What is cognitive Bias and why do pilots need to recognise it?

As pilots, we like to believe that we are rational, logical beings who make sound judgments based on the facts at hand. However, the truth is that we are all susceptible to cognitive biases, which are systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. These biases can lead to perceptual distortion, inaccurate judgment, and illogical interpretation, and they can have serious consequences that can lead to dangerous situations in flight.


There are many different types of cognitive biases, including anchoring bias, confirmation bias, and availability heuristic. Anchoring bias is the tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions. Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. The availability heuristic is the tendency to overestimate the probability of an event based on its availability in memory.



In the field of aviation, cognitive biases can be particularly dangerous as they can lead to incorrect decision-making and ultimately contribute to accidents and crashes. One example of this is the crash of Air France Flight 447 in 2009.


On June 1, 2009, Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-203, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board. The investigation into the crash revealed that a series of errors by the pilots, including a failure to properly monitor the aircraft's speed and altitude, contributed to the accident.


One of the cognitive biases that may have played a role in this crash is the anchoring bias. The pilots may have anchored on the erroneous assumption that the aircraft's speed was being accurately displayed on the cockpit instruments, rather than properly cross-checking and verifying the information.


Another cognitive bias that may have contributed to the crash is the confirmation bias. The pilots of Air France Flight 447 may have been influenced by this bias, as they failed to properly consider and adequately respond to the multiple warning signals and alerts indicating a malfunction in the aircraft's systems.


In conclusion, cognitive biases can be dangerous in aviation as they can lead to incorrect decision-making and contribute to accidents and crashes. The crash of Air France Flight 447 serves as a tragic example of the potentially fatal consequences of cognitive biases in the cockpit. It is essential for pilots to be aware of these biases and to actively work to mitigate their impact on decision-making in order to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

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