Retention of Airline Pilots' Knowledge and Skill

Abstract

A current issue for airlines is to determine the appropriate recurrent training schedules for flight crews. The present study offers empirical data on the retention of airline pilots' knowledge and skill. We report data on flight crews evaluated at six and 12-months post training. Both normal and emergency flight maneuvers experienced significantly higher decay at the 12-month assessment when compared to the six-month assessment. Maneuvers briefed before the evaluation, allowing the pilot to mentally review the appropriate procedures, showed less decay compared to non-briefed maneuvers for both the six and 12-month assessments. The greater decay suffered by the first look maneuvers suggests engaging in mental rehearsal before on-the-line flying might mitigate the decay. The results, furthermore, suggest the importance of upholding a six-month training schedule.