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Target areas / Branches of research

The Department of Aviation and Space Psychology at DLR is involved in many areas of research. Current research is taking place in the following areas:

Selection and training of aviation personnel

aptitude assessment: development and optimization of methods
One special area of research at the Department of Aviation and Space Psychology is developing and optimizing methods of occupational psychology for determining the potential of applicants. In the medium term the main objectives are focused on expanding and optimizing the behaviour-related personality diagnostics and the computer-assisted aptitude tests. The success of these measures is monitored in regular validation studies.

personnel development: human factors training
About 70% of all flying accidents in commercial jet transport can be attributed to crew error. Main causes of accidents due to human error can be traced to shortcomings in information exchange, interpersonal interaction, decision-making and psychological stress resistance. This is why in the early nineties Deutsche Lufthansa AG and the DLR Department of Aviation and Space Psychology developed a crew resource management training scheme. This was then developed further by Deutsche Lufthansa and optimized to meet individual company requirements. Current focus in the field of personnel development is mainly on developing assessment procedures for non-technical skills and evaluating training courses.

Intercultural transfer
DLR has been establishing pilot selection systems on behalf of Deutsche Lufthansa AG in both the People's Republic of China and on Taiwan in order to determine the professional aptitude of young applicants. The difficulty lies in transferring psychological aptitude tests developed in Germany to a different cultural and linguistic environment. Extensive research thus determines which sub-processes are affected in order to implement appropriate adaptations and modifications.
Other international experience include psychological assessments in Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Somalia, Cameroun, India, and Cuba.
DLR testing facilities outside Hamburg have been set up in 

• Jakarta, Indonesia, run by the Indonesian Airforce 
• Zurich, Switzerland, run by the Swiss Air Force 
• Zurich, Switzerland, run by the Swiss Air Traffic Control 'Skyguide'
• Amman, Jordan, hosted by Royal Jordanian but run by DLR staff.

The testing facility in Amman offers other airlines in the Middle East a convenient option to use our expertise outside Germany.
A mobile test equipment has been developed for applications world wide ('Global Testing System').