| الوصف: |
Previous general aviation (GA) accident studies showed that decision errors were more associated with fatal GA accidents than other kinds of human errors, and weather related accidents, especially continued visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), remained the major cause of fatal GA accidents. Thus, finding the underlying causes of GA pilots' decision errors and continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions are needed to reduce weather related GA accidents as well as fatal GA accidents. Causal factors and hypotheses of weather related GA accidents show that knowledge, experience, motivation, and weather information frequently have been referred as causal factors of weather-related GA accidents. Among causal hypotheses, situation assessment and risk assessment hypotheses have been cited frequently as the causes of weather related GA accidents. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of weather recognition training on GA pilots' situation assessment and tactical decision making under gradually aggravating weather conditions. To meet this purpose, WeatherWise and an X-Plane 9 flight simulation program has been used. WeatherWise is a computer based weather training program developed by Wiggins et al. (2000) to improve GA pilot weather-related decision making, and was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for free public use. Pilot situation assessment is a pilot's understanding of a current flight state, and was evaluated in terms of weather assessment and risk assessment. Weather assessment is the pilot's ability to recognize or estimate the changes in visibility, ceiling, and weather condition. Risk assessment is the understanding of the risks associated with flying in adverse weather conditions, and was measured in terms of risk perception and risk tolerance using the Hazardous Event Scale, personal weather minimums, and the Aviation Safety Attitude Scale. Pilot situation assessment was measured by a post experiment questionnaire. Pilot ... |