Sustainable Retention Strategies in Aviation Education: Coaching Leadership, Instructor Behavior, and Career Decidedness

Abstract

Attrition in collegiate aviation training remains high, with only about 20 percent of students completing flight programs (Beckett, 2016). This study investigates how flight instructor leadership behaviors influence student persistence in aviation education. Grounded in Tinto’s (1975) Model of Institutional Departure and Attribution Theory (Heider, 1958; Kelley & Michela, 1980), the research examines how Coaching Leadership Style (CLS) and Attribution of Instructor Behavior (AoIB) affect Career Decidedness (CD) and Intention to Persist (ITP). Survey data from 223 students at five University Aviation Association programs were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). CLS significantly predicted CD, which in turn predicted ITP, while AoIB directly predicted ITP. Post hoc analyses revealed that CLS statistically suppressed AoIB, indicating that students often interpret coaching behaviors as altruistic. These findings highlight the importance of instructor leadership training and introduce the SEGAS framework—Set expectations, Encourage perspectives, Give feedback, Ask for feedback, and Supply resources—as a practical tool to strengthen student persistence in flight education.