Flight Training Survey

rcaligan

rcaligan

Pre-Flight
Joined
May 12, 2005
Messages
81
Location
Spokane, WA
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Display name:
rcaligan
Hi all,

My name is Roy Caligan, and I know it’s been quite a while since I’ve been here. I remember talking with some of you a few years ago about flying in Germany. Well, it took a bit longer to get here, but we finally moved here last summer :smile: . Flying airplanes here is a bit out of my budget, but I am considering getting some glider time.

But for now, I am working on a research project for an Embry-Riddle class I am taking, and I would like your help with a survey. We’ve all heard Rev. Ron and others say that the amount of time needed to solo doesn’t really mean much, as long as the student is safe and competent. My research project is an analysis of that statistic: To see if the amount of time a student needs to solo is a predictor of future performance, or if other factors may be better determinants. The information gained from this pilot study will be used to develop more efficient and effective training techniques.

The survey is anonymous, and almost anyone who has earned a private pilot certificate can take it. All you need is your logbook and five minutes of free time. The survey is available at:

http://aviationsurvey.olivetreesolutions.com/

My ideal sample size is 384 respondents, so I will be advertising this survey on the red board as well, along with a few other schools and clubs. If you know of anyone who might be interested in taking the survey and has a PPL, feel free to give out the link to them. If you’re affiliated with a school, I can email you a flyer if you’d like to help promote the survey.

It’s good to be back, and thanks in advance for your help!

Roy
 
gismo said:
Ditto. Be interesting to see the distribution on what year training was completed.
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My prediction: the survey results will mirror student starts minus % of pilots who hang out on computers plus pilots of retirment age with nothing to do but hang out on computer forums minus the deftness of younger generations who knew COBOL by age 4. Plus/minus a bunch of other stuff.:crazy:
 
Jack Spectre said:
I took the survey. When will your analysis be complete?
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Thanks, Jack! I would like to close down the survey by December 1st. After that, I'll compile the data, come up with conclusions and recommendations, and then hand it over to an academic committee in early January. They'll proofread it, make editing suggestions, and maybe even play the devil's advocate...essentially making sure I have everything covered. The final product will be released sometime between then and April.

Roy
 
Richard said:
My prediction: the survey results will mirror student starts minus % of pilots who hang out on computers plus pilots of retirment age with nothing to do but hang out on computer forums minus the deftness of younger generations who knew COBOL by age 4. Plus/minus a bunch of other stuff.:crazy:
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Richard,

Your prediction isn't very far off! The military has spent considerable time and money figuring out which set of personal attributes makes for a good pilot--all in an effort to save even more time and money by eliminating those that don't meet the criteria. Plus, they have a much more structured environment.

Of course, we don't do that in GA. We just tend to use the ability to solo as an evaluator, hence the question.

Roy

(Do they still use COBOL?) :p
 
*bump* :smile:

If you have filled out the survey, then Thank you!

Roy
 
completed survey. and they are still teaching FORTRAN at Iowa State - Aerospace Engineering.
 
tonycondon said:
completed survey. and they are still teaching FORTRAN at Iowa State - Aerospace Engineering.
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Watfor or Fortran IV?:D

Quoted from some hype by U of Waterloo: "The principal advantage of the WATFOR compiler is that it translates FORTRAN IV programs at speeds of up to 100 statements per second"

Wow, 100 statements per second!
 
Just finished the survey look forward to seeing the results of the data you gather.
 
gismo said:
Watfor or Fortran IV?:D

Quoted from some hype by U of Waterloo: "The principal advantage of the WATFOR compiler is that it translates FORTRAN IV programs at speeds of up to 100 statements per second"

Wow, 100 statements per second!
Click to expand...

Actually, somewhere along the line in high school or college they switched to the WATFIV compiler on the IBM 360/67 at WSU. :D
 
Hi all,

I just wanted to let everyone know that the survey period will close the evening of Sunday, December 6. If you haven’t participated yet, this weekend will be your final opportunity.

I would like to thank everyone who has participated so far. The number of responses has been fantastic! Many of you have asked to see the results, so here is what I am going to do: Sometime in April 2010, after my faculty committee has approved the project, I will post the results at the same link. I hope that the research will generate more discussion and lead to better methods for training students.

Thanks again,

Roy
http://aviationsurvey.olivetreesolutions.com
 
Hello everyone,

I wanted to give all of you an update about the results of the study. One of my advisors recommended that I submit the study for publication, and that requires a peer review to ensure accuracy. Unfortunately, the review is taking much, much longer than I anticipated. I still want to get the results out, but I also want to make sure that the study was not flawed in some way. Having a few extra sets of eyes review the study is one way to ensure that.

I sincerely appreciate everyone’s past help and continued patience during the review process. I will provide more updates when I get more information.

Thank you,

Roy
 
rcaligan said:
Hello everyone,

I wanted to give all of you an update about the results of the study. One of my advisors recommended that I submit the study for publication, and that requires a peer review to ensure accuracy. Unfortunately, the review is taking much, much longer than I anticipated. I still want to get the results out, but I also want to make sure that the study was not flawed in some way. Having a few extra sets of eyes review the study is one way to ensure that.

I sincerely appreciate everyone’s past help and continued patience during the review process. I will provide more updates when I get more information.

Thank you,

Roy
Click to expand...

I would consider any study that uses information obtained via Internet volunteer surveys to be inherently flawed; but maybe that's just me. Something about the danger of self-selected populations worries me.

Still, maybe you could give a plot summary. Perhaps a one word answer to the question "Did the survey show any suggestion that time to solo was a predictor of future performance?"
 
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