Abstract:
Very little research has focussed on inexperienced pilots and there is a notion in
literature and popular texts that such pilots are one of the safest groups. Despite this,
‘early-solo’ UK glider pilots were found to have a higher accident rate than any other
group. Research was conducted in order to investigate the issues surrounding this. It
was identified that accidents sustained by these pilots tended to be initiated by events in
the approach and landing phases of fight, and caused by misjudgement of the approach
path and landing flare. Most accidents to more experienced pilots were found to be
different in all respects. It was subsequently found that instructors believed the highest
accident likelihood to be associated with more experience pilots, in line with literature.
It was also found that instructors wrongly believed that the ‘approach’ phase was the
least likely in-flight phase to be associated with accident causes for low-hours pilots.
Critical Incident Technique was used to investigate instructor decisions with regard to
sending pilots solo. An initial model of the decision process was put forward. It was
found that, with one critical exception, when events occurred on assessment flights that
were similar to causal accident factors (from the accident analysis), instructors
disallowed solo flight. An absence of potential accident factors was apparently
insufficient to allow solo flight by itself; instructors required further evidence in order to
confirm that students were ready to fly alone. Exceptionally, pilot performance in terms
of the approach path did not appear to be a critical factor when instructors considered
disallowing solo flight, highlighting a possible gap in the instructor decision process. It
was recommended that further research be conducted to validate and extend the decision model, and that the approach phase be focussed upon more in both training and
assessment.
