Why Aren't We Teaching Aeronautical Decision Making?

Abstract

Fifteen years of aviation research into the causes of human performance errors in aviation provided a basis for the current study. Detailed analyses of human performance error accidents produced the conclusion that  approximately half of these accidents were decision related. Since traditional pilot training stressed aeronautical knowledge and flying skills while relying on experience to teach and practice decision making, an obvious question was: Can we teach decision making as a way to accelerate the normal learning  based on experience and to reduce these accidents? This paper attempts to answer that question and to provide guidelines for both future research and  the next generation of aeronautical decision making training materials.