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Behavioral traps are accident-inducing operational pitfalls aviators may encounter as a result of poor decision making. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identifies the existence of twelve of these negative pilot behaviors. These are: Peer Pressure; Get-There-Itis; Loss of Situational Awareness; Descent Below the Minimum En Route Altitude (MEA); Mind Set; Duck-Under Syndrome; Getting Behind the Aircraft; Continuing Visual Flight Rules (VFR) into Instrument Conditions; Scud Running; Operating Without Adequate Fuel Reserves; Flying Outside the Envelope; and Neglect of Flight Planning, Preflight Inspections, and Checklists. The purpose of this paper was to study the nature of their occurrence in the airline domain. Four Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) analyzed 34 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports. The SMEs were able to identify many pilot actions that were representative of the behavioral traps. Behavioral traps were found in all accidents with Loss of Situational Awareness and Neglect of Flight Planning, Preflight Inspections, and Checklists dominant. Various themes began to emerge, which played important roles in many accidents. These themes included Crew Resource Management (CRM) issues, airline management and fatigue. The findings of this study indicated that behavioral traps were prevalent in airline accidents including habitual noncompliance by pilots. Attitude management training is recommended.

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Several studies in the past have examined the preparedness of collegiate aviation to meet the demands for the upcoming NextGen (i.e., automated) cockpit. Such research revealed a conflict as to the current prominence of advanced cockpit technology education. The purpose of the study was to explore current tendencies in the education of advanced cockpit technology (ACT) within collegiate aviation by analyzing present-day course catalogs and/or program descriptions located in their university websites. The results for both aviation accredited universities and regular aviation programs indicate a noticeable increase in the teaching of ACT. Using unobtrusive research methods, the study found that 90% of aviation programs show clear evidence of either acquiring a Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) or having a specific course with theoretical and/or practical applications of advanced cockpit technology. These conclusions support the idea that collegiate general aviation (GA) training is undergoing the required technological transition that larger air carriers and corporate pilots underwent years ago.

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