Relations of personality factors and suitability ratings to Swedish military pilot education completion

• Published in: International journal of selection and assessment
• Main Authors: Sehlström, Malcolm, Ljungberg, Jessica K., Nyström, Markus B. T., Claeson, Anna‐Sara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.2024
• Subjects: aviation; education; military; personality; Psychology; Psykologi; selection; suitability
• ISSN: 0965-075X; 1468-2389; 1468-2389
• DOI: 10.1111/ijsa.12492

Abstract Improved understanding of what it takes to be a pilot is an ongoing effort within aviation. We used an exploratory approach to examine whether there are personality‐related differences in who completes the Swedish military pilot education. Assessment records of 182 applicants, accepted to the education between the years of 2004 and 2020 were studied (Mean age 24, SD 4.2 96% men, 4% women). Discriminant analysis was used to explore which personality traits and suitability ratings might be related to education completion. Analysis included suitability assessments made by senior pilots and by a psychologist, a number of traits assessed by the same psychologist, as well as the Commander Trait Inventory (CTI). The resulting discriminant function was significant (Wilk's Lambda = 0.808, (20) = 32.817, p = .035) with a canonical correlation of 0.44. The model was able to classify 74.1% of sample cases correctly. The modeling suggests that senior pilot assessment and psychologist assessment both predict education completion. Also contributing were the traits energy, professional motivation, study forecast and leader potential. Practitioner points What is already known about this topic? Understanding what it takes to become a military pilot has been researched for a long time, with profiling commonly using the five‐factor model in recent years. Personality trait patterns of pilots have been relatively well‐established and noted as predictors of education outcomes in particular populations (e.g., US Air Force). What does this paper add? Our study utilizes assessment data from the selection process for the Swedish military pilot education. The Swedish system has its own specific selection process and adds new insights as personality traits and suitability are not assessed by the measures used in previous studies. The implications of your study findings? The results of our study highlights the strength of general suitability assessments by senior pilots and psychologists as measures of military pilot cadets' potential.