Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

1 Answers

Participate in doctoral research on pilot decision-making

Asked by: 3433 views , , ,
Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor

I'm a doctoral student and a 40 year pilot, doing research on pilot decision-making. My research is centered on pilot decision-making based on the pilots' perspectives. There are thousands of quantitative studies with a backward looking perspective, but there are no qualitative studies that examine pilot decision-making from the pilots' perspective. This is the first research of its kind -- a grounded theory study. Given my vast experience as a commercial and military pilot (17,000 hours) I'm hoping to be able to speak confidentially with pilots about their decisions on the flight deck during simulator check rides.

My dissertation committee and the institutional review board have both approved my study design. I need pilot volunteers who are currently qualified in type and seat, who have failed a similator proficiency check-ride, who are willing to be confidentially interviewed for research on pilot decision-making on the flight deck based on the erring pilot's perspective. 

Neither the FAA nor the NTSB have generated a grounded theory qualitative analysis on pilot decision-making...this is the first study of its kind. Please consider participating in this study. Will you participate? Please consider the request. 

Respectfully, Gary Boettcher PhD Candidate manageconflict@me.com or PhDpilotstudy@conflictcounts.com 540-668-6146 (NW Washington DC)

1 Answers



  1. Ale on Jun 04, 2013

    Gary,

    You can use this website to conduct your research. I thinks most of the pilots visiting this website will be happy to answer all your research inquires.

    I wish your research papers will answer this question. Why the FAA requires all pilots giving instructions to other pilots to hold CFI certificate except for those pilots who train other pilots under airlines operation (part 121 and 135). please read some of my post regarding this issue.

    I think the FAA should requires from all pilots giving instructions to other pilots to pass the fundamental of instruction at the least. I don’t see how someone teaches someone else advanced knowledge and skills without acquiring the basics knowledge in teaching.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.