ABSTRACT
Over the previous two decades, errors in decision-making have been cited consistently as the predominant cause in over 50 per cent of fatal general aviation accidents in Australia, New Zealand and the United States (Copas, 1984; O’Hare, Wiggins, Batt and Morrison, in Press; Jensen and Benel, 1977). Despite this longstanding association however, aeronautical decision-making remains a subject which is poorly understood and lacks the theoretical framework upon which sound, prescriptive models of decisionmaking can be built and tested. This paper presents a critical review of previous research into aeronautical decision-making in general, and weather-related decision-making in particular. An alternative approach to the study of weather-related decision-making is proposed, based on the ACT* model of skill acquisition. This tripartite model outlines the cognitive processes involved in the transition from novice to expert, and the implications for weather-related decision training are discussed in detail. It is hoped that this paper will stimulate discussion in this important area, and lead to the development of a structured training program for weather-related decisionmaking, based on a well-founded theory of skill acquisition.
