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    • Dr Amy Irwin
    • Dr Ceri Trevethan
    • Prof Rhona Flin
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    • Dr Gabi Lipan
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    • Anna Kaminska
    • Nejc Sedlar
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Based upon the successful completion of a 2016 interview study exploring non-technical skills in helicopter flight teams, in 2017, Oliver Hamlet, Dr Irwin, and Prof Flin, in collaboration with the ESRC and Bristow Helicopters, initiated the PhD project “It’s all in the mission: An investigation of offshore transport and search and rescue helicopter flight teams”.

The PhD research has now been completed (2021). The project encompassed four key studies:

  • A focus group study comparing Search And Rescue (SAR) and Offshore Transport (OT) pilot perspectives on the key non-technical skills for their roles, along with the factors that might influence non-technical skill performance.
  • An online survey designed to investigate the potential relationship between non-technical skills, conflict, stress and fatigue across pilot groups (SAR & OT).
  • An interview study designed to explore SAR technical crew (e.g. winch operators) non-technical skills.
  • A series of discussion groups and reviews to develop the HeliNOTS behavioural marker systems for non-technical skill training and assessment with SAR and OT helicopter crews.

In May of 2019, Oliver presented the results of the first study, entitled ‘A focus group study of helicopter pilots’ non-technical skills’, to the Ergonomics and Human Factors conference in Stratford-Upon-Avon in England and travelled to the United States to talk at the 20th International Symposium on Aviation Psychology in Dayton, Ohio.  Oliver competed his PhD research in 2021.

Is it all about the mission?

Research paper examining non-technical skills across SAR and OT helicopter pilots.
Paper

Poster: It's all in the mission

Poster comparing non-technical skills across different pilot groups.
Poster

Poster: Factors influencing non-technical skills

Poster presenting focus group study comparing factors that influence NTS across pilot groups.
Poster

HeliNOTS webinar

Webinar describing and discussing the HeliNOTS systems
Youtube link

HeliNOTS systems

Click on the link to view all three HeliNOTS systems - system O for offshore pilots, system S for SAR pilots, and system SAR for SAR crews.
HeliNOTS
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  • Dr Amy Irwin

  • Dr Ceri Trevethan

  • Prof Rhona Flin

  • Dr Oliver Hamlet

  • Dr Gabi Lipan

  • Ilinca Ruxandra Tone

  • Anna Kaminska

  • Nejc Sedlar

  • Academic associates

  • Industrial and Clinical associates

  • University of Aberdeen
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The Applied Psychology and Human Factors Group | The University of Aberdeen