US Air Force pilot selection and training methods

Background: U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilot selection and training procedures h ave changed substantially in the last several years. Pilot selection proced ures were augmented with the introduction of computer-based testing to asse ss pilot aptitude. Training procedures have changed in an effort to moderni ze the training fleet and provide better, more specialized training earlier in the training process. Results: Despite several studies showing the util ity of USAF pilot aptitude tests for pre dieting training performance, resu lts of a recent policy capturing study suggest that this information is oft en ignored by pilot candidate selection boards. The two largest sources of USAF pilot trainees relied heavily on measures of officership when making s election decisions. Cumulative research findings suggest that USAF pilot se lection decisions could be improved by making better use of currently avail able personnel attribute data. Further improvements could be expected from the addition of a structured selection interview and measures of personalit y.