Effects of Pilot Experience on Recall of Information From Graphical Weather Displays

Good weather-related decision making is critical for the safe conduct of general aviation flights. A number of tools have been developed in recent years to help pilots visualize the actual and forecast weather for their planned flight. In this study we compare the effectiveness of a graphic weather visualization tool designed for preflight decision making with conventional coded reports and plain English translations. Qualified pilots from several aero clubs were asked to view 4 hypothetical cross-country flights. Departure and destination weather reports (METARs) were provided for each flight in 1 of 4 formats—code, plain English, graphic, or both graphic and plain English. Following a short interference task, the pilots were asked to recall as much of the weather information as possible. Results showed that pilots correctly recalled most information from the dual graphic and plain English display but this was largely attributable to the additional time required to process the 2 displays. Although the formats were rated as equally interpretable, experienced pilots were able to recall much more from the traditional coded METARs than less experienced pilots. Implications for the design and acceptance of novel display formats of meteorological information for pilots are discussed.