Risk cognition variables and flight exceedance behaviors of airline transport pilots

Abstract

In order to examine the relationship between risk cognitive variables and flight exceedance behaviors of airline transport pilots, the concepts of ‘risky pilots’ was put forward, and the existence of ‘risky pilots’ was verified based on flight exceedance events statistics. Three risk cognitive variables of pilots involving risk tolerance, hazardous attitude and risk perception were investigated through the use of a series of psychological scales. Then one-way ANOVA and Pearson Correlation Analysis were used to study the influence of risk cognitive variables on airline transport pilots’ exceedance behaviors. Results indicated that ‘risky pilots’ do exist among airline transport pilots. Additionally, a hazardous attitude has significant positive effects on pilots’ severe exceedance behaviors, which means that pilots who have high levels of a hazardous attitude would cause exceedance behaviors easily and induce higher occurrence rates of unsafe events. The conclusion of the study indicates that targeted education and training for improving risky pilots’ hazardous attitudes should be carried out for the purpose of reducing exceedance behaviors in flight, which would then make flight safer.