A Comparison between a Part-Task Cognitive Training Group and a Part-Task Skill Development Group on Aircraft Performance

Abstract

Twelve non instrument rated private pilots were randomly assigned to one of two part-task training groups: a cognitive training group and a skill development group. After taking a 20-minute pretest on a flight simulator, the cognitive training group spent 2 1/2 hours viewing various dynamic flight situations represented by seven basic airplane flight instruments. The group was asked several questions about each presentation, including how to respond to each flight situation based on specific flight goals. The skill development group spent an equal amount of time using the flight simulator as a tool to develop instrument skills. Three performance variables (distance, altitude, and airspeed) were compared between the pretest and three posttests. For decisions involving distance, both training methods were effective. For decisions involving altitude and airspeed, cognitive training surpassed skill based training.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Hoffman

(1996). How can expertise be defined? Implications of research from cognitive psychology. In Williams

Faulkner

Fleck

(Eds.), Exploring Expertise (pp. 81–100). Edinburgh, Scotland: University of Edinburgh Press.

Klein

(1997). The recognition-primed decision (RPD) model: Looking back, looking forward. In Zsambok

C. E.

Klein

(Eds.). Naturalistic Decision Making, Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Salas

Cannon-Bowers

J. A.

(2001). The science of training; A decade of progress. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 471–499.

Schneider

(1985). Training high-performance skills: Fallacies and guidelines. Human Factors, 27, 285–300.

Wightman

D. C.

Lintern

(1985). Part-task training for tracking and manual control. Human Factors, 27, 267–283.