Behavioral markers are used in training and assessment of nontechnical skills (NTSs). This study tested the reliability of a unique set of markers designed to help assess heightened emotional activity (HEA) as a response to perceived threats. Using five markers that represent instances of negative emotional states, 27 commercial airline pilots recorded their observations of HEA in eight video vignettes of scripted flight deck situations. The raters’ scores were analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha for dichotomous data. The alpha statistics indicated high inter-rater reliability across all five HEAs. This study demonstrates that the chosen instances of HEA can be reliably identified by airline pilots.
Traditionally the military or general aviation have been the trainingground for early career regional airline pilots (Mitchell, n.d.a). With the reduction in military pilot training and the high cost of general aviation flying, universities and airlines are undertaking ab-initio training of potential airline pilots. While there are technical standards for specific pilot knowledge, skill and flight performance, there is only guidance material on non-technical skills. Nontechnical skills are defined as: the mental, social, and personal-management abilities that complement the technical skills of workers and contribute to safe and effective performance in complex work systems. They include competencies such as decision-making, workload management, team communication, situation awareness, and stress management. (CASA, 2011, p. 8) The use of non-technical behaviour markers to identify a unique set of interpersonal skills for flight crews was identified by the aviation industry as a key factor in improving safety (Flin, Martin, Goeters, Hormann, Amalberti, Valot, & Nijhuis, 2003). However, most non-technical skills development is done using other programs that are modelled on specific cultures that may or may not define the behaviours that fit within an organisation (Fletcher, Flin, McGeorge, Glavin,
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.