Umeå University's logo

This thesis investigates the critical issue of military pilot selection. To understand and optimizeselection, much research has been conducted on factors predicting educational outcomes. Whileassessment testing remains central to selection and understanding pilots, studying abilityrequirements for pilot in modern-day educational and professional settings can help make sure thatour understanding is up to date. This thesis includes both approaches through the two distinct butinterconnected measures of (1) successful completion of Swedish military pilot education, and (2)the ability to perform effectively as a professional military pilot. By adopting this holistic approachand focusing on the historically underexamined Swedish military pilot education context, this workprovides unique insights into selection criteria.Studies I and II were conducted based on a data registry of assessment tests provided by theSwedish Armed Forces and examined the role of common predictors such as personality andcognition in completing the Swedish military pilot education. Using a qualitative, interview-basedapproach, Study III examined instead what qualities that active military pilot cadets themselvesperceive as required for their profession. In a stress experiment in a laboratory setting, Study IVbegun examinations on whether a unique type of stress that can occur in flight, startle, coulddeserve attention during selection.It was found through Studies I and II that personality traits, as assessed by specialist psychologists,are associated with success in the Swedish military pilot education. In particular being energetic,professionally motivated, studious and having leadership potential. In addition, interview-basedsuitability judgements by senior pilots appear the strongest predictor of success in the Swedishsystem, while typically observed cognitive predictors did not appear related to success. Study IIIinformed about professional demands for pilots and found through thematic analysis that Swedishpilot cadets value being a team player, having drive, being stress tolerant and being in good shape,in some overlap with Studies I and II. Startling events, carried out in a controlled laboratoryenvironment in study IV, did negatively affect basic human performance – this was unrelated toindividual personality and stress levels however, providing a first indication about this professionalability requirement for pilots.Taken together, the thesis findings provide valuable insights for military pilot selection. A keytakeaway is the importance of personality factors in predicting educational success within theSwedish system. Historically, personality has been considered less predictive than cognitive abilityin pilot selection. The lack of predictive validity for traditionally emphasized cognitive measuresmay be attributed to a restriction of range, likely due to Swedens highly rigorous selection process.In this system, most candidates have demonstrated strong cognitive aptitude before enteringtraining, reducing variability in those measures and maybe allowing for a shifting of focus topersonality traits. The personality traits found significant for education have conceptual overlapwith previous aviation research profiles based in the Five-Factor Model, and overlap with theprofessional demands identified by pilot cadets in study III. This highlights the potential importanceof these variables, the requirement for further research.