Megan Elizabeth
    Error climate is a relatively new construct that refers to employees shared perceptions of organisational practices regarding errors and is divided into two types, error management climate (EMC) and error aversion climate (EAC). An EMC acknowledges the inevitability of error and has practices that deal effectively with error. An error aversion climate (EAC) conversely, denies error and is characterised by a fear of error and a reluctance to discuss error. The current study revealed two facets of EAC, these were error strain and covering up errors. EAC and EMC were negatively correlated. Higher levels of EMC were associated with better supervision and psychological health and lower levels of EAC, violations and errors. Higher levels of EAC were associated with the opposite pattern of findings, more violations and errors, worse psychological health, poorer supervision and lower levels of EMC. Two types of violations were found, situational violations which were related to getting the job done in the face of situational constraints and routine violations which reflected rule defiance. Significant predictors of situational violations were routine violations, covering up errors, stress, position (seniority) and general psychological health while significant predictors of routine violations were situational violations and fatigue. Significant predictors of errors were routine violations and position. The effect of error climate on errors was partially mediated by violations. This result is consistent with that of safety climate which is a well established predictor of unsafe acts. Unexpectedly, psychological health did not act as a mediator. These findings suggest that error climate is an important organisational factor in safety and aviation maintenance performance that warrants further examination.