ABSTRACT
In the general aviation (GA) domain there are complexities resulting in stress on the flight crew that are not present in other domains that typically have been used to study decision making. In many cases, the decision problems are illdefined, the information available is probabilistic, there is usually enough time to make the decision (if the pilot does not ignore the problem), and the decision maker (usually there is but one pilot) is beset with social and psychological forces so strong that the pilot may say, "I had no choice: I did what I had to do!" Surprisingly, the fear of losing one's life, usually, is not one of the forces for which pilots give much thought, though experts agree that risk management should be a part of the process. On the other hand, the fear of losing one's certificate is often a stress factor in pilot decision making. These complexities, offer challenges to the scientist studying the decision process for the purpose of improving flying safety.
