Dr. Diane Damos
Dr. Diane Damos is President of Damos Aviation Services, Inc., where she consults with domestic and international air carriers and training organizations on pilot selection. She holds a Ph.D. in aviation psychology from the University of Illinois (1977) and is an accredited aviation psychologist. Before founding her full-time practice in 1997, she spent two decades on the faculties of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Arizona State University, and the University of Southern California.
Dr. Damos has worked in pilot selection since 1970, helping develop computer-based tests of information processing and cognition for the U.S. Navy and Air Force. She advises airlines and training schools on both ab initio and experienced-pilot selection and has taught short courses on building selection systems across the United States,
Canada, Africa, Europe, and the Far East. Her research has been published widely in refereed journals, and she has authored numerous technical reports and professional articles on the subject. She has also conducted research and developed documents and presentations on other topics including multiple-task performance, cabin safety, pilot performance with automated systems, transfer of training, circadian effects on information processing, subjective estimates of workload, individual differences in performance, and use of speech technology.
Dr. Damos is a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, the Royal Aeronautical Society, and the International Symposium on Aviation Psychology, and an Associate Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association. She served 19 years as a consulting editor for the International Journal of Aviation Psychology, chaired the Aerospace Technical Group of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (1998–2000), was appointed to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council Panel on Human Factors in Air Traffic Control Automation, and served as president of the Association for Aviation Psychologists.
She has also served as an expert witness in cases involving the lifetime earnings and career paths of professional pilots and has been involved in mediations concerning cabin crew staffing and workload.
Selected Publications
Damos, D.L., Bittner, A.C.& Niemczyk, M. (2022). Predicting Flight Training Performance from the Tabular Speed Test. Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors, 12. 92-98.
Damos, D.L. (2019). Technical review and analysis of the Army Air Forces Aviation Psychology Program research reports. (Report No. AFCAPS-TN-2019-0002). Randolph AFB, TX: Air Force Personnel Center/Strategic Research and Assessment Branch.
Damos, D.L. (2014). A More Select Selection Process. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 176(4), 8.
Weissmuller, J.J. & Damos, D.L. (2014). Improving the pilot selection system: Statistical approaches and selection processes. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 24, 99-118.
Damos, D.L., Boyett, K.S, & Gibbs, P. (2013). Safety versus passenger service: The flight attendants’ dilemma. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 23, 91-112.
Damos, D.L. (2012). Hiring Pilots During a Shortage: Some Cautions. ICAO Training Report, 2(2), 17-19.
Damos, D.L. (2011). KSAOs for military pilot selection: A review of the literature. (DAS Technical Report DAS-2011001) Gurnee, Il. Damos Aviation Services, Inc.
Damos, D.L., John, R.S., & Lyall, E.A. (1999). The effect of level of automation on time spent looking out of the cockpit. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 9, 303-314.
Damos, D.L., and Gould, R.B. (1999). Hiring: Can your company prove it doesn’t discriminate? NBAA Digest, 12(8), 7.
Damos, D.L. (1998). Purchasing new pilot selection tests. The Journal of Professional Aviation Training, 1(1), 8-9.
Damos, D.L. (1998). The effect of interruptions on Part 121 air carrier operations. Los Angeles, CA.: University of Southern California.
Damos, D.L., & Koonce, J. (1997). Methodological and analytical concerns on the pilot selection research of Park and Lee (1992). Human Factors, 39, 9-13.
Damos, D.L. (1996). Pilot selection batteries: Shortcomings and perspectives. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 6, 199-209.
Damos, D.L. (1993). Using meta analysis to examine the predictive validity of single- and multiple-task measures to flight performance. Human Factors, 35, 615-628.
Damos, D.L., (1987). Some considerations in the design of a computerized human information processing battery. (NAMRL Monograph 35). Pensacola, FL: Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory.
Damos, D.L., & Gibb G.D. (1986) Development of a computer-based naval aviation selection test battery (Report No. NAMRL-1319). Pensacola, FL: Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory.
Damos, D.L., & Lintern, G. (1981). A comparison of single- and dual-task measures to predict simulator performance of beginning student pilots. Ergonomics, 24, 673-684.
Damos, D.L., (1978). Residual attention as a predictor of pilot performance. Human Factors, 20, 435-440.