Abstract:
Pilot selection is a form of high-stakes selection due to the massive costs of training, high trainee
ability requirements and costly repercussions of poor selection decisions. This criterion-related
validation study investigated the predictive ability of fluid intelligence and spatial reasoning in
predicting three criteria of pilot training performance, using an accumulated sample of South
African Air Force pilots (N = 108). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses with training grade
achieved as criterion were performed for each of the phases of training, namely practical flight
training, ground school training, and officers’ formative training. Multiple correlations of 0.35 (p <
0.01), 0.20 (p > 0.05) and 0.23 (p > 0.05) were obtained for flight, ground school and formative training
results, respectively. Spatial ability had incremental validity over fluid intelligence for predicting
flight training performance.
