Development of a statistical model to predict Australian flight students’ valuation of aviation safety

This study was a quantitative approach to explore whether certain demographic factors, exposure to safety training, flight experience, and engagement could be used to develop a predictive model for how Australian flight students and early career pilots valued safety. Participants were given an online Likert-scale survey to determine their valuation of safety based on SMS safety sub-cultures, safety training, engagement, as well as provided basic demographic metrics including age, flight experience, gender. In addition, a second group of participants representing local Australian culture were given a survey to determine their safety valuation. Linear regression was used to develop the best model to predict safety valuation. Based on correlations between age, gender, flight experience, engagement, and safety training, only engagement had a significant correlation at the .05 significance level. As such, results found that a model containing engagement alone had the best predictive quality among the factors used in this study. Additionally, analysis of safety valuation between flight students/early career pilots and local Australians using ANOVA found that, although both groups highly valued safety, no significant difference in safety valuation could be found, despite the aviation group having specific safety training. The study concludes with a discussion of the apparent importance of engagement, cultural considerations with safety research, and the role of safety training, as well as suggestions for further research into the relationship between individual safety valuation and safety culture at the group level.