Instructor pilot teaching behavior and student pilot stress in flight training.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between instructor pilot behavior and student pilot stress. Six instructor pilots and 12 undergraduate pilot training students served as subjects. Two students were assigned to each instructor. Ten categories of instructor pilot behavior were coded from audio cassette tapes made during four sorties from the initial instrument phase of undergraduate pilot training in the T-50 Instrument Flight Simulator. Behaviors were tallied and converted to a rate per minute; inter-recorder agreement was 87%. Instructors who relied heavily on acceptance and praise behaviors were placed in a positive group (N = 4), while those relying on criticism and scolding were placed in a negative group (N = 2). Student stress was estimated from timed urine samples used to quantify catecholamine excretion. Results indicated that missions in the T-50 Instrument Flight Simulator produced a significant stress response in the subjects and that the stress response was greater in lessons taught by the instructor pilots in the negative group.

Catecholamine excretion in A-10 pilots.

Catecholamine excretion was determined for 15 USAF pilots during surface attack training in the A-10 aircraft. Timed urine samples were used to determine excretion rates of epinephrine and norepinephrine during basal conditions, during five sorties performed in high-realism simulators, and during six actual flights. Catecholamine excretion was significantly elevated (p < 0.05) over basal rates during all 11 training sorties; therefore, it was concluded that A-10 conversion and surface attack training results in a significant stress response in the subjects. The stress response experienced in the simulator diminished across trials; the stress response from aircraft flights remained steady through all sorties monitored. The relative proportions of epinephrine and norepinephrine remained similar across all but the final sorties in both the simulator and the aircraft. These occasions were typified by increased norepinephrine and decreased epinephrine excretion rates.

Task-specific simulator pretraining and in-flight stress of student pilots.

Student pilots (n = 20) were assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 80 min of high-fidelity, task-specific simulation prior to exposure to the initial power-on stall and spin recovery lesson unit in T-37 pilot training. Both experimental and control groups received orientation simulator experience not related to the aircraft spin series. Catecholamine excretion patterns indicated that the initial power-on stall and spin recovery lesson unit resulted in a pronounced stress response in both groups. A statistically significant difference in the norepinephrine/epinephrine ratio was found to exist between the experimental and control groups. It was concluded that task-specific simulator pretraining resulted in an altered stress response characterized by lower arousal and greater mental work than was evidenced in the control group.

Catecholamine excretion in T-37 flight training.

Catecholamine excretion was determined for eight USAF student pilots during three basal and four T-37 training conditions. When viewed as the dependent variable, catecholamine excretion patterns support the conclusion that the Basic Cockpit Training Emergency Procedures unit was not stressful. The remaining lesson units, including Power-on-Stall and Spin-Recovery, First Solo, and Instrument Check lesson units, resulted in a pronounced stress response. When catecholamine excretion data were interpreted for psychological significance, it was concluded that the lesson unit which included Power-on Stalls and Spin-Recoveries created the highest arousal, anxiety and apprehension. Student pilot observations supported this interpretation. The relative excretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine showed changes accompanying pilot training which may be interpreted as demonstrative of successful coping behavior.