Being a pilot is a highly demanding profession that requires extensive training. As a result, pilot training courses are among the most expensive compared to other professions. Due to the complexity of operating different types of aircraft, pilots need to be meticulous and attentive at all times. Even a small mistake can lead to the loss of life for many people. Therefore, pilot selection is a very important factor.

In addition to flight experience and the ability to learn quickly, personality is another factor that affects a pilot's success in their career.

A 2023 study by Sonja Breuer et al. examined what personality traits contribute to a pilot's success in flight training. They found that:

1. Conscientiousness: This means that student pilots who are diligent, hardworking, and dedicated to their work are more likely to be successful in flight training. This is because careful behavior, responsibility, and organization are all advantages that lead to passing flight tests.
   
2. Emotional stability: This is the opposite of neuroticism, which leads to success in flight training as well. Student pilots who are insecure, quick-tempered, and emotionally unstable are more likely to make mistakes during flight.
   
3. Self-confidence: This is a positive belief that a person has in themselves, knowing that they are capable and self-assured. These things lead to success in many professions. However, overconfidence can have a negative impact on performance as a pilot, as pilots may make decisions that are too risky. On the other hand, too little self-confidence can be a barrier to flying when faced with challenges, such as changing weather conditions, leading to poor decision-making due to lack of confidence.
   

Although past research has shown that other personality traits, such as extraversion, openness to new experiences, and trait anxiety, do not affect flight performance, a meta-analysis that compiled the results of many studies did not find any effect of either type of personality or anxiety trait on flight performance.

In conclusion, in order for a student pilot to be successful in flight training and become a pilot as they desire, they need to have a certain level of conscientiousness, emotional stability, and self-confidence. These three factors will help ensure that both training and real-world flying are successful. Therefore, understanding one's personality is a good starting point for setting goals to become a pilot in the future. This can be done through personality tests using various personality tests and it is also possible to set goals to increase and decrease certain aspects of personality through training or coaching to ultimately have the qualities that are appropriate for being a pilot.

Original article

Breuer, S., Ortner, T. M., Gruber, F. M., Hofstetter, D., & Scherndl, T. (2023). Aviation and personality: do measures of personality predict pilot training success? Updated meta-analyses. Personality and Individual Differences, 202, 111918.