Personality theory for aircrew selection and classification

Better Candidates Fly Fewer Training Hours: Another Time Testing Pays Off

“…Since 1955, the USAF has selected pilot candidates on the following basis: academic performance, aptitude test scores, medical fitness, personal preference, previous flying experience, and participation in pre-commissioning programmes (Pedersen, Allan, Laue, Johnson and Siem 1992). A pilot selection board receives copious information about each pilot, including a Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) score (Carretta and Ree 1995).…”

Personality Profiles of U.S. Army Initial Entry Rotary Wing Students Versus Career Aviators

“…The FFM has received meta-analytical support as the best approach to use in making aircrew selection decisions for the USAF (Pedersen, Allan, Laue, Johnson, & Siem, 1992). Also, a study with U.S. Navy aviators found that the traits identified using other personality instruments could be categorized under similar dimensions as those comprising the FFM (Helton & Street, 1993).…”

Personality Profiles of Experienced U.S. Army Aviators Across Mission Platforms

“…Support has been reported for linking the FFM with performance including predicting the likelihood of attrition from flight training (Anesgart & Callister, 2001) and the emergence of undiagnosed psychological problems during flight training (Callister et al, 1997). Pedersen et al (1992) concluded the FFM was likely the best approach for the USAF to use in aircrew selection decisions based upon their review of 13 personality theories. Helton and Street (1993) found that the personality results with U.S. Navy aviators using other personality instruments could be categorized according the factors of the FFM.…”

“…Ployhart et al concluded that the effect size for the FFM constructs was stronger for maximum performance, indicating personality likely is predictive of transformational leadership under stressful conditions. The FFM has been applied in military studies seeking to improve personnel placement (King, Retzlaff, Detwiler, Schroeder, & Broach, 2003;Pedersen, Allan, Laue, Johnson, & Siem, 1992;Street, Helton, & Nontasak, 1994). The NEO-PI-R has been found to improve the selection of air traffic control specialists, especially with the factor of Conscientiousness (King, et al, 2003,).…”