Instructor pilot teaching behavior and student pilot stress in flight training.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between instructor pilot behavior and student pilot stress. Six instructor pilots and 12 undergraduate pilot training students served as subjects. Two students were assigned to each instructor.

Catecholamine excretion in A-10 pilots.

Catecholamine excretion was determined for 15 USAF pilots during surface attack training in the A-10 aircraft. Timed urine samples were used to determine excretion rates of epinephrine and norepinephrine during basal conditions, during five sorties performed in high-realism simulators, and during six actual flights. Catecholamine excretion was significantly elevated (p < 0.

Task-specific simulator pretraining and in-flight stress of student pilots.

Student pilots (n = 20) were assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 80 min of high-fidelity, task-specific simulation prior to exposure to the initial power-on stall and spin recovery lesson unit in T-37 pilot training. Both experimental and control groups received orientation simulator experience not related to the aircraft spin series.

Catecholamine excretion in T-37 flight training.

Catecholamine excretion was determined for eight USAF student pilots during three basal and four T-37 training conditions. When viewed as the dependent variable, catecholamine excretion patterns support the conclusion that the Basic Cockpit Training Emergency Procedures unit was not stressful. The remaining lesson units, including Power-on-Stall and Spin-Recovery, First Solo, and Instrument Check lesson units, resulted in a pronounced stress response.