No abstract

Previous research has shown that the same aptitude and trait measures that predict success in US Air Force (USAF) manned aircraft pilot training predict remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA) pilot training outcomes with generally similar levels of validity (Carretta, 2013; Rose, Barron, Carretta, Arnold, & Howse, 2014). However, because USAF RPA pilots initially train in manned aircraft, validation of aptitude and traits predicative of RPA pilot success has thus far been limited to RPA pilot training outcomes that actually require manned flight. Hence, thus far there has been no basis for determining the aptitudes and traits predictive of success in environments in which pilots actually fly RPAs. To address this gap, the present study evaluated pre-accession trait (Big Five personality domains) and aptitude (spatial, quantitative, and aviation knowledge) measures as predictors of manned and unmanned aircraft pilot performance on-the-job, as measured by supervisor and senior rater stratification on three years of Officer Performance Reports (OPRs). Results were generally consistent in showing that the same aptitudes, knowledge, and personality traits that predict successful job performance for manned aircraft pilots also predict successful job performance for RPA pilots. However, results also showed pre-accession aviation knowledge to be a stronger predictor of job performance for RPA pilots than for manned aircraft pilots. These findings and their implications for attracting and selecting RPA pilots are discussed.

Despite the increasingly recognized importance of spatial ability in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, research to date has largely ignored distinctions in the criterion‐related validity and subgroup differences associated with theoretically distinct spatial abilities. This study aims to enhance practical understanding by spotlighting a prominent military context as an example wherein specific spatial abilities may be both differentially relevant and differentially apt to result in adverse impact. Analyses compared the relative importance of (i) spatial orientation, (ii) visualization, (iii) closure flexibility, and (iv) perceptual speed for predicting U.S. Air Force pilot performance (N = 1440), and compared subgroup differences in a large applicant sample (N = 10,643). Given that specific spatial abilities vary substantially in the extent to which gender differences exist, this study highlights the practical implications associated with the choice of particular spatial ability measures in personnel selection.

No abstract

No abstract