Baltic Aviation Academy crowdsources pilot candidate selection model. Throughout June 8th pilots and aviation training centers can use email ideas@balticaa.com and LinkedIn group http://linkd.in/Balticaa to add their ideas for the final development of methods to assess potential top performing pilots before their entrance to the initial pilot training school. Submitted ideas are to be discussed publicly and after the professional evaluation will get featured in Baltic Aviation Academy initial pilot training candidates’ selection model.

Finished after two years development, current Baltic Aviation Academy Initial Pilot Training school (FTO) pilot candidate selection model was created from a research with 4 pilots and 4 first officers. While using profiling methods conducted with the best-performing pilots, thinking and reasoning, behavioral traits and occupational interests were found as the key characteristics of assessing potential top performing pilots among young graduates.

“The formal factors as pilot candidate age, physical status and theoretical knowledge are regulated by the supervisory organizations. However there is not a single word stressed on the human factor issues, causing most of the accidents in the XXI century aviation. By creating a unified model we want to choose the really suitable ones at the very beginning of a pilot career, and how can we leave behind those who really know what it takes to be a good pilot – the current pilots themselves”, said Indre Sveistryte, Head of Baltic Aviation Academy Initial Pilot Training school during World Aviation Training Conference (WATS) 2011.

Human factors were cited as the primary problem in Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) announced 75 fatal airplane accidents details. According to BASI, over 70% of all accidents involved pilots’ human factors most commonly related to poor judgments and decision making.

Current Baltic Aviation Academy Initial Pilot Training school candidates selection model has shown that thinking style, co-ordination, spatial orientation, decision making, ability to work under pressure, team working capabilities and motivation are the key factors to the successful pilot career.