Researchers Find Expert Pilots See Differently

0

An experienced pilot will make a better decision about whether to attempt a marginal landing while showing only about half as much brain activity as less experienced pilots, according to a recent study completed by scientists at Stanford University. The research used a flight simulator set up like the cockpit of a single-engine airplane. Eight experienced pilots and 12 less experienced pilots were tested as they attempted to land, while their brain activity was scanned. As they approached 200 feet, the program would display the runway with varying degrees of clarity or fog, and the pilots would have to decide whether or not to land. The reduced neural activity in expert pilots suggests that they are able to complete the task at hand with fewer brain resources.

“The data show that the expert pilot seems to just know what to look for, where to look and when to look,” said Maheen Adamson, lead author of the study. Researchers hope they can use the data to help design interactive lessons that guide less-expert pilots into behaviors that mimic the more efficient brain activity of more-expert pilots. “In the future, we could put a trainee in a scanner and see what mechanism in their brain they’re using to get better at the task, and train them to reallocate resources in the brain more efficiently,” Adamson said. “If we are able to train pilots to process instruments and other visual cues more efficiently, you could reduce the likelihood of accidents during landing.”

LEAVE A REPLY