I__. - International Military Testing Association

An Aviation Psychological System for Helicopter
Pilot Selection and Training
F.Fehler
Consulting Psychologist, German Army Aviation School, Bi.ickebu1.g
1. Current Situation in Aviation Psychology
111 Germany, aviation psychology looks back OIL an impressirig
history which had its beginnings way back in 1916 as some
mythical accounts would have it. Although it is untrue that the
late "Red Baron" made the acquaintance of aviation
psychologists, it is certainly true to say that all German
military pilots since the end of WW I have been confronted with
aviation psychology in one way or another, if not with an
actual aviation psychologist, then at least with aviation
psychology methods and instruments. AS a general rule, such
instruments would include paper and pencil tests, and boxes
with all kinds of levers, buttons, lights and bells. III the
sphere of aviation, psychology was essentially synonymous wit.11
pilot candidate selection. Presumably this is also true fol
other countries where aviation psychology is practiced.
On the aLher Iland, aviation psychologists were surprisingly
hesitant in touching two other important areas of aviation,
namely
- pilot training
- psychological support for aviators.
Obviously, this is a short-sighted Lttitude, for it is tile
training that will show whether or not the previous
psychological screening methods were succesful. Psychologists
should therefore attend flight training, either by making
active contributions or by merely acting as obeservers, to
ensure that the criteria applied to conducting the trainir1.g and
to assessing the achievements made are the same as those that
were applied to devising and evaluating their own test me,thods.
Any other approach would not lead .to representative validation
coefficients.
An aviation psycholgist who descends from the heights of his
ivory Lower research to offer his knowledge to an aviation
school and commit himself to solving its practical, everyday
problems will soon find himself left alone and discover thtit he
does not have the psychological tools required. Wtlat i.s Lhc:
reason for- this and what call be Doyle about it'?
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