Evaluation of the Army Fixed-Wing Aptitude Battery in Selection for ROTC Flight Training

摘要

The Army ROTC Flight Instruction Program was authorized by regulation in 1956 in order to provide basic ground and in-flight fundamentals to meet minimum requirements of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) and to qualify students for FAA private pilot certification. The objective was to create a reserve pool of qualified pilots who can be utilized in the event of a national emergency. ROTC flight training may further serve as a selection device and as useful preparation for the Active Army's flight training programs. The Army Fixed-Wing Aptitude Battery, AFWAB-1, was administered experimentally to samples of students applying for ROTC flight instruction during the years 1956-57, 1957-58, and 1958-59. The battery was then evaluated for effectiveness in discriminating between successful and unsuccessful trainees. On the basis of this research, AFWAB-1 was adopted for ROTC use in 1961.