The Relationship Between Cognitive Ability and Flight Driving Performance in Adolescent Pilot Cadets.

Cognitive ability test is an important part of pilot selection and is always considered as the best indicator to predict pilot training efficiency. China’s pilot cadets are selected from the age of 18. At present, researchers have proposed whether this age can be appropriately advanced? Therefore, the research on the relationship between cognitive ability and flight performance in adolescents was started among 222 high school students in Junior Aviation School, in order to provide theoretical basis for the daily training of high school pilot cadets. In Study 1, 134 students completed 11 cognitive tests on Lenovo Myoga Tab 3 Plus tablets and experienced flight driving for the first time. Their flight driving performance were evaluated by their instructors. Pearson correlation results showed that spatial cognitive ability ( r = .244) and cognitive flexibility ( r = −.186) were significantly correlated with flight driving performance. Study 2 explored the relationship between executive function and flight driving performance. Inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility were tested as the index of executive functions with E-Prime 2.0 software (PST Inc.). The results of study 2 were similar to those of study 1. Spatial working memory ( r = −.185) and cognitive flexibility ( r = .192) were significantly correlated with first time flight driving performance. Our results support the idea that general cognitive ability is an important predictor of success in pilot training, even in early adolescence. In the future, more studies are needed to explore the plasticity of cognitive flexibility and spatial working memory in adolescents, and whether the improvement of cognitive ability is beneficial to flight driving.