Free Documents

This page provides descriptions of free documents dealing specifically with pilot screening and  selection and to US legal issues that pertain to pilot hiring.   All of these documents appeared in industry publications.  

By downloading these articles you acknowledge that they are copyrighted and are for personal use only.

Pilot Selection
Aiming for Selection Perfection (Civil Aviation Training, 2001). This article describes differences between selection and screening. Also talks about the major elements of a pilot selection system, and how the elements work together to identify the best candidates.

Wise Choices (Civil Aviation Training, 2002). This document describes how a pilot selection/hiring system should be developed and issues pertaining to discrimination and bias.

Don’t Get Burned, Surviving the Hiring Minefield (Civil Aviation Training, 2003). This articlel talks about “best practices” pilot selection systems and basic legal issues involved in hiring.

Reducing the Hiring Risk (Civil Aviation Training, 2004). Talks about the liability associated with poor selection and training of pilots and the tradeoff between qualifications and training.

The Right Stuff (Civil Aviation Training, 2011).  Discusses some of the uncertainties in Section 216 of HR 5900.  This section mandates aspects of Part 121 pilot hiring but provides little or no guidance on how to meet the requirements of Section 216. Some of the ambiguities of Section 216 are described in this paper.

Hiring Pilots During a Shortage: Some Cautions (ICAO Training Report, 2013).  This document describes changes that air carriers often make to their pilot screening systems during pilot shortages and their seen and unforeseen consequences.

“Pilot Selection Systems Help Predict Performance”  Published in the February, 2003  issue of Flight Safety Digest by the Flight Safety Foundation.  You do not need to belong to the Flight Safety Foundation to access this document.