Female pilots work better under pressure: UW study

Turns out female pilots may be better under pressure than their male counterparts.

A recent study from the University of Waterloo tested 20 pilots, half male and half female, to find out how they reacted to high-pressure situations in flight simulation.

“We can’t assume that because two pilots are looking at the same things, they will react the same way,” said Naila Ayala, lead author of the study, in a press release. “Our study shows that women may be better at keeping control and making decisions in stressful flight scenarios.” 

Ayala’s research found that women tend to make better decisions when put in stressful flight scenarios and are better at keeping control. The study found that while both genders paid attention to the same information, women were more consistent and accurate in how they responded.

Participants wore eye-tracking glasses and completed flight tasks like engine failures and landing challenges.

This, the study reads, highlights the importance of looking beyond surface-level indicators like visual focus when measuring pilot performance.

“At a time when the industry is facing a pilot shortage, tapping into the full potential of all pilots, regardless of gender, is more important than ever,” said Suzanne Kearns, director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics, in a press release. 

According to the study, their results could help guide future pilot training by recognizing a wider set of abilities and strengths.