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-55- The results of the comparison of the E-group and C-group on ratings received on a sample flight check indicate that the flight check as a whole and almost every item in the check discriminate between the two groups. This is to be expected, inasmuch as whether or not a pilot will be eliminated depends to a great extent upon ratings on his flight checks. The fact that almost every item on the flight check differentiates the two groups suggests a tendency on the part of check-pilots to assign to a single pilot the same rating on each item. This is confirmed by an examination of the scores on all of the items for each pilot. It was observed many times that a pilot had received all 1's (below average), all 2's (average) or all 3's (above average) on the entire flight check, Only one pilot had received ratings over the entire range of the three-point scale. It is possible, then, that a single flight check as a whole discriminates between eliminated and successful pilots largely because the flight check is an important criterion of pass or fail and that individual items of the flight check discriminate because they correlate so high with the check-pilots' overall judgment. This survey offered the opportunity to observe the various methods of evaluation being used by different airlines. It was found that these methods lack objectivity -- they are dependent upon the judgments of those administering the checks. The use of more objective methods of evaluation by airlines would lead to improvements in training procedures and would furnish more reliable data upon which to validate selection procedures. 4. The Critical Situations in Airline Flying. The findings of this survey indicate which situations are most critical in airline flying and some of the factors which contribute to making them critical. The most critical phase of flight seems to be the "Final Approach and Landing." Almost half of the critical situations obtained in this study occurred in this phase of flight; over 65% of all accidents used in the study occurred during this phase. Some of the reasons for this phase of flight being critical are apparent from the analyst of comments regarding causes of unsafe airline flying. Pilots very frequently rated "Inadequate Approach Systems," "Poor Airport Lighting," "Short Runways" and "Non-commercial Traffic" as causes of unsafe airline flying. The factor of weather is an important one in the majority of critical situations. In approximately 7 out of every 10 situations made critical by some unsafe condition, weather was on of the contributing factors. Weather most frequently obstructs the visibility of the pilot or hinders control of the flight of the airplane. Consequently, weather seems to exert its effect "through the pilot." Less frequently does weather operate directly to cause damage to the airplane, impairment to radio equipment, etc. Unsafe conditions of the airplane contribute to critical situations with the next highest frequency, 19% of all critical situations showing this factor. Approximately 3 out of 4 factors related to the airplane are actual engine failures or simulated engine failures. Apparently, from the standpoint of setting up conditions in which pilots make errors, both actual and simulated engine failures make a situation critical for the pilot. This suggests a need for more practice under such situations. This need also is indicated by the large number of errors in operating controls and switches during actual or simulated engine failure.
