Flight leads and crisis decision-making.

Abstract

Flight leads of fighter aircraft are typically considered to be superior airmen. However, little research has explicitly studied the decision-making ability of flight leads. In this study, the crisis decision-making of pilots in the role of flight lead is examined. Data from 156 fighter aircraft mechanical breakdown mishaps are used to compare the decision-making of flight leads to that of wingmen. The results suggest decision-making performance of flight leads is significantly inferior to wingmen. Further, we demonstrate this effect of flight leadership only affects experienced pilots, not inexperienced pilots. Explanations for this counter-intuitive finding include stress, training practices, and communication limitations.