VISUAL SCANNING AND PILOT EXPERTISE - THE ROLE OF ATTENTIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND MENTAL MODEL DEVELOPMENT

In order to examine differences in flying expertise, 12 novice and 12 expert pilots flew a 7-segment simulation pattern under specific atten tional constraints while cockpit instrument visual scan was recorded. Flight segments involved various combinations of maneuvering of beadin g, attitude and airspeed. Expert pilots performed better than novices on vertical and longitudinal, but not lateral control. They accomplish ed their superior vertical tracking by allocating more control resourc es to the vertical control. Analyses of scanning strategies revealed t hat experts: a) had shorter dwells and more frequent visits to most in struments; b) adapted their visiting strategy more flexibly in respons e to changing task demands; c) demonstrated a better mental model of c ross-coupling and predictive relations between and within axes; and d) showed more frequent checking of axes whose values remained constant. The data is discussed in terms of their implications in pilot cockpit scan training program development.