| Approximately 70% of aviation accidents are attributable to human error. The greatest opportunity for further improving aviation safety is found in reducing human errors in the cockpit. The purpose of this quasi-experimental, mixed-method research was to evaluate whether there was a difference in pilot attitudes toward reducing human error in the cockpit and to evaluate subjective reactions to training after the implementation of a human-factors training program. Participants included pilots from air taxi and corporate flight departments from three companies located in Ohio and New Jersey. Fifty-eight pilots (the treatment group) completed the Pilot Reliability Certification (PRC) training program, a human-factors training curriculum focused on personal vulnerabilities to human error and countermeasures in support of aviation safety. Seventy pilots (the control group) did not complete the 2-day training course. A qualitative survey was distributed to explore participant reactions to the PRC training. In addition, participants completed a modified version of the Cockpit Management Attitudes Questionnaire, a quantitative instrument designed to measure attitude change. Both within-group, pretest-posttest comparisons and between-groups comparisons were performed. Members of the control group did not show a significant improvement in attitude from pretest to posttest related to crew resource management skills or the PRC objectives (t[69] = -1.40, p = .17). However, the treatment group demonstrated a significant improvement in attitudes (t[57] = -0.80, p < .001). There was also a significant difference in attitudes between the treatment group and controls (t[126] = -6.00, p < .05). Subjective reactions to the training were also positive, with pilots citing the strengthened human-factors knowledge base as the largest benefit. Overall, participants perceived the PRC training to be more detailed and in-depth than was previous human-factors training. Findings showed that pilots who received the PRC training showed a significant improvement in attitudes towards reducing human error in the cockpit. Further research is recommended using additional measures, including behavioral measures, for assessing the knowledge gained. The use of a random sample in future studies may determine whether the PRC training had a causal effect on the outcomes. |
