Question for Pilots...

[9GClub]

I have also heard that there is a disproportionate number of pilots that are affraid of heights.

Supposedly a disproportionate number of pilots are arrogant jerks......




(You're ok though CrewDawg.)

 

[flydrummer]

Supposedly a disproportionate number of pilots are arrogant jerks......




(You're ok though CrewDawg.)

If that's the case I should have been flying years ago. I have arrogant jerk down pat. At least that's what the ladies tell me

 

[BOZO]

Second born, right handed, and prefer to be on top.

 

[uscpilot]

First born, right handed. Got one brother, younger, right handed, also a pilot.
WDR11
(actually got a half sister, found out about 10 years ago, still not used to having a sister, anyway does that count??)

 

[frqtflyer]

First Born, Right handed, Love heights...sorry.

 

[Occam's Razor]

Props to the poster who mentioned Dr. Frank Dully's research. His "Sex And The Naval Aviator" is a classic analysis of the successful pilot's consititution.

Dr. Jerry Berlin did a study at American, Northwest, and TWA in the 80's, and found that over 80% of the pilots were first-born. Dr. Bob Helmrich did a similar study in the early 90's and found the same percentages in a survey done trhough NASA.

Dully's work was the ground-breaker, though. He developed a no-jeopardy survey that all of us had to take in the 70's before starting Naval Flight Training. It asked a bunch of goofy questions such as,

"How old were you when you first realized you wanted to be a pilot?"
"Do you dream about flying without an aircraft?"
"Would you rather slam you thumb in a car door, or throw up on a crowded bus?"
"Would you rather be rich or famous?"
"Are you an above-average automobile driver?"

In 1988, NAMI (Naval Aviation Medical Institute) released some of the data from his surveys. (It came out through CNATRA's office, but I haven't been able to find anybody who has a hard-copy of the report)

He was able to predict who would successfully complete Naval Flight Training, and who wouldn't. For some reason, he predicted who would succeed with more accuracy than he predicted who would fail.

Of my two fighter squadrons (F-4, F/A-18) only 2 out of 35 pilots were not first-born. I don't recall anything about right- or left-handed. (One of those two had different-colored eyes! The left was blue, the right was brown. Creepy!)

I'm a first-born, right-hander. Same color eyes.

 

[cforst513]

fourth of four, right handed, and i like heights. dad's a lefty and the oldest. my oldest sib (in fact all of us) take after ma and are right handed.

 

[LoneWolf]

First born, write and eat left handed, everything else right handed. Not afraid of heights but afraid of snakes and chest tubes.

 

[DGdaPilot]

4th born (last) and right handed.....but I golf, bat, and play hockey left handed. Try that one for size. I also do not like heights. Nothing like crawling up a 25' grain bin on a nice, windy fall day. No thanks.

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

Props to the poster who mentioned Dr. Frank Dully's research. His "Sex And The Naval Aviator" is a classic analysis of the successful pilot's consititution.



"How old were you when you first realized you wanted to be a pilot?"
"Do you dream about flying without an aircraft?"
"Are you an above-average automobile driver?"

Around 4 or 5
Yep
Yep

Lefty, #3 in line though. Used to be scared of heights but thanks to my kids doing all the roller coaster and height rides at the parks I've lost a lot of that "fear".

One thing that hasn't been pointed out in all the research(es) they've found pilots to be way better looking than the average Joe .